Page 89 - Bulletin 20 2016

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promulgated by the Provincial Administration. Following the transfer of Smith’s Farm to the
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Divisional Council on July 1 , the first meeting of this board was held on July 20 .

Other important dates and actions taken following this were:

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August 18 1939 - Nature Reserve Ordinance No. 18 of 1939 promulgated empowering
Local Authorities to acquire and establish and maintain nature reserves
and make provisions incidental thereto.

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December 1 , 1939 – Proclamation No. 174/1939 published in the Provincial Gazette by the
Hon. F. A. Joubert declaring that all the provisions of the Nature
Reserves Ordinance of No 18/1939 shall apply to the Divisional
Council of the Cape.

July 1939 – April Further meetings of the Provisional Advisory Board and
1940 correspondence with the Provincial Administration regarding
regulations to be framed in terms of Ordinance No. 18 of 1939 and the
constitution of the advisory board.

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May 17 , 1940 - Regulations relating to the Constitution of an Advisory Board for the
Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve promulgated under Proclamation
No 250/1940 and published in the Provincial Gazette No. 1874 dated 17
May 1940.

August 26, 1940 - The first meeting of the newly constituted Advisory Board held at
the offices of the Divisional Council at 10 AM and at which Councillor
C. W. T. Duminy was unanimously elected Chairman of the Board (114) .

Legally entitled to run a nature reserve at last the now officially constituted Advisory Board
faced many challenges. The Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve was barely nine weeks old
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when on September 6 , 1939; Great Britain declared war on Germany followed by South
Africa three days later. Before long consideration was being given for the nature reserve, and
soon-to-be-purchased farms to the north, to be leased to the Defence Department for the
duration of the war. In the minutes of the Cape of Good Hope Advisory Board dated
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December 8 , 1941 it is noted that:

“The Secretary reported that the Council had been successful in obtaining the
following three properties at the public auction viz. Olifantsbos [northern section],
Kromme River and Theefontein for £4,100, £3,550 and £4,050 respectively, in
addition to which 1,300 morgen of the farm “Klaasjagers” had been purchased from

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