Basotho
The Sotho () people, also known as the Basuto or Basotho (), are a Bantu nation native to southern Africa. They split into different ethnic groups over time, due to regional conflicts and colonialism, which resulted in the modern Basotho, who ...
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State ( nl, Oranje Vrijstaat; af, Oranje-Vrystaat;) was an independent Boer sovereign republic under British suzerainty in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, which ceased to exist after it was defeat ...
of
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
during the mid 20th century. It arose as a result of South African government interventions into the traditional farming practices of the Basotho, specifically those that limited the number of stock Basotho could keep and required the culling of excess. Passive resistance to the government’s legislation had escalated in the 1940s to active disobedience, when in November 1950 a confrontation between police and Basotho farmers turned violent. Fourteen Basotho were killed, and eight others deemed to be ringleaders were later sentenced to terms of imprisonment and banishment from Witzieshoek.
Overview
In the 1950s, Witzieshoek (modern day
Phuthaditjhaba
Phuthaditjhaba (formerly Witsieshoek or Qwaqwa) is a town in the Free State province of South Africa. Phuthaditjhaba is a seSotho name that means ''meeting place of the tribes''. It is located on the banks of the Elands River.Lesotho in the former
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State ( nl, Oranje Vrijstaat; af, Oranje-Vrystaat;) was an independent Boer sovereign republic under British suzerainty in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, which ceased to exist after it was defeat ...
of
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
that was designated as a native reserve of the
Basotho
The Sotho () people, also known as the Basuto or Basotho (), are a Bantu nation native to southern Africa. They split into different ethnic groups over time, due to regional conflicts and colonialism, which resulted in the modern Basotho, who ...
ethnic group. The land, approximately , had been ceded to the Basotho under Paulus Mopeli – half-brother to King Moshoeshoe I of Lesotho – by the president of the Orange Free State
Johannes Brand
Sir Johannes Henricus Brand, (popularly known as Sir Jan Brand and sometimes as Sir John Henry Brand or Jan Henrick Brand; 6 December 1823 – 14 July 1888) was a South African lawyer and politician who served as the fourth state president ...
, in a peace treaty known as the "Khotso ya Mabele" or "Peace of Millet" in 1866."Resistance and banishment in Wietzehoek". SAHO. Accessed: 10 October 2018 /ref>
In 1936, the
Native Trust and Land Act
The Native Trust and Land Act, 1936 (Act No. 18 of 1936; subsequently renamed the Bantu Trust and Land Act, 1936 and the Development Trust and Land Act, 1936) in South Africa passed a law that served as the reorganization of its agricultural struc ...
was passed by the South African parliament. This Act effectively created a body responsible for acquiring and maintaining small strips of land intended for blacks to farm and cultivate; in the name of "betterment", the body would come to impose laws permitting the culling of stock to avoid overgrazing."Witzieshoek: women, cattle and rebellion". BEERSTECHER, S (Pg 1). University of Cape Town. Accessed: 10 October 2018 /ref> This intervention was met with resistance by the Basotho in Witzieshoek and in the 1950s, after a series of protests and court actions, a stand-off between the community and local authorities turned violent, resulting in the deaths of more than thirteen people.Barnard, L; Stemmet, J; Semela, S (Pg 185). THE BATTLE OF NAMOHA, QWA-QWA (1950):AN ORAL HISTORY PERSPECTIVE . University of the Free State. Accessed: 10 October 2018 /ref>
Disputes over livestock
Under Proclamation No/ 31 of 1939, Witziehoek was declared a Betterment Territory, the first of many such schemes by the government within native reserves. With this, the government hoped to be able to concentrate the
Basotho
The Sotho () people, also known as the Basuto or Basotho (), are a Bantu nation native to southern Africa. They split into different ethnic groups over time, due to regional conflicts and colonialism, which resulted in the modern Basotho, who ...
into a smaller area and, in turn, conserve the broader area with the most arable land for white farmers. By the 1940s, the state had placed a limit on the number of
livestock
Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to animal ...
per person living within the reserve. The authorities and locals came to an agreement where surplus cattle would be culled. But the Basotho began to regard the Betterment Scheme as a hindrance, limiting their ability to rely on their livestock for survival and destroying their traditional and cultural exchange mechanisms.Barnard, L; Stemmet, J; Semela, S (Pg 189). THE BATTLE OF NAMOHA, QWA-QWA (1950):AN ORAL HISTORY PERSPECTIVE . University of the Free State. Accessed: 10 October 2018 /ref>
In 1942, the cattle-bearing capacity of Witzeihoek was identified as approximately 12,500 head, but by 1946 the reserve held 13,500 head of cattle. The state intended to cull the excess cattle and restore the reserve to its calculated maximum capacity. Their plan was met by resistance from within the reserve's community, under the leadership of Paulus Howel Mopeli, great-grandson of Paulus Mopeli. Mopeli refused to allow his cattle to be culled, and he and three other cattle owners appeared in court for disobeying the authorities, although the case was set aside. Mopeli's actions were regarded as heroic and inspired a wave of resistance across the reserve, with many other stock owners refusing to have their cattle culled.
