The Border Historical Society’s talk this month will feature guest speaker Mike Coleman, who will present a thought-provoking lecture titled Dongas, Sheep and Ploughs.
The talk will take place on Saturday, at 2.30pm, at the East London Museum’s Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer Hall.
The exciting presentation will explore the pressing and often overlooked issue of soil erosion in SA, particularly in the Eastern Cape.
While dongas — deeply eroded gullies formed by running water — are widely recognised, Coleman will challenge common assumptions about their causes.
According to conventional explanations, overgrazing by cattle has largely been blamed for the formation of dongas.
However, Coleman argues that sheep farming and ploughing practices may have played a far more significant role in shaping the landscape.
Drawing on a range of historical sources, including aerial photographs, government reports, livestock records, and archival publications such as the Alice Times of 1870, the talk will examine when and how these environmental changes occurred.
Despite the available material, Coleman notes that the topic remains a largely neglected field of research, with much of the evidence being circumstantial rather than definitive.
The discussion will also highlight the less visible but more damaging impact of sheet erosion, which gradually strips away topsoil and contributes significantly to land degradation.
The term “donga” itself has historical roots, appearing as early as 1879 in A Trip to Boërland by Rowland Atcherley, where it was used to describe deeply cut gullies that posed challenges to travellers. Coleman brings a wealth of experience to the discussion.
Born in England, he has spent three decades in Zimbabwe and four decades in the Eastern Cape.
His academic background spans English, geography, hydrology, and urban and regional planning.
He has worked as a teacher, town planner, and agricultural land use specialist, contributing to major irrigation and rural development projects across Zimbabwe and the former homelands of Ciskei and Transkei.
He has also lectured at the University of Fort Hare and served as chair of the Transkei Planning Board for 16 years.
Members of the public are encouraged to attend this insightful talk, which promises to shed light on the environmental history of the region and its ongoing challenges.
