Skip to main content

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
Cancel
×
×
Home
  • Home
Article
  • Cited by 11
  • Cited by
    Crossref Citations
    Crossref logo
    This article has been cited by the following publications. This list is generated based on data provided by CrossRef.
    Cobley, Alan 2014. “Lacking in Respect for Whitemen”: “Tropical Africans” on the Witwatersrand Gold Mines, 1903–1904. International Labor and Working-Class History, Vol. 86, Issue. , p. 36.
    Harris, Karen L 2010. Sugar and Gold: Indentured Indian and Chinese Labour in South Africa. Journal of Social Sciences, Vol. 25, Issue. 1-3, p. 147.
    CRUSH, J. and SOUTTER, C. 1999. ‘NATURAL FAMILY CONDITIONS’: NARRATIVES OF STABILIZATION AND THE SOUTH AFRICAN COAL MINES, 1910–1970. South African Geographical Journal, Vol. 81, Issue. 1, p. 5.
    Katz, Elaine 1991. Miners by Default Afrikaners and the Gold Mining Industry before Union. South African Journal of Economic History, Vol. 6, Issue. 1, p. 61.
    Burton, David 1987. The taxation of Africans: Transvaal 1902–1907. Kleio, Vol. 19, Issue. 1, p. 47.
    Crush, Jonathan 1986. Swazi migrant workers and the Witwatersrand gold mines 1886–1920. Journal of Historical Geography, Vol. 12, Issue. 1, p. 27.
    Crush, Jonathan S. 1986. The extrusion of foreign labour from the South African gold mining industry. Geoforum, Vol. 17, Issue. 2, p. 161.
    Crush, Jonathan 1985. Colonial coercion and the Swazi tax revolt of 1903–1907. Political Geography Quarterly, Vol. 4, Issue. 3, p. 179.
    Crush, Jonathan 1984. Uneven Labour Migration in Southern Africa. South African Geographical Journal, Vol. 66, Issue. 2, p. 115.
    Richardson, Peter 1976. Coolies and randlords: the North Randfontein Chinese miners' ‘strike’ of 1905. Journal of Southern African Studies, Vol. 2, Issue. 2, p. 151.
    Davies, Robert 1976. Mining capital, the state and unskilled white workers in South Africa, 1901–1913. Journal of Southern African Studies, Vol. 3, Issue. 1, p. 41.
    ×
  • Get access
    Add to cart USD25.00
    Check if you have access via personal or institutional login
    Log in Register Recommend to librarian

The Transvaal Labour Crisis, 1901—6*

  • D. J. N. Denoon
Extract

One of the crucial reasons for the failure of British policy in South Africa during the Reconstruction period was an acute shortage of African labour for the mines, which were therefore unable to support a large English-speaking immigrant community. According to the prevailing economic beliefs, there was a fairly rigid ratio between the numbers of unskilled coloured workers and of skilled white workers which the mines could employ, so that the scarcity of African labour did inhibit the mines from expanding their white labour force.

The reasons for this scarcity include the deplorable physical conditions in which labourers lived and worked, and the unusually large demands for African labour in other sectors of the economy. British policy also, inadvertently, put less pressure on Transvaal Africans to take industrial or agricultural employment. However, the scarcity of labour was noticeable not only within British South Africa, but more especially outside its borders, where Africans seem to have been more reluctant than usual to take employment in the mines. It is possible to argue that the shortage was caused partly by the disillusionment of the workers as a result of their experience of British administration, and partly by a fairly extensive determination to withhold labour until conditions were improved. Such an interpretation is compatible with the facts of the case, though impossible at this stage to prove.

Whatever the reasons for the scarcity, the result was the importation of Chinese labour to supplement the existing unskilled labour force. The well-documented complaints of the Chinese labour throw some light on the treatment of African labour. The Chinese also undercut the wages paid to Africans, who lost their commanding position as unconscious arbiters of the success of mining. Further, the Chinese were employed in terms of a very restrictive contract, whose terms were later extended to cover African labour as well, with the result that the industrial colour-bar was solidified at a time when white labour was in control of an unusually large area of employment.

Copyright
COPYRIGHT: © Cambridge University Press 1967
References
Hide All

1 Birmingham University Library, Joseph Chamberlain Papers, J.C. 10/9. High Commissioner Mimer to Chamberlain, private, 23 Aug. 99.

2 Colonial Office files 417/326, 42283—Milner to Chamberlain, 8 Nov. 1901, and comments by F. Graham of the Colonial Office Staff.

