| Notes |
- "... Johannes, operates the much debated "pont" across the Berg River; a role that causes friction with the rest of the burghers at the Cape. By agreement with the authorities Johannes charges 8 Caapse gulden per crossing; the source of the unhappines. After his death in 1763 his wife, Magdalena,
continues the operation." [1, 2]
- In 1761 Pieter Joubert (Jaubert), son of Pierre Joubert (SV/a1), buys the pont over the Berg River in Tulbagh from Johannes Booyens for 7 500 gulde. His apparently had a lot of problems retrieving his fees from the pont users.
After his death in 1776 his son Gideon bought the pont from his estate for 13 000 gulde. [3]
- 1791 - Berg River Residents complain that they are seriously injured in their pasture and other rights by their neighbours on the other side of the river, who do not hesitate to drive their cattle across, and leave them on memorialists' ground day and night for weeks together. Their pastures are consequently eaten up to their great loss, and the trespassing cattle also destroy their gardens, lands and vines. On the other hand, memorialists do not send their cattle across the river. As memorialists have never refused to pay their share to the Pontoon, they pray that they may be protected in their ownership, and that, as before, the Berg River may remain the boundary between them and their neighbours on the other side. Unless this is decreed, memorialists will not be able to subsist, as the cattle is driven through from one farm to the other.
1788 - Signed at Drakenstein on the 31st May, 1788, by A. Louw, J.son, S. W. v. d. Merwe, The widow Pieter Le Roex, Joh. S. dv. Toit, Abr. Andries Le Roex, J. P. Theron, Anna Minnaar (widow of the late Jan Nieuwoudt), The widow Jan Minnaar, Pieter Cilje, sr., And. Carolus du Toit, Giliam du Toit, sr., Giliam du Toit, jr., A. B. du Toit, Francoijs Joubert, J. Steph. Le Roex, Hermanus Bosman, sr., Karel v. d. Merwe, R.son, J. De Beer, J.son, P. J. du Toit, Sijbrant A. de Beer, Jan Blignaut, jr., B. L. du Plesie, J. P. de Villiers, Petrus Retief, Ps. Poggenpoel, Joh. Rossouw, Carel Christoffel Pick, and Johannes Oberholster. Matter referred to L. and H.H. for investigation and report. (Resolution, 13th September, 1791.) (No. 63; date, 13th September.) [4]
- 1745 - Coetzee (Hendrik) - wishes to settle his debts, and sell the Pontoon at the Berg River, with everything belonging to it. He had offered the lot to the Landdrost and Heemraden at Stellenbosch, who had refused the offer, because of a certain contract, dated I4th January, 1732, made with his (Coetzee's) predecessor, Abraham de Haan. A Commission from the Board of Heemraden had, however, assisted by the ship's carpenter, Barend van Dockum, valued the Pontoon at f2,ooo, and the house at fi,5OO, both to be taken over for the district at that valuation, or sold to another at that price. But as this amount is much too little in the opinion of memorialist, his predecessor De Haan, having paid more than f3,ooo for the Pontoon alone, and at the same time was obliged personally to stand the risk of a failure and all loss did not the Pontoon safely carry the wagons across and further, taking into consideration the trouble which de Haan annually had to collect his money from the country people, those residing at the French Hoek and the twenty-four Rivers having for a number of years paid nothing, under pretext that they did not use the Pontoon, notwithstanding the contract says that the holder of the Pontoon shall receive from every resident beyond the Berg River annually a muid of corn or its equivalent in money, which has naturally caused great loss to memorialist, as he never could obtain the full amount to which he was entitled, he humbly prays the Council to take all this into consideration, and to permit him to sell by public auction the Pontoon and all its belongings on the same conditions made between Landdrost and Heemraden and his predecessor, as this would prevent all disputes, and Landdrost and Heemraden would have the same opportunity of buying the lot as everyone else. Or, should this not be granted, that Landdrost and Heemraaden may be instructed to pay to memorialist the sum of f8,OOO, the amount at which the whole was valued when memorialist married the widow of de Haan, his predecessor. Council refers the memorial to Landdrost and Heemraden for report. (No. 81.) [4]
- 1784 - Christiaanse (Frans Abraham) - Pontoon Keeper at Berg River - submits that his predecessor, (Pieter Joubert, Gideons' son), had already in 17/5, with the Governors' consent, had surveyed two plots of garden land on the other side of the Berg River, but that he had never asked for the Title-Deeds. Petitioner, having bought all the rights, now asks for them, and submits a Resolution on the subject from the Minutes of Landdrost and Heemraden of Stellenbosch, dated nth May, 1784, showing that no one would be inconvenienced by the grant. (No. 62.) [4]
- 1785 - Du Toit's Kloof. Josua Joubert, Gideon's son, Heemraad 1785. for Drakenstein, mentions that for his own convenience he has at considerable expense made a road through that Kloof. That it is being used by the Public, and that therefore he should be allowed to charge toll from all passengers and travellers for the maintenance of the work, independent of what everyone has to pay for the maintenance of the Pontoon. He annexed a notice signed by Land. O. de Wet, mentioning how the road is being destroyed by the troops of sheep travelling over it, and ordering, all to confine themselves to the old trek path, to avoid prosecution. (16th December, 1780.) Matter referred to Land, and H. H. for report. (No. 7 ; date, 18th January.) [4]
- Abraham de Haan was 'n interresante persoonlikheid. Hy was die seun van Abulbasi the Rajah of Tambora en het as bejaarde persoon bekeer van Moslem na Christen. Sy naam was Ibrahim Adehan en met sy doop op 2 Nov 1721 is dit vernederlands na Abraham a De Haan. In 1722 trou hy met Helena Valentyn die dogter van Hercules Valentyn van die Weskus Indie en Cecelia van Bengal Hulle het drie dogters en een seun gehad wat almal met Europeers getroud was nl:
Sara (1723) getroud met Hans Jacob Doeksteen
Louisa (1726) getroud met Jacob Bruyns
Maria Magdalena (1734) getroud met Dirk Hendrik Moss
Their son Abraham (1731) getroud met Christina Alesia Eversdyk vanaf
Nederland...
Alhoewel hulle die Christelike geloof aangeneem het is hulle nie verwesters nie soos blyk uit die klere wat gelys is in sy seun se inventaris. Alhoewel hulle die Christelike geloof aangeneem het, het hul kultuur bly voortbestaan. In die inventaris na sy dood vind ons die volgende klere "een groote kist waar in de kleederen van de overleedene, bestaande in (door E:A: de Haan uitgehouden)
twee hoeden
drie lakense rokken
een schansloper
een lakense lange broek
een lakense jekkert
een lakense baatje
een Chinaas linnens baatje
vier swartte camisoolen
vyf swartte broeken
neegen paar koussen
In 1731 het hy toestemming gekry om die eerste pont oor die Bergrivier te bou.
Na sy dood is die pont besit deur Helena Valentyn en haar man Hendrik Kotze ( in die Kaapse korrespondensie word sy van Coetzee gespel.)
http://www.e-family.co.za/ffy/exhibits/jan-kotze-family-register-by-theunis-kotze.pdf [5]
- A pont constructed on the Berg River in 1745. (Fagan, 1975: 38)
Probably first pont in the country built by Abraham de Haan fairly early in the eighteenth century.
Worked across the Berg River about half a mile above the present Lady Loch Bridge: a farm there is named Oude Pont. Thunberg crossed by this pont in 1773. This pont and its successors served the people of Wagenmakersvallei for well over a century. (Green, 1957: 231)
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