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5 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


THE  NATIVE  TRIBES 


OF   THE 


TRANSVAAL. 


PREPARED    FOR    THE    GENERAL    STAFF, 
WAR    OFFICE. 


1905 


LONDON : 

PRINTED  FOR  HIS  MAJESTY'S  STATIONERY  OFFICE, 
BY  HARRISON  AND  SONS,  ST.  MARTIN'S  LANE, 

PRINTERS    IN    ORDINARY   TO    HIS    MAJESTY. 


(Wt.  w.  3331     350     10  I  05— H  &  S     7269) 


P^o5 
742 


G7/V5 


PREFACE. 


This  Report  has  been  compiled  under  the 
orders  of  the  General  Officer  Commanding-in- 
Chief,  South  Africa,  by  Bt.-Major  R.  H.  Massie, 
D.A.O.M.G.,  from  the  latest  information  avail- 
able. It  is  particularly  requested  that  any  errors 
or  omissions  may  be  pointed  out  to  the  Director 
of  Military  Operations,  War  Office. 

CHAS.    E.    CALLWELL, 

/or  Major-General^ 
Director  of  Military  Operations. 

War  Office, 

^th  October,  1905. 


(7269) 


81S7JS2 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER 
I. 


II. 
III. 
IV. 

V. 

VI. 

VII. 

VIII. 


IX. 
X. 
XI. 


General  outline 

(A)  Earliest  known  distribution 

(B)  Modern  History — Redistribution 

(C)  Present  population  ... 
The  tribes  of  the  Western  Division. 
The  tribes  of  the  Central  Division 
The  tribes  of  the  N.W.  Division 
The  tribes  of  the  Northern  Division 
The  tribes  of  the  Eastern  Districts 
The  tribes  of  the  S.  E.  Districts 
Administration 

(A)  Organisation  of  the  Native  Affairs 

(B)  System  of  Land  Tenure 

(C)  System  of  Taxation  . . . 
Native  Wars  ... 
Bantu  Ethics  and  Sociology... 
Native  languages — Orthography 


Department 


PAGE 

5 
5 
8 

12 

15 

32 

39 
44 
73 
91 
94 
94 
96 

99 
100 
119 
134 


I. 

II. 

III. 

Index 


APPENDICES. 

Notes  on  some  native  strongholds 

Native  Missions 

List  of  Authorities  consulted 


139 
144 
149 

150 


Map  showing  native  locations  and  the  positions  of  the  kraals  of  some  of  the 
principal  chiefs. 


CHAPTER    I. 

GENERAL    OUTLINE. 

(A.)     Earliest   Known    Distribution  of  South  African 

Natives. 

There  are  many  proofs  of  the  antiquity  of  man  in  South 
Africa,  though  it  has  not  yet  been  determined  whether  it  has 
been  the  home  of  human  beings  as  long  as  Europe.  It  is 
surmised  that  the  Bushmen  were  the  earHest  inhabitants. 
These  were  a  yellow-skinned  race,  pigmies  in  stature,  and  very 
low  down  in  the  scale  of  civilisation.  Next  came  the 
Hottentots,  another  yellow  people,  but  of  medium  size,  and 
vastly  superior  in  every  way  to  the  Bushmen.  Whence  they 
came  is  unknown,  but  it  is  thought  they  are  the  offspring  of 
some  male  intruders*  of  a  light  brown  or  yellow  race,  who  took 
to  themselves  women  of  Bushman  blood. 

Then,  at  a  period  not  exactly  known,  but  believed  to  be 
some  hundreds  of  years  before  the  commencement  of  the 
Christian  era,  a  gradual  pressure  of  the  Bantu  tribes  of  Central 
Africa,  into  the  southern  part  of  the  Continent,  began  to 
take  place.  Though  these  tribes  crossed  the  Zambesi  so  long 
ago,  it  is  certain  that  they  did  not  extend  South  of  the 
Limpopo,  until  a  much  later  date.  The  traditions  of  all  the 
tribes  south  of  that  river,  none  of  which  can  be  more  than  a 
few  centuries  old,  point  to  a  distant  Northern  origin,  and  in 
some  instances,  particulars  are  given  which  prove  the  tradi- 
tions to  be  in  that  respect  correct. 

It  is,  however,  tolerably  certain  that  they  had  advanced  as 
far  south  as  Mashonaland,  at  a  comparatively  remote  period, 
for  as  far  as  can  be  mferred  from  the  scant  indications  afforded 
by  the  archaeological  remains  and  terminology  associated  with 
the  Zimbabwe  ruins,   the  inhabitants  of  that  portion  of  the 

*  A  theory  has  been  advanced  thai  the  Hottentots  are  descended  from 
the  soldiers  of  an  Kgyptian  army  who  penetrated  far  south  of  the  Equator 
in  prehistoric  times,  and  never  returned  to  Egypt ;  these  are  supposed  to 
have  taken  to  wife  Bushmen  women. 


6  THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

country  were  not  Bushmen  or  Hottentots,  but  Bantu, 
when  those  monuments  were  built  by  the  civiHsed  peoples — 
Sabaeans  and  others — who  came  there  in  quest  of  gold.  The 
very  word  Zimbabwe  is  pure  Bantu,  meaning  a  Royal 
residence. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  fifteenth  century  of  our  era,  when 
Europeans  first  had  communication  with  natives  of  South 
Africa,  the  belt  of  land  comprising  the  lowest  and  the  second 
terrace  along  the  Western  Coast  from  about  Walfisch  Bay 
southward  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  thence  eastward  to 
the  Bashee  River,  was  occupied,  though  thinly,  by  Hottentot 
tribes.  The  same  people  were  to  be  found  along  the  lower 
courses  of  the  Vaal  and  Modder  Rivers,  and  along  the  banks 
of  the  Orange,  from  tlie  junction  of  the  Vaal  to  the  sea.  They 
were  not  known  eitner  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  continent 
or  elsewhere  in  the  interior. 

The  Bantu  at  that  time  occupied  the  choicest  parts  of  the 
country,  north  of  a  straight  line  from  ^Valfisch  Bay  to  Port 
Natal,  and  extended  south  of  that  line  into  the  territory,  now 
known  as  Basutoland,  and  also  along  the  eastern  coast  as  far  as 
the  Bashee  River.  They  were  not  to  be  found  in  the  remain- 
ing portion  of  South  Africa. 

Bushmen  roamed  over  the  entire  country  south  of  the 
Zambesi  from  sea  to  sea,  and  were  the  only  inhabitants  of  the 
rugged  mountains  and  arid  plains  between  the  Hottentot  and 
Bantu  borders.  As  they  could  hold  their  own  fairly  well 
against  the  Hottentots,  they  were  more  numerous  along  the 
west  and  south  coasts  than  along  the  eastern,  where  the  Bantus 
had  better  means  of  exterminating  them. 

The  Bushmen  are  however  now  practically  extinct  ;  the  pure 
Hottentots  are  very  few  in  numbers,  and  found  only  in 
Namaqualand,  and  along  the  lower  reaches  of  the  Orange 
River,  and  the  above-mentioned  "  Bantu  "  tribes  form  the  vast 
majority  of  the  natives  of  South  Africa  of  to-day.  The  term 
"  Bantu  "  is  a  native  word  meaning  "  people."  It  has  of  late 
years  come  to  be  applied  to  all  the  peoples  south  of  the 
Zambesi,  who  are  neither  Bushmen  nor  Hottentots,  but  speak 
various  forms  of  a  now  extinct  language,  and  are  therefore 
assumed  to  belong  to  one  racial  group.  As  they  never  had  a 
common  ethnical  name,  they  were  all  conventionally  comprised 
under  the  general  designation  of  Bantu,  by  which  is  therefore 
to  be  understood  "peoples  of  Bantu  stock  and  speech." 

The  Bantus  are  not  full-blood  negroes  like  those  of  Upper 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.  / 

Guinea  and  Soudan,  but  a  Negroid  people,  that  is,  a  mixture 
of  two  or  more  elements,  of  which  the  substratum  is  the  Negro, 
and  the  later  infusions  mainly  Hamitic  (Galla)  and,  to  a  less 
degree,  Semit'ic  (Arab).  The  mixtures  took  place  at  different 
times  and  in  varying  proportions,  the  result  being  that  the 
Bantus  themselves  show  nearly  all  shades  of  physical  and 
mental  characters,  intermediate  between  the  pure  negro,  or 
Ethiop,  and  the  much  higher  Hamitic  or  Semitic  (Caucasian) 
types  of  mankind. 

Tribes  occupying  for  many  generations  such  a  large  extent 
of  country  as  Africa,  south  of  the  Zambesi,  naturally  developed 
differences,  which  would  alone  be  sufficient  to  account  for  the 
dissimilarities  now  existing  between  the  various  tribes,  but  an 
influx  of  Asiatics  also  took  place  on  the  east  coast  at  some 
remote  period  ;  these  mixed  with  the  people  of  that  part,  and  to 
them  may  be  traced  some  of  the  sharper  distinctions  which  are 
now  observable. 

It  will  be  sufficient  here  to  classify  the  Bantu  tribes  in  three 
main  groups,  though  it  should  be  remembered  that  there  are 
many  trifling  differences  between  the  various  branches  of  each 
of  these. 

In  the  first  group  are  placed  the  tribes  along  the  eastern 
coast,  south  of  the  Sabi  River,  and  those  which  in  recent  times 
have  made  their  way  from  that  part  into  the  highlands  of  the 
interior.  The  best  known  of  these  are  the  Amaxosa 
Abatembu,  Amampondo,  Amabaca,  Amazulu,  Matabele, 
Amaswazi,  Amatonga,  and  the  Magwamba  or  Matshangana. 
This  group  can  be  termed  the  "  Coast  Tribes,"  though  some 
members  of  it  are  now  far  from  the  sea.  It  is  also  known  as 
the  "  Zulu-Xosa  "  or  more  commonly  "  Zulu-Kaffir "  group. 
The  Amatonga,  the  Amafingo  in  Cape  Colony,  the  Mashona 
and  Makalanga  in  Rhodesia,  and  several  other  smaller  tribes 
now  resident  in  the  Transvaal,  though  belonging  to  this  group, 
are  considered  to  be  vastly  inferior  both  to  the  Amaxosa, 
Amazulu,  etc.,  and  to  the  tribes  of  the  Bechuana-Basuto  family 
described  below.  They  may  be  regarded  as  representing  the 
first  wave  of  Bantu  migration  to  the  south  of  the  Zambesi, 
where  they  were  afterwards  reduced,  dispersed  and  enslaved  by 
the  superior  Bechuana,  Basuto  and  Zulu-Xosa  tribes  in  later 
times.  In  fact,  their  customs  vary  so  greatly,  and  they  have 
so  little  racial  or  social  coherence,  that  it  is  only  their  common 
or  similar  speech  which  enables  them  to  be  reckoned  as 
Bantus  at  all. 


8  THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

The  second  group  includes  the  tribes  that  a  century  ago 
occupied  the  great  interior  plain,  and  came  down  to  the  ocean 
between  the  Zambesi  and  Sabi  Rivers.  It  includes  the 
Bechuana  tribes,  i.e.,  Baralong,  Baharutsi,  Bangkwaketsi, 
Bakwena,  Bamangwato,  all  sections  of  the  Makalanga,  and  the 
whole  of  the  Basuto,  north  and  south.  This  group  can  be 
termed  the  "  Interior  Tribes." 

The  third  comprises  all  the  Bantu  living  between  the 
Kalahari  and  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  i.e.,  the  Ovampos, 
Hereros,  etc.,  but  these  need  not  be  described  here,  as  they 
are  not  in  British  territory. 

The  individuals  who  compose  the  first  and  second  groups 
vary  in  colour  from  deep  bronze  to  black.  Some  have 
features  of  the  lowest  Negro  type,  while  others  have  prominent 
and  in  rare  instances,  even  aquiline  noses,  good  foreheads,  and 
comparatively  thin  lips.  These  extremes  sometmies  occur  in 
the  same  family,  especially  on  the  east  coast,  and  are  no  doubt 
due  to  a  strain  of  Asiatic  blood. 

From  the  foregoing  it  will  have  been  gathered  that  at  the 
commencement  of  the  historic  period  of  South  Africa,  i.e., 
about  400  years  ago,  the  native  tribes  were  distributed 
somewhat  as  follows,  over  what  is  now  British  South  Africa  : — 

East  and  south-east  coast. — (Country  up  to  the  foot  of  the 
Drakensberg)  :  Coast  tribes  classed  as  Zulu-Kaffirs  above. 

The  i7iland plateaux,  comprising  what  is  now  the  Transvaal, 
Orange  River  Colony,  Eastern  Bechuanaland,  Rhodesia, 
Transkei  territory  and  Basutoland  :  Bechuana-Basuto  tribes. 

The  remainder  of  the  present  Cape  Colony  and  Western 
Bechuanaland,  Hottentots  and  Bushmen. 

Bushmen  were  also  scattered  all  over  the  country  in  small 
groups,  mostly  in  barren  inaccessible  tracts,  but  were  more 
numerous  in  the  west  than  in  the  east. 

The  later  redistribution  of  these  tribes  and  the  causes  which 
led  to  it,  will  now  be  briefly  described. 


(B.)     Modern  History — Redistribution  of  the 
Transvaal  Bantu. 

Not  much  is  known  of  the  course  of  native  history  during 
the  sixteenth,  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  centuries,  though 
traditions  exist  among  the  people  of  various  internecine  wars, 
by  which  no  doubt  all  the  tribes  of  the  interior  were  consider- 
ably scattered  and  weakened,  and  were  therefore  less  able  to 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.  9 

resist  the  incursions  of  the  "Mantatis"  and  of  the  Zulus  which 
commenced  early  in  the  nineteenth  century,  and  of  the  Boer 
"  Voortrekkers,"  who,  after  driving  out  the  Zulus,  began  to 
annex  and  settle  in  the  Transvaal  in  1837. 

The  "Mantatis"  took  their  name  from  Ma  Ntatisi  the 
chieftainess  of  the  Basuto  tribe,  said  to  be  the  original 
Batlokwa,  which  till  about  182 1  dwelt  in  or  near  the  present 
district  of  Harrismith,  O.R.C.  At  this  time  Chaka,  the 
famous  Zulu  chief,  was  engaged  in  exterminating  all  the 
tribes  in  his  proximity,  and  one  of  the  latter,  to  escape  from 
his  power,  crossed  to  the  west  of  the  Drakensberg,  and  there  fell 
upon  the  Batlokwa  tribe  of  Mantatisi.  The  Batlokwa  being 
severely  defeated,  fled  bodily  northwards,  taking  with  them 
many  people  of  kindred  Basuto  tribes  then  living  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  Orange  River  Colony.  Mantatisi  was 
thus  soon  at  the  head  of  an  immense  horde  of  Basuto,  and 
with  these  attacked  the  Bechuana  tribes,  who  inhabited  the 
country  immediately  north  of  the  Vaal  River,  and  created 
great  havoc  among  them.  She  pursued  a  career  of  conquest 
till  about  1824,  when  her  people  received  a  check  from  the 
combined  opposition  of  various  tribes.  The  Mantatis  then 
broke  up  into  two  parties,  one  of  which  under  a  chief  named 
Sebetwane,  travelled  north-west  and  conquered  Barotseland 
where  they  became  known  as  the  Makololo,  and  the  other  under 
Mantatisi  herself  returned  to  the  Basutoland  border. 

The  invasion  of  the  Mantatis  was  the  first  great  disintegrating 
force  experienced  by  the  Bechuana  inhabitants  of  the 
Transvaal. 

The  next  visitation  to  be  suffered  by  these  unfortunate  tribes 
was  that  of  the  Zulus. 

These  people  have  always  been  the  most  formidable  enemies 
of  the  other  sections  of  the  Bantu  race,  and  so  powerful  did 
they  become  under  the  military  despotism  of  Chaka  in  the 
first  three  decades  of  the  nineteenth  century,  that  at  the  time 
of  the  death  of  Chaka  in  1828  the  Zulu  empire  comprised  the 
whole  of  Zululand  Natal  and  parts  of  Basutoland,  together 
with  most  of  the  land  between  the  Caledon  and  the  Limpopo 
Rivers,  that  is  the  present  Transvaal  and  the  Orange  River 
Colony. 

From  1828  to  1840  the  Zulus  were  ruled  by  Dingaan,  who 
maintained  the  same  military  organisation  with  little  abatement 
until  his  final  defeat  in  1838.  It  was  during  this  period  that 
the  "  Great  Trek  "  of  Boers  from  the  Cape  Colony  took  place, 


10  THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

which  caused  a  general  dislocation  of  the  Bantu  populations 
between  the  Orange  and  the  Limpopo  and  laid  the  foundations 
of  the  supremacy  of  the  white  men  over  the  native  races 
throughout  the  continental  plateau. 

After  crossing  the  Orange,  the  pioneer  trekkers  had  ramified 
into  two  columns,  one  continuing  the  northern  route  to  and 
beyond  the  Vaal,  while  the  other  under  Piet  Retief  passed 
eastward  over  the  Drakensberg  into  Natal.  Both  of  these 
columns  came  into  collision  with  the  Zulu  forces,  and  thus 
began  the  struggle  with  the  tribes,  which  was  continued  down 
to  the  year  1879,  when  Ketchwayo,  last  of  Chaka's  successors, 
and  Sekukuni,  the  powerful  chief  of  the  Bapedi  in  the 
Transvaal,  were  finally  overthrown  by  the  British,  and  the 
Northern  Boer  state  thus  saved  from  utter  ruin. 

Piet  Retief's  party  in  1837  met  with  a  great  disaster  at  the 
hands  of  Dingaan's  Zulus,  over  700  of  his  people,  including 
many  women  and  children,  being  then  treacherously  massacred. 
But  although  this  disaster  had  been  preceded  by  several  other 
reverses,  Dingaan  Avas  defeated  before  the  close  of  the  same 
year  with  great  slaughter  on  a  northern  branch  of  the  Tugela, 
which  was  named  the  Blood  River  in  memory  of  the  event. 
From  this  blow,  by  which  3,000  of  his  best  men  had  fallen, 
Dingaan  never  recovered,  and  after  another  crushing  defeat, 
in  which  the  Boers  were  joined  by  his  rebellious  brother  Mpande 
(Panda)  he  fled  northwards  and  was  assassinated  by  one  of 
his  own  captains  in  1840. 

Piet  Retief  then  set  up  the  first  Republic  of  "  Natalia  "  at 
Pietermaritzburg,  where  his  party  of  Boers  remained  until 
the  British  annexation  of  Natal  in  1842-1843. 

Meantime  the  northern  pioneer  column  had  already  ad- 
vanced (1835-1836)  in  large  numbers  to  the  region  beyond 
the  Vaal,  hence  called  the  Transvaal,  most  of  which  had  been 
overrun  by  Zulu  predatory  hordes,  by  whom  the  former  in- 
habitants had  nearly  all  been  exterminated  or  scattered.  By 
far  the  most  important  of  the  Zulu  conquerors  was  Umzilikau 
(usually  known  as  Moselikatse).  This  redoubtable  chief  was 
one  of  Chaka's  most  renowned  warriors,  who  having  given 
some  offence  to  the  King,  left  Zululand  at  the  head  of  a  strong 
impi,  and  marching  in  a  north-westerly  direction  across  the 
O.R.C.  and  Transvaal,  conquering  all  the  tribes  he  met  with, 
and  ravaging  their  country  as  he  went,  finally  set  up  for  himself 
in  the  Marico  District  on  the  Bechuanaland  frontier. 

It  was  here  that  Moselikatse  was  interviewed  by  Dr.  Andrew 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.  II 

Smith,  leader  of  the  first  EngHsh  scientific  expedition  to 
South  Central  Africa  in  1835.  Concerning  this  expedition  the 
Rev.  J.  S.  Moffat  writes: — "The  Matabili  then  occupied  the 
country  now  forming  mainly  the  Marico  and  Rustenburg 
Districts  in  the  Transvaal.  The  expedition  remained  some 
weeks  in  the  dominions  of  Umzilikazi,  and  met  with  every 
facility,  and  Dr.  Smith  persuaded  the  Chief  to  send  messengers 
to  Capetown.  They  were  treated  with  great  consideration  and 
returned  to  their  master  with  presents  and  with  an  impression 
of  the  character  of  the  English  people  which  has  never  been 
entirely  effaced.  It  was,  however,  a  severe  trial  to  the  faith 
of  the  Chief  and  of  his  people  that  the  emigrant  Boers  were 
permitted  by  the  Government  to  leave  the  Colony,  and  to 
encroach  upon  his  territory  and  that  of  the  other  chiefs,  who,. 
like  him,  had  always  sought  to  be  on  friendly  terms  with  the 
English." 

Here  Moselikatse  was  attacked  and  utterly  routed  by  the 
pioneer  trekkers  under  Maritz  and  Potgieter  in  1837,  and  being 
now  also  threatened  by  his  hereditary  foe  Dingaan,  he  with- 
drew beyond  the  Limpopo,  and  founded  the  late  Matabele 
Kingdom*  about  the  year  1839  or  1840,  leaving  the  Transvaal 
in  the  hands  of  the  trekkers. 

The  Boers  were  thus  left  masters  of  the  situation,  and 
proceeded  to  annex  the  whole  territory  formerly  ruled  by  the 
Matabele,  but  as  they  were  too  few  to  hold  the  whole  country, 
the  original  Bechuana-Basuto  tribes  who  had  been  driven  west 
and  north  by  the  Zulu  invaders,  now  rapidly  returned  to  occupy 
their  former  homes,  and  so  it  happens  that  the  majority  of 
the  Transvaal  Natives  still  belong  to  the  Bechuana-Basuto 
family. 

When,  therefore,  the  Transvaal  first  entered  on  its  career  as 
a  civilised  state,  its  native  inhabitants  were  chiefly  of  the 
Bechuana-Basuto  family,  but  the  Coast  Tribes  were  also 
represented  by  fragments  of  Magwamba  and  other  eastern 
tribes  in  the  north,  while  a  proportion  of  Zulus  still  remained, 
who  had  migrated  from  Zululand  either  during  or  before  the 
days  of  Chaka. 

The  Boers  waged  various  small  wars  (hereafter  described) 
with  different  native  tribes  up  to  the  British  annexation  in 
1900,  and  it  was  their  practice,  after  having  defeated  a  tribe, 
to  break  it  up  as  far  as  possible,  by  "apprenticing"  a  number 

*  The  late  Lobengula  was  Moselikatse's  son  and  successor. 


