9. ASSESS THE IMPACT OF THE VEREENIGING TREATY (1902) ON THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH AFRICA

9. ASSESS THE IMPACT OF THE VEREENIGING TREATY (1902) ON THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH AFRICA.

Approach
• Brief background of the Vereeniging treaty.
• Explain the positive and negative impacts of the treaty on the peoples of South Africa i.e. British, Boers and Africans
• Conclude logically
Background to the question
1. The Vereeniging treaty was a post second Anglo-Boer war peace settlement.
2. It was signed on 3151 May 1902 at Vereeniging.
3. It was signed as a white man's affair intended to benefit the two white communities i.e. British and Boers at the expense of the African natives.
4. The treaty as intended had several political, social and economic significant to the people of South Africa which were positive on the side of white negative on the Africans.
5 It created relative peace though beneficial to white communities only.
6. It kicked the Africans out of the political affairs of their country i.e. they were not allowed to vote or participate hi the electoral process.
7. The Boers were granted an independent government by 1902 in the two republics of Transvaal and Orange Free State.
8. The treaty laid foundation for increased white exploitation of Africans and their resources.
9. The Boers gained a better military status over Africans as they were allowed to retain some of their guns.
10. On the other hand Africans were disarmed and made more vulnerable a special police force led by Baden Powell was set up to confiscate the arms Africans had acquired during the war.
11. Dutch and English were confirmed as official language in South Africa thus undermining African languages.
12. It led to creation of concentration camps for Africans. Africans were made to stay in hostile arid reserves in most cases infested with tsetse flies.
13. It increased the gap between Africans and whites thus laying foundation for the apartheid policy in South Africa.
14. It led to the creation of Bantustans
15. The treaty improved on the economic welfare of the Boer community, 30 million pounds were approved to compensate the Boers who had lost their property during the war
16. Africans were impoverished since they forced into reserves and forced to offer free labour on white farms.
17. The treaty made the British partial colonial masters of South Africa,
18. The treaty restricted African movement by instituting the law of gate passes.
19. It led to regional imbalance where the white states developed while Africans lands remained backward.
20. The treaty led to the loss of African independence to the whites.
21. The Vereeniging treaty laid foundation for the eventual union of white communities as per the act of union of may 1910.
In synopsis therefore, the Vereeniging treaty was a designed tool to exploit Africans by the white and it led to the suffering of Africans.