In the course of the period 1853-1914, governments in South Africa disposed of 55 million hectares of Crown Land to further the objects of European settlement, revenue, frontier security and increased agricultural and pastoral production
. These objectives were often incompatible and constant adjustments were made as the administrators competed for the limited number of settlers. (AJC).
The Cape of Good Hope granted 26 million hectares to settlers in the period discussed. The problems of colonising progressively more arid environments resulted in constant reviews of legislation and a measure of experimentation until the land
is most evident in the architectural heritage bequeathed to independent Africa. However, groups such as soldier, administrators, traders, hunters, gatherers, planters, miners and settlers all contribued to the transformation of the landscape. (AJC).