12 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 


of  its  members  to  burghers  all  over  the  country.  Certain 
tribes  also  were  settled  by  the  Boer  Government  in  defined 
locations,  but  during  the  late  war  some  of  these  took  the 
opportunity  of  moving  to  more  favourable  localities,  and  their 
places  of  residence  are  in  some  cases  not  settled  even  now, 
though  the  work  of  locating  them  is  being  actively  pushed  on 
by  the  present  Administration.  By  these  various  disturbing 
agencies  the  tribes  have  become  so  much  scattered,  that  it  is 
scarcely  possible  to  describe  any  one  tribe  as  a  whole,  portions 
of  several  tribes  being  found  in  almost  every  district.  In 
order  therefore  to  arrive  at  a  just  estimate  of  the  native 
inhabitants  of  this  colony  at  the  present  time,  it  will  be 
necessary  to  examine  in  some  detail  the  tribes  and  sections  of 
tribes  now  found  in  the  various  Administrative  Districts  as  at 
present  organised. 


(C.)     The  Present  Native  Population  of  the 
Transvaal. 

According  to  the  returns  of  the  census  of  1904,  the  total 
resident  native  population  of  the  Transvaal  is  811,753  men 
women  and  children.  These  are  distributed  as  shown  below  in 
the  various  administrative  divisions  and  Districts  : 


Division. 


Western 


District. 


fRustenburg... 

I  Zeerust 

I  Pilansberg  ... 

-J  Lichtenburg 
Potchefstroom 
Wolmaransstad 

.and  Christiana 


Native  Population. 


Men. 


5.946 

4,715 
4,209 
2,461 
5,837 

abtl.SOO 
24,668 


Women. 


6,953 
6,070 

4,849 
2,328 
6,221 

2,000 


28,421 


Children. 


io,7S3 

11,552 

8,050 

5,006 

12,629 

3,015 


51,095 


Total. 


23,652 
22,337 
17,108 

9,795 
24,687 

6,515 
104,094 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 


Division. 

District. 

Native  Population. 

Men. 

Women. 

Children. 

Total. 

Central      ... 

f  Pretoria 

1  Krugersdorp 

-{  Boksburg 

Hamanskraal 
L  Heidelberg 

18,719* 

1,680 

630 

6,268 

5,884* 

7,933 
1,260 

548 
8,331 
3,701 

20,397 
3,290 
1,649 

13,275 
7,215 

47,049 
6,23ot 

2,827t 

27,874 
16,800 

33,181 

21,773      45,826 

ioo,78ot 

North-        ^ 
Western  / 

r  Warm  baths... 
<  Nylstroom  ... 
P.  P.  Rust 

2,322 
2,451 
6,616 

4,501 

3,659 

14,235 

6,230 

4,967 

16,157 

13,053 
11,007 
37,008 

1    11,389      22,395 

27,354 

61,138 

Northern   . . . 

r  Pietersburg 

j  Spelonken  ... 
-{  Haenertsburg 
1  Shivasa 
IBlauwberg 

15,134 
29,434 
13.893 
17,981 

5,300 

22,491 
33,430 
18,067 
24,748 
6,741 

33,594 
41,778 
24,790 
27,024 
7,210 

71,219 
104,642 
56,750 
69,753 
19,251 

81,742 

105,477 

134,396 

321,6155: 

Eastern 

r  Sekukuniland 

Sabi 

-{  Barberton    ... 
1  Pokwani 
IMiddelburg 

9,550 
7,331 
7,067* 
5,416 

2,999 

16,441 
7,242 
6.336 
5,837 
3,163 

23,316 
16,026 

8,383 
10,346 

7,907 

49,307 
30,599 
21,786 

21,593 
14,069 

32,363 

39,013 

65,978 

137,354 

South-        \ 
Eastern  / 

'  Wakk  erst  room 
Pietretief     .. 

-  Standerton 

1  Ermelo 
I  Carolina 

3,470 
5,000 

6,405* 

3,186 

2,800 

4,549 
7,542 
3,859 
3,127 
2,203 

11,446 

15,900 

5,286 

7,859 
4,140 

19,465 
28,442 

15,550 
14,172 

9,143 

20,861 

21,280 

44,631 

86,772 

Grand  Total      

202,704 

236,359 

366,175 

811,753 

*  Preponderance  of  men  due  to  numbers  from  other  districts,  working  in 
towns,  etc. 

t  Natives  in  the  labour  districts  not  included. 

+  Not  including  about  12,000  men  away  at  work  in  the  labour  areas. 


14  THE    NATIVK   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 


Natives  Temporarily  Employed  in  "Labour  Districts." 

The  principal  "  Labour  Districts "  are :  Johannesburg  and 
the  Witwatersrand  generally,  Heidelberg,  Klerksdorp,  Vereeni- 
ging,  Pretoria  and  Middelburg. 

The  number  of  natives  employed  at  these  centres  on  the 
30th  June,  1904,  was  133,283  as  against  116,913  in  June,  1903. 

Of  this  number*  29,6x5  were  Transvaal  natives.  Of  the 
remainder,  considerably  over  50  per  cent,  were  from  Portuguese 
territory ;  Cape  Colony,  Natal  and  Zululand  provided  another 
30  per  cent.  ;  and  the  rest  belonged  to  Basutoland,  the  Orange 
River  Colony,  Bechuanaland,  Rhodesia,  Swaziland,  British 
Central  Africa  or  Damaraland. 


Classification. 

The  detailed  history  and  classification  by  tribes  of  the 
resident  native  population  will  now  be  proceeded  with.  For 
the  sake  of  convenience  the  tribes  will  be  grouped  according 
to  the  administrative  "Divisions"  in  which  they  are  respectively 
found.     (Details  of  these  Divisions  are  given  on  pp.  94-5.) 


*  It  is  not  quite  clear  whether  any  of  these  have  been  included  in  the 
foregoing  census  figures  for  the  various  districts.  In  the  case  of  the 
northern  division,  it  is  however  stated  that  12,000  were  away  in  other 
districts  at  work,  when  the  census  was  taken. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE   TRIBES    OF   THE    WESTERN    DIVISION. 

The  total  number  of  natives  in  these  districts  was  found  by  the 

as 


Census 

of    April    of    I 

504    to    be 

104 

,094, 

distributed 

follows  : 

Rustenburg 
Pilansberg 
Marico  ... 
Lichtenburg 
Potchefstroom 

..     23,652 
..     17,108 
■•     22,337 

••       9>795 
..     24,687 

Wolmaransstad 
Total... 

•  •       6,515 

len, 

wom( 

..  104,094  n 

m  and  child 

The  vast  majority  of  these  people  are  of  pure  Bechuana 
descent  and  speak  the  Bechuana  language,  and  the  small 
percentage  who  are  classed  here  as  Basuto,  differ  so  slightly 
from  the  Bechuana  as  to  be  indistinguishable  from  the  latter. 

As  stated  in  the  foregoing  chapter,  all  Bechuana  and  Basuto 
probably  spring  from  common  ancestors,  who  formed  one 
section  of  the  original  Bantu  migration,  but  as  a  distinction 
between  the  two  nations  is  drawn  by  the  natives  themselves, 
an  attempt  has  been  made  here  to  classify  the  various  tribes 
accordingly. 

Historical   Sketch  of  Tribes. 

T/ie  Baralong. 

Though  this  family  is  not  now  very  numerously  represented 
in  the  Transvaal,  it  appears  to  be  the  most  ancient  of  the 
Bechuana  race,  and  from  it  are  believed  to  be  descended,  not 
only  all  the  Bechuana  tribes  now  found  in  the  colony,  but  also 
the  various  branches  of  the  Baharutsi  (Barotsi)  nation,  from 
whom  in  turn  spring  the  Bakhatla,  the  Bapedi  (Sekukuni's)  and 


i6 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 


several  other  important  tribes.     The  history  of  the  tribes  is 
therefore  worthy  of  being  given  at  some  length. 

The  descent  of  the  various  tribes  hereafter  mentioned  from  the 
Baralong  is  shown  in  the  following  diagram  : — 

BARALONG. 
(Main  tribe.) 


Baralong 


Baharutsi 


Baharutsi 
I 


Bakhatla 


U5^ 


o  ^ 

^ 


I  PQ  N 


m 


Pi 


is  a. 

3    3 


m     m 


Pretoria  district. 


The  Baralong  take  their  name  from  their  earliest  recorded 
chief  Morolong,  under  whom,  according  to  tradition,  they 
migrated  from  a  country  in  the  far  north,  probably  the  region 
of  the  lakes,  about  1400  a.d.  After  four  generations  they 
reached  the  Molopo  River  and  settled  their  first  permanent 
residence  somewhere  near  Mafeking.  Here  for  many  years  the 
tribe  enjoyed  peace  and  increased  in  numbers  and  wealth, 
reaching  the  zenith  of  its  prosperity  in  the  days  of  the  chief 
Tau,  about  the  14th  in  descent  from  Morolong.  Sections  of 
the  tribe  had  at  various  times  migrated  eastwards  and  north- 
westwards, but  their  loss  was  made  good  by  recruits  from  alien 
tribes  such  as  the  Batlaping  and  Batlaro,  who  had  submitted  to 
the  Baralong. 

On  the  death  of  Tau — which  took  place  about  1760 — 
however,  the  power  of  the  Baralong  ceased,  as  owing  to  internal 
dissensions,  the  tribe  broke  up  into  various  clans,  each  of 
which  followed  one  of  the  sons  of  Tau,  while  the  Batlaro  and 


THE   NATIVE   TRIBES   OE   THE   TRANSVAAL.  1 7 

the  Batlaping  took  advantage  of  the  confusion  to  reassert  their 
independence. 

Though  they  were  no  longer  united,  the  various  sections  of 
the  Baralong  appear  to  have  lived  in  close  proximity  to  each 
other,  and  made  their  headquarters  at  Khunwana  (the  present 
Kunana  location)  where  they  remained  till  the  Matabele  under 
Moselikatse  fell  upon  them  and  drove  them  out.  A  period  of 
wandering  followed,  during  which  the  Baralong  came  into 
collision  with  the  Makololo  (who  were  on  their  way  to 
Barotsiland  which  they  afterwards  conquered),  and  with  the 
Bataung  under  Molitsane,  both  predatory  hordes  from  the 
country  now  called  Basutoland.  There  were  at  that  time  four 
clans  of  the  Baralong,  under  the  chiefs  Matlaku,  Tawane, 
Sehunelo  and  Matlabe.  Sehunelo  moved  south  and  settled  at 
Thabanchu  in  the  Orange  River  C'olony,  where  he  was  joined 
later  by  Tawane  and  Gontsi  (2nd  son  of  Matlaku  who  had 
been  killed  by  Molitsane)  and  their  people.  Matlabe  and  his 
■clan  remained  in  their  own  country  for  a  time  and  assisted 
Moselikatse  in  driving  back  Molitsane,  but  eventually  joined 
his  brethren  at  Thabanchu  in  about  1835.  In  1837  he  guided 
the  Boer  commando  under  H.  Potgieter  to  Marico,  and  after 
the  defeat  of  Moselikatse  by  the  Boers,  was  allowed  to  settle 
at  Machaviestad  near  Potchefstroom  where  Gontsi's  and 
Tawane's  people  rejoined  him.  The  4th  clan  now  under 
Moroko,  remained  at  Thabanchu. 

In  1847  Tawane  moved  to  Litlokana,  near  Mafeking,  his 
descendant  being  the  present  chief  Badirele,  successor  to 
Montsiwa,  whose  location  is  now  in  the  Bechuanaland 
Protectorate. 

President  Burgers  in  1874  entered  into  a  treaty  with 
Moshete,  "  paramount  chief  of  the  Baralong  "  (during  whose 
minority  Gontsi  had  been  acting  as  chief),  by  which  the  latter 
ceded  to  the  South  African  Republic  "  all  territorial  rights 
northward  and  north-westward  of  the  Vaal  appertaining  to 
the  said  Baralong "  under  certain  conditions.  Montsiwa, 
however,  not  recognising  Moshete's  right  to  dispose  of 
Baralong  territory  without  consulting  him,  protested,  and  a 
dispute  ensued  between  Montsiwa  on  the  one  side  and  Moshete 
and  Matlabe  on  the  other,  which  culminated  in  hostilities  in 
1 88 1.  Both  sides  enlisted  white  volunteers  who  were  promised 
farms  after  the  war.  After  nearly  a  year's  fighting,  Montsiwa 
was  defeated  and  sued  for  peace,  and  Moshete  granted  the  farms 
promised.     By  the  London  Convention  of  1884,  the  western 

(7269)  B 


l8  THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

boundary  of  the  'J'ransvaal  was  readjusted,  so  that  Moshete's 
territory,  now  the  Kunana  location,  fell  within  the  borders 
of  the  republic,  while  Montsiwa's  remained  outside.  Moshete, 
how^ever,  still  retained  his  paramount  rights  over  the  latter. 

Matlabe,  who  had  been  at  Potchefstroom  since  1853,  moved 
to  Polfontein  in  the  Lichtenburg  District  in  1875.  During  the 
late  war  (i 899-1 902)  he  and  his  people  returned  to  Potchef- 
.  stroom,  but  they  are  now  to  be  definitely  located  at  Polfontein. 
The  present  chief  of  this  section  is  Ramolekana,  who  is  about 
twenty  years  of  ag^. 

Besides  the  above  mentioned  tribes,  branches  of  the 
Baralong  are  to  be  found  scattered  among  many  of  the  other 
Transvaal  tribes,  as  for  instance  the  Bakhatla,  the  Bantwane 
of  the  Pretoria  District  and  many  others. 

As  will  presently  be  shown  too,  all  the  branches  of  the 
Baharutsi  ("Barotsi'')  are  sprung  from  the  Baralong  stock. 


TJie  Baharutsi. 

This  tribe  is  believed  to  have  split  from  the  main  body  of 
the  Baralong  after  their  arrival  at  the  Molopo  River  about  the 
fifteenth  or  sixteenth  century.  The  Baharutsi  seem,  after  the 
Baralong,  to  be  the  oldest  race,  and  from  them  the  following 
tribes  are  said  to  be  directly  descended,  viz.  : — 

The  Bakwena, 

The  Bakhatla,  from  whom  spring  the  Bapedi  (Sekukuni's 

people). 
The  Bahananwa  (Malabokh's  people,  etc.). 
The  Bafiring  (Rustenburg  District). 
Other    Basuto-Bechuana    tribes,     not     residing     in     the 

Transvaal,  including  probably  the  Basuto  of  Basuto- 

land. 

In  former  days  the  Baharutsi  were  a  great  and  powerful 
people,  brave  in  war  and  feared  by  other  tribes,  many  of  which 
were  tributary  to  them.  Up  to  within  the  last  few  decades, 
none  of  the  above  mentioned  tribes,  wherever  living,  were 
allowed  to  gather  in  their  crops  until  the  Baharutsi  chief 
had  given  his  permission.  This  right  exercised  by  the 
Baharutsi  was  called  "  Go  loma  thotsi,"  which  means  "  To  bite 
the  pumpkin,"  the  pumpkin  being  the  earliest  crop  grown  by  the 
natives. 

Like   all   other    Bechuana-Basuto   tribes,   the   clans   of  the 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.  1 9 

Baharutsi  adopted  various  animals  as  their  tribal  emblems  or 
totems.  The  eland  was  their  first  selection,  but  this  was 
afterwards  replaced  by  the  Great  Monkey. 

The  first  division  of  the  Baharutsi  people  took  place  after 
the  death  of  their  third  recorded  chief,  Molope,  who  left  two 
sons,  Mohurutsi  and  Kwene.  The  former  remained  chief  of 
the  main  tribe  which  took  its  name  from  him,  while  the  latter 
separated  from  his  brother  and  called  his  people  Bakwena, 
choosing  the  crocodile  (Kwene)  as  his  totem. 

Mohurutsi  had  two  sons,  Motebele  and  Motebyane,  and  the 
latter,  though  the  younger,  succeeded  in  ousting  his  brother 
and  became  chief  of  the  tribe,  making  his  headquarters  where 
Heidelberg  now  stands.  Little  is  known  concerning  the  nine 
chiefs  who  followed  him,  but  Manyane,  the  eldest  son  of  the 
ninth,  was  driven  away  and  moved  to  near  Zeerust,  where  his- 
people  remained  till  the  advent  of  the  Matabele  forced  them 
to  fly  to  Taung  in  Bechuanaland. 

In  1837,  Moilo,  the  then  chief  of  the  Baharutsi,  assisted  the 
Boers  in  driving  out  the  Matabele,  and  also  a  few  years  later 
in  their  wars  against  other  tribes  in  the  Transvaal ;  the  Boers 
therefore  rewarded  him  by  allowing  him  to  reoccupy  the  land 
originally  held  by  the  Baharutsi,  which  is  now  known  as  Moilo's 
location,  in  the  Alarico  district.  Moilo  died  in  1893.  During 
the  rule  of  Moilo's  successor  Sebogodi,  Khopane,  leader  of 
another  section  of  the  Baharutsi,  invaded  the  location  and  laid 
claim  to  part  of  it,  and  on  the  death  of  Sebogodi  in  1877,  the 
Government  recognised  his  son  Ikalafeng  as  chief,  but  also 
granted  Khopane  a  portion  of  the  location,  which  is  still 
occupied  by  his  people. 

Ikalafeng  died  in  1893,  and  his  son,  Pokliisho,  being  a 
minor,  his  uncle  Israel  Moilo  acts  for  him. 

Khopane  died  in  October,  1904,  and  has  been  succeeded  by 
his  son  Tom  Mokhatla. 

Besides  these  branches  of  the  Baharutsi,  there  are  also 
sections  under  chief  Sebogodi  at  Mochudi  in  l^echuanaland, 
and  at  Vinkrivier  near  Zeerust  under  a  petty  chief  named 
Thebe. 

Tlie  Baktve/ia. 

The  Bakwena  take  their  name  from  Kwene  (the  brother  of 
Mohurutsi,  founder  of  the  Baharutsi),  who  left  the  main  tribe 
about  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century.  This  race  has  a 
large  number  of  representatives  at  present  in  the  Transvaal, 

(7269)  B  2 


20  TllK    NATIVE    TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

formed  into  several  independent  tribes,  besides  a  number  ir* 
Basutoland  and  British  Bechuanaland.  Of  the  Bakwena  tribes 
living  within  the  Transvaal,  the  following  are  the  most  worthy 
of  notice  : — 

a.  The  Bafokeng. 

b.  The  Bamakhopa. 

c.  The  Bamolimosana. 

//.  The  Bakubung  or  Bakhofa. 
f.  The  Baphalane. 

a.  The  Bakwena — Bafokeng. — This  section  has  a  curious 
tradition  to  the  effect  that  they  originally  came  from  the  north 
of  the  Sahara  Desert  from  the  direction  of  Egypt  as  part  of  the 
great  Baharutsi  nation,  from  which  they  separated  under 
Kwene.  ^Vhen  and  where  they  broke  away  from  the  main 
Bakwena  tribe  is  not  recorded,  but  it  must  have  been  long  ago, 
for  their  present  chief  traces  his  descent  for  thirty  generations 
back  to  a  chief  named  Nape  in  an  unbroken  line.,  Diale,  the 
twenty-fourth  chief  after  Nape,  succeeded  in  throwing  off  the 
yoke  of  the  Baharutsi,  of  whom  the  Bafokeng  have  since  lived 
independent.  The  annals  of  the  tribe  are  very  warlike,  many 
bloody  wars  being  recorded  in  their  traditions  against  the 
Bechuana  tribes,  Bapo,  Bamatau  and  Batlokwa.  Sekwati 
inflicted  severe  loss  on  them,  and  Moselikatse  reduced  them  to 
subjection  for  a  time,  but  Mokhatle,  who  was  their  chief  at  the 
time,  was  of  assistance  to  the  Boers  and  received  a  grant  of 
land  as  a  reward. 

The  present  chief  is  Molotlegi,  alias  August  Mokhatle, 
grandson  of  Mokhatle.  His  tribe  is  the  most  numerous  in  the 
Rustenburg  district,  amounting  to  nearly  12,000  .souls. 
Missionaries  have  been  among  them  for  over  fifty  years  and 
they  are  nearly  all  Christians.  The  headquarters  of  the  chief 
is  at  Fokeng  (Bierfontein  432;. 

b.  Bakimna — Bamakhopa. — These  people  appear  from  their 
traditions  to  be  an  offshoot  of  the  Baharutsi,  closely  connected 
in  early  times  with  the  Bafokeng.  Their  history,  like  that  of 
the  latter,  is  a  succession  of  wars  with  other  sections  of  the 
Bechuana,  during  which  they  changed  their  habitation  several 
times.  The  inevitable  Moselikatse  eventually  descended  upon 
them  and  a  portion  of  the  tribe  submitted  to  him  and  lived 
under  his  protection  in  Marico,  while  the  remainder  dispersed 
to  other  districts.  On  the  advent  of  the  Boers  they  turned 
against    Moselikatse  and  became  the  servants   of  the  Boers. 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.  21 

Mamokhale,  who  was  then  their  chief,  after  a  time  resented 
his  treatment  by  the  Boers  and  fled  with  most  of  his  people 
to  the  neighbourhood  of  Basutoland,  whence  he  returned  in 
1868  to  Losperfontein  (the  present  Bethanie  Mission  Station), 
where  the  tribe  still  dwells.  Johannes  Otto  Mamokhale,  the 
present  chief,  a  great-grandson  of  Mamokhale,  is  still  a 
minor,  and  one  Daniel  More  acts  for  him.  His  people  in 
Rustenburg  district  number  about  4,000  and  are  nearly  all 
Christians. 

c.  Bakwi'fia — Bamolimosaiia. — This  tribe  is  descended  from 
Tau,  the  Baralong  Hero,  and  its  ancestors  are  supposed  to 
have  followed  the  Baharutsi,  when  the  latter  became  detached 
from  the  parent  tribe.  Four  clans  of  the  Molimosana  are 
found  in  the  Transvaal,  viz.  : — 

The  Baramanemela,  who  are  really  the  elder  branch  but 
artr  subject  to  the  Banatau  section.  Present  chief 
Molehi  or  Ramaubane,  a  petty  chief  only. 

The  Maake,  who  are  recognised  as  the  elder  branch. 
Present  chief  Andries  Lekhwali,  known  as  Ratsegaai, 
who  lives  at  Hartebeestfontein  517  in  the  Rustenburg 
district. 

