Formalizing milk production in Johannesburg: the dissolution of white petty milk-producers, 1908 - 1920.

Abstract

• Opsomming: In die vroeë twintigste eeu het Johannesburg sy daaglikse melkvoorraad van 'n verskeidenheid klein 'informele' melkerye asook van 'n paar groot melkerye verkry. Aangespoor deur toenemende belangstelling in hoë gesondheidstandaarde in die algemeen het die munisipaliteit begin om melkproduksie strenger te beheer. Gevolglik was daar 'n toename in die produksiekoste van die groot melkerye wat op hul beurt die amptenare en die klein produsente as 'vyande' beskou het. In die daaropvolgende stryd is 'n aantal munisipale regulasies uitgevaardig wat gelei het tot die sluiting van die klein melkerye omdat hul eienaars nie die bouregulasies kon nakom nie, en nie soseer omdat bulle onhigiëniese melk geproduseer het nie. In teenstelling met die beëindiging van ander kIeinproduksiebedrywe wat die swart produsente die meeste geraak het, was dit hier die blanke produsente wat die ergste getref is.• Summary: In the early part of the twentieth century daily milk supplies in Johannesburg came from a proliferation of small-scale 'informal' dairies as well as from a few large-scale dairies. Spurred on by a growing concern for high standards of hygiene in general the municipality began to police the production of milk more strictly. The effect was to cause an increase in the production costs of the largescale dairies which in turn viewed both the officials and the smallscale producers as 'enemies'. In the ensuing struggle a set of municipal by-laws was produced which had the effect of closing down the small-scale dairies because their owners were unable to meet the building standards imposed on them rather than because they were producing unhygienic milk. Unlike the demise of other pettyproduction activities it was white and not black producers who were most affected.