Page 213 - KBHA BULLETIN 6

Table 1: Population of Kalk Bay - Muizenberg Municipality 1891 and 1904

1891 1904 1891 1904 1891 1904
Male Male Female Female Total Total

White 369 1104 432 1015 801 2119
Malay 26 66 43 77 71 143
Hottentot 1 9 6 1 15
Fingo 6 1 7
Kafir & 1 85 2 18 3 108
Bechuana
Mixed 294 574 286 646 580 1220
Total 693 1844 763 1763 1456 3607

Table 1 shows that there was a considerable increase in total population between 1891 -

1904 - in fact an increase of 148% during these 13 years. Within the overall community the
wealthier white segment comprised nearly 60% of the population. Male - female numbers

in the overall were roughly in balance.

From Tables 2 and 3 one can see immediately that there is considerable disparity between

the health of whites and that of the rest of the population. This fits with what we know of

the Peninsula population generally, and remains the case today. By 1918 there were some
significant changes, and they were not for the better. The really telling figure is the Infant

Mortality Rate [IMR]. Reading through the MOH reports for Kalk Bay, one can see the
steady sad tally of infant deaths. In November 1896 a child of 4 months died of

"congestion of the brain", one of 13 months of "marasmus" [malnutrition], and one of 15

months of diarrhoea. In January of 1897 an infant of 4 days died of "asthenia or want of
vital powers" and another of 5 months of "marasmus or general wasting".

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