Private ondernemerskap op die voorpos: ontginning van Soutpansberg se soutbron in die 19de eeu.

Abstract

• Opsomming: Gedurende die laat-19de eeu was die ontginning van sout by die Soutpansbergse soutpan 'n gewilde bedryf. Dit is meegebring deur die groter getal mense wat hulle na die ontdekking van goud aan die Witwatersrand in 1886 in die distrik Soutpansberg gevestig het. Die regering van die Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek het aanvanklik gepoog om 'n vorm van administratiewe orde by die soutpan te skep. Dit het egter misluk en daarom is die bron aan private ondernemers verpag; dit het egter spoedig duidelik geword dat voorpospioniers groot skade as gevolg van hierdie reëling gely het. Die saak kon nie summier reggestel word nie omdat die staat kontraktueel aan die verhuring verbind was. Die navorsing toon dat private ondernemerskap onder voorposomstandighede in die vorige eeu nie noodwendig altyd tot voordeel van die plaaslike gemeenskap gestrek het nie.

• Summary: The saltpan of Soutpansberg in the Northern Transvaal was a popular spot for salt-mining during the later pan of the 19th century. This was brought about by the ever-increasing permanent population in the Soutpansberg district after the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand in 1886. Although the government of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek initially tried to exercise some sort of administrative control at the pan, it was not successful. Consequently the saltpan was leased to private entrepreneurs. It however soon became clear that the pioneers on the frontier suffered heavy losses because of this arrangement. But nothing could be done to alter the situation since the government was contractually bound to the undertaking. The author suggests that privatization under frontier conditions in the 19th century, did not always benefit the frontier community.