­Both in the Zoutpansberger and the Mirror, such an excellent review of a book that must be of real interest locally - if only it were more affordable: Lindsay Frederick Braun: Colonial Survey & Native Landscapes in Rural South Africa, 1850-1913.

Some local publisher really must be pushed into taking it up. Perhaps Maano Tuwani of Guyo Books has the right contacts, otherwise perhaps Charles Leach, as many more besides ourselves will surely find the information valuable. Not many publications on local history have been properly and objectively researched.

The initiative to collect the information behind the street names is also very timely and encouraging. We are in danger of losing a lot of historical information at a time when it is either being distorted or ignored, and less and less time and money are being given to history and archives.

In this largely illiterate society, where schools think they can substitute libraries with the Internet, there is a huge erosion of knowledge taking place for which South Africa will later be very sorry. So it is very heartening to see your efforts, and I eagerly look forward to learning the outcomes.