Changing economic bases: Orania as a case study of small-town development in South Africa

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Date
2003
Authors
Kotze, Nico
Journal Title
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: The economic base is the most fundamental factor controlling the growth of a town. Orania’s economic base has changed three times. The town came into existence as a result of the development of the Orange River Project. After completing the project, the Department of Water Affairs withdrew from the town in 1989, with the result that it lost its economic base. The town was sold to the Afrikanervryheidstigting (AVSTIG), which saw it as the first town in an envisaged Afrikaner homeland. This provided the impetus for the second, political economic base. The farm Vluytjeskraal, adjacent to Orania, was bought in 1991 and subdivided into smallholdings, which provided the stimulus for the third, agricultural economic base.
Afrikaans: Die ekonomiese grondslag is die mees fundamentele faktor wat die groei van dorpe en stede beheer. In die geval van Orania het die ekonomiese grondslag drie keer verander. Die dorp het sy ontstaan te danke aan die ontwikkeling van die Oranjerivierprojek. Die Departement van Waterwese het in 1989 na voltooiing van die projek aan die dorp onttrek, met die gevolg dat die dorp sy ekonomiese grondslag verloor het. Die dorp is in Januarie 1991 aan die Afrikanervryheidstigting (AVSTIG) verkoop wat dit beskou het as ’n eerste dorp in ’n moontlike Afrikanertuisland; die impetus vir die tweede, polities-ekonomiese tuisland. In Augustus 1991 is die plaas, Vluytjeskraal, naasliggend aan Orania gekoop en later onderverdeel in kleinhoewes wat die stimulus gebied het vir die derde, landbou-ekonomiese grondslag.
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Keywords
Small-town development, South Africa, Orania, Afrikaner homeland, Afrikanervryheidstigting (AVSTIG), Urban growth
Citation
Kotze, N. (2003). Changing economic bases: Orania as a case study of small-town development in South Africa. Acta Academica, Supplementum (1), 159-172.