Quantity control is essential for trade, and trade was the driving force behind both the discovery and the colonisation of Southern Africa; hence the early establishment of a system of weights and measures at the Cape of Good Hope. In 1681, through the 'Statuten van India', the Dutch authorities prescribed standards of measurement and their application in trade. Instruments had to be assized twice yearly and the most common goods had to be marketed in fixed quantities. Fines were imposed for non-compliance. At the beginning of British rule in 1806 the following standards were in use:

Weight:

16 ounces = 32 lood = 1 Dutch pound
92 Dutch pounds = 100 English pounds
Units of weight: 50 lb to 1 lood

Dry measure:

1 schepel = 82/107 Winchester bushel
1 muid = 4 schepels (3 Imperial bushels)
1 load = 10 muids

Liquid measure:

1 leaguer = 152 Dutch gallons = 126 7/11 Imperial gallons
1 pipe = 110 Dutch gallons
1 aum = 38 Dutch gallons
1 anker = 9 ½ Dutch gallons
1 flask = 11/32 Dutch gallons

Cloth measure:

1 ell = 27 Rhineland inches
1 yard = 37 17/20 Rhineland inches
4 Dutch ells = 3 English yards (approx.)

Measure of length:

1 foot = 12 inches (Dutch)
1 rood = 12 feet (Dutch)
1000 Dutch or Cape feet = 1033 English ft

Under the British occupation the Dutch system remained in force, although the British weights and measures were also used, especially in the towns. (It cannot be established to what extent the aborigines made use of any measures.) As the pioneers migrated inland, they took the Dutch measures with them, so that by 1850 these were also used in the Transvaal, Orange Free State and Natal . During this period traders rarely possessed scales. They had to use measures of contents like the bucket and schepel. The term 'an hour on horseback' was used to indicate distance, and often also to measure the area of farms. In South-West Africa the German Colonial Gazette of 26 June 1895 laid down this distance as 10 km exactly. The need for statutory control was evident, and after 1850 the various governments all passed laws to control measurement: the Cape in 1858-59 and 1876, Natal in 1852 and 1872, the Transvaal in 1874 and 1891, while the O.F.S. passed a comprehensive law in 1898. It is not known to what extent control was exercised, as there is no record of the employment of trained assizers until 1902, when the municipality of Johannesburg appointed one.

Legislation on weights and measures passed by the two British colonies in the Cape and Natal, as well as in the two inland republics, retained the Dutch or Cape area measure of 1 morgen = 600 square roods = 2,116 acres; but they all favoured the British standards of weight and measure of length and contents, although the Transvaal scheduled the Dutch and the metric units as alternatives. Natal prescribed Imperial land measure, the acre, subdivided into 43 560 English square feet; and this was the legal unit in that province, excepting the northern districts of Vryheid and Utrecht, which belonged to the Transvaal until 1902 and therefore retained the morgen. The acre, however, was used outside Natal as a popular unit for land sales, especially for small properties, but not as an official measuring unit.

Since Jan. 1970 all land-surveying has been done in metric units of measurement, the units being the square metre (m4) and hectare (ha).

During the period 1902 to 1922 all the former legislation remained in force, while its administration was ceded to local authorities. The need for uniform control was advocated by commerce, but it was not effected until Parliament passed the Weights and Measures Act (No. 32 of 1922. In the mean time the municipalities of Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban established assize departments with trained assizers to assize traders' instruments and control the sale of goods. The other major towns had standards and equipment, and the fire brigades administered weights and measures regulations. The trained personnel of the local authorities was taken over by the Union government and formed the nucleus of the Assize Division of the Department of Commerce and Industries from 1923.

The Act prescribed standards based on the British reference units, but converted the imperial avoirdupois weight units to decimal denominations by omitting the odd units of 3, 4, 7, 14, 15, 28, 56, 112 lb and the long ton (2240 lb). Provision under the 18th-century weights found in wall of Town House, Cape Town. It was customary to bury weights showing signs of wear.

Act was also made for the examination of candidates for the assizer's certificate, approval of new types of instruments intended for use in trade, and control of the sale of goods. The Act was amended in 1933 and 1940 and was superseded by Act 13 of 1958, which was again amended in 1960, 1964, 1969 and 1970. The following denominations of weights were prescribed by the Act of 1922 and remained in force until metrication:

Avoirdupois. 2000 lb (1 ton),100 lb (cental), 50 lb, 25 lb, 20 lb, 10 lb, 5 lb, 2 lb, 1 lb (= 16 oz), 8 oz down to ½ dram. The ton mentioned above is the 'short' or Cape ton, being the legal unit of weight in South Africa besides the metric ton (1000 kg) which before metrication was used in the export trade only. The 'short' ton is also in use in the United States and Canada.

Troy weight (for precious metals in ounces troy (oz 0): 500, 400, 300, 200, 100, 50, 40, 30, 20, 10, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 (I oz t. = 480 grains or 20 dwt). Subdivisions of the ounce troy range from 0,5 down to 0,0001 oz t.

