The Anglo-Boer War, Natal Afrikaners and issues concerning land

Abstract

Landownership has always been an emotive and political issue in Southern Africa. This was also the case during the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902), especially in the Klip River County in the Colony of Natal. After the successful Boer invasion and subsequent occupation of the area in October 1899, a large number of local Afrikaners, almost all of them British subjects, were coerced into joining the invaders. The challenge facing the Natal Government, the Colonial Office, the military and ordinary Natalians was how to punish the Natal Afrikaners guilty of ebellion and high treason. One of the suggested punitive measures was the confiscation of landed property belonging to the rebels. This, however, proved to be unattainable. In the wake of the failure to confiscate the farms of rebels, the issue of how to best manage the land belonging to the local Afrikaners became a tug of war between the military, the Natal Government, and other interested parties, whilst the affected Natal Afrikaners desperately tried to cling to their farms. This article investigates the dynamics concerning landed property belonging to Natal Afrikaners suspected of and found guilty of high treason during the Anglo-Boer War.

AFRIKAANS: Grondbesit was nog altyd 'n emosionele en polities gelaaide aangeleentheid in Suider-Afrika. Dit was ook die geval tydens die Anglo-Boereoorlog (1899-1902), veral in die Kliprivierdistrik in die Kolonie van Natal. Na die suksesvolle Boere-inval en besetting van dié area in Oktober 1899, is 'n groot aantal plaaslike Afrikaners (bykans almal Britse onderdane) gedwing om by die invallers aan te sluit. Die uitdaging waarvoor die regering van Natal, die Koloniale Kantoor, die Britse Magte en gewone Natallers gevolglik te staan gekom het, was hoe om die Natalse Afrikaners wat skuldig aan rebellie en hoogverraad was, te straf. Een van die voorgestelde strawwe was die konfiskering van grond wat aan die rebelle behoort het. Dit was egter 'n onuitvoerbare plan. In die lig van die mislukking om dié beleid deur te voer, het 'n toutrekkery tussen die Britse magte, die Natalse regering en ander belangegroepe onstaan oor die wyse waarop die grond wat aan Natalse rebelle behoort het, bestuur moes word. Die betrokke Natalse Afrikaners het aan die ander kant desperaat gespook om hulle plase te probeer behou. Hierdie artikel ondersoek die dinamika aangaande die grond van Natalse Afrikaners wat tydens die Anglo-Boereoorlog skuldig aan verraad was.