Transvaal Colony

• 1. The Treaty's Terms

  ›

  On the 31st of May 1902, the South African Republic dissolved its existence as a sovereign state. The peace treaty known as the Treaty of Vereeniging dictated the fate of every Boer burgher in the region. It required all men to lay down their arms and accept King Edward VII as their sovereign ruler. Families outside the borders were promised transport back to their homes upon declaring allegiance. The agreement stated that no civil or criminal proceedings would occur against these men for acts of war. Exceptions existed only for actions contrary to the usage of war, which demanded an immediate court-martial. Schools had to teach High Dutch, and law courts could use the language freely. Rifles remained legal under license. Military administration was set to be replaced by representative institutions leading to self-government. A crucial clause delayed any discussion on granting franchise to natives until after self-government arrived. No special tax would cover war costs. Various commissions formed to process claims for war expenses and feed the homeless. The crown agreed to a free grant of three million pounds plus interest-free loans for two years.

• 2. Farms And Depots

  ›

  British scorched earth policies left Boer lands, stock, and farms destroyed across the Transvaal. Repatriation depots emerged in districts stocked with food, seed, and agricultural equipment. Rail transport struggled to compete with army garrison requirements during the winter of 1902. Refugees from concentration camps returned to their districts through drafts organized by the system. They received farm equipment, tents, and rations to restart their lives at these depots. Food rations were provided for almost a year to sustain returning families. Families received token grants irrespective of ability to pay them back. Additional material and equipment came via interest-free loans or small cash loans without interest. Larger loans attracted four percent interest secured by mortgage. The loan scheme never compensated people for actual losses experienced during the war. Damage and reconstruction needs varied significantly from district to district. Municipal boards appointed within fifteen months managed larger towns under Resident Magistrates. Only sanitary functions generated rates levied on residents. Fair elections based on property valuation followed with voter rolls explained in English and Dutch.

• 3. Gold And Labor

  ›

  By the end of 1901, gold mining resumed on the Rand around Johannesburg after stopping since 1899. White miners wages had been high before the war while black laborers saw reduced wages. Mining magnates sought alternative labor because unskilled white workers demanded too much money. The Chamber of Mines introduced legislation to import Chinese workers on the 28th of December 1903. George Farrar presented this bill to the Transvaal Legislative Council where it debated for thirty hours. Voting occurred successfully after three readings on the 30th of December 1903. The law took effect in February 1904 with extremely restrictive employment contracts for Chinese workers. A fear campaign targeted white miners about losing jobs if they did not accept this labor source. By 1906, the gold mines of the Witwatersrand operated at full production capacity. South African gold mines represented thirty-two percent of world output by 1907. Chinese labor ended on the Witwatersrand by 1910. Restrictive job reservation laws preventing Chinese miners from certain tasks later applied to Black miners.

• 4. The Boer Party

  ›

  Louis Botha and Jan Smuts met in 1904 at a Volkskongres due to lack of self-rule and hearing regarding Chinese mine labor. They unified the Boer political movement into a new party called Het Volk in January 1905. This party sought reconciliation with Britain while pursuing Boer self-rule for the Transvaal. English political movements included the Transvaal Responsible Government Association formed late in 1904 by E.P Solomon. Another group, the Transvaal Progressive Association, formed November 1904 and led by George Farrar preferred strong links to Britain. The pro-Boer Liberal Party came to power in London in January 1906 with a policy favoring self-rule. Jan Smuts visited London to persuade the government to formulate a system favoring Boers. An election held on the 20th of February 1907 saw Het Volk win 37 out of 69 seats. Louis Botha became Prime Minister while Jan Smuts served as colonial secretary. Cabinet ministers included J de Villiers as Attorney-General and Henry Charles Hull as Treasurer. The Progressives in opposition were led by George Farrar and Abe Bailey.

• 5. The National Convention

  ›

  Jan Smuts proposed a gathering of representatives from all four colonies in May 1908 to discuss a constitution. Thirty delegates met in Durban under Sir Henry de Villiers on the 12th of October 1908. Twelve delegates came from the Cape Colony while eight arrived from the Transvaal. Five each represented the Orange River and Natal Colonies. Sixteen delegates had an English background and fourteen were of Boer origin. All three objectives regarding union versus federation, voting rights, and constituency numbers eventually finalized. South Africa would become a union desired by both the British government and Jan Smuts. The British government accepted final wishes of the National Convention regarding black enfranchisement. The colonies of Transvaal, Orange River, and Natal wanted no black enfranchisement. The Cape Colony wished to keep limited enfranchisement for all other races. A compromise accepted all racial make-up wishes subject to repeal by two-thirds majority. Rural seats allowed fifteen percent fewer constituents while urban seats received fifteen percent more. This system ensured Afrikaner dominance in politics for years to come. Draft South Africa Act released for viewing on the 9th of February 1909. The act passed through British Parliament into law by the 19th of August 1909.

• 6. The Voting Compromise

  ›

  Alfred Milner viewed black enfranchisement as a serious issue during peace treaty negotiations. He stated that sacrificing the native population made winning over Dutch people easy without offending the English. Any attempt to secure fair play made the Dutch fractious and almost unmanageable according to his view. The compromise reached at the convention accepted all colonial wishes concerning their racial makeup for enfranchisement. This arrangement was subject to repeal by a two-thirds majority in both houses of parliament. The resulting system for constituencies ensured Afrikaner domination in years to follow. Jan Smuts would later lose the 1948 South African general election due to these decisions. D.F. Malan swept to power marking the beginning of Apartheid. Population statistics from the 1904 Census showed Black residents numbered 937,127 or 73.79 percent. White residents totaled 297,277 representing 23.40 percent. Colored individuals counted 24,226 making up 1.90 percent. Asian populations were 11,321 comprising 0.89 percent. Total population reached 1,269,951.