The  Bamatau,  located  in  the  Pilansberg  under  chief  Tabe 
Masilwane,  known  as  Herman  Selon.  Though 
numerically  weak  in  the  Transvaal,  this  clan  has 
many  members  in  the  Orange  River  Colony,  who  all 
pay  tribute  to  Herman  Selon.  Some  Bamatau  are 
also  in  the  Potchefstroom  district. 

The  Bamatlaku,  whose  present  chief  is  (rasibone,  living 
in  the  Marico  district  on  the  Pella  Mission  .Station. 

These  clans  take  their  names  from  the  four  sons  of 
Molimosana,  the  founder  of  the  tribe.  Their  history 
resembles  that  of  most  of  the  other  tribes  in  that  they  were 
successfully  raided  by  the  Bapedi  and  Moselikatse,  and 
finally  settled  in  locations  or  were  allowed  to  purchase  them  by 
the  Boers. 

d.  The  Bakwcna — Bakubung.—lL^\\\<,  tribe  is  also  called 
Bakhofa,  meaning  "  The  Ticks,"  a  sobriquet  which  was  given 
them  for  their  reputation  of  annexing  and  "  sticking  to ''  all 
cattle  that  they  could  lay  hands  on. 

After  being  decimated  by  Moselikatse,  these  people  were 
further  broken  up  by  the  Boers,  and  one  section  left  Potchef- 
stroom for  the  Orange  River  Colony  fifty  or  sixty  years  ago. 


22  THE   NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

This  is  the  clan  now  under  Solomon  Ratheo  Monakhotle, 
whose  grandfather  brought  them  back  and  purchased  the 
farm  Elandsfontein  665  in  Rustenburg  district,  which  is  their 
present  habitation. 

The  other  section  under  chief  Matope  live  on  the  farm 
Cyferfontein  953,  in  the  same  district. 

Monakhotle's  people  number  about  500  souls  and  Matope's 
some  200. 

t'.  The  Bakivena — Baphalaiie. — The  name  Baphalane  is 
derived  from  Phala,  the  Rooibuck  Antelope,  which  animal 
abounded  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  settlement  of  these 
people,  and  by  the  chase  of  which  they  used  to  live.  After 
separating  from  the  parent  tribe  of  the  Bakwena,  these  people 
moved  eastward  to  the  Waterberg  district,  where  they  waged 
a  desultory  war  with  the  Bamapela,  a  tribe  of  Zulu  extraction, 
for  some  years  with  varying  success.  The  incursions  of  the 
Matabele,  however,  so  reduced  them  that  the  Bamapela  were 
eventually  able  to  drive  them  out  of  the  district.  'Fhey  then 
retired  to  their  present  location,  Ramakok's  Kraal  (307)  in 
the  Pilandsberg,  so  as  to  be  near  their  allies,  the  Bakhatla. 
The  present  chief  is  Bethuel  Ramakok,  whose  tribe  numbers  over 
2,000  souls  :  600  more  of  the  same  tribe  are  in  the  Rusten- 
burg district  and  some  400  in  Marico  under  chief  Stephen, 
besides  many  more  in  Bechuanaland  under  chief  Mochudi. 

The  Bakhathx  Tribe. 

This  important  tribe  takes  its  name  from  an  early  chief 
named  Mokhatla,  and  much  evidence  goes  to  prove  the 
correctness  of  the  contention  that  it  is  a  true  branch  of  the 
Baharutsi  nation. 

On  the  death  of  Mokhatla,  the  tribe  broke  up  into  two 
sections,  viz.  : — 

a.  The  Bakhatla   of   Khafela   (Linchwe's   people  of  the 

Bakhatla  Reserve  in  Bechuanaland,  of  whom  a 
number  are  however  located  in  the  Pilandsberg 
district). 

b.  The  Bakhatla  of  Mosetla,  from  whom  are  descended 

not  only  the  Bakhatla  under  Solomon  Makapan, 
vSjambok,  etc.,  in  the  Pretoria  district,  but  also  the 
Mutsha  tribes  and  the  whole  of  the  Bapedi 
(Sekukuni's  people,  etc.). 


I 


THE   NATIVE   TRIBES   OK   THE   TRANSVAAL.  23 

a.  The  Bakhatla  of  Kliafela. — To  this  section  belong 
Linchwe,  the  powerful  chief  of  the  Bakhatla  location  in 
Bechuanaland,  and  Ramono  Pilane,  who  is  the  most  impor- 
tant chief  in  the  Pilandsberg.  Khafela  is  the  name  of  the 
earliest  recorded  chief  under  whom  these  people  left  the 
leadership  of  Mokhatla,  and  travelling  eastwards,  first  settled 
near  the  junction  of  the  Aapies  with  the  Crocodile  River, 
whence  they  shortly  moved  to  near  Saulspoort  (Modderkuil 
565,  Dist.  Rustenburg).  They  successfully  fought  many  of 
the  kindred  Bechuana  tribes  in  the  vicinity,  but  it  is  recorded 
that  they  were  defeated  by  the  "  Basebetwane  on  their  way 
to  the  Botletle  river,"  by  whom  is  probably  meant  the  Basuto 
conquerors  of  Barotseland.  This  must  have  been  in  about 
1824.  The  Bakhafela  did  not  try  conclusions  with  the 
Matabele,  who  appeared  shortly  after,  but  submitted  to 
Moselikatse,  whom  they  served  as  cattle  herds  till  the  advent 
of  the  Boers.  Being  harshly  treated  by  the  latter,  they  fled  in 
1852  and  took  refuge  with  Sechele,  a  Bakwena  chief  on  the 
Western  Border.  The  latter  shielded  them  but  was  attacked 
and  put  to  flight  by  a  Boer  commando.  The  Bakhafela  then 
settled  at  Mochudi,  the  present  Bakhatla  reserve  in  Bechuana- 
land, and,  owing  to  their  refusal  to  pay  tribute  to  Sechele,  a 
desultory  war  broke  out  between  them  and  the  Bakwena, 
which  lasted  from  1875  to  1878.  The  Bakwena  were  defeated, 
and  Linchwe,  who  had  by  then  succeeded  to  the  chieftainship 
of  the  Bakhafela,  thus  acquired  his  present  location  by  right  of 
conquest. 

Linchwe  then  bought  for  his  brethren  who  had  remained  in 
the  Transvaal  the  farms  on  which  they  are  now  living  in  the 
Pilandsberg  and  Rustenburg  districts,  and  appointed  his 
brother  Ramono  to  be  chief  over  them. 

Some  members  of  this  section  of  the  Bakhatla  are  also  now 
living  in  the  Heidelberg  district ;  they  were  most  likely 
captured  by  the  Boers  in  1852  and  removed  there  as 
"indentured  servants.'' 

b.  The  Bakhatla  of  Mosetla.  {Bamoset/a).— AW  the  chiefs 
belonging  to  this  section  of  the  Bakhatla  are  now  living  in 
other  districts,  and  will  be  referred-  to  later  on.  The 
manner  in  which  they  are  connected  is  shown  by  the  following 
table  :— 


2J. 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL 

Mokhatla.     (Founder  of  the  Bakhatla.) 
I 
Botlolo.     (Eighih  in  descent.) 


Mokhali. 

i 

I 
Phulane. 


Mosetla. 


Solomon  Makapan. 
Present  chief  of  the 
Bamosetla  in  Pre- 
toria District. 


Tabane. ' 


Liale. 


Modise. 

I 

I 
Mumise  Motsipc 
(S  )  a  m  b  o  k). 
Present  head  of 
the  Bamakau,  lives 
in  Pretoria  Dis- 
trict. 


Le  Lellateng. 

1 
S  e  k  u  k  u  n  i 
Bapedi  tribes 
i  n     Eastern 
Districts. 


Setsidi. 


Robert  M  u  p  i . 
Present  chief  of 
the  Mutsha,  lives- 
in  Pretoria  Dis- 
trict. 


The  Bapliirivg. 

These  people  are  an  offshoot  of  the  Baharutsi,  and  take 
their  name  from  a  chief  called  Phiri,  under  whom  and  his 
successors  they  wandered  about  the  Potchefstroom  and 
Lichtenburg  districts  till  they  met  with  the  usual  fate  at  the 
hands  of  Moselikatse  and  later  of  the  Boers.  Eventually  they 
settled  at  the  farm  Rietfontein  (402),  District  Rustenburg,. 
which  was  bought  by  their  chief  Mabalane  in  the  seventies. 
The  present  chief  is  Philip  Mabalane,  and  his  location  is 
known  as  Mabalstad. 

All  the  foregoing  tribes  are  pure  Bechuana,  and,  as  has  been 
shown,  came  from  the  north  originally,  and  settled  in  the 
Transvaal  without  having,  except  for  a  few  brief  excursions  in 
some  cases,  penetrated  further  south  than  the  \'aal  River. 

Some  tribes  will  now  be  noticed  whose  forefathers,  though 
no  doubt  of  Bechuana  stock  in  the  first  instance,  made  their 
first  long  halt  in  what  is  now  the  Orange  River  Colony,  and 
have  only  been  inhabitants  of  the  Transvaal  from  comparatively 
recent  times.  These  are  the  tribes  correctly  described  as 
Basuto,  though  the  name  is  generally  applied  to  the  Bapedi 
and  others,  who  are  in  fact  of  pure  Bechuana  extraction. 

*  Tabane  is  also  believed  to  be  the  ancestor  of  the  Bavenda  chiefs  of  the 
Zoutpansberg,  he  having  moved  to  that  part  with  some  of  his  people,  and 
established  himself  as  ruler  of  the  Bavenda  tribe.  (See  the  tribes  of  the 
Zoutpansberg.) 


THE    NATIVE   TRIUES   OF   THE   TRANS\AAL. 


The  Batauiii^. 

This  tribe  is  probably  an  offshoot  of  the  Bataung  of 
Molitsane,  a  chief  who  hved  on  the  borders  of  Basutoland, 
and  whose  people  made  various  raids  into  the  Transvaal. 
Their  records  are  not  clear,  but  it  seems  that  some  land  in  or 
near  their  present  locality  was  many  years  ago  granted  to  them 
by  the  Bakwena  as  a  reward  for  assistance  rendered  in  tribal 
wars.  They  were  attacked  by  the  Makololo  in  the  north- 
westward march  of  the  latter,  temporarily  enslaved  by  the 
Matabele,  and  liberated  by  the  Boers,  who,  however,  afterwards 
so  oppressed  them  that  they  returned  to  their  original  home  in 
the  Orange  River  Colony.  They  returned  eventually  to  their 
present  abode,  Brakfontein  (898),  District  Rustenburg,  and 
were  allowed  by  the  Boers  to  pay  purchase  money  for  the  land. 

The  present  chief  is  Molifyane  Sefanyetso,  and  the  tribe 
numbers  757  souls. 

The  Bathkiva  {or  Batokiva). 

There  are  two  tribes  of  this  name,  of  which  one  is  in  the 
Zoutpansberg,  and  the  other  in  the  Pilandsberg  district,  a 
branch  of  the  latter  being  at  Gaberones  in  Bechuanaland. 
The  two  tribes  claim  relationship,  though  their  traditions  are 
not  identical.  The  Zoutpansberg  tribe  is  believed  to  have  been 
a  portion  of  the  Makololo,  who,  starting  from  near  Basutoland, 
raided  the  Transvaal  en  7-011  fe  to  Barotseland  between  1820  and 
1824,  so  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  the  tradition  of  the 
Pilandsberg  Batlokwa,  who  say  they  came  "  from  the  north- 
east," refers  to  the  time  of  the  original  Bantu  invasion,  and  to 
deduce  the  theory  that  that  these  peoples  are  true  Basuto  and 
not  Bechuana.  The  tribal  records  of  the  Pilandsberg  tribe 
only  go  back  for  something  less  than  100  years,  and  according 
to  these  the  tribe  first  settled  in  Potchefstroom  district, 
whence  they  were  driven  b)-  the  Bakwena  to  the  neighbourhood 
of  their  present  location.  The  Matabele  and  the  Boers 
successivel)'  broke  up  and  enslaved  the  people,  so  that  at 
present  there  are  four  sections  (besides  those  in  the  Zoutpans- 
berg), viz. :  one  under  chief  (iaberone  in  Bechuanaland  and 
three  in  the  Pilandsberg  district  under  chiefs  Sidumedi 
Matlaping,  Sibulawa  Matlaping,  and  Motsatsi  Tlolwe  respec- 
tively.    The  followings  of  the  three  latter  total  3,600  souls. 

The  Batlokwa  have  the  reputation  of  being  skilled  workers 


26  THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

in  copper  and  wire,  of  which  they  make  bracelets  and  other 
ornaments.  They  acquired  their  skill  during  their  early  days 
in  the  Transvaal,  when  they  lived  in  close  proximity  to  a 
copper  mine,  which  they  learned  to  work. 

There  are  several  other  tribes  of  the  true  Basuto  race,  which 
will  be  touched  on  when  dealing  with  the  districts  where  they 
.are  found. 


The  Bapo  and  the  Batlako. 

(Not  to  be  confused  with  the  Batlokwa.) 
These  two  tribes  are  believed  to  have  been  originally  one, 
the  Bapo,  thoug  now  numerically  much  weaker,  being  the  elder 
branch. 

The  ancestors  of  these  people  are  said  to  have  come  "from 
Zululand,"  but  this  is  open  to  doubt,  as  their  migration  must 
have  taken  place  long  before  the  rise  of  the  Zulu  power,  when 
a  great  variety  of  tribes  occupied  the  Natal  country  and  north- 
eastern Orange  River  Colony,  which  tribes  were  afterwards 
completely  exterminated  by  the  Zulus.  It  is  not  therefore  by 
any  means  certain  or  even  probable  that  the  Bapo  are  of  Zulu 
extraction,  and  they  are  more  likely  indeed  to  be  of  the  true 
Basuto  race.  Be  this  as  it  may,  they  had  been  in  the  Western 
Transvaal,  waging  the  usual  desultory  warfare  with  the 
Bakwena  and  other  Bechuana  tribes  for  some  generations 
before  the  arrival  of  Moselikatse.  That  redoubtable  warrior 
scattered  the  tribe  in  all  directions,  and  though  a  good  number 
of  the  people  afterwards  rallied  round  their  chief  Mokhale, 
the  Boers  picked  a  quarrel  with  the  latter,  who  fled  to 
Basutoland  with  the  majority  of  the  tribe ;  some  Bapo, 
however,  took  refuge  with  neighbouring  tribes,  while  a  few 
remained  with  the  Boers.  After  twenty  years'  residence  in 
Basutoland,  Mokhale  returned  and  bought  the  farm 
Boschfontein  (381)  in  the  Rustenburg  district,  where  his 
grandson  Darius  Mokhale  now  lives  with  1,200  of  the 
tribe. 

Diederick  Mokhale,  uncle  of  Darius,  quarrelled  with  his 
nephew  and  moved  to  the  farm  Bultfontein  (714)  in  the  same 
district  with  some  300  followers,  while  another  considerable 
party,  also  adherents  of  Diederick,  are  settled  in  the 
Pilandsberg  district. 

The  early  history  of  the  Batlako  is  very  similar  to   that  of 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.  27 

the  Bapo,  but  unlike  the  latter,  they  avoided  dispersal  by  the 
Matabele  by  submitting  at  once  to  Moselikatse,  whom  they 
followed  as  allies  (or  slaves)  when  he  was  driven  across  the 
Marico  by  the  Boers.  They  soon  returned  to  their  former 
habitation  in  the  Pilandsberg,  but  again  left  under  pressure 
from  the  Boers,  and  joined  Sechele  in  his  retreat  in 
Bechuanaland,  whither  he  had  been  driven  in  1852  (see 
Native  Wars).  The  Batlako  were  only  quite  recently  brought 
back  to  the  Pilandsberg  by  Mutlu-Mabi,  their  present  chief, 
who  bought  for  them  the  farms  Mabiskraal  (629),  Vlakfontein 
(305),  and  Turflaagte  (272),  on  which  they  now  reside, 

Mabi's  people  number  over  2,000,  not  including  a  few 
Matabele  who  fled  to  them  in  Lobengula's  time.  A  small 
section  of  the  Batlako,  about  350  in  number,  under  the 
headman  Sibolayu  Tlogwane,  are  also  settled  on  the  farm 
Ruigehoek  (426)  in  the  Pilandsberg  district. 

The  Bamalete. 

This  small  tribe,  numbering  only  about  400  souls,  is  a 
portion  of  the  Bechuana  tribe  of  the  same  name  at  Ramoutsa, 
Bechuanaland,  whence  it  came  to  the  Marico  district  in  or 
.about  1890.     The  chief's  name  is  A'lukhubua. 

The  Bakuliil>eiig. 

No  records  are  available  bearing  on  the  history  of  this  tribe, 
Avhich  is  about  1,000  strong  (total  population)  and  resides  in 
the  Marico  district  under  Chief  David  Molete.  It  is,  however, 
considered  probable  that  they  belong  to  some  branch  of  the 
Bakwena. 

The  Bathiung. 

This  small  tribe,  which  numbers  less  than  300  souls,  is 
located  in  the  Marico  district  under  the  petty  chief  Joseph 
Laban.  Its  origin  is  not  known,  but  it  is  thought;  to  be  kindred 
to  the  Batlako  and  Bapo. 


The  actual  numbers  and  distribution  of  the  tribes  of  this 
Division  are  given  in  the  following  table  : — 


28 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 


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THE    NATIVE   TRIliES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.  29 


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'i.oo-gdigiidgig^i 


O    O  O  00         r^  '■O  ■^  r^  "^     ri     M   O   'I  t~-  '"O  rj-vo  ^   t^CiO  1^  u^ 

M   "^vO   O          O   ^  1-00  O      C\     O   "^vO  "^  CTn  -a-  "^CJO  '■'^^O  iO   — 

u-i0>00        '0"^r^'~0  u^O      Mro"^r^f)--  '■100  i^  i^^  vo 


OQOO         0000  O      Q      OOQOOQOOQQQO 


o.=  _2^j2t<i3^'o         ^      -i;     id     -  5  -"-2 


■P5 


b  -o  "a  "G 13 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 


Present  Condition  of  Tribes. 

The  tribes  of  the  western  districts  are  as  a  rule  far  more 
civilised  and  progressive  than  those  found  in  most  other  parts 
of  the  Transvaal.  This  is  probably  due  to  their  having  been 
the  longest  in  direct  contact  with  white  people,  and  also  to  the 
presence  of  European  missionaries  among  them  continuously 
since  the  days  of  Livingstone  and  Moffat.  A  large  percentage 
of  these  people  profess  Christianity,  many  speak  English  well, 
and  some  of  the  headmen  and  chiefs  can  even  read  and  write. 
Most  of  them  wear  some  sort  of  European  clothes  and  the 
chiefs  are  generally  well  dressed. 

The  chiefs  and  people  are  reported  to  be  law-abiding  and 
contented,  their  only  grievance  being  that  they  are  not  allowed 
to  purchase  more  land  under  present  regulations.  Large 
quantities  of  wheat,  mealies  and  kaffir  corn  are  grown  by 
these  natives,  and  they  are  well  off  for  cattle,  though  these 
are  now  affected  by  "  Rhodesian  red  water,''  which  will  probably 
greatly  reduce  the  herds. 

The  men,  as  a  rule,  go  very  readily  to  work  at  Johannesburg, 
returning  to  plough  in  October  and  reap  in  May. 

The  villages  or  stads  of  the  principal  chiefs  contain  well- 
built  square  stone  houses,  a  contrast  to  the  miserable  straw 
huts  of  the  northern  and  eastern  tribes. 

Politically  the  most  important  tribe  is  the  portion  of  the 
Bakhatla  located  in  the  Pilandsberg.  Ramono  Pilane,  the  chief 
(who  is  the  brother  of  Linchwe,  the  real  head  of  the  tribe, 
whose  headquarters  is  at  Mochudi  in  the  Bechiianaland 
Protectorate)  is  of  no  great  importance  of  himself,  and  is. 
merely  a  headman  of  Linchwe's,  who  appointed  him  to  rule 
the  Pilandsberg  Bakhatla  on  the  British  annexation  of  the 
Transvaal.  Linchwe  still  claims  authority  over  these  people, 
but  this  is  not  recognised  by  the  Transvaal  Government.  If 
Linchwe  ever  became  hostile,  it  is  probable  that  he  would  take 
up  his  position  in  and  about  the  Pilandsberg  with  all  his  people,, 
as  his  location  at  Mochudi  is  too  readily  accessible  from  the 
western  railway.  His  people  are  far  more  warlike  in  disposition 
than  any  of  the  other  Bechuana  tribes,  they  are  reported  to  be 
good  shots  and  the  Mochudi  section  have  a  number  of  rifles. 
The  Pilandsberg  section  also  probably  sent  the  best  of  their 
firearms  acrr;ss  the  border  to  Mochudi  before  giving  up  the- 
remainder  at  the  general  disarmament   in  1903.     The   Pilands- 


THE    NATINK    TRIBES    OF    THE    TRANSVAAL.  3 1 

berg  has,  moreover,  man)-  military  advantages  from  a  native 
point  of  view,  which  are  described  elsewhere. 

A  rising  on  the  part  of  Linchwe  is,  however,  most 
improbable.  He  and  his  people  actively  assisted  us  throughout 
the  late  war,  and  many  scouts  were  recruited  from  the  tribe,  so 
that  their  loyalty  is  practically  assured,  and  they  are  so  well  off 
under  the  present  rcgiiiie  that  they  are  not  likely  to  endanger 
their  prosperity  for  the  sake  of  any  petty  grievance. 

The  Baharutse  in  Moilo's  location  are  a  peaceable  people, 
fully  occupied  by  the  care  of  their  cattle,  and  the  cultivation  of 
their  very  fertile  lands.  There  are  two  large  "  towns  "  or 
"  stads  "  each  of  about  7,000  inhabitants,  under  Israel  Moilo 
and  Tom  Mokhatla  respectively.  The  stads  are  named 
Linokana  and  Gopanestad,  at  the  former  of  which  there  are 
four  blockhouses  built  during  the  late  war.  Moilo  is  not  of 
much  influence  and  is  not  considered  trustworthy.  Tom 
Mokhatla  is  the  son  of  Khopane,  who  was  a  very  good  chief 
and  only  died  recently.  His  influence  can  be  traced  in  the 
superior  bearing  of  his  section  of  the  tribe. 

These  people  are  extremely  well  off,  and  it  is  thought  that 
nothing  short  of  actual  compulsion  by  another  tribe  would 
make  them  rise  in  rebellion.  There  is,  moreover,  no  suitable 
position  for  defence  in  the  location. 

