Ou handelsvoetpaaie en wapaaie in Oos- en Noord-Transvaal.

Abstract

• Opsomming: Verskillende faktore het die roetes van die Voortrekkers bepaal, onder meet die topografie van die binneland, die onbevolkte streke van die Vrystaat en Transvaal, die vlak bolope van riviere en standhoudende fonteine. In baie gevalle kon hulle gebruik maak van eeue-oue handelsroetes wat van Delagoabaai en Inhambane na die binneland lei. Heelwat navorsing is reeds oor hierdie roetes gedoen, onder andere deur B.H. Dicke en W.H.J. Punt. In hierdie artikel word 'n oorsig gegee van die Belangrikste roetes, ondermeer die roetes van Delagoabaai na Mashonaland en van Inhambane na Soutpansberg, die roete langs die Oostelike Valskerpte, die roetes van Elim na Pafuri, Inhambane en Delagoabaai, van die Zimbabwe bouval na die Messinakopermyn en die Rooibergtinmyn, die roete langs die Sandrivier op en van Soutpan na Tshivhase, die wapaaie tussen Ohrigstad, Delagoabaai, Lydenburg en Pelgrimsrus en van Ohrigstad en Lydenburg na Schoemansdal en Albasini.

• Summary: Various factors determined the routes taken by the Voortrekkers. Amongst these were the topography of the interior, the unpopulated Areas/regions of the Orange Free State and Transvaal, the shallow upper reaches of rivers and the perennial fountains. In most cases they could make use of old trade routes that led from Delagoa Bay and Inhambane to the interior. A good deal of research has already been done on these routes, amongst others by B.H. Dicke and W.H.J. Punt. In this article an overview is given of the most important routes: those from Delagoa Bay to Mashonaland; Inhambane to the Soutpansberg; those along the eastern escarpment; Elim to Pafuri, Inhambane and Delagoa Bay; from the Zimbabwe ruins to the Messina copper mine and the Rooiberg tin mine; the route up the Sand River and from Soutpan to Tshivhase; the wagon roads between Ohrigstad, Delagoa Bay, Lydenburg and Pilgrim's Rest, and from Ohrigstad and Lydenburg to Schoemansdal and Albasini.