INTERDEPENDENCE AND CO-OPERATION IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

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front

Cachet: The cachet shows a stylised sunflower motif with the head of a Nguni cow at its centre, surrounded by petals radiating outward, each printed with the name of a Southern African country including South Africa, Transkei, Ciskei, Venda, Bophuthatswana, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zaire, Angola, Tanzania and Swaziland. Around the outer edge of the design the words "Samewerking in Suider-Afrika" and "Co-operation in Southern Africa" curve in a full circle, framing the sunflower emblem completely.

Info card

INTERDEPENDENCE AND CO-OPERATION IN SOUTHERN AFRICA The ten countries at the southern tip of the African continent share many physical features: climate, geology, soil, fauna, flora, insect life, human and animal diseases, demographic characteristics, and dependence on the production and exportation of primary commodities. They also share common historical bonds. South Africa and its neighbours believe they are interdependent in that they have joint interests and mutual responsibilities in respect of the economic, sociological and ecological welfare of the people of the Southern African region; interests and responsibilities which ought to be a sound basis for their continuing co-operation and good neighbourliness. Many joint research and development projects have been undertaken which have directly or indirectly benefited the countries of the Southern African region, which include Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe and also Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei. Some of the major joint projects are the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, the Cahora Bassa Hydro-Electric Scheme in Mozambique, rail transport co-operation throughout the region, and the shared expertise of the Veterinary Research Institute at Onderstepoort in South Africa. Other important developments in regional co-operation during the past decades have been the signing of the Accord of Nkomati between South Africa and Mozambique, and the signing of a non-aggression treaty between South Africa and Swaziland. The establishment of organisations such as the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), the Southern African Regional Commission for the Conservation and Utilisation of the Soil (SARCCUS), the Southern African Regional Tourism Council (SARTOC) as well as the Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference (SADCC) is further proof of the commitment of the countries of Southern Africa to the region's well-being and prosperity. 18c stamp Cahora Bassa Hydro-Electric Scheme As early as 1957 the Portuguese government launched the first of several investigations to determine the feasibility of settlement and economic development in the lower Zambezi Valley. A report produced in 1959 assessed the advantages of a major hydro-electric project at Cahora Bassa, to sell electricity to South Africa and to promote the general agricultural development of the river basin. After a series of painstaking negotiations, an agreement was signed between South Africa and Portugal in September 1969. The project was completed in 1977. After Mozambique became independent a new Cahora Bassa Agreement was reached and the documents were signed at Cape Town on 2 May 1984, six weeks after the signing of the Accord of Nkomati. 30c stamp Integrated Railways The rail network of the South African Transport Services (SATS) plays a major role in fostering Southern African co-operation. Neighbouring states routinely hire diesel and steam locomotives from SATS to transport their goods to service. Trucks and locomotives supplied by SATS can be found in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Zaire, Swaziland, Malawi and Mozambique; rolling stock can sometimes be found as far north as Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. It is estimated that the total freight handled by SATS each year includes about 60 per cent of the total imports of those Southern African countries to the north of South Africa — more than five million tons of foreign freight travelling across South African territory. 40c stamp Lesotho Highlands Water Project The Lesotho Highlands Water Project commenced with the signing of a treaty on 24 October 1986 by the South African and Lesotho governments. The harnessing of the water resources of the upper reaches of the Orange River (or Senqu, as it is known in Lesotho) holds enormous potential for both countries. Some 10 000 million cubic metres of water will be stored in four large dams. 50c stamp Veterinary Assistance An imminent crisis facing Africa is the nutrition of its rapidly increasing population. Animal disease is a major factor affecting food production. South Africa has well-organised veterinary services, and appreciated by regional diagnostic laboratories. The country's veterinary expertise is soundly based on research results generated by the Veterinary Research Institute at Onderstepoort and the faculties of veterinary science at the University of Pretoria and the Medical University of Southern Africa (Medunsa) nearby. Onderstepoort is the major manufacturer of livestock vaccines in Southern Africa. No less than seventy two different biological products are produced, many of which are not available from any other source anywhere in the world. It is estimated that about 20 per cent of total production finds its