There  is  a  German  missionary,  Mr.  Jensen,  at  Linokana, 
who,  besides  a  large  farm,  has  a  church  and  school  where 
English  is  taught.  He  has  some  influence  over  the  natives, 
having  assisted  them  to  buy  land. 


CHAPTER    III. 

THE   TRIBES    OF   THE   CENTRAL    DIVISION. 

The  total  native  population  of  these  districts  was  returned  in 
April,  1904,  as  100,780,  distributed  as  follows  :-  - 


Pretoria  District 

...     47,C49 

Hamans  Kraal  District 

...      27,874 

Krugersdorp  District  ... 

6,230 

Boksburg  District 

...        2,827 

Heidelberg  District     ... 

16,800 

Total    ...  ...    100,780 

Exclusive  of  the  numbers  classed  in  the  lists  given  hereafter 
as  "  various,"  the  majority  of  these  people  belong  to  tribes  of 
the  Bechuana-Basuto  family,  some  account  of  the  history  of 
which  has  been  given  in  the  foregoing  description  of  the  tribes 
of  the  western  division.  It  should,  however,  be  noted  that 
here  the  custom  prevails  of  calling  these  tribes  Basuto  and  not 
Bechuana,  though  by  descent  they  truly  belong  to  the  latter 
nation  ;  this  will  henceforward  be  followed  in  their  classification. 
The  remainder  are  of  Matabele  or  Zulu  extraction. 


The  Bechuana-Basuto  Tribes. 

Of  the  tribes  here  called  Basuto,  the  various  sections  of  the 
Bakhatla  are  the  most  numerously  represented,  and  next  in 
importance  are  sections  of  the  Bakwena  and  Baralong.  It  is 
unnecessary  to  give  any  further  particulars  of  the  history  of 
these  people  than  are  contained  in  the  preceding  chapter. 

The  history  of  the  Bapedi  tribe,  which,  as  has  been  .shown, 
is  really  a  branch  of  the  Bakhatla,  will  be  found  in  the  de- 
scription of  the  tribes  of  the  eastern  division. 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE    TRANSVAAL. 


33 


The  Zulu  or  Amandebele  Tribes^  (iisually  known  as  Maiabele.') 

The  people  known  as  Matabele  are  undoubtedly  of  Zulu 
descent,  and  came  from  Zululand  early  in  the  19th  century. 
Though  some  of  them  state  that  their  forefathers  migrated 
northward  before  the  days  of  Chaka,  it  is  most  probable  that 
they  are  descendants  of  a  branch  of  the  Amahlubi  tribe  which 
was  driven  out  of  Zululand  by  Chaka,  and  of  which  the  best 
known  section  is  the  people  of  Langalibalele,  whose  location 
was  on  the  Natal-Basutoland  border,  and  who  rebelled  against 
the  Government  and  was  captured  in  1873.  The  several  tribes 
to  be  considered  under  this  heading  take  their  names  from  four 
sons  of  a  chief  named  Musi.  These  sons  of  Musi,  whose 
names  were  Nzunza,  Manala,  iVI'Hwaduba,  and  Matombeni, 
alias  Yahalala  or  Kekaan,  quarrelled  amongst  themselves  for  the 
chiefship,  with  the  result  that  the  tribe  split  up  into  the  four 
sections  now  found  in  the  Transvaal,  thus  : — 

Musi 

I  


Manala 

I 
Nyumba  Ma- 
bena.  Present 
chief  of  Manala 
section  in  Pre- 
toria district. 


Kekaan 

I    . 
Kekaan    tribes   of 
Zoutpansberg,  Wa- 
terberg    and    Pre- 
toria districts. 


M'Hwaduba 

I 
Bahwaduba   peo- 
ple   of     Pretoria 
district. 


Nzunza 

I 

Mapoch  tribes 
of  Eastern  and 
Pretoria  dis- 
tricts. 


Manala  Section. 

The  four  sections  of  the  tribe  having  arrived  near  the  present 
site  of  Pretoria,  continued  to  fight  among  themselves ;  the 
Nzunza  section  proved  the  strongest,  and  having  worsted  the 
others,  moved  off  eastwards,  while  the  Manala  section  remained 
at  its  present  chief  location,  where  the  VVallmansthal  Mi.ssion 
now  stands.  They  suffered  severely  at  the  hands  of  Moselikatse, 
who  scattered  them  considerably.  This  probably  accounts  for 
the  scattered  condition  of  the  tribe  at  the  present  time. 

These  people  have  intermingled  much  with  the  neighbouring 
Basuto  tribes,  from  whom  they  are  scarcely  to  be  distinguished, 
though  there  is  no  doubt  as  to  their  original  Zulu  extraction. 

Their  present  chief  is  Nyumba  Mabena,  who  lives  at 
VVallmansthal,  Hamanskraal,  with  a  following  of  about  4,000. 
He  also  has  nearly  2,000  people  living  on  several  farms  nearer 
Pretoria. 

(7269)  c 


34  THE    NAflVl:]    TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 


Kckaan  Section. 

The  majority  of  the  people  belonging  to  this  section  are 
located  in  the  Zoutpansberg  and  Waterberg  districts,  in  the 
description  of  which  a  sketch  of  their  history  will  be  found. 

In  this  division  they  are  represented  by  one  tribe  of  some 
1, 800  souls,  under  the  chief  Karel  Kekaan,  who  lives  at  the 
farm  T^eeuwkraal,  Hamanskraal  District. 

Bahwaduba  Section. 

Mhwaduba,  the  first  leader  of  this  section  seems  to  have 
avoided  quarrelling  with  his  brothers,  and  to  have  settled 
peacefully  with  his  people  at  Wonderboom  Poort,  where  they 
lived  for  many  years.  They  then  moved  to  Bultfontein,  in 
the  north-east  part  of  the  Pretoria  district,  where  they  were 
attacked  by  Moselikatse,  who  carried  away  many  of  the  people 
besides  much  cattle.  After  the  departure  of  Moselikatse 
they  re-assembled  at  a  spot  since  allotted  to  them  by  the  Boer 
Government  as  Zwaartbooi's  location — adjoining  the  location  of 
the  Bakhatla-Bamosetla.  The  chiefs  and  people  have  inter- 
married freely  with  the  Bakhatla,  and  have  lost  all  traces  of 
their  Zulu  origin. 

The  present  chief  is  Amos  Mathibe  (native  name  Lipunu) 
who  has  nearly  3,000  people  in  Hamanskraal  and  some  300  in 
Pretoria  District. 

Nzutiza  ('■  MapokKs  ")  Section. 

For  a  full  description  of  this  tribe  see  "the  Eastern  Division." 
The  small  section  under  the  chief  Fene  Mahlangu,  dwelling 
at  Bultfontein,  Hamanskraal,  split  from  the  main  tribe  when 
it  was  attacked  by  Moselikatse,  and  first  moved  to  the 
Waterberg.  After  a  number  of  years'  residence  there  they 
moved  to  their  present  location,  which  was  finally  allotted  to 
them  by  the  Boer  Government. 

Mixed  Tribe  under  Paledi  Mathibe. 

l"he  chief  Paledi  Mathibe,  who  has  a  mixed  following  of 
over  5,000  people  in  Pretoria  district,  belongs  to  a  tribe  called 
Bantwane,  which  is  akin  to  the  Maloi  people  of  Sekukuniland, 
who  are  said  to  be  descended  from  a  tribe  of  the  same  name 
in  Basutoland.  Early  in  the  19th  century  the  Bantwane  dwelt 
in  the  Waterberg,  whence,  being  scattered  by  Moselikatse,  they 
moved  to  north  of  Pietersburg.  They  returned  southward 
about  the  time  of  the  arrival  of  the  Boer  Voor-trekkers  and 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.  35 

for  some  years  lived  on  good  terms  with  the  latter.  When  the 
Boers,  however,  wished  to  capture  a  Bakhatla  chief,  father  of 
the  present  Skep  Maluka,  the  Bantwane  harboured  him,  thereby 
incurring  the  enmity  of  the  Boers,  and  when  a  few  years  later 
they  refused  to  join  the  Republican  commandos  in  the  cam- 
paign against  the  Bapedi,  the  Boers  attacked  them,  whereupon 
the  Bantwane  fled  to  Sekukuni.  After  the  conclusion  of  the 
Sekukuni  war  they  were  allowed  to  occupy  their  present 
location,  where  they  have  since  dwelt.  The  people  now  under 
Paledi  Mathibe  include  representatives  of  a  variety  of  tribes, 
chiefly  of  Bechuana  or  Basuto  extraction. 

Unclassified  Natives. 

No  attempt  has  been  made  to  classify  the  large  native 
population  of  Heidelberg  district,  as  they  are  not  formed  into 
regular  tribes  and  have  no  chiefs  in  authority  over  them. 

Most  of  the  Transvaal  tribes  are  represented  here,  being 
descended  either  from  fugitives  from  Moselikatse's  raids  or 
from  "indentured"  servants,  whom  the  Boers  captured  in  wars 
with  various  tribes  and  distributed  throughout  the  country. 

The  term  *'  Oorlamsch  "  is  applied  to  the  descendants  of  the 
slaves  of  the  Zulu  and  other  invaders,  who  were  in  some  cases 
taken  over  by  the  Boers.  These  people  are  mostly  found  in 
the  towns  and  villages.  They  are  all  able  to  speak  Cape 
Dutch,  and  there  are  some  clever  artizans  and  mechanics  among 
them. 

Present  Condition  of  Tribes. 

The  natives  of  these  districts,  having  been  for  many  years  in 
contact  with  white  people,  have  acquired  a  certain  amount  of 
civilisation  ;  many  of  them  wear  clothes,  and  the  use  of  ploughs 
and  modern  agricultural  implements  is  common  among  them. 

In  the  large  locations  most  of  the  natives  have  been  con- 
verted to  Christianity,  either  by  European  missions  or  by 
emissaries  of  the  Ethiopian  Church,  who  are  active  amongst 
the  tribes.  The  Native  Commissioner,  in  his  last  annual  report, 
considers  that  the  moral  improvement  of  natives  due  to 
"  conversion  "  is  not  very  apparent.  The  "  Ethiopian  " 
preachers  are  said  to  be  inclined  "to  introduce  irrelevant 
subjects  touching  on  politics  "  into  their  general  teaching,  which 
cannot  but  unsettle  the  natives. 

During  1904  a  faction-fight  took  place  between  two  sections 

(7269)  c  2 


36         THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

of  the  Bakhatla,  under  the  chief  Skep  Maluka  and  chieftainess 
Lehau  respectively,  in  which  two  men  were  killed  and  30 
wounded.  Lehau  has  in  consequence  since  been  removed  to 
the  Waterberg  Division.  In  June  of  the  same  year  there  was 
also  a  dispute  amongst  the  followers  of  the  chief  Nyumba 
Mabena,  some  of  whom  wished  to  have  a  headman  named 
Makerran  as  their  chief.  This  has,  however,  been  satisfactorily 
settled. 

With  these  exceptions  the  tribes  have  given  no  trouble  to 
the  Administration  and  have  been  generally  obedient  to 
authority. 

The  present  distribution  of  tribes  in  this  division  is  shown  in 
the  following  table  : — 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 


37 


a 
!2 

11 
o 

a, 
E 

3 

2 

Li-. 

IS 
u 

o 

c 

1 

_u 
')^ 

Q 
o 

"  Sjamhokstad,"   Hoek- 

fontein,  394. 
Scattered. 
Schildpadfontein. 
Scattered. 
Bultfontein. 
Scattered. 
Makapanstad     (Goedge- 

waagd). 
Scattered. 

1% 

Scattered. 

Kwarrieslaagte,  356. 
Tambootie  Laagte. 
Doornpoort. 

Pretoria 

Hamanskraal 

do. 
Pretoria 
Hamanskraal 
Pretoria 
Hamanskraal 

Pretoria 

c  0 

E 

Pretoria      

do 

Hamanskraal 
do. 

00   ro 
"^  0 

tT         N    OS  on 
Oi         0   U^OO 

to 

[l4 

0      ooLotJioooQ       0             1 
ro             r^  N  •-■         0         "               ' 

88 

180 
1,000 

125 

200 

\ 
00 

Chief. 

Mumise  Motsipe 

_  a/ias  Sjambok    ... 
Robert  Mupi,  native  name 
Sibis 

Skep  Maluka         

Solomon  Makapan 

j"  Jonathan   Otto  Mamok- 
-|      hali  More  (Rustenburg 
(      district)            

6 
S 

g 
■3 

t 

w 

c 

r! 

E 

•o 

CS 

rula          

Headman  Obed  More 
Headman  Daniel  Mamok- 

hali          

Paledi  Mathibi      

/Mashung 

,Jempc  Namane 

Basuto   Tribes. 
Bakhatla  (Bamakau) ... 
do.       (Mutsha)     ... 

do.            do. 

do.      (Bamosetla)... 

Bakwena  (Bamakhopa) 

Baralong,       Bakwena, 
andBapedi 

Bapedi 

38 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 


O 


O    ^    C    3 
>-    G    l- 


;^  ■£      -s 


o  ns  tj) 

OJ 

CO 

t:  S;'5„ 

B  u 

2   rt   <u 

3 

^ 

J-;    Di)       i-M         j_.     •— ■  ■"       p 


<u  c  f  -5 
'^  "^  "(ft 


o-H'o 

O    >    ^ifl 

in    H    OJ 

C   C    <U    C 

2  -    'e 

«  (u  ""  <2 


^ 


ffiCL, 


O  p 


Ph      ffi 


ii;  3  c  ^:: 


00   ro  N 

w    l-l    IT) 

O  r<l  •* 


mi-     « 


N   O  »^  N  O 

00   N  00  vOOO 


O   "TO  lO  ( 


c       ^ 


■£   -^ 


s       Si 

;2i    ^ 


I  I 


12;  ^^^2i. 


-^  Ji 

CUJD 

d    <u 

-0    3-0 

tH  -o 

c  "5  c 

■^  n 

rt   g    c« 

E  ^  S 

^^  rt 

o  g 

<    <; 

<^ 

^  ^-^  Ji 

O    qj    O    oj 

a  V  a  <D 
'^'   c  "*   G 

^      C^      ^      C^ 

o  e  o  s 


CHAPTER    IV. 

THE   TRIBES    OF   THE   WATERBERG,  OR  NORTH- 
WESTERN   DIVISION. 

There  are  61,138  natives  in  this  division,  distributed  as 
follows  : — 

Piet  Potgietersiust  District       ...     35,965 
Warmbaths  District       ...  ~1 

Nylstroom  District       ...  J         o^    '  j 

61,138 

The  majority  of  these  people  are  of  Zulu  extraction,  and  of 
the  Zulu  tribes  here  found,  these  descended  from  Kekaan,  the 
son  of  Musi  {see  Central  Division)  are  the  most  numerously 
represented. 

Kekaan   Tribes. 

The  two  principal  branches  of  this  family  are  those  at 
present  under  the  chiefs  Shikwane  and  Valtyn  Makapan 
respectively,  of  which  the  former  has  the  larger  following. 
These  two  chiefs  are  descended  from  two  great  grandsons  of 
the  original  Kekaan,  who  fought  for  the  chiefship  of  their 
section  of  Musi's  tribe.  The  fight  apparently  took  place  at  or 
near  the  site  of  the  present  Zebedela's  Location,  some  thirty 
miles  south-east  of  Piet  Potgietersrust,  which  is  still  occupied 
by  Shikwane,  his  ancester  Khupa  having  defeated  and  driven 
away  his  brother  Khaba.  The  latter  after  his  defeat  moved 
with  a  portion  of  the  tribe  to  a  place  a  few  miles  north-west  of 
Piet  Potgietersrust,  where  his  descendant,  Valtyn  Makapan,  now 
dwells.  This  Makapan  must  not  be  confused  with  Solomon 
Makapan,  the  Bakhatla  chief  of  Pretoria  District,  with  whom  he 
is  in  no  way  connected. 

Shikwane  has  nearly  10,000  people,  and  Makapan  over 
9,000. 


40  THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

Of  the  same  family  also  are  the  two  petty  chiefs,  William 
Maraba  and  Charlie  Eland,  who  live  round  the  locality  known 
as  Makapan's  Gat,  about  twenty  miles  east  of  Piet  Potgietersrust, 
with  a  joint  following  of  some  4,000  souls. 

It  is  not  known  when  or  why  they  left  the  main  tribe. 

This  branch  of  the  Kekaan  tribe  is  called  by  the  natives 
Letwaba,  and  three  other  sections  of  it  are  found  in  the 
Pietersburg  District  under  the  chieftainess  Mashashaan  and  the 
chiefs  Jack  Eland  and  Jonathan  Maraba. 

Mapela  Tribes. 

Next  to  the  Kekaan  tribes  in  numbers  and  importance  are 
the  people  under  Hans  Masibi  and  Hendrik  Backeberg  Masibi, 
whose  locations  are  contiguous  to  and  immediately  north-west 
of  that  of  Valtyn  Makapan.  These  people  used  to  be  called 
the  Bamapela  when  the  Boers  came  first  to  the  Transvaal,  after 
a  chief  who  died  about  1825  ;  they  are  also  known  as  the 
"  Black  Matabele "  in  order  to  distinguish  them  from  the 
people  of  Musi,  previously  noticed,  with  whom  they  have  no 
connection.  There  is  not  much  doubt  that  they  belong  to  the 
original  Zulu  stock,  or  that,  in  about  1600  a.d.,  their 
ancestors  were  settled  somewhere  near  the  present  Leydsdorp, 
though  whether,  as  some  say,  they  were  dropped  there  by  the 
original  Bantu  immigrants  on  their  way  south,  or  whether  they 
subsequently  moved  up  from  the  direction  of  Zululand,  is  not 
clear.  Be  this  as  it  may,  their  forefathers  settled  in  the 
Transvaal  long  before  the  rise  of  Chaka  in  Zululand,  and  it  is 
therefore  probable  that  they  were  the  first  people  of  Zulu 
extraction  to  take  up  their  abode  in  this  colony. 

The  name  of  the  chief  under  whom  they  settled  at 
Leydsdorp  was  Langa  ("  The  Sun  "),  after  whom  these  tribes 
are  still  sometimes  called  "  the  people  of  Langa."  This  chief 
moved  with  his  tribe  across  the  Woodbush  Mountains  and 
dwelt  on  the  Pietersburg  Plateau  for  many  years.  Mapela, 
from  whom  the  tribe  takes  its  name,  who  was  the  sixth  in 
descent  from  Langa,  and  became  chief  towards  the  end  of  the 
1 8th  century,  led  the  people  southward  from  Pietersburg 
to  their  present  location.  He  died  in  1825.  Under  his 
successor,  the  Bamapela,  together  with  Makapan's  people, 
suffered  severely  at  the  hands  of  the  Boers  in  retaliation  for 
their  treacherous  massacre  of  a  party  of  emigrants  in  1854, 
and   in    1858  the  Boers  again  severely  chastised  them.     (See 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.  4I 

" Native  Wars.")  In  1877,  Masibi  became  chief;  it  was  after 
his  death,  by  suicide,  in  1890,  that  the  tribe  spht  up  into  its 
present  two  sections  under  his  two  sons  Hans  and  Hendrik 
Backeberg  Masibi.  These  two  could  not  agree,  so  both  were 
recognised  as  chiefs  by  the  Government,  and  the  tribe  and 
location  divided  between  them. 


Present  Condition  of  Tribes. 

The  tribes  of  this  division  have  always  had  a  reputation  for 
turbulence  and  treachery,  and  they  are  still  somewhat  sullen  in 
their  demeanour.  Shikwane's  tribe  is  the  only  one  in  the 
Transvaal  which  is  officially  suspected  of  having  concealed 
rifles  at  the  time  of  the  general  disarmament  in  1903. 

Valtyn  Makapan  is  a  quiet  man,  but  has  not  much  influence 
as  a  chief. 

The  Mapela  people  appear  to  have  acquired  a  respect  for 
the  Boers,  owing  to  the  severe  lessons  taught  them  by  the 
latter  in  bygone  days,  for  not  only  did  they  systematically 
assist  the  Boers  during  the  war  1899- 1902,  but  Hans  Masibi 
actually  waged  war  against  Valtyn  Makapan,  owing  to  the 
latter's  pro-British  proclivities.  Hans  Masibi  is  a  brutal  and 
depraved  chief,  much  addicted  to  drink,  very  cruel  and  greatly 
feared  by  his  tribe.  He  is,  however,  a  strong  man,  and  has 
his  tribe  well  in  hand.  After  the  late  war  he  was  sent  to 
Pretoria,  and  kept  under  observation  there  for  six  months,  and 
this  treatment  may  shortly  have  to  be  repeated. 

Backeberg  Masibi  has  all  the  vices  of  his  brother,  but  lacks 
Hans'  strength  of  mind  and  personality. 

These  people,  though  naturally  a  fine  race,  are  deteriorating 
through  drink  and  disease.  They  are  somewhat  discontented, 
and  would  probably  need  but  little  provocation  to  give  trouble, 
and  the  intricate  and  broken  nature  of  the  portion  of  the 
Waterberg  which  they  inhabit  might  render  their  chastisement 
a  matter  of  some  difficulty. 

The  emissaries  of  the  "  Ethiopian  "  and  other  Churches  have 
been  active  among  them  of  late  years,  and  to  their  teaching 
may  no  doubt  be  attributed  the  unsatisfactory  bearing  of  the 
natives.  Of  the  native  churches,  the  Native  Commissioner  of 
the  division  says  in  his  report  for  1904  :  "Their  teachings  are 
a  travesty  of  Christianity,  and  tend  to  become  nothing  less 
than  rabid  political  organisations."  That  Christianity  has  not 
made  much  impression  on  them  is  apparent  from  the  fact  that 


42  THE    NATIVE    TRIBES    OF    THE    TRANSVAAL. 

polygamy   is    far   more   prevalent   among   these    people   than 
among  most  other  tribes. 

Their  occupations  are  stock  raising  and  agriculture,  but  their 
cattle  have  suffered  considerably  from  Rhodesian  Redwater. 
Their  crops  are  75  per  cent.  Kaffir  corn,  the  remainder  being 
mealies.     Their  methods  of  cultivation  are  still  very  primitive. 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE    TRANSVAAL. 


43 


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CHAPTER    V. 

THE      TRIBES      OF      THE     ZOUTPANSBERG,     OR 
NORTHERN    DIVISION. 

