DISSECTING THE KRUGER MYTH WITH BLUNT INSTRUMENTS - A REBUTTAL OF CARRUTHERS,JANE VIEW

The contribution of Paul Kruger to nature conservation is not, as Dr J ane Carruthers suggests, a myth, but a historical fact In this paper i t is argued that Carruthers did not consider the historical context in which Kruger's actions took place. Kruger, for instance, did not domi nate the Volksraad and, in the Executive Council, did not always enjoy the support required for conservation reforms. In addition, the white farming community was for many years decidedly against game protectio n, To be sure, Kruger was not the only Transvaaler to promote the cons ervation cause, bur given the position he held, he undoubtedly played a major, if not a decisive role in the crucial 1890s to ensure the sur vival of South Africa's wildlife heritage. This paper considers the pe riod between 1883, when Kruger became president of the Transvaal Repub lic, and 1899 when the Second Anglo-Boer war broke out. The myth theor y is tested by evaluating Kruger's actions during these years - how, i n the face of some stiff opposition, he persevered until success was a ssured. The conclusion arrived at is that the myth theory has no factu al base. The Kruger National Park was deservedly named after Paul Krug er to commemorate his personal interest in nature conservation.