Komatipoort: oostelike poort van Transvaal.

Abstract

• Opsomming: Met die bou van die Oosterspoor tussen Pretoria en Lourenço Marques (Maputo) in die negentiende eeu, is verskeie dorpe in die Oos-Transvaalse Laeveld gestig, onder meer Komatipoort, die laaste nedersetting duskant die Transvaalse grens met Mosambiek. Sedert sy totstandkoming het hierdie dorp telkens ondergang in die gesig gestaar. Die voorkoms van tropiese siektes het menslike vestiging bemoeilik totdat die probleem deur die mediese wetenskap opgelos is. Na afloop van die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog (1899 - 1902) het Transvaal 'n Britse kolonie geword en daarmee het die Oosterspoor sy politieke bestaansreg verloor. Transvaalse in- en uitvoere kon deur die Britse hawens van Natal en die Kaapkolonie gehanteer word. Later is die Oosterspoor weer in gebruik geneem. In 1975 het Mosambiek 'n onafhanklike staat geword nadat Portugal hom aan die gebied onttrek het. Verhoudinge tussen Suid-Afrika en die Frelimo-bewind was aanvanklik nie goed nie met die gevolg dat die spoorverkeer tussen die twee state tot stilstand gekom het. In onlangse jare is dit egter weer hervat. Tussen al hierdie beroeringe deur het Komatipoort steeds bly voortbestaan, grootliks as gevolg van sy strategiese ligging en die uitbreiding van die boerderybedryf in die omgewing.

• Summary: When the Eastern railway line from Pretoria to Lourenço Marques was constructed in the nineteenth century, several towns were developed in the Eastern Transvaal Lowveld, inter alia Komatipoort, the last settlement on the Transvaal side of the border with Mozambique. Ever since it was established Komatipoort's survival has been threatened on numerous occasions. Until medical technology countered the threats posed by tropical disease, this had adversely affected human settlement locally. After the Anglo-Boer War (1899 - 1902) the Transvaal became a British colony with the result that the former republican line to the Portuguese port lost its political significance since imports and exports passed through the British-controlled ports of Natal and the Cape. Later the line was taken into use again. In 1975 Mozambique became independent when Portugal moved out of its former colony. Once more the future of Komatipoort was in the balance as fewer goods were being transported between South Africa and the harbour of Maputo. Despite this, the third major setback in its short history, Komatipoort holds its own largely owing to its strategic position and local agricultural enterprise.