The Cape as a British Colony

The Cape as a British Colony

By the time the Great Trek started, the Cape Colony was the only British area of influence in South Africa.

The Cape received a representative Government in 1853 and by 1854, its first Parliament sat.

Irrespective of race, the right to vote and be voted for (franchise) was based on low economic qualification. A large number of black and colored people were unable to qualify and therefore the majority of the voters were mainly white men.

The Cape Governor and High Commissioner Sir. Harry Smith from 1847 managed to overcome Africa resistance on the Eastern Frontier. Smith even managed to annex the land up to the Great Kei River, which was named British Kaffraria.

Sir Harry Smith also managed to annex land between the Orange and the Vaal rivers which was later called the Orange River Colony/ Sovereignty.

With the formation of the Orange River Colony territories in the north of the Orange River were separated from the Cape Colony due to high costs of administration.

The High Commissioner and Governor of the Cape Colony between 1854 up to 1861 was Sir. George Grey. In 1859, he proposed the idea of Federation between the British Cape Colony and the Boer Republic of the Orange River Colony, later the Orange Free State.

The British Government in Londondid not welcomes this and removed him from office although he was reinstated afterward. In 1861, he was taken to New Zealand as a Governor.

The economy of the Cape was prepared with vine, grape, wine and wool production for export. However the decline in the production of these products due to removal of British tariffs shattered a blow to the economy.

In 1865, the Cape Government incorporated the British Kaffrari at the Cape Colony with the influence of the BritishGovernment.

The British Government even argued the Cape Colony to take full responsibility over this area. In 1872, a Government bill was carried out, which became a law in 1872. By the bill, J. C. Molteno became Prime Minister of the Cape Colony.

From 1870’s up to 1880's, the Cape Colony was deeply involved in imperial and antagonistic politics with the Boers which led to the first Anglo-Boer was 1880-81.

The British Colony of Kaffraria

Before the creation of this state, unrest had existed on Eastern Frontier between Bantu speakers and the Boers.

Sir. Harry Smith created this Colony in 1847 as a check and bulwark against unrest on the Eastern Frontier.

One ofitsfirstGovernors, Sir George Grey 1854-61, tried to achieve quick results by civilizing the Africans, encouraging trade, mission schools, medical services and public schools.

Grey encouraged over 4,000 British and 2,000 German Settlers in the area. He also used white Judges in order to undermine the absolute authority of traditional beliefs that the whites would leave their country for them to regain independence.

Many Africans starved to the point of death, as thousands poured into the Cape Colony looking for work.

In 1865, the British government urged the Cape Colony to resume full responsibility over the area after it was incorporated in the Cape Government administration.

The Administration of Lord Charles Somerset -Governor of the Cape Colony 1814- 1826

Lt. General Lord Charles Henry Somerset was one of the British Governors who administered the Cape Colony between 1814 and 1826. He advocated for the application of the liberal principles of liberty and equality of all people in the Colony before the law. He condemned the Dutch racial policies against the black people.

Under his administration, he made efforts to solve boarder conflicts between the Boers and Bantu tribes, particularly the Xhosa. He organized talks and negotiations with the conflicting groups. He was sympathetic to the non-whites especially the slaves. He introduced new regulations, which prevented recruitment of more slaves in the colony except if it was by birth. He also ordered for official registration of all slaves in the Colony.

To protect the slaves, he opened up registration centers at the Cape Colony. Chief officials called slave protectors headed these.

In 1817, Lord Charles Somerset opened a school in the Colony specifically for the registered slave children. As a result, he is remembered for providing educational facilities for the slave children.

In 1823, he passed new regulations limiting working hours for the slaves. He also allowed the slaves to attend Sunday church service and protected slaves from all forms of harsh treatment.

In 1834, Somerset supported the Christian society to abolish slave trade and all forms ofslavery. He introduced new laws such as limiting the working period of the slaves to only 6 years for their masters.

He introduced a compensation scheme for the Boer slave owners. It amounted to a third of the original amount of price of aslave. Any slave master who wanted this payment had to go to London from where he would be paid.

In 1812, Circuit Courts were set up to punish the slave masters. These were the 'Black Circuit' Courts, which went to districts, hearing serious cases and complaints from the Africans and Missionaries.

Dr.John Philip, a missionary worked with Somerset to fight for the freedom of the non-whites.

Lord Charles Somerset was a factor to solve the problems of the Xhosa and the Boers over a frontier between the Fish and Keiskaama Rivers.

Lord Somerset’s policies attempted to reduce the burden imposed by theDutch settlers on the Africans especially the Khoisan. But the Boers considered it as interference on their way of life. This caused discontency among the Boers in the Cape Colony.

In 1826, Lord Charles Somerset was recalled to London and by 1834; Sir Benjamin Durban was appointed Governor of the Cape Colony up to 1838.

He was instrumental to settle a dispute between the Xhosa and the Boers between the Xhosa 1835- 1838.

The British policies were detested by the Boers who moved away in the famous Great Trek in 1830's as they set up independent Republics in the interior of South Africa.