Die klein dorp in verval.

• Opsomming: Die verval van die klein dorp het reeds krisisafmetings aangeneem op die Suid-Afrikaanse platteland. Dit word weerspieël in die afname van veral Blanke-bevolkingsgetalle en dit benadeel die interne struktuur en funksionering van die dorpe in terme van hul dienste, fasiliteite, ekonomiese basis en sosio-ekonomiese bevolkingsamestelling. Hierdie omstandighede het ontstaan omdat die bestaansfunksie van sommige dorpe in die moderne tegnologiese wêreld uitgedien geraak het, as gevolg van die bevolkingsverskuiwing van die platteland na die stede en sommige dorpe se ongunstige ligging. 'n Kitsoplossing vir die ingewikkelde probleem is nie voor-die-hand-liggend nie. Verskeie benaderings tot die probleem is moontlik. Met die oog op gedifferensieerde bystand moet verskillende vlakke van dorpe onderskei word. Die geringe tekens van oplewing by nie-metropolitaanse gebiede bied moontlik ook geleentheid om hoof- en ondersteunende dorpe met grootskaalse ontwikkelingshulp uit te bou tot lewenskragtige streekskerne. Daar sal ook rekening gehou moet word met die feit dat nie alle dorpe in die proses gehelp kan word nie - sommige sal noodwendig aan voortgesette verval oorgelaat moet word in 'n poging om die streek te red.• Summary: The decline of the small town in the South African countryside has reached a critical stage. This is reflected in the shrinking White population figures and is detrimental to the internal structure and functioning of these towns as far as services, facilities, the basis of their economies and their socio-economic population composition are concerned. This situation is the cumulative result of an obsolete reason for the existence of some towns in a changed technological milieu, the migration of the population from the countryside to the cities, and the incompetent state of some towns. Although an instant solution is not available, several approaches to this complex problem are possible. Different levels of towns could be identified before taking differentiated remedial action. It is also possible to follow up the slight signs of revival in non-metropolitan areas by using extensive development aid to guide main and subsidiary towns into vital regional centres. It should, however, be taken into account that not all towns will advance this process - some will inevitably be subjected to progressive decline in order to save the region as a whole