Louis Tregardt se plaas in Gcalekaland

Abstract

Louis Tregardt's farm in Gcalekaland. Before finally striking out for the far north-east, the Voortrekker leader Louis Tregardt spent about a year (1834- 1835) in Gcalekaland, outside the Cape Colony. Until now, historians have been unable to pinpoint precisely where Tregardt and other Afrikaner frontier farmers actually lived. On the evidence inter alia of place names in the present Transkei and of a hitherto unconsidered sketch map, this article purports to establish that Tregardt and at least a number of other families were living in an area some 30 to 40 km long and about 5 km wide between the Tsakana and Ndwana Rivers, along the eastern banks of the Indwe.

Dis bekend dat Louis Tregardt en ongeveer 30 gesinne in die eerste helfte van 1834 die Kaapkolonie se grens oorgesteek en in Gcalekaland gaan woon het. Volgens Karel Tregardt se "Herinneringen" het hulle 'n stuk grond van ongeveer 12 000 morg by Hintsa gehuur. Streng volgens Karel se geheue sou 'n mens moet glo dat hy en sy vader en vyf ander gesinne op die stuk grond geboer het. Aangesien dit bewys kan word dat heelwat meer gesinne in die omgewing gevestig het, moet 'n mens aanvaar dat die oppervlakte van hierdie blanke nedersetting in totaal heelwat groter was en dat die 12 000 morg slegs op Tregardt en enkele ander gesinne betrekking het.