3 Transvaal archives, governor's private secretary group, P. S. 76, vol. 211 of 1905: Department of Mines Statistics.

4 For example, Fitzpatrick, J. P., The Transvaal from Within (1899 ed.), 105 ff.

5 C.O. 417/294, 35879—Imperial Secretary Perry to Chamberlain, 17 Oct. 1900, sending articles of association of the W.N.L.A.: and comments by G. V. Fiddes.

6 Cd 1904 (xxxix), 1897. Evidence before the Transvaal Labour Commission, exhibit no. 1.

7 Governor, P.S. 53, vol. 32 of 1901. Milner to G. G. Robinson, 12 Dec. 1901 statistics.

8 W.N.L.A. report for 1903.

9 Cape Government publication, 12 of 1904, p. 99. Report by Cape Government Railway Protector of Natives, 30 Sept. 1904. Cf. Labour Commission, evidence of Chief N. C. Unhalla of King William's Town, Q.13,613.

10 Legislative Council debates, 5th session, col. 2060 et seq.

11 Cd 2401 (iv), 1905, appendix 11. Native Commissioner's report for 1903–4, 31 Aug. 1904.

12 C.O. 291/55, 12945. Report by Transvaal Native Refugee Department.

13 Governor, P. S. 53, vol. 32 of 1901. General Manager W.N.L.A. to Chairman, W.N.L.A., 6 Dec. 1901. Cf. Colonial Treasurer, 289 J.L. 210, Leggett to Duncan, 29 July 1903, forwarding opinion of Assistant Resident Magistrate Pretoria; and Labour Cornmission evidence of Generals de Ia Rey and Cronje.

14 Transvaal Law Reports, 12 and 20 Nov. 1902, Supreme Court, Eastwood v. Shepstone;ibid, Oct. 1903, Masilia and others v. Sub-Commissioner at Pietersburg and Israelsohns.

15 Land department annual reports: 1903–4 in Cd 1905 (lv), 2482; 1904–5 in Cd (lxxx), 3028.

16 South African Native Affairs Commission, vol 4, Evidence of Transvaal Landowners' Association, p. 834.

17 Transvaal Labour Commission, evidence of H. L. Hall, QQ 4,660–4,670; evidence of Secretary Native Affairs Dept. QQ 5,702–3; S.A.N.A.C. vol 4, evidence of E. H. Hogge, Q 40,059.

18 Cd. 1906 (LXXX), 2819, enclosure 1 in 54. Territorial analysis, 30 Nov. 1905.

19 C.O. 375 19–Milner to Chamberlain, 8 Sept. 1902. I am much indebted to James Duffy for information in his Portuguese Africa (1959).

20 C.O. 417/368, 45090—Notes by G. V. Fiddes of interview dated 14. Nov. 1902.

21 Chamber of Mines annual reports and monthly Executive Committee reports.

22 C.O. 291/58, 32432—Lt.-Governor Lawley to Chamberlain, 7 Aug. 1903.

23 C.O. 457/403—Foreign Office to Colonial Office, 30 Jan. 1904.

24 C.O. 417/331—Foreign Office to Colonial Office, 22 Apr. 1901.

25 C.O. 291/47, 36082—Milner to Chamberlain, 28 Aug. 1902; and Foreign Office to Colonial Office, 29 Aug. 1902.

26 C.O. 417/359, 34009 and 34626—Foreign Office to Colonial Office, enclosing copies of Casement's dispatches from the Congo during 1902.

27 Rhodes House Library, Lagden Papers: MSS. Afr. s. 174—Lagden to J. A. Spender, 18 Dec. 1901.

28 S.A.N.A.C., vol. 4, evidence of nine chiefs, pp. 649–52 and 715–18.

29 South African Public Library newspaper collection: Koranta ea Becoana, 30 Mar. 1904, quoting Native Eye, edited by Khomo, of which no copies seem to survive. The African Press in East London was similarly pre-occupied with imperial-republican comparisons.

30 S.A.N.A.C., vol. 4, evidence of Africans resident in Pretoria.

31 For example, Lieutenant-Governor group, Lt.G.109, 105/9—Petition from Iliso Lomzi (Native Vigilance Society) 14 July 1903;C.O. 291/81, 15332—Lawley to Lyttelton 17 April 1905, forwarding petition;Confidential Colonial Office print, African South, 879/89—Selbome to Elgin, 4 Aug. 1906, and enclosures.

32 Engineers, Royal, Detailed History of the Railways in the South African War, 1, 257 ff.

33 C.O. 291/56, 14308—Report on town police for 1902.

34 Times History of the War in South Africa, VI, 595;Batts, H. J., Pretoria from Within, 192.

35 Transvaal Archives, Military Governor's Political Secretary group, memorandum by Marwick, J. to Military Governor, Pretoria, 6 Mar. 1901.

