Water 70

South Africa, Pretoria · 1970-02-14

Official

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front

info card

info card_2

Cachet: Water 70 logo & Official Commemorative Cover

Info card

Suid-Afrika se geskiedenis is in een opsig presies dieselfde as dié van die ganse mensdom deur die eeue heen: 'n onafgebroke strewe om water te kan beheer. Dit was Jan van Riebeeck se taak aan die Kaap die Goeie Hoop om onder meer water aan verbygaande skepe te voorsien. Die eerste dispuut wat ten tye van die volksplanting aan die Kaap ontstaan het, was oor waterverdeling. Sedertdien streef ons steeds daarna om water beter te kan beheer, meer water te kan voorsien en om ons beskikbare water beter te gebruik. Water is steeds die grootste enkele faktor wat ons land se ekonomiese groei gaan beïnvloed, want Suid-Afrika se waterbronne is nie onbeperk nie. Om water vir die toekoms te voorsien, is die uitdaging wat die jare sewentig aan die Republiek stel. Vanjaar is die Waterjaar, sodat ons kan besin oor water belangrikste grondstof, ons onontbeerlike lewenselement, ons kosbaarste natuurgawe. Alles wentel om water. Om te verseker dat Suid-Afrika genoeg daarvan sal hê, moet ons water ken en waardeer. Daarvoor bied die Waterjaar 1970 ons 'n gulde geleentheid. In one respect, South African history is identical to that of mankind through the ages: it consists of one relentless effort to control water. Jan Van Riebeeck was stationed at the Cape of Good Hope to supply passing ships with, inter alia, water, and at the time of the founding of the South African nation, the first ever dispute concerned the allocation of water. Ever since, we have strived towards better control, greater supply and better utilisation of our available water. It remains the most important single factor in South Africa's future economic development, because our water resources are not unlimited. To ensure water for the future is the challenge facing the Republic in the decade ahead of us. This year is the Water Year, so that we may reflect on this subject - our most important resource, this indispensable element of life, our invaluable gift from nature. Water is wonderful. If South Africa is to have enough water in future, we will have to come to know and appreciate it. For this, the Water Year 1970 will give us a golden opportunity.

Additional information

This cover was postmarked on 14 February 1970 at Pretoria and catalogued as SAPO 13. Its cachet featured the Water 70 logo, marking a national campaign declaring 1970 South Africa's Water Year to raise awareness of the country's limited water resources. The info card traced the theme all the way back to Jan van Riebeeck's arrival at the Cape in 1652, noting that the first recorded dispute among the early settlers was actually over the allocation of water.

Theme: Science & Technology

Condition: AverageNoticeable wear or light damage, such as creases, minor soiling, small tears, or light discolouration, but still collectable.

Addressed: No

Signed: No

Stamp denomination: R0.05 (ZAR)

SG reference: 299-300

SAPO serial number: 13

Estimated value: ~US$0.1

This is a high-level, subjective estimate only, not a professional appraisal.