How the Dutch (DElCO) founded a Colony at the Cape

How the Dutch (DElCO) founded a Colony at the Cape

The first Dutch colonists settled at the Cape on, 6th April 1652 under the leadership of Jan Van Riebeeck.

Jan Van Riebeeck was sent by the directors of the Dutch East India Company (DElCO). He was instructed to build a fort for 70 men, develop a vegetable garden, build a wooden hospital for the sick sailors and soldiers and treat the native (Khoikhoi people with kindness so that they would sell him cattle and other local products.

The Company being capitalistic also instructed Jan Van Riebeeck to keep expenditure as low as possible or show the profits (the Dutch of course being capitalists).

The Free Burghers or native Boer farmers were allowed to expand on free land given by the (DElCO) Company and Jan Van Riebeeck in the Liesbeeck valley.

The early Dutch settlers were to receive free slave labor to work for them and the first 12 slaves were imports from Java and Madagascar.

The irnportation of slaves was because the Hottentots (Khoikhoi) could not to be enslaved. In 1658, 170 Angolan slaves were sold at the Cape from the Portuguese traders.

1662, the DElCO had 130 servants out of250 Dutch persons at the Cape colony.

1672, due to the company strict policies, the Dutch colonists increased to 64 additional settlers.

Origin of the Cape colony under the Dutch

The village which the Dutch called 'kaap stadt' (Cape Town) became an important port supplying passing ships with;

fresh water and

vegetables,

bread flours, and

salted multon or beef, and many brewed drinks.

Soon more land was needed for farms and ranches than could be found between the Table Mountain and the Table Bay.

The powerful Chocho chiefdom of Khoisan herds on the other side of the mountain stood in the way of Dutch expansion inland.

So, in a war between 1672 and 1677, the Dutch fought the Chocho under Chief Gonnema, and seized their sheep, cattle and their animals and land.

Cape Town grew from a trading station into the beginnings of the colony - a state with a population of white settle slaves and natives. These had to be governed, a territory with frontiers to be protected against enemies.

In 1691, the Netherlands (Dutch) East India Company (DElCO) recognized this by promoting the military commander the Cape of Good Hope to the ranks of colonial Governor.

Dutch farms and ranches continually pushed the frontiers of the Cape Colony further North and East.

The Khoisan herders and hunters in the new frontiers areas like the Chocho before them, and lost their livestock and land.

The DElCO developed the Cape Colony as 'the taven to two seas' (the Indian ocean and the Atlantic ocean). Company ships on their way from Asia or Europe were supplied plenty of products.

The Company also sold provisions at the prices to ships of their European nations, particularly the French and English.

In the 18th Century up to 1779 when the average number of Dutch ships every year was 55, there were often more for ships in port then Dutch ones.