The first inhabitants After *Voortrekker leader Andries Hendrik Potgieter founded Potchefstroom in 1838, and AmaNdebele of Mzilikazi were driven; the first whites settled in the area north of the Vaal River. During the British occupation of Natal in 1843, many Voortrekkers came to settle in the Transvaal. Because of cold winters, little firewood and inhospitality of the area, the Eastern Highveld was initially not very popular among Voortrekkers. Later large herds of game, good grazing and water, prompted farmers to bring their cattle here in summer months. It is known that Highveld farmers still own land in the Lowveld area although they rarely move there with their cattle anymore. When the Whites arrived in the Highveld, there were few Blacks. This state of affairs can firstly be attributed to the unfriendly nature of the area and secondly, to Mozilikazi Impi’s reign of terror. This state, however changed as the Whites needs for workers increased and many Blacks came to stay here. In 1868 the farm Blesbokspruit, on which Bethal later emerged, was delineated. It is said that a large group of Whites from Schoemansdal came to settle in the vicinity of Bethal after their town was set on fire by rebel Black tribes. The surnames Vorster, Du Plooi, Joubert, Kruger, Retief, etc. appeared on an 1875 map of the Transvaal. From this it can be deduced that Bethal and environs had by this time several residents. C M Du Plooij and his wife Elizabeth P J Naude and his wife Alida *See Translator’ Note (page I). 4
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