Page 87 - KBHA BULLETIN 20

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decision taken on November 29 to take no action with regard to acquiring Smith’s Farm
remained in place.

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A letter to this effect was received by the Divisional Council on April 6 by which time
Council had asked for and had received three successive options to purchase from the Smith’s
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attorneys with a warning that the third - valid until April 15 , 1939 - would be the last. It
should also be mentioned that from this last offer to purchase ‘Option B’ (regarding the
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fishing rights at Buffels Bay) had been dropped as of April 5 . With the deadline looming a
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special meeting of the Divisional Council was held on April 11 , at which the decision was
taken to exercise the option to purchase Smith’s Farm and at the same time begin the process
of applying for adjoining Crown land (111) .

Still much to do

And so the long saga to purchase Smith’s Farm as the nucleus of a much larger intended
nature area came to an end. Before proceeding however it is important to take a moment of
reflection on what a benchmark this was in the history of the conservation movement in
South Africa. By this action the Divisional Council of the Cape became the first South
African local authority to accept natural and cultural heritage conservation as one of its
recognized duties to public service. Before this time the main concerns of Divisional
Councils generally had been the construction and maintenance of roads and attendant
facilities such as public conveniences. Councilor D. J. Cloete had made this point at a council
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meeting on the November 28 , 1938 (112) . Recognizing the conservation of natural and
cultural historical resources as one of their duties to public service displays not only how far-
sighted and enlightened the Chairman, Secretary and Councillors of the Divisional Council
were at this time, but also their genuine devotion to public service. Indeed, it can be said to
all of those who publicly, privately and in their professional capacities, worked so relentlessly
to ‘save Cape Point’. Hats off to them all! Truly - a red-letter day in the history of the South
African conservation movement and for which we can all be grateful today!

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