The  total  native  population  of  this,  the  largest  division  of  the 
Transvaal,  was  found  by  the  census  of  1904  to  be  321,615, 
distributed  as  follows  in  the  various  Districts  : — 


Haenertsburg  District  ... 
Pietersburg  District 
Spelonken  District 
Shiwas  or  Sibasa  District 
Blauwberg  District 

■■     56,750 
..      71,219 
..    104,642 
••     69,753 
••      19.251 

Total 

The  tribes  represented  are,  in   order 
and  importance  : — 

I.  Basuto, 
II.  Bavefida, 
III.   Sha?igaa?i, 
IV.  Zuht, 

..   321,615 
of  numerical  strength 

and 

of  which  the  two  first-named  could  each  probably  muster  about 
30,000  able-bodied  male  representatives,  and  the  third  about 
half  that  number.  The  Zulu  tribes  form  a  very  small  pro- 
portion of  the  whole,  and  are  found  only  in  the  Pietersburg 
District.     Their  fighting  men  total  some  2,000  only. 

About  12,000  of  the  total  number  of  adult  males  are  now 
usually  away  in  other  districts,  at  work  in  mines,  in  towns,  etc. 
This  number  is  likely  to  increase 

A  small  clan  of  half-castes,  the  "  Buys  People,"  also  exists  in 
this  division,  and  some  families  of  Bushmen,  called  Vaalpens, 
lead  a  nomadic  existence  in  the  remotest  portions  of  the 
Blauwberg  District. 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.  45 


I.   The  Basuto  Tribes. 

There  are  a  number  of  tribes  in  this  division  who  call 
themselves  Basuto,  and  the  majority  of  them  have  a  far  better 
title  to  the  name  than  the  tribes  known  by  it  in  other  parts  of 
the  Transvaal,  for  their  traditions  chiefly  point  to  their  having 
come  either  from  the  north  or  from  Basutoland,  and  contain 
no  proofs  of  a  direct  connection  with  the  Bechuana  families  of 
the  Baralong,  Baharutsi,  etc.,  from  which  many  of  the  other 
so-called  Basuto  are  descended. 

It  may  thus  be  conjectured  that  the  forbears  of  these  people, 
though  no  doubt  of  the  same  section  of  the  original  Bantu  as 
the  Bechuana,  and  as  the  other  "  Basuto "  tribes  descended 
from  them,  left  the  parent  tribe  at  an  earlier  date  than  any  of 
the  latter,  so  that  their  descendants  may  be  considered  to 
represent  a  distinct '  nation,  fairly  homogeneous  in  language, 
traditions  and  customs,  of  which  all  the  branches  call  them- 
selves Basuto.  The  exact  connection  between  these  Transvaal 
Basuto  and  those  of  Basutoland  cannot  be  definitely  deter- 
mined, nor  is  it  known  for  certain  whether  the  latter  are  indeed, 
as  is  generally  supposed,  descended  from  an  offshoot  of  the 
Bechuana-Baralong  family  {see  "  Western  Division  ") ;  but  in  any 
case  the  tribes  now  under  consideration  would  appear  to  be 
the  elder  branch,  and  can  thus  claim  to  be  the  original 
Basuto. 

Two-thirds  of  the  Basuto  of  the  Northern  Division  inhabit  the 
districts  of  Pietersburg  and  Haenertsburg  ;  the  remainder  being 
about  equally  divided  between  the  Blauwberg  and  Spelonken 
districts. 

In  character  they  resemble  the  Basuto  of  other  parts,  being 
distinguished  by  cunning  rather  than  by  bravery  in  war,  and 
preferring  to  achieve  their  ends  by  diplomacy  rather  than  by 
hard  fighting.  A  reference  to  the  account  of  the  native  wars 
waged  by  the  late  Republic  will  show  that  none  of  the  Basuto 
tribes*  ever  offered  very  serious  resistance  when  attacked  by 
the  Boers.  They  are,  however,  of  considerable  intelligence,  and 
readily  assimilate  modern  and  civilised  ideas  to  their  own 
advantage.  They  use  more  ploughs  in  cultivation  than  the 
other  tribes,  and  may  be  generally  described  as  progressive  in 
their  ideas.  In  physique  they  are  well-built,  though  not  so  tall 
and  powerful  as  Zulus  and  Shangaans. 

*  Malahokh's  tribe  in  ihc  l^lauwberg  is  said  to  he  of  Baharutse  extraction. 


46         THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

The  tribal  organisation  is  maintained  by  the  Basuto,  and 
they  have  several  powerful  chiefs,  who  will  be  alluded  to  later. 

Language. — Various  dialects  of  the  Sesuto  language  are 
spoken  by  these  tribes,  but  the  people  of  the  different  clans  are 
able  readily  to  understand  each  other. 

The  Ba-Molechi  are  said  to  speak  the  purest  form  of 
Sesuto,  or  at  any  rate  the  oldest,  the  language  of  Basutoland 
having  probably  become  affected  by  that  of  the  neighbouring 
tribes  of  the  coast  group. 

The  dialect  of  the  Bakwebo  (Mojaji's  people)  differs  most 
from  the  original  tongue,  as  it  contains  a  considerable 
admixture  of  "Sivenda,"  the  Bavenda  language. 

The  Bapedi  tribes  speak  the  Sepedi  dialect  of  Sekukuni- 
land. 

The  Sesuto  seems  on  the  whole  a  strong  language,  as  it  is 
being  more  and  more  adopted  by  the  tribes  of  Zulu  descent 
who  live  among  the  Basuto. 

The  principal  Basuto  tribes  found  in  the  Zoutpansberg  are 
the  following  : — 

The  Ba-Molechi  (MaHtzi's)   ...   In  Pietersburg  district. 
The  Bakoni  tribe       ...  ...   In  Pietersburg,  Haenerts- 

burg     and     Blauwberg 
districts. 
The  Batokwa  tribe     ...  ...   In  Pietersburg  district. 

The  Bakwebo  tribe    ...  ...   In  Haenertsburg  district. 

The  Banareng  or  Banareni  tribe  In  Haenertsburg  district. 
The  Bahananwa  (Malabokh's) 

tribe...  ...  ...  ...  In  Blauwberg  district. 

The  Mutalerwa  tribe  ...  ...   In  Pietersburg  and  Haen- 

ertsburg districts. 
Portions  of  several   of  the   above   tribes   also   inhabit  the 
Spelonken  district. 

Sections  of  the  Bapedi  In  Pietersburg  and  Haen- 

ertsburg districts. 

The  larger  of  these  tribes  have  various  subdivisions,  and  as 
they  are  not  all  of  the  same  origin,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
consider  each  tribe  separately. 

The  following  historical  notes  are  a  pricis  of  the  information 
concerning  these  tribes,  which  has  been  obtained  from  all 
available  sources. 


THE    NATIVE    TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.  47 

The  Bamoli'chi  or  Malitzi's  Tribe. 

This  tribe  numbers  over  19,000  souls  in  Malitzi's  Location, 
some  fifteen  miles  north-west  of  the  town  of  Pietersburg, 
besides  a  number  in  the  Spelonken.  It  is  a  conglomeration  of 
a  number  of  small  clans — the  Manamela,  Komapies,  Malekos, 
etc.,  ruled  over  by  chiefs  belonging  to  a  family  called 
Batlhaloga.  The  Batlhaloga  originally  came  to  the  Zoutpans- 
berg  from  the  direction  of  Basutoland  and  subdued  the  other 
tribes  whom  they  found  in  possession  of  the  tract  of  country 
which  they  now  inhabit,  early  in  the  19th  century.  It  is 
not  certain  whence  the  latter  came,  but  as  the  crocodile 
(kwene)  is  their  national  totem,  it  is  possible  that  they  are  an 
off-shoot  of  the  Bakwena  {see  Western  Division).  This,  however, 
is  not  clearly  proved  or  generally  accepted  as  a  fact,  and  they 
may  have  been  there  since  tiie  original  Bantu  invasion  from  the 
north.  In  any  case,  both  in  language  and  customs  they  differ 
from  the  Bechuana  tribes  far  more  than  from  the  Basuto  of 
Basutoland,  and  it  therefore  seems  right  to  class  them  as  true 
Basuto. 

Moselikatse  attacked  the  tribe  in  the  course  of  his  northern 
raids,  but  does  not  seem  to  have  been  successful,  as,  unlike 
most  of  the  other  tribes,  the  Bamolechi  were  not  dispersed  in 
consequence  of  his  visitation,  and  appear  to  have  occupied  the 
same  locality  peacefully  ever  since. 

The  present  ruler  of  the  tribe  is  Seripa,  whose  family  name 
is  Moloto.  He  is  acting  for  his  nephew,  named  Sirin,  a  minor 
about  fifteen  years  of  age.  Seripa  is  about  forty-five  years  old, 
an  intelligent,  quiet  and  civilised  man,  and  well-disposed 
towards  the  Government.  His  tribe  is  reckoned  one  of  the 
most  powerful  in  the  northern  Transvaal,  but  no  trouble  is 
apprehended  with  it,  as  the  people  are  well-behaved  and 
contented,  and  they  evinced  strong  British  sympathies  during 
the  war  1899-1902. 

The  Bakoni  Tribe. 

The  several  sections  of  this  tribe  all  spring  from  common 
ancestors,  who,  at  an  early  period,  migrated  southwards  from 
the  Zambezi.  Keeping  near  the  coast  at  first,  they  entered  the 
Transvaal  by  way  of  Palabora,  in  the  "  low  country,"  where 
they  dwelt  for  some  time,  but  eventually  shifted  further  west, 
one  portion   of  the   tribe  going   to    the   Middelburg  district, 


48  THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

another  to  the  Bokhaha  country  near  Leydsdorp,  while  the 
third  and  largest  portion  moved  to  the  present  Matala's  Location 
in  Pietersburg  district.  The  descendants  of  these  three 
portions  of  the  tribe  respectively  are  now  found  as  follows  : — 

In  the  Haenertsburg  district : 

The  Maake  Section. — This  is  supposed  to  be  the  elder 
branch  of  the  Bakoni,  and  is  called  after  the  name  of  its  first 
chief,  who  lived  in  the  Bokhaha  district  near  Leydsdorp.  The 
first  Maake  was  succeeded  by  his  daughter  Maale,  who,  about 
1858,  moved  the  whole  tribe  to  the  east  bank  of  the  Thabina, 
near  its  source.  There  she  became  subject  to  the  Nuku  tribe. 
Maale  died  about  1876,  and  soon  after  this,  owing  to  internal 
quarrels,  a  portion  of  the  tribe  joined  Mojaji's  people,  while  the 
remainder  stayed  where  they  now  are.  I'hey  liave  been  there 
since  1858,  and  number  3,800  in  all.  During  the  late  Anglo- 
Boer  war  Maake,  the  present  chief,  assisted  by  Mohlaba,  a 
Shangaan  chief,  repulsed  an  attack  made  on  them  by 
Sekororo. 

The  Rev.  E.  Thomas,  of  the  Swiss  Mission,  has  lived  amongst 
these  people  since  1886  and  has  imparted  a  certain  amount  of 
education  to  them. 

Lekhali's  Section. — A  junior  branch  of  the  Bakoni  tribe,  about 
which  not  much  is  known.  Their  present  location,  fifteen  miles 
north-west  of  Haenertsburg,  was  formerly  occupied  by  Makhuba's 
tribe.  They  number  about  2,300  souls.  The  present  chief  is 
nineteen  years  old,  is  considered  unreliable  and  is  much  disliked 
by  his  own  people,  who  are  leaving  him  in  numbers. 

Mahiipa's  Section. — A  part  of  the  original  Bakoni,  first  heard 
of  as  coming  from  the  Bokhaha  to  their  present  location, 
"  Duivel's  Kloof."  They  have  a  warlike  reputation,  and  in  1858 
fought  and  defeated  the  Shangaans.  After  this  they  also  repulsed 
an  attack  made  on  them  by  Mojaji,  to  whom  they,  alone  of  the 
neighbouring  tribes,  refused  to  be  tributary.  Mahupa,  the 
present  chief,  is  the  same  who  rebelled  against  the  Boers  in 
1894 ;  when  defeated  by  them  he  fled  to  Mashonaland,  and  only 
returned  in  1902.  The  tribe  is  now  living  on  various  farms,  the 
property  of  settlers,  and  its  men,  women  and  children  total  2,600. 

A  number  of  people  of  this  tribe  also  live  in  Sekukuniland. 
i^See  Eastern  Division.) 

In  Pietersburg  and  Blauwberg  districts  :• — 

Matala's  or  Matlala's  Section. — Matala  is  the  hereditary  name 
of  the  chiefs  by  descent  of  this  tribe.  The  last  rightful  bearer 
of  the  name  died  in  about  1900,  but  his  eldest  son  (also  named 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.         49 

Matala,  now  twenty  years  of  age)  is  of  weak  intellect  and  not 
considered  fit  to  be  chief,  so  the  power  is  now  exercised  by 
Selaki,  brother  of  the  late  chief,  on  behalf  of  a  younger  son  of 
the  latter  who  is  still  a  minor,  fifteen  years  old.  Selaki  is  much 
addicted  to  drink,  but  seems  to  manage  the  tribe  satisfactorily. 
He  is  about  forty-five,  of  a  quiet  disposition,  and  very  friendly 
towards  Europeans.  His  people  number  about  9,000  in  the 
Pietersburg  and  nearly  5,000  in  the  Blauwberg  district. 

These  took  no  part  in  the  late  war.  They  are  believed  to 
be  well-disposed  towards  the  present  Government,  but  should 
they  ever  be  disposed  to  give  trouble,  "  Matala's  Location " 
would  lend  itself  to  defence,  being  surrounded  by  high  hills  and 
well  watered  inside. 

The  petty  chiefs  Mtiba,  Klein  Mtiba,  and  Kukuna  Lekhali  in 
the  Pietersburg  district  also  belong  to  this  section  of  the  Bakoni. 
They  could  muster  about  600  fighting  men  between  them. 

The  Batokwa  or  Batlokiva  Tribe. 

The  early  history  of  these  people  is  touched  upon  in  the 
description  of  the  tribes  of  the  western  division.  If  the  theor>' 
there  put  forward,  that  they  were  originally  a  part  of  the  Mako- 
lolo,  be  correct,  it  follows  that  they  must  have  arrived  in  the 
Transvaal  between  1820  and  1824,  as  the  latter  year  was  the 
date  of  the  conquest  of  Barotseland  by  the  Makololo.  Their 
first  settlement  in  this  colony  is  said  to  have  been  not  far  from 
the  present  Matok's  location  in  the  Pietersburg  district,  and  the 
name  of  their  chief  at  the  time  of  their  arrival  was  Musima. 
His  successor  Kunwane  divided  the  tribe  between  his  two  sons 
Serani  and  Ramakhupa  from  whom  Masanyane  (known  as 
Matok)  and  Ramakhupa,  the  present  chiefs  of  the  Pietersburg 
and  Spelonken  sections  of  the  tribe  respectively,  are  descended. 

In  about  1855  the  tribe,  owing  to  pressure  from  the  Boers, 
migrated  to  Sekukuni's  country,  but  returned  about  twenty 
years  later.  Trouble  between  the  two  sections  ensued  which 
was  settled  in  1879  by  Sir  Theophilus  Shepstone's  deciding 
that  the  two  chiefs  should  henceforth  be  recognized  as  inde- 
pendent of  each  other.  This  arrangement  has  since  continued 
in  force,  and  Matok  and  Ramakhupa  and  their  people  still  live 
in  the  locations  then  allotted  to  them,  viz.,  Matok  at  Matokwa 
Kopjes,  immediately  south  of  the  Dwars  river  in  Pietersburg 
district  on  the  border  of  Spelonken  district,  and  Ramakhupa  in 
the  latter  district  a  few  miles  to  the   eastward.      Matok   has 

(7269)  D 


50         TIIK    NATIVE    TRIHKS    OF    THE    TRANSVAAL, 

over   6,000  people,  and    Ramakhupa's  following  is  also  con 
siderable. 

The  people  of  Klein  Makhato,  who  are  of  the  Tau  tribe, 
some  1,500  in  number,  in  the  Pietersburg  district,  appear  to  give 
allegiance  to  Matok  and  are  therefore  mentioned  here. 

The  Bakwebo  Tribe. 

Mo/ajt's  Section. — This  tribe  is  said  to  have  crossed  to  the 
south  of  the  Limpopo  about  200  years  ago.  The  strongest  sub- 
division of  it  is  under  the  chieftainess  Mojaji,  whose  prede- 
cessors originally  ruled  the  whole  tribe.  . 

The  name  Mojaji  is  passed  on  to  the  successive  chieftainesses, 
the  present  one,  Mojaji  Seselwaan,  being  the  third  consecutive 
bearer  of  that  name. 

The  first  Mojaji  was  a  light-coloured,  good-looking  woman 
and  probably  had  some  European  blood  in  her  veins.  There 
is  a  tradition  that  a  European  adventurer  on  a  raid  from  Portu- 
guese territory  once  made  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  carry  her 
off,  and  that  owing  to  this  she  would  never  again  allow  any  white 
people  to  see  her.  This  gave  rise  to  various  stories  about 
Mojaji,  on  some  of  which  it  is  said  Rider  Haggard's  She  was 
based.     She  died  in  1830. 

Mojaji  II.  was  a  noted  character  among  natives  throughout 
South  Africa.  She  was  especially  renowned  as  a  "rain-maker" 
and  on  one  occasion  an  embassy  from  the  Zulu  king  came  to 
her  bringing  presents  to  entreat  her  to  "  make  rain."  On  the 
occasion  of  an  invasion  of  locusts  forty  or  more  years  ago,  a 
similar  entreaty  was  made  by  the  Zulus.  She  was  undoubtedly 
clever  and  capable,  though  of  a  bloodthirsty  and  cruel  dis- 
position. She  lived  in  polyandry  with  her  councillors,  and  the 
chief  husband  for  the  time  being  was  also  "prime  minister," 
but  he  and  her  other  husbands  were  generally  murdered  as  soon 
as  they  displeased  her.  All  civilisation  was  forbidden  and  witch- 
doctors flourished  in  her  dominions. 

In  1888,  when  the  Boers  began  to  settle  in  proximity  to  her, 
Mojaji  was  openly  hostile,  and  her  followers  burnt  a  number  of 
farms  and  murdered  some  of  the  white  inhabitants.  The  Boer 
Government,  however,  made  a  semi-peace  with  Mojaji  which 
lasted  till  1894,  when  the  tribe  again  became  hostile.  This 
time  a  commando  was  sent  to  bring  her  to  terms.  There  was 
no  fighting,  but  the  tribe  was  compelled  to  live  in  a  defined 
location.     General  Joubert,  who  was  with  the  commando,  had 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE    TRANSVAAL.  5 1 

Mojaji  brought  to  his  laager  with  the  intention  of  taking  her  to 
Pretoria,  but  she  was  so  old  and  infirm  that,  at  the  intercession 
of  Mr.  Reuter,  the  missionary,  she  was  left  behind.  This  was, 
however,  the  first  occasion  on  which  Mojaji  was  seen  by  a 
European.  Sir  'V.  Shepstone  wished  to  see  her  in  1880  but 
was  shown  her  half-sister  Madokane  instead,  who  was  usually 
produced  on  such  occasions. 

The  present  chieftainess  succeeded  Mojaji  II.  and  is  known 
as  Mojaji  Seselwaan.  She  is  a  light-coloured  woman,  about 
twenty-five  years  of  age,  and  is  married  to  a  man  named  Mokoto. 
by  whom  she  has  an  infant  son.  She  has  but  little  power,  her 
husband  being  practically  head  of  the  tribe,  which  is  over  14,000 
strong.  These  people,  being  far  removed  from  civilised  centres, 
are  wilder  than  most  Basuto  tribes,  but  have  been  well-behaved 
since  the  annexation  and  show  no  signs  of  giving  trouble. 

The  country  inhabited  by  them  is  an  irregular  strip,  whose 
western  limit  is  a  line  from  the  Koodoo's  river  southward  to  the 
Woodbush  mountains ;  thence  it  extends  east  to  the  Portuguese 
border  along  the  Great  Letaba  river,  which  forms  its  southern 
boundary. 

Sekhopo  Section. — These  people  take  their  name  from  one  of 
the  early  chiefs  of  the  Mojaji  tribe,  of  which  they  are  an  off- 
shoot. Their  history  has  been  uneventful.  The  present  chief, 
named  Mamakubi  Sekhopo,  rules  over  some  1,700  people. 
He  is  about  thirty-five  years  of  age  and  resides  near  Buffels. 

Mamabolo  Section  (called  Li-Kulube  =  wild  boars).  The 
present  chief  is  Situmela  Mamabolo.  This  tribe  is  supposed 
to  haves  plit  from  Mojaji's  about  the  year  1800  and  settled  on 
the  Thabina  river  under  a  chief  named  Manamele.  Some  of 
them  wandered  to  the  Lydenberg  district  but  returned  to  the 
'Woodbush  in  1830  and  after  some  more  vicissitudes  the  tribe 
was  placed  in  a  location  by  the  Boers  in  1897.  The  chief 
nominally  also  has  under  him  the  Woodbush  and  Haenertsburg 
mountain  people,  who  together  with  his  own  tribe  number  about 
4,000  souls. 

Khupa  Section. — This  is  a  portion  of  Mamaholo's  people, 
inhabiting  the  Drakensberg  range  between  Haenertsberg  and 
the  Olifants  river.  It  is  a  clan  of  no  importance,  numbering 
less  than  400  people.  A  dispute  is  in  progress  as  to  who  is  the 
rightful  chief. 

Miikhuhua  Section. — As  far  as  can  be  judged,  this  clan, 
which  lives  on  the  Thabina,  is  the  original  portion  of  the 
Mamabolo  tribe,  which  settled  there  in   1800  and  has  since 

(7269)  D  2 


52  THE    NATIVE   TRIIJES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

remained    there.       The    present    chief     is     named     Raseke 
Mukhubua,  and  has  about  3,000  people  under  him. 

The  Ba-Nareng  or  Ba-Nareni  Tribe. 

The  Ba-Nareng  are  said  to  have  entered  the  Transvaal  from 
the  north.  The  main  body  of  the  tribe  moved  straight  to  the 
Haenertsburg  district,  and  is  now  found  in  three  sections, 
Sekororo's,  MamatoUa's  and  Selebul's. 

A  small  portion  remained  in  the  Blauwberg,  where  their 
descendants  are  now  subject  to  Malabokh. 

