Why the Boers left Natal/ Natalia for the interior of South Africa after 1843

Why the Boers left Natal/ Natalia for the interior of South Africa after 1843

They did not want to be ruled by the British.

The desire for independence on the High Veld located in the interior of South Africa.

There was an increasing number of Africans like the Zulu who demanded for their land in Natal, which led to conflicts between the Boers and the Africans.

They wanted to be free to determine their political future.

The British had interest in trade across the Indian Ocean. They therefore exerted pressure on the Boers to ensure that the Boers leave Natal.

The Boers were extremely bitter because they never wanted any British interference. They therefore decided to migrate into the interior of South Africa after 1843.

The Boers feared that they would not acquire as much land as possible in Natal.

By staying in Natal, the Great Trek would have been fruitless. Hence the Boers had to move further into the interior away from British interference.

The desire for independence on the Highveld deep in the interior of South Africa.

The government in Natal was disintegrating with its administration and the Boers did not want to administer affairs under the British in Natal.

Natal had been annexed by the British in 1843.

With the death of Piet Retief, there was no leader who could command the Boers. They were now disunited and left Natal for the interior.

There was rivalry between the whites in Natal, which led to further conflicts.

The Boers were not willing to mix with the Africans and considered themselves superior and decided to move away.

The Boers were searching for more land in the interior of South Africa.

The desire to see new things or love for adventure.

Results of British annexation of the Republic of Natal from the Boers

The results were positive and negative.

The Boer Republic of Natal came to an end.

The Boers in Natal were forced to accept British administration and those who refused were forced to make other treks.

The colony of Natal was ruled directly from the Cape. In 1856 it became a crown colony but hostilities between the Boers and the British continued.

The annexation created racial separation between the whites and the blacks.

Many Africans who had been evicted in Natal were allowed to return.

The British tried to form Treaty-States to control Boer subjects and ensure peace and stability of the area.

The British ended up annexing all the land between the Kei and Keiskamma rivers as British Kaffraria in 1847.

Natal became dependent on the Cape Colony, then the British eventually made Natal a separate crown colony in 1854.

The Voor Trekkers gradually occupied most of the southern High Veld and reduced the size of the Sotho kingdom.

The British also forced the withdrawal of the Boers from Natal. This made them recognize the independence of the Zulu kingdom until 1877 when they annexed Transvaal.

By then annexation of Natal, the British succeeded in blocking the Boers from having direct access to the sea.

There was economic prosperity with the growing of cash crops and rearing of animals e.g. coffee, sugar, maize and the rearing of Merino sheep with wool as an important export.

The annexation led to greater British responsibility into the interior e.g. the British allowed Transvaal to be free in order to avoid mismanagement of finance.