A well-intentioned impotence? The case of the Qing dynasty consuls in the Transvaal colony

Abstract

The place of South African Chinese within South Africa’s history has almost always seen contestation. A striking example of this was the situation in the Transvaal between 1903 and 1911. In 1904 the Chinese Indentured Labour experiment propelled the small free Chinese community of the Transvaal into the realm of public debate. Whilst the Chinese in the Transvaal had never been treated well, the ensuing anti-Chinese backlash saw the community come into conflict with the government of the Transvaal. Although substantial work has been done concerning the resistance of the Transvaal Chinese, a neglected aspect of this conflict is the role played by the Qing Dynasty Consulate. Despite general assumptions that the Dynasty’s attitude towards its subjects overseas remained apathetic, evidence indicates clearly that the Consulate played a role in supporting the Chinese community. Through an analysis of the actions taken by the Consuls-General the extent of their support becomes clear. Contrary to common assumptions that the Qing Dynasty was neglectful of the Chinese population in South Africa, the efforts of these Consuls-General demonstrated that the Dynasty did make serious efforts to assist the Chinese living in the Transvaal.

Die geskiedenis van die Suid-Afrikaanse Sjinese in Suid-Afrika het altyd betwisting beleef. 'n Aangrypende voorbeeld hiervan is die situasie in Transvaal tussen 1903 en 1911. In 1904 het die Sjinese Ingeskryfde Arbeid-eksperiment die klein vrye Sjinese gemeenskap van Transvaal tot die gebied van openbare debat gedryf. Terwyl die Sjinese in Transvaal nog nooit goed behandel is nie, het die daaropvolgende anti-Sjinese terugslag die gemeenskap in konflik met die regering van Transvaal gebring. Alhoewel aansienlike werk gedoen is oor die weerstand van die Transvaalse Sjinese, was 'n verwaarloosde aspek van hierdie konflik die rol wat die Qing-dinastie-konsulaat gespeel het. Ten spyte van algemene aannames dat die Dinastie se houding teenoor hul onderdane oorsee apaties gebly het, dui bewyse duidelik daarop dat die konsulaat 'n rol gespeel het in die ondersteuning van die Sjinese gemeenskap. Deur 'n ontleding van die aksies wat deur die Konsul-Generaal geneem is, word die omvang van hul ondersteuning duidelik, wat dien as 'n voorbeeld van geskiedenis se dinamiese aard, as die behoefte om lang-gekoesterde aannames te hersien. In teenstelling met die algemene persepsie dat die Qing-dinastie die Chinese bevolking in Suid-Afrika nie genoegsaam bygestaan het nie, is daar inteendeel bewyse van ernstige pogings deur die Konsuls-Generaal aangewend om die Chinese, woonagtig in die eertydse Transvaal, te ondersteun.