Sekororo's  Section. — This  section  of  the  Banareng  numbers 
3,000  people,  who  live  in  the  "Low  Country"  between  the 
Selati  and  Olifants  Rivers.  The  chief  kraal  is  called  Makutje. 
The  name  Sekororo  has  descended  from  chief  to  chief. 
This  fact,  together  with  that  of  the  chief  never  being  seen  by 
the  common  people,  and  the  death  of  the  reigning  chief  never 
being  announced,  has  given  rise  to  the  superstition  that 
Sekororo  is  immortal.  He  is  also  credited  with  rain-making 
and  other  supernatural  powers. 

The  present  Sekororo  has  been  head  of  the  tribe  only  a 
short  time,  his  father  and  predecessor  having  died  at  the 
beginning  of  1904.  The  real  power  is  in  the  hands  of  one 
Gwariamutsi,  a  grandson  of  the  late  chief  by  another  wife. 

The  Sekororo  family  is  related  by  marriage  to  Sekukuni,  who 
persuaded  them  during  the  late  war  to  attack  the  tribes  under 
Mohlaba  and  Maake,  because  the  latter  had  given  protection 
to  Mafefe,  who  had  fled  from  Sekukuni. 

MamatoUa's  or  Mamathlole' s  Section. — This  branch  of  the 
Banareng  tribe  lives  on  the  hills  round  New  Agatha,  and  is 
believed  to  have  a  common  ancestry  with  the  Sekororo  people. 
The  earliest  chief  spoken  of  by  the  tribe  was  named 
Sekukunuku.  Their  history  has  been  a  warlike  one.  They 
obtained  their  present  place  of  residence  by  driving  out  its 
former  inhabitants — another  Basuto  tribe — and  in  1840 
succeeded  in  repelling  an  attack  by  one  of  MoseUkatse's  impis. 
Some  years  after  this  the  Swazis  fell  upon  them  and  killed 
their  chief  Ramatau.  There  was  much  internal  fighting  and 
bloodshed  in  the  tribe  till  all  factions  united  to  join  Makhuba 
in  his  rebellion  against  the  Boers  in  1894.  Mamatolla,  the 
present  chieftainess,  who  had  been  at  the  head  of  the  tribe 
since  1884,  was  captured  by  the  Boers  and  imprisoned  till  the 
British  occupation  in  1900,  when  she  was  allowed  to  return  to 


THE    NATIVK   TRIBES   OF   THE    TRANSVAAL.  53 

her  country.  The  people  have  rallied  round  her  to  the 
number  of  nearly  4,000,  .so  that  she  now  rules  a  tribe  of  some 
importance  compared  with  the  smaller  surrounding  clans,  and 
though  an  old  woman,  exercises  considerable  influence. 

Most  of  the  land  on  which  Mamatlola's  people  live  has  lately 
been  cut  up  and  given  out  to  settlers,  but  the  natives  have 
made  but  little  opposition  to  this. 

Selehul  Section. — The  least  important  section  of  the  Banareng 
tribe,  resident  some  twenty  miles  north  of  New  Agatha,  scattered 
over  a  number  of  farms. 

Their  first  chief  was  called  Selebul  or  Tsolobolo,  and  was 
the  second  son  of  the  chief  Sekukunuku  above  mentioned. 
Two  chiefs,  named  Selebul  and  Mahabata,  joined  in  Makhuba's 
rebellion  in  1894,  and  were  imprisoned  in  Pretoria  in  conse- 
quence. Selebul  died  in  prison  in  i8g6.  Mahabata  was 
released  and  now  rules  under  the  name  of  Selebul.  He  has 
about  1,000  people  in  all. 

The  Bakhanainva  {JMalabokJis)  Tribe. 

It  is  said  that  these  people  are  descended  from  the 
Baharutse  branch  of  the  Bechuana  nation,  and  that  their 
ancestors  were  brought  by  the  first  recorded  chief  of  the  tribe, 
named  Lebokho,  from  Bechuanaland  to  the  Blauwberg,  where 
the  Bakhananwa  still  dwell.  Their  totem  is  the  "  chuene " 
(baboon)  but  they  also  reverence  the  duiker. 

There  are  two  divisions  of  the  tribe  at  the  present  day, 
respectively  ruled  over  by  the  chiefs  Malabokh  and  Kivi,  who 
are  descended  from  two  different  wives  of  Lebokho's  immediate 
successor.  Of  the  two  sections,  Malabokh's  is  by  far  the  most 
important. 

The  split  in  the  tribe  dates  back  to  the  early  years  of  the 
nineteenth  century,  during  which  a  long  continued  struggle  for 
supremacy  took  place  between  Mathome  and  Ramatho,  the 
then  chiefs  of  the  two  sections.  At  last,  in  about  1834, 
Mathome,  with  the  assistance  of  Matala's  and  the  Mapela  tribes, 
killed  Ramatho  and  many  of  his  people,  whereupon  Maloko, 
son  of  Ramatho,  invoked  the  aid  of  the  Boer  Voortrekkers,  who 
arrived  in  the  Zoutpansberg  soon  after  this  time.  The  Boers 
were  willing  to  assist  but  were  driven  back  by  Mathome,  so 
Maloko's  section  settled  in  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  Blauw- 
berg, leaving  Mathome  in  possession  of  the  western  and  more 
fertile  portion  of  the  range. 


54  TIIK    NATIVK    TRIIJKS    OF    THF,    TRANSVAAL. 

Mathome  died  in  1880  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son 
Khamush,  the  present  Malabokh.  Kivi,  who  is  now  chief  of 
the  other  section,  is  Maloko's  son. 

In  1894  the  Boers  waged  war  on  Malabokh,  and  Kivi, 
seeing  an  opportunity  to  avenge  his  grandfather,  actively 
assisted  them.  As  is  related  in  the  account  of  native  wars, 
Malabokh's  tribe  suffered  severely  in  the  operations,  and 
Malabokh  himself  was  captured  and  imprisoned  in  Pretoria, 
being  released  only  on  the  British  occupation  in  1900. 

As  a  natural  consequence,  Kivi  did  all  he  could  to  assist  the 
Boers  during  the  late  war,  while  Malabokh's  people  strongly 
sympathised  with  the  British  cause.  The  enmity  between  the 
two  sections  is  still  passively  maintained,  and  Kivi  is  a  strong 
pro-Boer,  while  Malabokh,  being  grateful  for  his  release  from 
captivity  in  1900,  is  thoroughly  loyal.  He  is  about  forty-five 
years  of  age,  partly  educated,  and  has  great  influence  over  his 
tribe  ;  he  also  has  a  reputation  as  a  "  rain-maker."  His  son 
Mabea  is  about  twenty-five  years  old,  has  been  educated  at  the 
local  mission,  and  can  speak  and  write  English.  Malabokh's 
people  number  nearly  8,000. 

Kivi  is  about  the  same  age  as  Malabokh.  He  is  a  drunken, 
low  character,  unpopular  with  his  own  people.  His  following 
amounts  to  about  1,500  only. 

The  Bakhananwa  generally  may  be  described  as  an 
intelligent  and  progressive  people  of  fair  physique  naturally. 
This  is,  however,  becoming  impaired  by  venereal  disease, 
which  is  very  prevalent  among  them.  But  in  spite  of  this,  a 
rapid  increase  in  their  numbers  may  be  looked  for,  as  members 
of  the  tribe,  scattered  in  1894,  are  constantly  returning  to 
Malabokh,  The  Blauwberg  range  is  a  natural  fortress  of  great 
strength,  but  it  is  considered  unlikely  that  these  people  will  give 
trouble  again. 

There  is  a  branch  of  the  Hermansburg  Mission  on  the  farm 
Leipzig  107 1  in  the  Blauwberg,  the  Rev.  R.  Franz  in  charge. 
The  missionary  is  not  popular  with  Malabokh  or  with  British 
people  in  the  district,  but  undoubtedly  does  much  good 
among  the  natives  by  maintaining  a  hospital,  only  slightly 
subsidised  by  the  Government,  where  natives  are  treated  for  a 
nominal  fee. 

The  Alutaknva  Tribe. 

In  this  are  included  the  followings  of  the  chiefs  Molepo, 
]\Iatabata,  and  Makhuba,  besides  the  adherents  of  several  petty 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OE   THE   TRANSVAAL.  55 

chiefs.  These  were  originally  all  one  tribe,  and  about 
150  years  ago  lived  near  Woodbush  on  the  site  of  the  present 
Lekhali's  Location.  Early  in  the  nineteenth  century  the  tribe 
split  into  the  three  sections  above  mentioned,  who  then  moved 
to  their  present  locations. 

In  1894,  at  the  time  of  the  Boers'  campaign  against 
Malabokh,  Makhuba  led  a  general  revolt  of  the  Basuto  tribes 
in  the  Haenertsburg  district.  He  paid  dearly  for  his  temerity, 
however,  as  General  Joubert,  the  Boer  Commandant-General, 
let  loose  a  Swazi  impi  upon  the  tribes,  and  Makhuba  himself 
was  slain  with  many  men,  women  and  children  of  the  tribe. 
His  daughter  now  rules  the  tribe  ;  she  is  about  twenty-one 
years  of  age  (1905)  and  in  her  youth  worked  as  a  servant 
in  a  Boer  family.  The  tribe  numbers  about  1,500  in  all,  and 
lives  scattered  over  various  farms  in  tlie  Haenertsburg 
district. 

Molepo's  section  is  the  most  important,  numbering  over 
6,000  people,  and  Nkwane  and  Mojapelo,  who  are  sub-chiefs 
under  him,  together  muster  nearly  3,000  more.  The  present 
chief's  real  name  is  Moshia,  and  he  and  the  above  live  in 
JNIolepo's  Location  in  Pietersburg  district. 

Matabata  has  1,000  people  in  Haenertsburg  and  about 
600  in  Pietersburg  district,  and  the  petty  chiefs  Chuene 
and  Maja,  whose  joint  following  amounts  to  about  1,000,  are 
also  in  the  latter  district,  affiliated  to  the  Mutalerwa  tribe. 

The  Bakhaha  Tribe 

This  is  a  branch  of  the  great  Bapedi  tribe  of  Sekukuniland 
(see  Eastern  Division),  and  has  several  sections  in  the 
Zoutpansberg,  of  which  the  most  important  is  that  under 
Mpahlela,  who  with  over  6,000  people,  lives  in  a  location  in 
the  south-east  corner  of  the  Pietersburg  district,  immediately 
north  of  the  Olifants  river.  Though  connected  with  Sekukuni 
by  marriage,  he  has  never  been  on  good  terms  with  him.  He 
is  a  drunken  and  low  class  native,  but  is  nevertheless 
considered  one  of  the  most  important  Basuto  chiefs  in  the 
division. 

The  only  other  sections  of  this  tribe  worth  mentioning  are 
both  called  Nuku.  The  first  of  these  was  formerly  of  some 
importance  owmg  to  its  connection  with  Sekukuni.  But  the 
latter  chief  fell  upon  it  in  1901  and  reduced  it  considerably,  so 
that  its  people  now  number  barely  1,200.     The  present  chief, 


56  THE    NATIVE    TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

whose  name  is  Mafefe,  resides  on  the  Magakal  river  in 
Haenertsburg  district. 

The  other  section,  under  the  chief  Mamichi,  a/ias  Sekoko, 
numbers  slightly  over  i,ooo  and  is  located  on  the  farm  Stras- 
burg  (167)  on  the  north-east  slope  of  the  Drakensberg  Range  in 
the  same  district. 

With  the  exception  of  a  few  small  clans,  of  whose  history 
nothing  is  known,  and  which  are  of  no  importance,  numerically 
or  otherwise,  all  the  Basuto  tribes  of  the  Zoutpansberg  have 
now  been  noticed. 

The  following  is  a  summary  of  their  numbers  and 
distribution  : — 


THE    NATIVE    TRIIU'.S   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 


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THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 


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THK    XATIVK    TRII'.KS    OF    TIIK    TRANS\'AAL.  59- 


II.    The  Bavcnda  Tribes. 

'lliis  tribe,  which  is  known  to  the  Basuto  as  Batsuetla  and  is 
also  often  called  Baramapulana  or  Makhato's  tribe,  is  classed 
by  Theal  in  his  history  as  akin  to  the  Basuto.  Recent 
researches  have  shown  that  this  assumption  is  incorrect  as 
regards  the  tribe  in  general,  which  is  now  believed  to  belong  to 
a  separate  division  of  the  Bantu  family,  but  it  is  understood  to 
be  a  fact  that  the  "  royal  family  "  or  principal  hereditary  chiefs 
of  the  tribe  are  sprung  from  the  Bakhatla  and  are  therefore  of 
Bechuana-Basuto  race. 

The  Bakhatla  chief  Tabane,  known  by  the  Bavenda  as 
Davana  (see  genealogy  of  the  Bakhatla  in  "  Western  Division  "), 
is  said  to  have  migrated  to  the  Zoutpansberg  with  a  consider- 
able following,  and  from  him  the  present  chiefs  are  descended 
thus  : — 

Tabane  (Davana  I.) 

I 
Davana  II. 

I 
Vele  I. 

I 
Toho-Ea-Ndu  or  Tohoyandwa. 

I 
Vele  II. 


JMpefu.  Shivasa  I. 

I  I 

Ramapulana.  Ramarumo. 

I  I 

Makhato.  Shivasa  II. 

I  I 


Mpefu.  (Present     Sintimulla.  Ramaramisa.     (The  Rampnta. 

chief.)  present  Shivasa. ) 

Makwarella  (hereditary  name  Mpafuli  or  Pafuri)  who  is- 
chief  of  a  considerable  section  of  the  tribe,  has  a  different 
pedigree,  being,  it  is  said,  descended  from  the  Matabele 
chief  Musi  (see  Central  Division),  one  of  whose  sons  also  went 
north  from  the  Pretoria  district  and  established  himself  among 
the  Bavenda. 

The  Bavenda  people,  apart  from  the  ruling  families,  are 
believed  to  have  crossed  to  the  south  of  the  Limpopo  about 
1700  A.I),  and   to   have  originally  come   from   the  valley  of  the 


60  THE    NATIVE    TRIBES    OK    THE    TRANSVAAL. 

Congo.  Before  entering  the  Transvaal  they  probably  made  a 
long  stay  in  Mashonaland,  the  country  of  the  "  Makalanga," 
and  while  there,  seem  to  have  come  in  contact  with  people  of 
Arab  extraction  or  other  Semitic  stock,  for  many  individuals  of 
the  tribe  at  the  present  day  show  a  strain  of  Semitic  blood  in 
their  features. 

In  manners  and  customs  they  differ  somewhat  from  the  other 
Bantu  tribes,  e.g.,  both  men  and  women  shave  the  whole  of 
their  heads,  while  the  Basuto  generally  leave  the  crown  of  the 
head  unshaven. 

The  language  of  the  Bavenda,  which  is  called  Sivenda,  is  not 
easily  understood  by  other  tribes,  but  appears  to  be  a  mixture 
of  some  form  of  Sesuto  with  Lukalanga,  the  speech  of  the 
Makalanga  people.  It  is  said  that  a  tribe  now  living  on  the 
Congo  speaks  a  very  similar  dialect. 

There  are  remnants  of  a  tribe  called  Balemba  among  the 
Bavenda.  These  people  are  chiefly  found  in  the  Shivasa 
district ;  they  have  rto  chiefs  of  their  own,  but  have  distinct 
customs,  which  point  to  Semitic  origin,  e.g.,  they  do  not  eat  pork 
or  the  flesh  of  any  animal  killed  by  people  of  other  tribes. 
They  speak  the  Lukalanga  language. 

The  annals  of  the  Bavenda  only  go  back  as  far  as 
Tohoyandwa  ("  Elephant-head "),  who  was  third  in  descent 
from  Tabane.  This  chief  appears  to  have  consolidated  the 
tribe  and  to  have  raised  it  to  considerable  eminence  ;  his  name 
is  accordingly  still  venerated  by  the  people.  He  first  subjugated 
and  practically  exterminated  a  tribe  called  Bangona  (which 
inhabited  the  country  before  the  arrival  of  the  Bavenda  from 
the  north)  sparing  only  the  priests,  whose  descendants  are  still 
a  separate  caste  and  engage  in  the  worship  of  the  spirits  which 
they  believe  to  inhabit  the  waterfalls  of  the  Msunduzi  river, 
near  Sibasa. 

Tohoyandwa  also  conquered  the  Makalanga  north  of  the 
Limpopo  and  several  Basuto  tribes  to  the  south,  who  became 
his  tributaries.  He  built  a  town  named  Dzada  in  the  Njelele 
valley  and  established  his  headquarters  there.  Traces  of  this 
town  still  remain,  and  it  is  said  that  the  stones  of  which  it  was 
built  were  brought  from  Mashonaland  by  the  tributary 
Makalanga.  The  buildings  resemble  those  of  the  famous 
Zimbabwe  ruins  in  plan,  and  it  is  supposed  that  the  latter 
served  as  a  model  to  Tohoyandwa. 

On  the  death  of  this  monarch  the  country  was  ruled  jointly 
by   his   sons   and   peace   prevailed   for  many  years  till  Sekwati, 


THE    NATIVK    TRIBES   OF   THE    TRANSVAAL.  6l 

chief  of  the  Bapedi  tribe,  attacked  the  Bavenda  and  despoiled 
them  of  many  cattle.  The  Bavenda,  however,  took  refuge  in 
the  mountains,  and  when  the  Bapedi  followed  them  there,  drove 
them  back  with  heavy  loss. 

Shortly  after  this  the  Zulu  incursions  followed,  and  only 
owing  to  the  inaccessibility  of  their  mountain  fastnesses  did 
the  Bavenda  escape  the  fate  of  annihilation,  suffered  by  so 
many  Transvaal  tribes  at  this  time  (1825-1835).  After 
occupying  the  country  for  over  two  years,  the  Zulus  left. 
Internal  feuds  followed  which  occasioned  much  bloodshed, 
until  Ramapulana,  with  the  assistance  of  the  Boers,  who  had 
meanwhile  appeared,  obtained  the  chiefship.  He  did  not 
reign  long,  however,  and  was  succeeded  by  Makhato,  under 
whom  the  Bavenda  again  became  powerful.  During  the  reign 
of  Makhato  the  Boers  sent  two  unsuccessful  expeditions  against 
them  (1865)  and,  though  the  Bapedi,  the  Shangaans  under 
Albasini,  and  the  Swazis  all  attacked  them  at  various  times  and 
inflicted  some  loss  on  them,  they  never  admitted  defeat. 

In  1898,  however,  the  Boers  broke  up  the  Spelonken  Section 
of  the  tribe  and  captured  their  stronghold  on  Makhato's 
Mountain  near  Louis  Trichardt,  whereupon  Mpefu,  the 
paramount  chief,  and  many  of  his  people,  fled  to  Mashonaland. 
The  Shivasa  section  of  the  Bavenda  did  not  join  in  the 
fighting,  having  made  an  agreement  with  the  Boers  to  hold 
aloof.  The  chief  Sintimulla,  however,  actually  sided  with  the 
Boers  against  Mpefu.  The  Bavenda  who  fled  to  Mashonaland 
have  been  gradually  returning  to  the  Zoutpansberg  ever  since 
the  British  annexation,  but  Mpefu  himself  was  only  allowed 
back  in  1904  on  condition  that  he  would  settle  quietly  in  a 
new  location  to  be  given  him.  This  was  necessary,  as  the 
ground  formerly  occupied  by  him  had  for  some  years  been  in 
the  possession  of  European  settlers.  Mpefu  has  accordingly 
been  allotted  a  piece  of  ground  some  60,000  acres  in  extent, 
about  twenty-five  miles  north  east  of  Louis  Trichardt,  and  has 
now  taken  up  his  abode  there.  He  is,  both  on  account  of  his 
descent  and  through  his  own  personality,  the  most  influential 
chief  of  the  Bavenda,  and  seems  inclined  to  use  his  influence 
for  good,  probably  owing  to  the  fact  that  he  has  acquired  a 
respect  for  white  men  after  his  experience  at  the  hands  of  the 
Boers  in  1898. 

A  mixed  lot  of  people  about  5,000  in  number,  calling 
themselves  Bavenda  and  living  in  the  Blauwberg  district,  are  also 
adherents  of  Mpefu. 


€2  THK    NATIVE    TRIHKS    OK   THE    TRANSVAAL. 

Sintimulla,  a  brother  of  Mpefu's,  is  the  only  other  Bavenda 
'Chief  in  the  Spelonken.  He  has  nominally  a  considerable 
following,  but  is  not  of  much  account  personally  in  the  tribe, 
having  forfeited  the  confidence  of  the  people  by  his  behaviour 
in  the  war  of  1898. 

In  the  Shivasa  district  are  the  powerful  chiefs  Ramaramisa 
(after  whose  hereditary  name,  Sibasa,  the  district  is  called), 
and  Makwarella,  who  is  also  known  by  the  name  of  his 
ancestor  Pafuri.  There  are  also  in  the  same  district  a  number 
of  lesser  chiefs,  of  whom  Ramputa  and  Tengwe,  who  split 
from  Sibasa  recently,  Lomondo,  Madzibandela,  Mgibi  and 
Ntseauda  are  the  principal.  As  stated  above,  these  people 
took  no  part  in  the  fighting  in  1898,  and  have  in  fact  never 
come  into  conflict  with  Europeans.  They  live  in  a  wild  and 
inaccessible  part  of  the  country  abounding  in  rugged  hills  and 
jungles  forming  natural  fastnesses,  and  having  only  recently 
being  brought  under  Government  control,  are  inclined  to  be 
somewhat  independent.  Their  chiefs  are,  however,  well 
■spoken  of  by  the  officials,  who  anticipate  no  trouble  with  the 
tribe.  The  difficult  nature  of  their  country  would  moreover 
be  the  only  formidable  factor  to  be  reckoned  with  in  a  rising 
of  the  Bavenda,  for  they  are  by  no  means  determined  fighters, 
as  has  been  shown  by  the  very  small  number  of  casualties 
they  sustained  in  their  own  internal  wars. 

As  might  be  expected  from  the  remoteness  of  the  locality 
which  they  inhabit,  and  the  small  amount  of  contact  which 
they  have  had  with  civilised  people,  the  Bavenda  are  by  far  the 
most  unsophisticated  of  the  Bantu  tribes  in  the  Transvaal,  and 
the  nearest  approach  to  the  primitive  savage  to  be  found  in  the 
Colony. 

The  present  distribution  of  the  Bavenda  is  shown  in  the 
following  table  : 


THE    NATIVE    TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 


o 

■;o 

O 
o 

U 

o 

o 

o 

►J 

Twenty  miles  north-east 
of  Louis  Trichardt. 

