In previous editions
we reported on the historical link between Bela-Bela (formerly Wambaths) and
various locations in South Africa. This issue focusses on the historical link
between our town and the University of the Witwatersrand, colloquially known as
Wits.
Shortly after Warmbaths
was proclaimed as a township in 1920, a competition to design the layout of the town was held.
The competition was won by a successful architect/town planner of Johannesburg
called John Abraham Moffat.
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| This picture shows the layout of the streets of Bela-Bela as designed by John Abraham Moffat |
Although it is
logical to assume that Moffat Rd. was named after John Abraham Moffat, this
could not be verified as a fact.
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| This street was almost certainly named after Moffat |
Despite an extensive
search, The author was unfortunately unable to trace a picture of Moffat.
The question now
arises: who was John Abraham Moffat, and how does Wits fit into the picture?
Moffat was born in
Manchester, England, in 1871. As a child he left with his family for New
Zealand either in 1872 or 1876. After a short time in New Zealand the family
settled in Sydney, Australia before moving to Brisbane, where he attended the
Brisbane Technical College, presumably to study architecture.
In 1895 Moffat came
to South Africa. During the Anglo-Boer
War he joined
the British forces and helped to design hospitals, defence works,
block-houses and concentration camps.
He settled in Johannesburg
in about 1902 and became a highly respected architect, designing various
buildings in Johannesburg. Moffat soon
developed an interest in town planning, an involvement lasting for most of his
career. For example, in 1904 he designed the layout of Waverley, a residential
suburb in Johannesburg.
After his death in
1941, he bequeathed £100 000 to Wits. The money was used to erect the
building now known as the John Moffat Building for the School
of Architecture.
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| The John Moffat Building for the School of Architecture on the Wits campus |
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