way to neighbouring countries. INTERAFHANKLIKHEID EN SAMEWERKING IN SUIDER-AFRIKA Die tien state aan die suidelike punt van die vasteland van Afrika het baie fisiese eienskappe gemeen: klimaat, geologie, bodemgesteldheid, fauna en flora, insektelewe, siektes van mens en dier, demografiese eienskappe en afhanklikheid van die produksie en uitvoer van basiese goedere. Hulle deel ook baie gemeenskaplike historiese bande. Suid-Afrika en sy buurlande glo dat hulle interafhanklik is deurdat hulle gemeenskaplike belange en wedersydse verantwoordelikhede ten opsigte van die ekonomiese, sosiologiese en ekologiese welsyn van die mense van die Suider-Afrikaanse streek het; belange en verantwoordelikhede wat 'n gesonde basis vir hulle voortgesette samewerking en goeie buurskap behoort te wees. Baie gesamentlike navorsings- en ontwikkelingsprojekte is al geloods wat die lande van die Suider-Afrikaanse gebied, soos Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mosambiek, Namibië, Suid-Afrika, Swaziland, Zambië, Zimbabwe en ook Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda en Ciskei bevoordeel het. Van die belangrike gesamentlike projekte are die Lesotho Hoogland Waterprojek, die Cahora Bassa Hidroelektriese Skema in Mosambiek, spoorwegsamewerking dwarsdeur die gebied en die gedeelde kundigheid van die Navorsingsinstituut vir Veeartsenykunde by Onderstepoort in Suid-Afrika. Ander belangrike ontwikkelings in streeksamewerking gedurende die afgelope dekades was die ondertekening van die Nkomati-verdrag tussen Suid-Afrika en Mosambiek en die van 'n nie-aanvalsverdrag tussen Suid-Afrika en Swaziland. Die stigting van organisasies soos die Suider-Afrikaanse Doeane-Unie (SADU), die Suider-Afrikaanse Streekkommissie vir die Bewaring en Benutting van die Grond (SARCCUS), die Suider-Afrikaanse Streektoerismeraad (SARTOC) asook die Konferensie vir die Koördinering en Ontwikkeling in Suider-Afrika (SADCC) is verdere bewyse van die toewyding van die lande van Suider-Afrika aan die streek se welstand en voorspoed. 18c-seël Cahora Bassa Hidroëlektriese Skema Die Portugese regering het reeds in 1957 die eerste van verskeie ondersoeke geloods om die moontlikheid van bewoning en ekonomiese ontwikkeling van die benede-Zambezivallei te bepaal. 'n Verslag oor die voordele van 'n groot hidroëlektriese projek by Cahora Bassa, wat elektrisiteit aan Suid-Afrika sou verkoop en die algemene boerderyontwikkeling van die rivierkom sou bevorder, is in 1959 uitgegewe. Na 'n reeks indringende samesprekings is 'n ooreenkoms tussen Suid-Afrika en Portugal in September 1969 onderteken. Die projek is in 1977 voltooi. Na Mosambiek se onafhanklikwording is 'n nuwe Cahora Bassa-ooreenkoms bereik. Die dokumente is op 2 Mei 1984, ses weke na die sluiting van die Nkomati-akkoord, in Kaapstad onderteken. 30c-seël Geïntegreerde Spoorvervoer 'n Belangrike rol word deur die Suid-Afrikaanse Vervoerdienste (SAVD) gespeel om buurstate hulle gereeld diesel- en stoomlokomotiewe wat deur die SAVD voorsien word, in Zambië, Zimbabwe, Zaïre, Swaziland, Malawi en Mosambiek gebruik; rollende materiaal kan soms so ver noord as Dar es Salaam in Tanzanië gevind word. Daar word bereken dat die totale vrag wat elke jaar deur die SAVD gehanteer word, ongeveer 60 persent van die totale invoer van die Suider-Afrikaanse lande noord van ons Suid-Afrikaanse grondgebied insluit — meer as vyf miljoen ton buitelandse vrag oor Suid-Afrikaanse grondgebied vervoer word. 40c-seël Lesotho Hoogland Waterprojek Die Lesotho Hoogland Waterprojek is ingelui met die ondertekening van 'n ooreenkoms tussen die Suid-Afrikaanse en die Lesotho-regering op 24 Oktober 1986. Die benutting van die waterreserwes van die boonste loop van die Oranjerivier (of Senqu, soos dit in Lesotho genoem word) hou onbegryplike moontlikhede vir albei lande in. Sowat 10 000 miljoen kubieke meter water sal in vier groot damme opgegaar word. 50c-seël Veeartsenykundige Bystand 'n Dreigende krisis waarvoor Afrika te staan gekom het, is die voeding van sy vinnig groeiende bevolking. Dierensiektes is 'n belangrike faktor wat die produksie van voedsel beïnvloed. Suid-Afrika het goed georganiseerde veeartsenykundige dienste wat heelwat ervaring het van diagnostiese streeklaboratoriums. Die land se veeartsenykundige kennis is diepgeworteld gebaseer op navorsingsresultate wat deur die Navorsingsinstituut vir Veeartsenykunde te Onderstepoort en die fakulteite van veeartsenykunde aan die Universiteit van Pretoria en die Mediese Universiteit van Suidelike Afrika (Medunsa) verkry is. Onderstepoort is die hoofvervaardiger van vee-entstowwe in Suider-Afrika. Nie minder nie as twee en sewentig verskillende biologiese produkte word vervaardig, waarvan baie nêrens elders in die wêreld bekom kan word nie. Daar word bereken dat sowat 20 persent van die totale produksie na buurlande uitgevoer word.

Additional information

This cover is postmarked on 15 February 1990 in Pretoria. The four stamps, illustrated by A H Barrett, depict the Cahora Bassa Hydro-Electric Scheme, integrated regional railways, the Lesotho Highlands Water Project and veterinary assistance, all examples of cross border co-operation among Southern African states. The Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, highlighted on the 50c stamp, produced more than seventy different biological products at the time this set was issued, with around a fifth of its total output exported to neighbouring countries to support regional livestock health.

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