No  prominent  chiefs  in 
this  district 

Seven  miles  west-south- 
west of  Louis  Tri- 
chardt. 

Two  kraals  near  Shivasa, 
about  twenty-five  miles 
north-east  of  Mpefu's. 

Mbelo,  fifteen  miles 
south-east  of  Shivasa. 

Midway  between  Mpefu's 
■and  Pafuri's. 

Near  Shivasa. 

wScattered. 

Q 

Spelonken 

Blauwberg 
Spelonken 

Shivasa 

Shivasa 

Shivasa 

Shivasa       

Shivasa       

o 

O        ^JD         "              '"O             0^        -^        cq  li-i 
ro        O         ro              i/^              1-1         HH         i-i   U-, 
■Ln       <-<       za             t^            •*      00       u-i  M 

N                       w                 c^                 «                       „ 

J3    OJ 

7,000 
1,200 
4,500 

6,500 

4,000 

800 

4,000 
1,500 

8 

Mpefu         

do 

Sintimulla      a  n  d      lesser 
chiefs 

Ramaramisa  (Sibasa) 

Makwarella  (Pafuri) 

Lomondo   ... 

Raniputa  and  Tengwe 
Mgibi,       Ntseauda       and 
Madzibandela 

V                                                                                                                                                        , 

Bavenda      

64         THE    NATIVE   TRIIJES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

III.      T/w  Shangaan  Tribes. 

Some  representatives  of  these  tribes  are  found  in  the 
eastern  districts,  but  the  bulk  of  them  inhabit  the  Spelonken, 
Shivasa,  and  Haenertsburg.  The  name  Shangaan  is  an 
abbreviation  of  Amachangana,  meaning  "  the  destroyers," 
which  was  originally  applied  to  the  predator^'  hordes  of 
Manukusa.  Ma-gwamba,  a  name  by  which  they  are  often 
known,  was  given  to  the  Shangaans  by  the  Bavenda  and  Basuto 
peoples  on  account  of  their  habit  of  swearing  by  "  Gwamba," 
who  according  to  them  was  the  first  man  created.  They  used 
also  to  be  called  "  Knob-noses "  from  the  custom  of 
lacerating  their  faces,  especially  the  nose,  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  produce  a  number  of  raised  scars  or  knobs,  but  this  practice 
is  now  dying  out. 

These  people  are  the  descendants  of  some  of  the  Aba-Gaza 
tribe  which  commenced  to  migrate  northwards  from  Zululand 
about  the  year  1820.  At  this  time  the  Zululand  people  had 
not  yet  been  formed  into  the  compact  and  formidable  nation 
which  they  shortly  afterwards  became  under  the  rule  of  Chaka, 
but  some  of  the  present  Shangaan  chiefs  trace  their  descent 
from  the  Zulu  royal  house.  The  emigrant  Abagaza  had 
reached  the  Sabi  River  in  Portuguese  Territory,  when  in  1845 
they  were  attacked  by  the  people  under  Manukusa,  a  Zulu 
chief  who  had  also  emigrated  northwards,  and  many  of  them 
driven  into  the  Transvaal,  taking  with  them  some  of  the  Ba- 
Thonga  tribe  who  seemed  to  have  joined  them  en  route. 
Though  these  have  become  merged  in  the  Shangaans,  the 
latter  are  sometimes  called  Bathonga  themselves  at  the  present 
time.  Those  that  remained  in  Portuguese  territory  were  sub- 
jugated and  severely  oppressed  by  the  Zulus. 

The  Spelonken  branch  of  the  Shangaans  owes  its  existence 
to  a  Portuguese  adventurer,  named  Joao  Albasini,  who,  having 
come  into  the  country  a  few  years  previously  by  way  of 
Lydenburg,  settled  at  Pisang  Kop,  near  Louis  Trichardt,  in 
1 86 1,  and  having  great  influence  with  the  natives,  was  appointed 
to  the  native  Commissionership  of  the  district  by  the  Boer 
Government.  He  soon  built  up  a  regular  chieftainship  for 
himself,  and  having  persuaded  a  number  of  the  down-trodden 
Bathonga  in  Portuguese  territory  to  come  across  the  border  and 
live  under  his  protection,  was  before  long  the  absolute  ruler  of 
a  large  and  powerful  tribe.  The  influx  of  Bathonga  continued 
for  the  next  ten  years,  during  which   time    Albasini  led  his 


THE    NATIVE    TRIBES   OE   THE    TRANSVAAL,  65 

people  against  the  Bavenda,  and  engaged  in  various  small 
wars  with  other  tribes,  which  were  at  the  time  of  frequent 
occurrence.  Albasini  was  dismissed  from  the  Boer  Government 
service  in  1868,  but  was  recognised  by  the  British  administra- 
tion after  the  annexation  of  1877  and  apparently  continued  to  be 
chief  of  the  tribe  till  his  death  in  1885.  Though  he  was  an 
unscrupulous  man,  who  had  in  many  ways  sunk  to  the  level,  of 
the  native,  there  is  no  doubt  that  it  was  largely  owing  to  his 
influence  and  ability  that  the  Northern  Transvaal  was 
preserved  to  the  white  man.  Members  of  his  family  are  still 
resident  in  Pietersburg. 

Under  the  late  Government  the  native  Commissioner  of  the 
Spelonken  was  always  considered  chief  of  the  Shangaans  ex- 
officio,  in  consequence  of  which  they  had  no  regular  chiefs  in 
this  district  to  this  day,  but  are  ruled  by  a  number  of 
Indunas,  of  whom  there  are  103  at  present  in  the  District. 

There  are  now  over  41,000  Shangaans  in  the  Spelonken  and 
Shivasa  districts  under  these  Indunas.  The  latter,  however, 
owe  a  sort  of  allegiance  to  Minga,  who  is  nominally  chief  over 
them  all.  Minga  is  a  very  old  man,  but  seems  still  to  exercise 
a  real  influence  over  the  people.  His  head  kraal  is  some  eighty 
miles  from  Louis  Trichardt  in  a  north-easterly  direction,  about 
thirty  miles  south  of  the  Limpopo  River,  and  is  reached  by  the 
"  Eastern  Hunting  Road." 

Mavamba,  another  considerable  Shangaan  chief,  resides  on 
the  same  road,  about  twenty  miles  short  of  Minga's  kraal.  He 
is  a  good  type  of  his  race,  intelligent  and  very  well  disposed 
towards  Europeans  in  general  and  the  British  in  particular. 
In  1898  he  assisted  the  Boers  against  Mpefu  with  800  men,, 
who  did  excellent  service. 

Sikundu,  who  resides  between  Minga  and  Mavamba,  is 
perhaps  the  most  influential  Shangaan  next  to  Minga. 

The  above-mentioned  chiefs  are  of  some  note,  and  resj)ected 
by  the  Shangaans,  but  the  tribal  system  is  not  followed  by 
these  people,  each  small  clan  recognising  only  its  own  Induna 
or  headman  as  its  chief. 

In  the  Haenertsburg  district  there  are  two  tribes  of 
Shangaans  :  the  Nkuna  or  Ba-Nkuna  and  the  Baloyi,  the  first 
of  which  is  by  far  the  stronger  and  more  important. 

Ba-Nuna  Tribe. — Chief  Mohlaba.  Number  of  adult  males 
in  tribe  about  1,500. 

The  Ba-Nkuna,  like  the  Shangaans  of  the  Spelonken  and 
Shivasa,.. migrated  northwards  from  Zululand  about  1830  and 

(7269)  E 


66  T]\V:    NATIVK    TKIUF.S    OV    TIIK    TRANSVAAL. 

first  settled  at  Bik-ni,  near  the  junction  'A'  iht  Limpopo  and 
Olifants  Rivers  in  Portuguese  territory  under  a  chief  named 
Ripje.  Manukusa  with  a  Zulu  Impi  followed  and  defeated 
Ripje,  but  allowed  him  to  remain  where  he  was  a  tributary. 
Ripje  was  succeeded  by  Shiluvan  or  Silubana,  father  of  the 
present  chief.  Manukusa  wished  to  remove  Silubana's  people 
further  north  into  Portuguese  territory,  but  they  fled  via 
Komatipoort  to  near  Leydsdorp  in  the  Transvaal  and  settled 
under  the  protection  of  Maale's  Basuto  tribe  in  1855.  About 
1858  they  moved  to  the  headwaters  of  the  Selati  and  remained 
there  till  1868,  when  they  were  attacked  by  the  Basuto  tribes 
of  Mafefe,  Mukhubua,  Sekororo  and  Maale.  Silubana  there- 
upon retired  into  Mojaji's  territory  and  remained  there  till  1873. 
Albasini  (known  by  the  natives  as  "Juwawa")  now  wished 
him  to  join  his  people  and  attacked  him  when  he  refused, 
driving  him  back  to  Maale's  country  where  he  remained  three 
years.  While  here,  the  tribe  divided  into  two  parties  with  one 
of  which  Silubana  moved  to  the  left  bank  of  the  Letsitele 
River,  where  he  died  in  1882.  In  1886  the  two  parties 
reunited  under  Silubana's  son  Mohlaba. 

This  chief  is  now  about  thirty-five  years  old.  He  is 
educated,  progressive  and  trustworthy,  and  is  universally  liked 
and  respected  by  his  white  neighbours.  He  joined  the  chief 
Maake  in  repelling  an  attack  made  on  them  by  Sekororo  in 
1901. 

His  people  are  mostly  found  on  the  "  Harmony  Proprietary 
(Company's  "  farms,  which  lie  between  the  Selati  and  Thabina 
Rivers  and  extend  as  far  as  the  (Ireat  Letaba. 

Baloyi  Tribe. — Chief  Mamitwa.  Number  of  adult  males  in 
tribe  about  500. 

This  tribe  formed  a  portion  of  the  following  of  Manukusa 
and  came  from  Zululand  with  him,  settling  at  }]ileni  in 
Portuguese  territory.  On  Manukusa  dying,  his  two  sons  Mzila 
and  Mawewe  fought  for  the  chiefship.  Mzila  (who  was  the 
father  of  Ngungunyan,  the  well-known  chief  of  the  Shangaans 
in  Portuguese  territory,  who  rebelled  against  and  was  defeated 
by  the  Portuguese  in  1897)  was  beaten  and  fled  to  Mojaji's 
country  with  part  of  the  Baloyi  tribe  for  a  time,  but  afterwards 
returned  and  deposed  Mawewe.  A  portion  of  the  tribe, 
however,  remained  in  Mojaji's  country  under  an  Induna  of 
Mzila's,  named  Nkame,  who  is  the  ancestor  of  the  present 
chief  Mamitwa.  The  latter  has  a  rival  in  his  cousin  Ngwakata 
and  they  carry  on  a  sort  of  joint  rule,  but  Ngwakata's  claims 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.  67 

^re  not  recognised  by  the  (Government  as  he  Hves  in  Mojaji's 
Location. 

Another  petty  chief  of  the  Baloyi,  named  Makuba.  Hves,  with 
an  unimportant  following,  on  the  Lebombo  on  the  Portuguese 
Tjorder,  and  there  are  also  a  number  of  petty  Shangaan  chiefs 
or  indunas  whose  male  followers  total  aljout  400  living  indepen- 
dently in  the  Haenertsburg  District. 

The  Shangaans  generally  are  known  among  natives  as 
"  Mabundhlela,"  which  signifies  "  pioneers."  Having  always 
teen  w^ell  disposed  towards  Europeans,  they  were  encouraged 
by  the  late  Government  to  settle  on  the  banks  of  the  Great 
Letaba,  in  order  that  they  might  act  as  a  buffer  between  the 
Basuto  tribes  living  to  the  north  and  south  of  that  river 
respectively. 

The  Shangaans  are  a  stalwart  race,  and  approach  more 
nearly  to  the  Zulus  in  physique  than  any  of  the  other  northern 
tribes.  They  alone  wear  an  imitation  of  the  Zulu  head-ring, 
which  with  the  Zulus  denotes  the  proved  warrior.  The  Shangaan 
ring  is,  however,  removable  and  larger  than  that  of  the  Zulus, 
which,  being  partly  composed  of  the  growing  hair  of  the  wearer, 
■cannot  be  taken  off. 

In  this  and  in  other  ways  the  Shangaans  try  to  pose  as 
Zulus,  probably  because  they  recognise  them  as  a  superior 
race.  They  nevertheless  hate  the  Zulus  as  their  oppressors 
in  former  times. 

Though  they  have  engaged  in  various  inter-tribal  wars  in 
the  past,  and  have  on  occasion  assisted  the  Boers  against  other 
tribes,  the  Transvaal  Shangaans  have  never  fought  against 
Europeans,  and  it  is  very  unlikely  that  they  will  ever  wish 
to  try  conclusions  with  them  in  the  future.  They  are  a  peace- 
loving  people  and,  though  not  lacking  in  courage,  more  given 
to  trading  than  warlike  pursuits.  They  are  industrious 
cultivators,  ready  to  adopt  progressive  ideas,  very  intelligent 
and  on  the  whole  likely  to  benefit  quickly  from  civilisation. 

The  so-called  "  Knob-nose  Location,"  which  was  allotted 
to  the  Shangaans  by  the  Boers,  is  unhealthy  and  deficient  in 
water  ;  many  of  the  people  therefore  prefer  to  S(]uat  on  outside 
farms  even  if  they  have  to  pay  rent  for  their  occupation. 

The  present  distribution  of  the  Shangaans  in  the  Zoutpans- 
berg  Division  is  shown  in  the  following  table : 


(7269) 


68 


THK    NATIVK    TRIBKS   OF   THE   TRAN.SVAAL. 


t/!    tr. 

cA    '/■.          'j;    t/2 

•-a                 o  ex  i 

C                          t/)c    = 

'5  ° 

£  -J      £  — ; 

"^                 5-5  5 
V    .  =■         =  X  ?i 

o 

o ,         o . 

>., 

co^ 

^    c         ^"^ 

c^  2.£         5  ^^    . 

nee. 

o 

o 

ardt. 

Kraal 
-east 
ardt. 

Kraal 
-east 
ardt. 

n  the 
ina  rive 
s  I.ocat 

Murchi: 
rountry 
ards  to 
border, 

3 
o 

Trich 

hief 

north 

Trich 

hief 

north 

Trich 

;  Betwee 

1     Thabi 

Mojaji' 

In  the 
and  c 

eastw 
guese 

CJ 

U            CJ 

1 

^ 

1 

_' 

O 

ji 

s 

o 

2 

'}^ 

Oj 

Q 

Haenert 
do. 

do 

1 

i 
1 

c«ai 

j 

— ,— 

*, 

1 

ci 

^ 

ro       vn          o 

O 

vO 

\r>       m          M 

t^ 

OO       00          vo 

i 

H 

XT)           i-T 

10 

>* 

s 

3 

tjO 

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g 

o      o        o 

8 

o 

i^        tT           " 

E 

o" 

" 

,. — ' — , 

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1 

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-  > 

3 

I 

<u 

T3 

By. 

'^ 

^  '?^  '^ 

:        :  o 

U 

Minga,     Si 
vamba, 
petty  chie 

Mohlaba     . 

Mamitwa    . 
Mamukolol 
Makuba ... 
Mahohk) 
Nkabe    . 

" — ^ 

o3 

, 

!       : 

in 

1 
1 

C/3 

Ba-nkuna 
Baloyi  ... 

do. 

< 


THE    NATIVE   TRII'.ES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.         69 


IV.      The  Zulu   Tribe. 

The  Letivaba  Tribe. — The  only  representatives  of  the  Zulu 
Nation  proper  now  found  in  the  Zoutpansberg  are  the  members 
of  the  Letwaba  family,  living  in  the  Pietersburg  District  in 
Mashashaan's  Location.  They  are  the  descendants  of  some  of 
Kekaan's  tribe  (see  N.  Western  Division)  who  migrated  further 
north  than  the  remainder. 

The  Letwaba  people  are  now  in  three  sections  under  the 
chieftainess  Mashashaan,  chief  Jonathan  Maraba  and  chief 
Jack  Eland  respectively. 

Mashashaan's  people  number,  according  to  the  census  of 
1904,  5,094  souls,  J.  Maraba's  5,671,  and  J.  Eland's  3,512. 

2,000  to  3,000  fighting  men  miglit  be  mustered  from  the 
whole  tribe. 

There  are  no  records  available  concerning  these  people 
especially,  but  it  is  natural  to  suppose  that  their  history  is 
bound  up  with  that  of  the  Kekaan  Tribes  of  the  Waterberg, 
and  that  their  future  policy  and  behaviour  will  follow  that 
of  the  latter,  the  more  important  branch  of  their  race.  Like 
most  Zulus  in  the  Transvaal,  the  Letwaba  are  fast  losing  their 
national  characteristics,  and  are  becoming  more  and  more 
merged  in  the  neighbouring  Basuto  tribes 


The  Buys  People. 

The  Bantu  tribes  found  in  the  Zoutpansberg  have  now  all 
been  enumerated.  In  order  to  complete  the  description  of 
the  inhabitants  of  this  division,  however,  mention  must  be  made 
of  the  Buys  People,  who,  though  not  numerous  or  important, 
or  readily  distinguishable  from  the  Bantu  by  their  appearance 
or  manners,  are  yet  undoubtedly  of  European  extraction. 

They  live  on  the  farms  Mara,  Buysdorp,  Buyshoek  and 
Buysplaats  in  the  Blauwberg  District,  and  are  the  descendants 
of  a  renegade  Dutch  colonist,  Schoonraad  or  Conrad  de  Buys, 
who  in  the  early  days  of  Moselikatse  fled  from  justice  in  the 
Cape  Colony  and  proceeded  north  to  the  Limpopo,  where  he 
adopted  the  customs  of  the  natives  and  quickly  acquired  great 
influence  over  them.  He  had  married  a  native  girl  in  the 
Cape  Colony,  by  whom  he  had  three  sons  ;  Conrad,  Gabriel  and 
Miguel,  the  latter  of  whom  is  the  present  chief  of  the  tribe. 
His  wife  having  died  while  on  the  Limpopo  River,  be  went  into 


70         THE    NATIVl<:    TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

Portuguese  territorj-  where  he  married  a  European  woman.  As 
he  did  not  return,  his  sons  gave  him  up  for  lost  and  decided 
to  further  explore  the  country.  This  they  did  for  a  number 
of  years,  moving  from  {)lai:e  to  place  with  their  native  wives. 
They  settled  for  some  time  at  the  place  now  known  as  Schoe- 
mansdal,  and  then  moved  to  near  Louis  Trichardt,  after  which 
they  dwelt  at  Buyskop  near  ^Varmbaths  for  a  number  of  years. 

^Vhen  the  Boer  Voortrekkers  came  to  \\'armbaths  they  were 
joined  by  the  Buys  People,  who  had  b)'  this  time  largely  increased 
in  numbers.  They  accompanied  the  trekkers  to  Schoemansdal, 
and  after  remaining  there  for  some  years,  moved  to  their 
present  place  of  residence,  which  in  1888  was  granted  to  them 
by  the  South  African  Republic  Executive  Council,  conditionally 
on  their  remaining  faithful  to  the  Boer  Ciovernment. 

This  land  has  now  been  properly  surveyed  and  is  being 
transferred  to  the  Commissioner  for  Native  Affairs  as  Trustee. 

Numbers  of  aboriginal  natives  also  reside  on  this  land. 

Miguel  Buys  has  always  been  regarded  as  the  head  of  the 
Buys  People.     'I'hey  now  number  about  200  souls. 

They  speak  Cape  Dutch  as  well  as  the  local  dialect  of 
Sesuto. 

The  Buys  People  have  never  shown  hostility  towards  white 
people,  either  British  or  Dutch,  and  mindful  of  the  white 
blood  in  their  veins,  have  always  refused  to  submit  to  native 
chiefs. 

In  the  late  war,  however,  they  readily  assisted  the  Boers  with 
labour  and  by  "  commandeering  "  other  natives  for  them. 

The    J  aalpeiis. 

This  name  (signifying  "  Dusty-bellies,"  and  given  them  by  the 
Boers  owing  to  their  colour,  cau.sed,  it  is  said,  by  their  habit 
of  crawling  along  the  ground  when  stalking  game)  is  applied  to 
a  few  families  of  wandering  aboriginal  Bushmen  who  still 
survive  in  the  remotest  parts  of  the  Waterberg  and  Blauwberg 
Districts  along  the  JNIagalakwin  River.  They  probably  do  not 
number  more  than  a  few  hundreds  in  all,  live  entirely  by  hunt- 
ing and  trapping,  and  are  very  little  seen  or  known. 

Present  Condition  of  Tribes. 

Considering  the  large  native  population  of  the  Zoutpansberg,. 
and  the  variety  of  tribes  represented  in  the  1  )ivision,  the  quiet 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   TIIK    TRANSVAAL.  7 1 

manner  in  which  the  people  have  settled  down  since  the  late 
war  is  as  remarkable  as  it  is  satisfactory. 

With  the  exception  of  one  slight  disturbance  between  the 
circumcised  and  the  uncircumcised  portions  of  the  Shiwasa 
section  of  the  Bavenda  tribe  in  1 904,  and  a  few  faction  fights 
in  other  tribes  in  none  of  which  many  casualties  occurred, 
and  which  in  each  case  were  easily  suppressed  by  the  personal 
influence  of  the  officials,  the  tribes  have  given  no  trouble 
whatever  since  the  annexation  of  the  'I'ransvaal. 

During  May  and  June,  1904,  rumours  were  certainly  current 
that  something  approaching  a  general  rising  of  the  natives 
of  these  districts  was  imminent,  but  careful  investigation 
revealed  no  Just  ground  for  these  rumours,  and  it  would  seem 
likel)'  that  the>  were  set  on  foot  by  interested  persons,  for  their 
own  ends. 

More  importance  attaches  to  the  recentl)'  formed  native 
Society,  styled  the  "Native  Vigilance  Association,"  which 
has  some  hundreds  of  adherents,  chiefly  educated  natives, 
including  some  members  of  the  Ethiopian  Church,  and  of  which 
the  headquarters  is  established  at  Pietersburg. 