Apothecaries' weight (for medicines). 12 oz apoth. 1 lb apoth. ; 1 oz apoth. = 480 grains = 8 drachms = 20 scruples. Denominations used before metrication: 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1 oz. Since metrication the metric system is being used by chemists, i.e. the litre and millilitre.

Measures of length used until metrication were 1 yard = 1 Imperial yard = 0,9143992 metre, with sub-multiples: 1 yard = 3 feet = 36 inches.

Measures of volume until metrication were 1 Imperial gallon = 4 quarts = 8 pints = 160 fluid ounces.

Conversion to Metric System

Act 32 Of 1922 made provision for metric measures of weight, length and capacity to be used in trade, but the system had been used only to the extent indicated above. When decimalisation of coinage was implemented in 1961, it became evident that it was desirable for the country to adopt the metric system of measurement. Amendment Act 44 of 1964 provided for an independent National Standard Kilogram to be kept by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (C.S.I.R.) and to be regularly compared with the international standard. Subsequently, the Republic adopted the International System of Units and provision was also made for other essential standards in this system.

Since the commencement of metrication in 1968 all packaging above retail level has been converted to metric measurement, and by June 1973 more than 50% of the instruments in trade use had been converted. All pre-packing will be in metric units as soon as retailers' instruments are completely converted. The use of Imperial weights, measures of length and volume was prohibited as from 1 Jan. 1973. (New legislation in South Africa substitutes the term 'mass' for 'weight', but in other countries 'weight' will probably be retained, as the difference between the two concepts is too slight to matter for ordinary commercial purposes.)

Weights and measures regulations to enforce pre-packers to declare the quantity either by measure of weight, volume, length, area, cubic measure or number on every packet and invoice coincided with the actual commencement of metrication in trade. Excellent progress was made with standardisation of pre-packed goods at the same time, in order to facilitate comparison of quality and price for consumers.

Metric units replaced apothecaries' units formerly used by chemists. The troy system is still in use, but is to be replaced by the metric system. It is not certain whether the metric carat system used for diamonds and precious stones will be replaced by metric units.

The Trade Metrology Act (No. 77 of 1973) is to repeal the Weights and Measures Act. The permissible measuring units prescribed in the Weights and Measures Act were incorporated in the Measuring Units and National Standards Act 1973 (No. 76 of 1973), which also provides for custody of the national standards by the C.S.I.R. Except for provision in the new legislation for the ultimate retention of the international System of Units only, there is no radical difference in the remaining provisions of the Acts.

Other countries in Southern Africa

In the former German colonies, South-West Africa and Tanganyika , the metric system of measurement was in use until 1914. Since then, the British Imperial system gradually took over and, as in the case of Rhodesia and Kenya, measurement has been controlled by British-trained officials. Effective control of measurement in South-West Africa commenced only in 1944 when officials of the South African government were seconded to the Administration of the territory for that purpose. The South African standards were adopted and the territory is converting to the metric system simultaneously with the Republic.

Rhodesia and Zambia are converting to the metric system, and Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have already done so. Angola and Mozambique have been employing the metric system, as in Portugal.

Swaziland, Botswana and Lesotho, having close economic ties with the Republic of South Africa, are adopting the metric system, although it will probably be some years before the instruments of traders are converted. (See also Decimalisation; Metrication.)

Weights and Measures

The Division of The Assize, as it was known until 1963, was established with effect from 1 May 1923 as a division of the Department of Mines and Industries, to administer the Weights and Measures Act of 1922. In 1933 the division was incorporated into the Department of Commerce and Industries. The objects of the Act and the regulations promulgated are to ensure fair competition between traders and to protect purchasers against short weight and measure. The Act requires that all weighing and measuring instruments and all weights and measures used in trade be assized annually, so that a reasonable standard of accuracy may be maintained. To achieve this, there are 14 regional offices in the larger centres of South Africa. The Assize Board, a statutory body, assists and advises the superintendent in case of an appeal against an assizer's decision, in supervising and conducting the examinations of pupil assizers, and in examining and approving new types of weighing and measuring instruments used in trade. Journeys are regularly undertaken by assizers of the regional offices for the assizing or re-assizing of heavy, delicate or fixed instruments, or those of traders whose premises are more than is km from the nearest assize station. Instruments found to be correct are then stamped with the stamp of assize, while those not conforming to the standard are rejected for repair and re-assizing later. A neccessity after assizing is inspection to ensure that instruments have not been tampered with.

In the case of the large railway weighbridges, the Administration of the South African Railways and Harbours provides test units with 2 x 2,000 kg, 5 x 5,000 kg roller weights and 50 x 20 kg weights, supplied by the Division to a total weight of 30 tons each. For road weighbridges the Division provides its own mobile test units with a gross weight of about as 25,000 kg. The Division also tests, on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, dairy glassware for the determination of the butter-fat content of milk and cream. The second object is to ensure fair competition, and therefore it is laid down that many articles must be sold in prescribed quantities or by net weight. In order to protect the public against malpractices, all articles sold by weight or measure must be marked accordingly. In 1973 legislation was passed to provide for the systematic introduction into South Africa of the measuring units of the International System of Units and for the maintenance of national measuring standards. The latter function was assigned to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.