Microsoft Word - PhD Thesis Final.pdf - University of Limpopo ...

formed crescent-shaped barchans and longitudinal dunes. In this arid, pre-
Cambrian landscape, there were also rivers and lakes, at the edges of
which is evidence of fossilised cyanobacteria, which were the precursors of
life on earth 88 . Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, grew in sub-aqueous
conditions at the edges of water pools 89 . These layers of algal deposits
were able to photosynthesise, turning carbon dioxide into oxygen, thus
enabling the development of life on earth. This is a particular case in the
Makgabeng area as evidenced by the unique sand-stone rocks of the
Makgabeng plateau. These types of rocks have weathered into sandy soil
which covers most of the Makgabeng area.
The Makgabeng plateau is one of the main mountain ranges in the northern
part of Limpopo Province, the other two being Soutpansberg and Blouberg.
Therefore, to put Makgabeng into a proper geological context, the other two
neighbouring ranges need to be briefly looked into. This is precisely
because mountains have been important in the creation of people identities.
As people occupied mountainous areas for security reasons, they became
attached to that particular mountain. For instance, there will be references to
the Makgabeng people, the Soutpansberg people and the people of
Blouberg. Thus, the environmental feature – the mountain – becomes the
people’s source of identity. The people in these three mountain ranges have
88 Ibid, p. 1.
89 Ibid, p. 1.
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