| From Gondwanaland to Kalahari | Kalahari Bushmen (Komani San, Saasi) |
Witdraai, the place where I spend the first five years of my life, started as a police station. The oldest serious documents in the National Achives about the possible use of camels in the drier parts of South Africa is dated 1901 to 1904, but there is an even older document dated 1861 where-in Robert Moffatt junior requested government aid for the importation of camels, so the idea was not entirely new. Two camels were imported for use at Waivisbay in 1905 and another 12 for use in Gordonia. More camels were imported in 1911 from Egypt.
This indistinct photograph may date from that time. The terrain could well be around Witdraai. If any-body can help with a more positive indetification, please e-mail me. The photograph is taken with her kind permission, from the thesis of from Sperintendent Small at the Police Museum.
 Early camel train in terrain that could be near Witdraai. Was this the uniform of the cape Mounted Police? |
The first document in the National archives about Witdraai is dated 1907 and another about a Cape Mounted Police Station at Witdraai dated 1909. I have not seen these documents. The existing buildings at Witdraai, is not that old and most likely dates from the late 1930s to early 1940s. The story that a limestone cave in the dry river bed was used as the first Charge Office, therefor appears quite likely.
 Was this the first Witdraai Police Station? Cave in typical calcrete river bank. |
 Desolation - Witdraai style! Look at the size of that dry river bed! (5 m wind mill in the middle distance - the Police Station is the dark patch behind it!) |
 Just to prove that it is a River! Once every 20 to 30 years, the road goes "on top" of the banks, "not inside"! |
 The wind-mill, dam and police station from a bit closer. |
About the only things that have changed after 50 years, is the replacement of the wind-mill with a diesel pump, the replacement of the corugated iron tanks with cement, the removal of the "cool room" at the far right of the picture, and the apparent demise of the vineyard around the dam and wind-mill.
There is one document dated 1938, which indicates the owner of Witdraai as JJB Maritz, which I though might more or less correspond with the time just before the establishment of the Camel breeding station at Witdraai. However, the camel breeding must have started long before this, and it must have gone exceptionally well, as already in 1922 there are documents about "exchange of camels, camels as presents and sale of camels". Again in 1929-1930 "Disposal by Police of surplus camels". With the arrival of the ubiquitous FORD pick up in the late 40s early fifties, the era of police patrols by camel in South Africa, finally came to an end.
At its peak, before the final sale of camels on a public auction in 1951, Witdraai had as many as 300 or even 400 camels, so it was a much larger and busier place than the small police station and three houses I remember. I guess that one needs at least 20 to 50 people to handle 300 camels.
 Some camels left after the public auction in 1951. |
Today, many of the descendants of the original Witdraai camels are found all over South Africa and probabaly also in the adjacent Namaibia and Botswana. It appears that camels are still used by police in parts of Botswana. If some-one can confirm this, please e-mail me at info@abbott-infotech.co.za! Today, much of this area that once formed the police reserve, have been given to Bushmen or San in partial reparation for their land claims in the wider Kalahari area. Today, the new tarred road from Upington to Rietfontein passes some distance behind the Witdraai Police Station and only the radio mast, flag-pole and water tanks are visisble. There is a road sign to the police station, and you are welcome to take a look around, but please ask permission from the charge office! The "Police reserve" has now shrunk to just about the area around the Police station and its three or four staff houses, and possibly the dam and borehole in the river bed.
One fact about Witdraai that is probably only known to people who have lived there, is the large number of poisonous parbuthus spp. scorpions found there. The record is 150 scorpions caught in one night!. These were then send to the Snake Park in Port Elizabeth for the preparation of antivenom. There are dozens of snakes around, and hundreds of lizards!
|
Some camels left after the public auction in 1951. |
Superintendent Small at the Police Museum has promised me a copy of her thesis about Witdraai and the Camel breeding there, so I will shortly be able to give you a lot more info and pictures.
More information
Tour South Africa.comKalahari dunes info
Witdraai - Camel Breeding
Kalahari pans
From Gondwanaland to Kalahari
Kalahari Bushmen (Komani San, Saasi, !Kabee language)