The Namaqua West Coast doesn’t get much rain, but it is among one of South Africa’s thriving agricultural regions thanks to an incredible network of canals, hundreds of kilometres in length. The construction represents a historic and engineering feat known as the Olifants River Irrigation Scheme and is the country’s oldest. The scheme’s open concrete canals transport water throughout the region. They start at the Bulshoek and Clanwilliam dams. The scheme was formally established in 1911, but has a history that goes back to the middle of the 19th century. Initially comprising hand-dug trenches, the canals were later solidified with concrete - a job that Italian POWs were engaged in during World War 2. Amazingly, there is not a single pump along the entire course of the canals. Like the Roman aqueducts, water flows from its source to dams spread across the region, by gravitation only.
The canal is the life-blood of an agricultural and industrial sector that creates thousands of jobs and is a substantial tax contributor to the South African economy.
The irrigation scheme visible across the Namaqua West Coast is 321km in length and comprises a central canal of 261 km with 11 branches. It supplies 26 000m³ of water per hour, for irrigation to 680 farmers, municipal drinking water to towns, and industrial processes to major companies.
A Native Commissioner for the district of the Cape was appointed with effect from 1 October 1928. Simultaneously an Assistant Native Commissioner for the districts of the Cape, Wynberg and Simonstown and the sub-district of Somerset West was appointed. Criminal jurisdiction was conferred upon the Assistant Native Commissioner for the district of Wynberg as from 19 August 1935. At the same time a Native Commissioner for Wynberg, who was to hold court sessions at Langa on Mondays, was appointed. On 17 February 1937 this court was abolished and replaced by a Native Commissioner’s Court for the districts of the Cape, Wynberg and Simonstown, with court sessions to be held in Cape Town and Langa. On 16 September 1939 Cape Town was replaced by Salt River as one of the seats of the court.
In 1941 criminal jurisdiction was conferred upon the Native Commissioner of Salt River. A court of the Native Commissioner of the Cape Peninsula, comprising the magisterial districts of the Cape, Bellville, Simonstown and Wynberg, was constituted on 22 December 1951 and criminal jurisdiction conferred upon the Native Commissioner. The designation was later changed to Bantu Affairs Commissioner, and still later to Commissioner.
