Digging into the Past –
An archive as a tool to compile and establish a timeline of human impact in our polar heritage.
Creating products to raise awareness.
Ria Olivier
Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, Stellenbosch University
I n t ro d u c t i o n
A r c h i v e a s To o l fo r c r e a t i n g a T i m e l i n e Ve s s e l s
S t a t i o n s Re s e a r c h
C r e a t i n g P ro d u c t s T i m e l i n e p o s t e rs D i g i t a l M u s e u m C r e a t i n g a w a r e n e s s
O p e n D ay s E x h i b i t s
P r e s e n t a t i o n s a n d Ta l k s C o n c l u s i o n
Digging into
the Past
• Antarctic Bulletin: Bulletin for news of overwinterers
• Articles: Research - Bibliography : Research Articles including the South African Journal on Antarctic Research
• National and International Archives : Documents sources from South African and British Archives
• NewsLetters : Newsletters written by Overwinter Teams of the South African National Antarctic Programme
• Official Documents : Official documents compiled within the South African National Antarctic Programme
• South African Polar Research Infrastructure - SAPRI : All material related to the establishment of the SA Polar Research Infrastructure
• Vessel Voyages: Voyager reports of SA vessels to the Antarctic region
Vessels
Stations
Research
1959-1960 - Polarbjørn Took the First
South Africa Team
to Antarctica
1978 - First dedicated ship of South Africa - Research Vessel S.A. Agulhas
(Maiden voyage from Cape Town Harbour)
2012 - S. A. Agulhas II - Polar Supply and Research Vessel
R.S.A. – operated as South Africa’s supply and research vessel till 1978
1959 - Antarctic Treaty signed 1 st December by South Africa
The Governments of Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, the French Republic, Japan, New Zealand, Norway,· the Union of South Africa, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America,
Recognizing that it is in the interest of all mankind that Antarctica shall continue forever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and shall not become the scene or object of international discord;
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned Plenipotentiaries, duly authorized, have signed the present Treaty.
Done at Washington this first day of December, one thousand nine hundred and fifty-nine.
1960 - First South Africa Antarctic Expedition
First Overwintering team to Antarctica at Dronning Maud Land First Leader Hannes La Grange
1955- 1958 - Hannes La Grange represent South Africa
in the Commonwealth Trans Antarctic Expedition
1997 - SANAE IV was built on the Nunatak Vesleskarvet It was inaugurated in January 1997
1959 - F i rs t ex p e d i t i o n to o k o ve r N o r w e g i a n ( w o o d e n ) b a s e i n D ro n n i n g M a u d L a n d b e c o m i n g SA N A E I
1979 - SA N A E I I I ( 2 k m f ro m SA N A E I I ) b u i l t i n D ro n n i n g M a u d L a n d
1971 - SA N A E I I p re fa b r i c ate d p a n e l s e re c t i n D ro n n i n g M a u d L a n d
1962 - SA N A E I p re fa b r i c ate d p a n e l s e re c t i n D ro n n i n g M a u d L a n d
1997: First South African women to Overwinter Aithne Rose as medical doctor - SANAE 36
1998: First non-white member Boasa Tladi, diesel Mechanic - SANAE37
2006: First non-white women to overwinter Samentha Linnerts - SANAE 45
1996/1997:
Construction team SANAE IV
1960: SANAE 1
Leader: H la Grange
Diesel Mechanic: C de Weerdt Doctor: Dr A van der Merwe Geologist: V von Brunn
Radio Technician: M du Preez Radio Operator: N Erasmus Meteorologists:
M van Wyk, D Bonnema, W de Swart, G Strauss
1 9 4 7 - A n n exat i o n o f M a r i o n I s l a n d b y S o u t h A f r i c a o n 2 9 D e c e m b e r 1 9 4 7
1 9 4 8 - A n n exat i o n o f P r i n c e Ed wa rd I s l a n d b y S o u t h A f r i c a o n 4 J a n u a r y 1 9 4 8 1 9 9 5 – B o t h i s l a n d s w e re d e c l a re d a S p e c i a l N at u re Re s e r ve
2 0 0 8 – N e w B a s e o n M a r i o n I s l a n d
1986 - First Women as team members,
Marianne Steenkamp and Marita Cawood as part of Marion43
1989 - First non
white team member Gerald Meyer,
meteorologist of Marion 46
2003 - First non white women was Samentha Linnerts as part of Marion 60
1948 - First
Overwinter Team on Marion joined by Tristan de
Cunha Islanders First leader
Allan Crawford
2022 – Marion 79
1505
-Gough Island discovered by Goncalo Alvarez
1955
-Gough Island Scientific Survey
1956
-First weather service team on Gough
1995 - Declared World heritage site
1997 - First Woman as team member was Sarien Lategan as meteorogologist of Gough 43
1995- First non white team member
Jacques Links Snr meteorologist of Gough 51
1998 - First non white women was Kgaugelo Rampedi as meteorologist of
Gough 44
1955: Scientific Survey Expedition - M. Holdgate, P.