36 CO. 291/82, 16165—Lawley to Lyttelton, 20 Apr. 1905: Native Affairs Statistics.

37 Chamber of Mines Confidential Circulars to Mine Managers, 28 and 30 Nov. 1903. The trend was sufficiently alarming to warrant the appointment of an economist to enquire.

38 Cd 1904 (lxii) 2025, enclosure in 13—Lagden's report for year ending 30 June 1903.

39 S.A.N.A.C. vol. 4—evidence of T. MacFarlane, General Manager W.N.L.A., p. 735.

40 Chamber of Mines, annual report for 1902, and Executive Committee monthly reports. In the revised scale, scope was allowed for discriminating against Mocambique labourers, which suggests that the Chamber was particularly concerned to increase other supplies.

41 Governor P.S. 76, vol. 211 of 1905, Selborne's undated memorandum for the Chamber. The presence of Australian ex-servicemen on the Rand added point to the fear.

42 C.O. 291/53, 47226—Copy of H. H. Webb to Rudd, 1 Oct. 1902.

43 Transvaal Legislative Council debates, 1903, include an historical summary. Nonwhite engine-winders were an early casualty: the Mines and Works act itself merely enabled the government to reserve occupations simply through regulations.

44 van der Horst, S. T., Native Labour in South Africa, 172;Thompson, L. M., Unification of South Africa, 14, concurs.

45 C.O. 29 1/79. 1224—notes on draft Labour Importation Ordinance by Sir F. Swettenham.

46 CO. 291/90. 21961—copies of reports from H. M. Consul, Kuangtung, 28 Apr. 1905.

47 For example, Cd 1906 (lxxx), 2819, no. 39—Selborne to Elgin, 30 Dec. 1905.

48 C.O. 291/84, 25699—Selborne to Lyttelton, 21 July 1905.

49 Chamber of Mines archives, ch. 58—Bagot to G. G. Robinson, is Nov. 1904. Robinson, as Geoffrey Dawson, was subsequently editor of the Johannesburg Star and The Times.

50 Governor P.S. 37, vol. 194 of 1905—copy of Farrar Bros. to Chamber of Mines, 18 Feb. 1905.

51 Cd 1906 (lxxx), 2819, enclosure in 70—report on gold mines for 1905.

52 Chamber of Mines archives, ch. 58—Evans to Chamber, 20 July and 18 August 1904; and Governor P.S. 37, vol. 194 of 1905—Meeting of Evans and the Chamber, 3 February 1905.

53 C.O. 291/83, 27963—Selborne to Lyttelton, 17 July 1905.

54 Governor P.S. 7, vol. 192 of 1905—G. W. Murray's report dated 5 Apr. 1905.

55 Cd 1906 (lxxx), 2786, enclosure in 28—return presented by Transvaal Attorney General, 4 Sept. 1905.

56 Cd 1905 (lv), 2405, no. 41—Milner to Lyttelton, 30 Jan. 1905.

57 S.A.N.A.C. vol 4—evidence of T. E. Mavrogordato, C.I.D. Q 44,548.

58 Governor P.S. 50, vol. 202 of 1905—Chamber of Mines to Milner's private secretary 25 Jan. 1905; and Cd 1906 (lxxx), 2859, enclosure in 70—report on gold mines for 1905.

59 Governor P.S. 50, vol. 202 of 1905—copy of H. Strange to Drummond Chaplin, 20 Feb. 1905;van der Host, S.T., op cit. 168, 200 ff.

* This article is an attempt to infer the actions and opinions of Africans in Southern Africa, from essentially “white” material. As such, it is somewhat speculative; and I am grateful to various people for attacking the wildest of the speculoations, which have now been omitted. I am grateful to the History Departments of the Witwatersrand and of Makerere, to Mrs S. Marks of S.O.A.S, and to my research supervisors Professor P. N. S. Mansergh and Dr R. E. Robinson, of St John's College, Cambridge.

Recommend this journal

Email your librarian or administrator to recommend adding this journal to your organisation's collection.

The Journal of African History
  • ISSN: 0021-8537
  • EISSN: 1469-5138
  • URL: /core/journals/journal-of-african-history
Please enter your name
Please enter a valid email address
Who would you like to send this to? *

CAPTCHA *

Skip to the audio challenge
×

Metrics

Full text views

Total number of HTML views: 0
Total number of PDF views: 6 *
Loading metrics...

Abstract views

Total abstract views: 99 *
Loading metrics...

* Views captured on Cambridge Core between September 2016 - 12th June 2018. This data will be updated every 24 hours.

Cancel
Confirm
×