Rooiberg: The Little Town that Lived SARAH GODSELL* University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa Abstract The economic and social structure of small-town South Africa offers an interesting insight into part of the country’s identity. Rooiberg is atiny town in Limpopo that should not have survived into present day South Africa. The town was born and moulded out of a specific economic activity (tin mining) that governed most of the town’s existence. When the tin mine around which the town was built was officially closed in 1994, this seriously jeopardised the future of the town. Yet, while almost all of the population left the town at that time, Rooiberg did nonetheless survive. This paper examines how and why. Through a research process involving the analysis of literature of company towns, as well as 27 interviews with inhabitants and ex-inhabitants of Rooiberg, this paper assesses both the location-specific and the generic reasons for Rooiberg’s continued existence. 1 Rooiberg’s story, while in some ways a very specific case study, illuminates the importance of local, historical, and social factors in small-town urbanisation. Key words: Rooiberg; tin mining; Goldfields; company town; small-town transformation; Koevoet; service delivery; small-town integration; game farming; Limpopo Introduction: Rooiberg Today  A Failed Demise Rooiberg is one of those towns that are easy to miss on the drive from Bela Bela to Thabazimbi, with only the unmarked municipal building, the Koekepan pub, and a small garage/general dealer/liquor store visible from the road. The old mine dump marks the end of the town. The town is not particularly significant in the grand scheme of South Africa’s past or present. It is interesting for the simple fact that it still exists. In doing so, the town’s failed demise presents particularly interesting questions on small-town change during South Africa’s transition to democracy. *Email: sdgodsell@gmail.com 1. From the 27 interviews conducted, for the purposes of this article some interviews which mostly clearly illustrate the argument have been more heavily relied on. South African Historical Journal Vol. 63, No. 1, March 2011, 6177 ISSN: Print 0258-2473/Online 1726-1686 # 2011 Southern African Historical Society DOI: 10.1080/02582473.2011.549374 http://www.informaworld.com