Mullock; Middle: N. Wace, R.
Lemaitre, R. Chambers, J.
Hall; M. Swales, J.J van der Merwe; Insert: H. Green, J.
Heaney, E. Repetto, J.
Laverello, A. Rogers
1956: Gough 1 - J.P.
van Tonder, B.E.
Brokensha, J.J. van der Merwe Insert: L.C.
Henning
2022 – Gough 67
• 1919 Goddard of Stellenbosch University planned first SANAE
• 1921 Expedition called off
• 1932 Tafelberg vessel equipped for research
• 1947/48 Raymond Adie SA born - director of BAS
• 1947/48 Marion and Prince Edward Island annexed – weather stations
• 1948 Antarctic Stations managed by Dept of Transport, Weather Bureau
• 1955/58 Commonwealth Trans Antarctic Expedition
• 1959 Meteorologists; Gordon Artz & Johan Bothma at Halley Bay
• 1957/58 Geophysical Year
• 1959 ICSU- SCAR- CSIR: SASCAR
• 1961/62 SA National Committee on Antarctic Research (SANCAR)
• 1985 SA National Antarctic Research Programme (SANARP)
• 1988 SA National Committee for SCAR (SANCS)
• 1990 SA National Antarctic Programme (SANAP) moved to DEA
• 2003 Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE, previously DEFF, DEA) retained responsibility for all logistics and infrastructure.
• 2003 The National Research Foundation (NRF) became the agency responsible for grant making on behalf of the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI, previously DST).
RESEARCH
South Africa Marine and Antarctic Research Facility
October 2016
SAPRI
South Africa’s Polar Research Infrastructure Approved 2021
SAPRI:
“Transforming, Consolidating &
Strengthening Polar Sciences.”
Products • • Posters Digital Museum
• Exhibits:
• Open days
• Season opening
• Museums
• Presentations for
• Schools
• Higher education students
• APECSSA
• MATRICS in Antarctic
• Team Training
• SAPRI Trainees
V E
S S
E L
S
T S
A T
O I
N S
D I G I A T
L
Open Days
Antarctic Season Openings
Museum
Training
&
Information
sessions :
References:
South African Journal of Antarctic Research
Vol 21, No 2:• Cooper, J.; Headland, R.K. 1991. A history of South African involvement in Antarctica and at the Prince Edward Islands.
https://alp.lib.sun.ac.za/handle/123456789/7305
• Siegfried, W.R. 1971. Three decades of South African science in Antarctica.
https://alp.lib.sun.ac.za/handle/123456789/7536
• Viall, J.D. 1971. South Africa: The Road to the Antarctic Treaty.
https://alp.lib.sun.ac.za/handle/123456789/7613?show=full
Information obtained from the collections on the Antarctic Legacy of South Africa archive: www.antarcticlegacy.org
Government Documents in Official documents collection:
https://alp.lib.sun.ac.za/handle/123456789/17
• Department of Public Works
• Department of Transport
• Department of Environmental Affairs
• Department of Science and Technology a
