3.1 The south african war

Social sciences: history

Grade 7

Democracy or war

Module 9

The south african war

The Great Trek to the interior resulted in the establishment of two Boer republics, The Transvaal Republic and the Republic of the Orange Free State. The Afrikaner people who lived in the Republics were free and lived out of reach of the British rule at the Cape. But a number of events occurred to arouse the interest of the British in the Republics and made them willing to go to war to gain control over the Republics and place them under British rule.

The Transvaal Republic, which was known as the Zuid-Afrikaanse Republiek (ZAR), was annexed in 1877. The Afrikaners were furious and this led to the first South African War (1880 – 1881). After several defeats and large losses, especially at the Battle of Majuba, the British yielded defeat, a peace treaty was signed on 23 March 1881 and the Transvaal was returned to the Afrikaners.

In 1886 gold was discovered at the Witwatersrand. Britain decided to take over the Kruger government of the Transvaal so that Britain could claim the gold for itself.

President Kruger set an ultimatum demanding that the British government withdraw its soldiers from the borders of the territory. This, as expected, was rejected and war was declared on 11 October 1899.

The South African War lasted from 1899 to 1902 and involved several skirmishes between the Afrikaners and the British in South Africa. The war has been identified by several names:

- The War of Independence

- The Second War of Independence

- The Great Boer War

- The South African War

- The Anglo-Boer War

War between the two small republics and the mighty British Empire of Great Britain followed. Approximately 64 000 Afrikaners were opposing 100 000 British troops that were later increased to 448 000.

We'll be doing this module by means self-study because it will be impossible to study the whole war sufficiently well in the classroom. This LEARNING UNIT provides a map, a time line, photographs and background information to supply an overall view. Each of the following learning units supplies background information, newspaper articles and cartoon to guide you. Obtain good books from the library or from your teacher and read as much as possible about the war by yourself.

Activity 1:

To understand the chronology and time of the anglo boer war

[lo 2.1]

1. Compile a learner-friendly time line or a map that explains important incidents during the war. The following time line, map and sketches/articles will help you.

SOURCE A

Course of the war

SOURCE B

Sketches/articles about British and Boer-generals.

Front: Buller ; Back: Colley, Kitchener en Baden-Powell

British Generals

• Sir George Colley was the commander of the British forces in Natal during the first South African War. He fell in the battle at Majuba.
• Sir Redvers Buller commanded the Natal forces during the second South African war, but their first battles were catastrophic.
• Lord Frederick Roberts succeeded Buller as commander of the British forces. He besieged Bloemfontein and Pretoria.
• Lord Horatio Herbert Kitchener succeeded Lord Roberts in 1900. He was criticised for the concentration camps and the burning down of farms.

Lord Robert Baden-Powell became a British hero during the 217-day siege of Mafikeng. He was the founder of the Boy Scouts.

SOURCE D: Britsh and Boer soldiers in combat

Assessment