Abstract
This article looks at the town engineers in South Africa prior to Union in 1910. It briefly examines the growth in the number of municipalities and town engineers in the country in this period and investigates the background and training of these engineers; why municipalities decided to appoint an engineer; and what kind of appointment processes were followed. Finally the relations between engineers and town councils and the prevailing circumstances at the end of the engineers’ tenures is studied. The article also presents ten specific cases which have reference to the development of water supply. It emerges that most early town engineers received training via apprenticeship for the positions they held, and that there was added pressure from elected councillors in municipalities who were prone to monitor assiduously how officials were spending public money. It is also clear that engineers who did not have earlier municipal experience were bound to have problems in their interaction with town councillors.Keywords: Municipal history, civil engineering, water supply, sanitation, Cape Colony, Natal, Orange Free State, TransvaalDisciplines: History, Engineering, Public Management
Highlights
When one studies municipal history in South Africa one has to look very carefully, often in vain, to find any mention of town engineers
It emerges that most early town engineers received training via apprenticeship for the positions they held, and that there was added pressure from elected councillors in municipalities who were prone to monitor assiduously how officials were spending public money
The history of public works has become an important part of histories written on the development of South African local government and service delivery, but the identities and contributions of the engineers responsible for those works have for the most part been left out
Summary
When one studies municipal history in South Africa one has to look very carefully, often in vain, to find any mention of town engineers. There is a conscious effort to concentrate only on the top official of municipal public works departments, namely the municipal/town/borough/city engineer; all four versions were in use. This official was responsible for all public works under municipal governance. In another instance the name of the first town engineer of Pietersburg ( Polokwane) is not divulged in the documents, his resignation is recorded. Water supply has been selected as a specific topic because the introduction and augmentation of water resources was one of the most important municipal issues in South Africa during the period under discussion. Considering the dry climate of South Africa, the provision of water, to people in rural municipalities, still remains one of the most crucial issues
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