Mass resistance
By the end of 1949, the Basotho community’s defiance ranged from passive resistance to active sabotage. Approximately of fencing running along the demarcated reserve were destroyed, and some white farmers' plantations were partially burnt. The Native Commissioner failed to heed the continuing outcry from the Basotho over the slaughtering of their cattle.Barnard, L; Stemmet, J; Semela, S (Pg 190). THE BATTLE OF NAMOHA, QWA-QWA (1950):AN ORAL HISTORY PERSPECTIVE . University of the Free State. Accessed: 10 October 2018 /ref>
The culling that was scheduled to take place on 8 January 1950 came to mark a turning point in the Basotho resistance movement. The Principal Agricultural Officer documented that only 71 stock owners had brought in their cattle at the allocated culling time.BEERSTECHER, S (Pg 130). "Witzieshoek: women, cattle and rebellion".. University of Cape Town. Accessed: 10 October 2018 /ref> Even then, the culling process was cut short by horse riders who threatened violence on the officer and drove the remaining cattle away.BEERSTECHER, S (Pg 131). "Witzieshoek: women, cattle and rebellion". University of Cape Town. Accessed: 10 October 2018 /ref> Despite court orders demanding the Basotho cease and desist, resistance continued. On 14 March, approximately three hundred men and women returned their stock cards and land allotment certificates to Native Trust officials. In response, a letter was given to them to evacuate the native reserve immediately.
In October 1950, a Commission of Enquiry was launched. The Basotho, under Paulus Mopeli’s leadership, refused to recognise the Commission, claiming it was made up of white men who were not acting impartially.Barnard, L; Stemmet, J; Semela, S (Pg 191). THE BATTLE OF NAMOHA, QWA-QWA (1950):AN ORAL HISTORY PERSPECTIVE . University of the Free State. Accessed: 10 October 2018 /ref>
Violent confrontations at Namoha
On 27 November 1950, Paulus Mopeli, Scotland Koloi, Paulus Mpheteng and Letsie Mopeli were scheduled to testify at the Commission of Enquiry. The men did not show up and instead held their own gathering at Namoha village. As a result, Proclamation 28 of 1950 was issued by the government, deeming public gatherings of three or more people illegal.
Police reinforcements, led by Major I.P.S. Terblanche, were deployed into Witziehoek with the intention of using violence to suppress the outcry and subpoena the four men.Barnard, L; Stemmet, J; Semela, S (Pg 193). THE BATTLE OF NAMOHA, QWA-QWA (1950):AN ORAL HISTORY PERSPECTIVE . University of the Free State. Accessed: 10 October 2018 /ref> The Basotho refused to disperse upon the arrival of the police, and Major Terblanche sent Constable Ntsane Mopeli, who doubled as an interpreter, to find the subpoenaed men in the crowd.
The constable's horse was struck with a stick by someone in the crowd; the animal reared and the constable fell. Shortly afterwards, Major Terblanche ordered his men to fire into the crowd. The first casualty was Sejeso Dhlamina. Thirteen other Basotho people were shot and killed. Two black police officers were struck down.
Court verdict
In December 1950, Native Affairs Minister
Hendrik Verwoerd
Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd (; 8 September 1901 – 6 September 1966) was a South African politician, a scholar of applied psychology and sociology, and chief editor of '' Die Transvaler'' newspaper. He is commonly regarded as the architect ...
signed a proclamation that enabled the arrest of the main actors of the protracted dispute."Resistance and banishment in Wietzehoek". SAHO. Accessed: 10 October 2018 /ref> By November 1951, the deadly standoff had been brought to trial: Justice De Beer handed down sentences of imprisonment and banishment to 79 Basotho men and women. 25 of those standing trial were discharged, while the six people identified as the main actors were sentenced to imprisonment with terms ranging from 18 months to five years. Eight people, including Paulus Howell Mopeli, were banished from Witzieshoek. Mopeli himself was sent to
Johannesburg
Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Dem ...
to serve a prison sentence, after which he served a banishment term in Middleburg. Despite accounts from multiple witnesses that Major Terblanche fired into the crowd without warning or provocation, the judge deemed the gathering of more than 300 men in the wake of all that occurred to be a sign of the Basotho's violent intentions.
See also
*
Natives Land Act, 1913
The Natives Land Act, 1913 (subsequently renamed Bantu Land Act, 1913 and Black Land Act, 1913; Act No. 27 of 1913) was an Act of the Parliament of South Africa that was aimed at regulating the acquisition of land.
According to the ''Encyclopæ ...