"  The  ostensible  objects  of  the  Association,"  writes  the 
Native  Commissioner  of  the  Zoutpansberg  in  his  Annual 
Report  for  1904,  "are  to  watch  native  interests  and  to  make 
representations  of  such  and  any  grievances  the  people  may 
have  to  the  Government.  That  such  is  not  the  only  object 
has  been  clearl)  manifested  since  the  Association  came  into 
vogue.  A  newspaper,  styled  Leihlo  h  Bahatsho  ("  The 
Native  Eye  ")  was  started  under  its  auspices,  which  revealed  the 
tone  of  the  Association  at  once.  The  true  object  of  the  body 
would  now  appear  to  be  a  campaign,  headed  by  the  educated 
section  of  the  people,  to  agitate  and  demand,  inter  alia, 
rights  and  privileges,  that  are  at  present  kept  out  of  the 
reach    of  natives,    for   the  reason  that  they   are    not   capable 

of  enjoying  them A  general  agitation  such  as  the 

Native  Vigilance  Association  would  care  to  make,  could  not 
possibly  have  a  good  effect  upon  the  whole  population,  for 
at  least  90  per  cent,  or  more  are  totally  uneducated,  and 
are  not  fit  for  or  capable  of  enjoying  the  whole  privileges  of 
a  citizen.  The  propaganda  of  the  Association  is  disseminated 
by  means  of  their  paper,  circulars,  etc.,  largely  amongst  every 
section  of  the  natives,  all  of  which  can  only  be  read  by  a  small 
proportion,  who  interpret  the  contents  to  others." 

'i'he  progress   •r   civilisation  of  the  natives  in  these  districts 


■^2  THE    NATIVP:   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

as  a  whole  cannot  be  said  to  be  rapid  as  compared  with 
that  of  those  inhabiting  the  Western  Districts,  for  instance. 
The  tribes  here  cleave  to  their  ancient  manners  and  customs, 
witch-craft  flourishes,  and  progress  in  methods  of  cultivation 
is  but  slow.  The  wearing  of  some  sort  of  European  clothing 
is,  however,  becoming  more  general,  and  the  influence  of 
missionaries  more  apparent. 

On  the  whole,  the  Zoutpansberg  tribes  may  be  considered  as 
well  under  control,  and  unlikely  to  give  trouble  under  present 
circumstances. 


I 


CHAPTER     VI. 

THE     TRIBES     OF     THE     EASTERN     DISTRICTS. 

The  total  native  population  of  these  districts  is  approximately 
as  follows  : — 

Lydenburg  (including  Sekukuniland)  ...  49,307 

Sabi        30,599 

Middelburg        ...          ...          ...          ...  14,069 

Pokwani             ...          ...          ...          ...  21,593 

Barberton          ...          ...          ...          ...  21,786 

Total  (according  to  census--,  1904)  137,  354 

This  total  probably  includes  about  30,000  adult  males  of  all 
races,  who  can  be  classed  as  fighting  men. 

In  normal  years  5,000  to  6,000  of  the  men  are  usually  away 
at  work  in  other  districts.  This  number  increases  in  bad 
seasons  and  diminishes  in  good  ones. 

The  tribes  represented  are  :■ — ■ 

I.  Basuto ; 

II.  Swazi ; 

III.  Shangaan  ; 

IV.  Zulu. 

The  Basuto  tribes  are  considerably  more  numerous  than  the 
other  three  tribes  put  together.  The  number  of  Swazis  is 
roughly  equal  to  the  combined  total  of  Zulus  and  Shangaans. 


T/ie  Basuto  Tribes. 

The  principal  Basuto  tribes  found  here  are  :  (a)  Bapedi ;  {U) 
Bakoni ;  (r)  Baphuti.  The  Batau  {d)  must  also  be  placed  here, 
as,  though  they  are  not  really  of  Basuto  extraction,  they  have 
for  so  many  years  been  closely  allied  with  the  Bapedi  that  they 
are  now  quite  identified  with  the  latter- 


74 


THF    NATIVI-:   TRIHES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 


{a)  The  Bapedi. — Foremost  among  the  Basuto  of  these  parts 
is  the  great  Bapedi  tribe,  commonly  known  as  Sekukuni's  and 
l)erhaps  the  best  known  in  the  whole  Transvaal. 

It  has  been  stated  (in  the  description  of  the  tribes  of  the 
western  division)  that  the  Bapedi  chiefs  are  descended  from  the 
Bakhatla — a  Bechuana  tribe.  The  manner  of  their  descent  is 
shown  in  the  followins;  tree  : — 


I 
Modise  (ancestor   of 
Chiefs  of  Bakhatla 
Bamakau,  Pretoria 
district). 


Tabane  (Bakhatla  chief,  see  Western  Division). 

I 
Liale 


Le  Lellatenj 


Moramotshe. 


Mampuru  I. 
(ancestor  of  Ba- 
Khaha    tribe    ir. 
Zoutpansberg. ) 


Kocope. 

(Murdered  by 

Tulare. ) 


Tulare. 


Malakutu.  Matsebe.  Petedi.       Motole.     Makopole.     Sekwati- 

(Poisoned  (Killed  by         (Killed  in  battle  by  Moselikatse. ) 

by  his 

Matsebc. )  brothers.) 


Mampuru  II.         Sekukuni  I. 
( Hanged  by  Boers  ir,  I 

1883.)  I 


Malakutu  II.         Sekukuni  II. 
(Present  chief    (Present  chief. ) 
Pokwani  district.) 


Makeveteng. 
(dead) 


KJiolokweC'Geluk.") 


Kholane. 
(dead) 


William  (a  minor)  (for 
whom  Marichani 
acts  as  regent). 


At  a  date  not  exactl>-  known,  but  which  must  have  been  near 
the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century,   Liale  left  the  main 


THF    NATIVl':    TRIHKS   OF   THE   TKANSVAAI..  75 

Bakhatla  tribe  in  tiie  Pretoria  district,  and,  taking  a  section  of 
the  people  with  him,  moved  eastward  and  settled  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  Middelburg  district,  near  Fort  Weeber. 
It  appears  that  Basuto  tribes  were  already  living  in  that  district, 
but  Liale's  people  quickly  obtained  the  mastery  over  these. 
They  then  took  the  name  of  Hapedi  and  adopted  the  "  Duiker  " 
antelo{)e  {Pkufi)  as  their  totem.  A\'ith  the  majority  of 
the  Bapedi  this  has  now  been  replaced  by  the  porcupine 
{/iiiku). 

Moramotshe,  grandson  of  Liale,  quarrelled  with  his  brother 
Mampuru,  with  the  result  that  the  latter  crossed  with  his 
following  to  the  north  of  the  Olifants  river,  where  his  descen- 
dants, the  "  Nuku  "  Bakhaha  now  dwell.  (See  "  Tribes  of  the 
Zoutpansberg  Division.") 

Kotopc,  the  next  chief  of  the  tribe,  was  soon  murdered'  by 
his  younger  brother  Tulare,  who  then  became  paramount  chief 
over  the  Bapedi  and  the  surrounding  tributary  tribes,  I'his 
chief  successfully  raided  the  Basuto  and  Bechuana  peoples  in 
the  north  and  west  and  before  long  became  very  powerful. 
His  name  is  still  revered  by  the  people  as  the  greatest  warrior 
of  their  tribe.  He  died  in  1824  on  the  day  of  a  solar 
eclipse. 

Tulare's  son  and  successor,  Malakutu,  raised  the  Bapedi  to 
still  greater  eminence,  for  he  not  only  defeated  the  Zulu 
"  Mapokh  "  tribes  in  his  own  neighbourhood,  but  also,  it  is 
said,  raided  the  country  as  far  south  as  the  Vaal  River, 
returning  home  with  large  herds  of  captured  cattle.  He  had 
barely  ruled  for  two  years,  however,  when  he  was  poisoned  by 
his  brother,  Matsebe,  who  in  turn  was  shortlj-  afterwards  killed 
by  his  other  brothers. 

Petedi  then  succeeded,  Mokopole,  another  son  of  Tulare, 
moving  to  Lydenburg,  where  he  made  himself  chief  of  the 
Bakoni  people  inhabiting  that  part.  Moselikatse  then  appeared, 
and  the  brothers  joined  forces  to  oppose  him,  but  the  Bapedi 
were  utterly  defeated  by  the  Zulus  at  Olifantspoort  on  tlie 
Steelpoort  River  ;  all  their  principal  chiefs  were  killed,  their 
kraals  were  burnt  and  the  tribe  completely  broken  up  and 
scattered  m  all  directions.  Sekwati,  a  young  son  of  Tulare, 
fled  with  a  number  of  Bapedi  to  the  Zoutpansberg,  but 
returning  four  years  later  to  his  old  home,  managed  to  reassem- 
ble the  remnants  of  his  tribe,  and  also  attracted  and  absorbed 
the  fragments  of  many  other  tribes — notably  the  Batau — which 
had-  been    dispersed  by  the    Matabele.      By    his    efforts   and 


76  THE    NATIVE    TKIliES   OF   THE    TRANSVAAL. 

diplomacy  the  Bapedi  became  thus  again  the  most  powerful 
tribe  in  the  Eastern  Transvaal,  and  Sekwati  himself  became 
second  in  renown  to  no  native  chief  in  South  Africa  but 
Moshesh,  his  great  contemporary  in  Basutoland. 

The  prosperity  of  the  Bapedi  was  checked  about  1840  by 
the  incursions  of  the  Swazis  under  Chief  Umswazi,  who 
overcame  Sekwati  and  occupied  his  country  for  several  years, 
only  withdrawing  in  1846  after  having  sold  it  to  the  Boers  for 
IOC  head  of  cattle.  The  Boers  then  began  to  settle  in  the 
Lydenburg  district,  and  as  a  natural  consequence  collisions 
occurred  between  them  and  the  Bapedi,  in  which  the  latter 
suffered  severely.  It  was  about  this  time  that  Sekwati  first 
took  up  his  abode  near  Thaba-Mosigo  in  the  Luluberg,  which 
has  since  been  the  headquarters  of  the  tribe.  It  is  related  that 
even  at  that  time  the  Bapedi  were  in  possession  of  a 
considerable  number  of  firearms,  which  had  been  obtained  by 
the  tribesmen  who  had  sought  employment  a:  the  eastern 
seaports. 

Further  fighting  took  place  between  the  Boers  and  the 
Bapedi  in  1S52,  in  which  Sekwati  was  again  worsted,  and  in 
1857  he  was  glad  to  enter  into  a  treaty  with  the  Republic,  by 
which  his  territory  was  defined,  and  he  bound  himself  to  keep 
the  peace.     Sekwati  died  in  1861. 

His  successor  was  Sekukuni  I.,  who  managed  to  drive  away 
JVIampuru,  the  rightful  heir.  He  was  not  long  restrained  by 
his  father's  treaty  with  the  Boers,  but  indulged  in  cattle  raiding 
and  other  excesses  which  led  to  the  war  of  187 5- 1877  with 
the  Republic.  On  the  British  occupation  in  1877  Sekukuni 
professed  friendship  with  the  (iovernment,  and  a  peace  was 
patched  up,  but  the  attitude  of  the  Bapedi  continuing  defiant, 
the  expedition  under  Sir  (iarnet  Wolseley  was  despatched 
against  them  in  1879,  a  large  body  of  Swazis  accompanying  the 
force.  As  is  related  in  Chapter  IX  the  Bapedi  were  then 
completely  subjugated,  and  .Sekukuni  himself  taken  prisoner. 
Mampuru,  who  had  taken  refuge  with  the  .Swazis  in  1861  and 
accompanied  them  in  1879,  hereupon  assumed  the  chiefship  of 
the  Bapedi,  and  on  the  release  of  Sekukuni  from,  prison  refused 
to  relinquish  his  position,  or  to  submit  to  the  rule  of  the  Boers, 
who  had  meanwhile  regained  their  independence.  Mampuru 
eventually  fled  to  the  Mapokh  chief  Nyabel  for  protection,  and 
with  the  latter's  assistance  surprised  and  killed  Sekukuni  in 
18S2.  The  Mapokh  war  ensued,  in  which  Nyabel  and 
"Mampuru    were  captured,  and   the  latter  was  hanged  by   the 


T5IK    NATnr-;    TRIHES   of   the    TRANSVAAL.  7J 

Boers.  Malakutu,  the  present  chief,  son  of  Mampuru,  escaped 
north  of  the  Olifants  River,  but  was  afterwards  allowed  to 
return  to  his  present  location,  where  he  is  still  recognised  as 
chief  of  his  section  of  the  tribe. 

Sekukuni's  son,*  the  present  paramount  chief,  being  yet 
unborn  at  the  time  of  his  father's  death,  the  chiefship  was 
exercised  by  his  uncle  Kholokwe,  to  whom  the  Boer  Govern- 
ment allotted  the  territory  known  as  "  Creluk's  Location." 
Kholokwe  himself  died  in  1893,  and  a  part  of  the  Bapedi  then 
set  up  his  son  Makeveteng  as  chief,  the  young  Sekukuni  being 
still  too  young  to  rule.  This  did  not  please  Turmetsyane, 
widow  of  Sekukuni  I.,  so  she  made  a  petition  to  the  Boer 
Government  on  behalf  of  her  son's  rights,  in  consequence  of 
which  a  compromise  was  arrived  at  and  the  territory  was  divided 
between  Makeveteng  and  young  Sekukuni,  both  of  whom 
were  recognised  as  chiefs — Turmetsyane  still  acting  for  the 
latter. 

In  1900  Sekukuni,  who  was  now  of  age,  seized  the  oppor- 
tunity afforded  by  the  relaxation  of  the  Boer  rule  to  make  an 
effort  to  obtain  the  sole  chiefship  of  the  Bapedi.  He 
accordingly  fell  upon  Makeveteng  and  his  adherents,  and  drove 
them  out  of  the  territory.  They  took  refuge  with  Mampuru's 
son  Malakutu,  who,  when  Sekukuni's  people  pursued  them 
lured  them  into  an  ambush  and  killed  100  of  them,  whereupon 
the  remainder  retreated. 

About  this  time  also,  Sekukuni  persuaded  Sekororo's  and 
other  kindred  tribes  in  the  Haenertsburg  district  of  the 
Zoutpansberg  to  attack  Maake  and  Mohlaba,  two  chiefs  in  the 
same  district,  who  had  given  asylum  to  Mafefe,  whose  life  was 
sought  by  Sekukuni,  but  the  Bapedi  were  repulsed  with  some 
loss. 

On  the  annexation  of  the  Transvaal,  the  British  Government 
confirmed  the  division  of  the  Bapedi  territory  between 
Sekukuni  and  Makeveteng,  and  the  latter  therefore  returned 
to  his  country,  where  he  died  in  1904,  being  succeeded  by 
Kholane,  his  younger  brother.  Kholane  has  also  since  died, 
leaving  a  son  "William" — a  minor — on  behalf  of  whom 
Marichane  rules. 

There  are  thus  still  two  distinct  factions  in  the  main  Bapedi 
tribe,  headed  by  Sekukuni  and  Marichane  respectively,  and  no 

^'  The  present  Sekukuni  was  born  some  time  after  his  father's  death,  and 
there  are  doubts  as  to  his  p.irentage. 


7S  TII?:    NATIVE   TK1I5ES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

love  is  lost  between  them.  It  is  impo.ssible  to  accurately 
estimate  the  relative  strengths  of  the  two  parties,  but 
Sekukuni's  is  understood  to  be  slighdy  the  stronger.  As  far  as 
can  be  gathered,  Malakutu  and  his  following  are  on  the  side  of 
Marichane,  which  is  but  natural  considering  the  events  of  the 
last  few  years  which  have  just  been  recounted. 

Sekukuni  is  now  (1905)  about  twenty-four  years  of  age  :  he 
is  fat,  indolent,  dissolute  and  unreliable,  and  of  very  weak 
character.  His  mother,  Turmetsyane,  still  exercises  the  real 
authority  over  the  tribe.  Paswane  is  their  chief  adviser,  and  a 
very  shrewd  man. 

William,  the  young  chief  of  the  other  section,  is  said  to  be 
a  very  promising  and  intelligent  youth,  and  it  is  possible  that 
when  he  attains  his  majority,  the  question  of  making  him 
paramount  chief  in  place  of  Sekukuni  may  be  considered. 

As  far  as  can  be  gathered  from  the  present  somewhat 
imperfect  classification  of  the  tribes  of  these  districts,  the 
Bapedi  tribe  proper  numbers  about  29,000  souls  (exclusive  of 
the  Zoutpansberg  section).  The  majority  of  them  live  in  the 
Sekukuniland  and  Pokwani  districts,  the  remainder  being  located 
in  the  north  of  the  Middelberg  district. 

Sekukuni,  Marichani,  and  Malakutu  are  the  principal  Bapedi 
chiefs,  and  each  of  these  has  a  number  of  lesser  chiefs  under 
him.  Taking  the  figures  obtained  at  the  census  of  1904,  their 
total  followers  are  respectively  :— 

Sekukuni  about  ...  5,5co 

Marichani  ...  ...  ,,  ...  8,500 

Malakutu  ...  ...  ,,  ...  8,500 

Other  Bapedi,  not  im-" 


mediately  under  the  ^  „  ...         6,coo 

above  chiefs. 


Total       ...       28,500 

Of  these  the  Bapedi  proper,  probably  less  than  one-half  are 
on  the  side  of  Sekukuni  as  opposed  to  the  Marichani 
faction. 

Sekukuni,  however,  numbers  among  his  adherents  a  con- 
siderable proportion  of  the  Bakoni,  Baphuti,  and  Batau  tribes 
which  will  now  be  mentioned. 

{/>)  The  Bakoni. — As  explained  in  the  description  of  the  tribes 
of  the  Zoutpansberg,  the  Bakoni  found  here  are  of  the  same 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE    TRANSVAAL.  79 

stock  as  those  now  living  in  tlie  Pietersburg,  Blauwberg  and 
Haenertsburg  districts  of  that  division.  They  appear  to  have 
been  established  in  the  Lydenburg  district  before  the  arrival  of 
the  Bapedi,  but  to  have  submitted  to  and  become  absorbed  in 
the  latter  readily  enough,  for  it  is  related  that  they  made 
■common  cause  with  them  against  Moselikatse. 

In  later  times,  the  majority  of  the  Bakoni  seem  to  have 
espoused  the  cause  of  Sekukuni's  faction,  and  it  is  probable 
that  they  would  still  support  that  chief  should  occasion 
arise. 

Of  the  Bakoni  chiefs  given  in  the  ensuing  tables,  none  are 
of  any  importance  personally,  and  the  large  numbers  of  the 
tribe  shown  as  without  chiefs,  are  in  effect  to  be  included  in 
the  following  of  Sekukuni. 

The  total  number  of  these  eastern  Bakt^ni  is  about  13,500, 
all  of  whom  live  in  the  Sekukuniland  district. 

(c)  The  Baphuti. — In  the  Sekukuniland  district  are  living 
nearly  5,000  people  belonging  to  a  tribe  called  Bahputi  or 
Baphuti.  No  details  of  their  history  are  available  from  which 
any  direct  connection  can  be  established  between  them  and  the 
Baphuti  of  Basutoland  (who  are  said  to  be  of  Zulu  extraction). 
It  can  therefore  be  presumed  that  they  are  "  Ba-phuti,"/>.,  ''  The 
people  of  the  Duiker,"  which  points  to  the  fact  that  they 
represent  the  section  of  the  original  Bapedi  who  retained  that 
animal  as  their  tribal  emblem  when  the  remainder  adopted  the 
porcupine.  For  this  reason  it  would  probably  be  more  accurate 
to  classify  them  with  the  Bapedi  proper. 

There  is  only  one  considerable  Baphuti  chief,  Nkwane  by 
name,  who  has  about  2,000  followers  of  his  own,  the  remainder 
of  the  tribe  being  ruled  by  unimportant  headmen. 

It  is  considered  that  the  majority  of  these  people  favour  the 
Marichani  faction  of  the  Bapedi. 

{d)  The  B a- Tail. — This  tribe,  which  is  known  as  the  "lion- 
tribe"  from  its  totem  "Tau"  =  "  the  lion,"  comprises  neariy 
13,000  people  in  the  Sekukuniland  and  Pokwani  districts.  It 
has  no  connection  with  the  Ba-matau  tribe  (which  is  a  section 
of  the  Bakwena)  in  the  western  division,  but  its  chiefs  trace 
their  descent  back  to  a  section  of  the  Swazis  of  Swaziland, 
whence  their  forefathers  seem  to  have  migrated  10  their  present 
abodes  at  a  very  early  date.  Soon  after  their  arrival  in  these 
parts  they  subjugated  certain  Basuto  tribes  whom  they 
found  living  there,  but  themselves  became  tributary  to  the 
Bapedi,  shortly  after  the  appearance  of  the  latter.     They  early 


80  THE    NATIVK    TRIBES   OF   THE    TRANSVAAL. 

adopted  the  language  and  customs  of  the  Bapedi,  and  have  since 
become  so  completely  identified  with  these  people,  that  it  is 
natural  to  place  them  here,  and  not  with  tht  Swazi  tribes  with 
whom  they  no  longer  have  any  connection. 

When  Sekukuni  I.  became  chief  of  the  Bapedi,  the  Ba-tau^ 
then  under  Makhali,  attempted  to  throw  off  his  rule,  but  were 
unsuccessful.  Makhali  died  in  1874,  and  was  succeeded  by 
his  son  Tseke,  the  present  chief,  who  seems  to  have  still 
cherished  a  grudge  against  Sekukuni,  for  when  that  chief  was 
murdered  by  Mampuru  in  1882,  he  refused  to  join  in  the 
attack  on  Nyabel,  who  was  sheltering  the  latter,  though  sum- 
moned by  the  Boer  Government  to  assist  with  his  tribe.  For 
this  he  was  fined  ^100  by  the  Boers. 

It  follows  therefore  that  Tseke  (who  is  sometimes  known  by 
the  name  of  his  father,  Makhali)  is  now  a  partisan  of 
Marichani's. 

He  has  about  5,500  people,  living  in  the  Pokwani  district. 

Paswane,  the  Patau  chief  next  in  importance,  is  on  the 
contrary  a  strong  supporter  of  Sekukuni's,  and  acts  as  his 
chief  councillor. 

He  and  his  people,  who  number  some  1,800,  live  in  the 
Sekukuniland  district.      In  this  district  are  also  : — 

Makhomane  with  over      ...  ...  1,500  people. 

Komane  „  ...  ...  1,300        ,, 

Ntwane  „  ...  ...1,100        ,, 

and  three  or  four  petty  chiefs  whose  joint  followings  total 
about  2,000  people.  Most  of  these  would  also  probably  take 
vSekukuni's  part. 

In  addition  to  the  tribes  just  enumerated,  there  are  also  some 
representatives  of  the  Bakwena,  of  the  Maleo  or  Maloyi  (a 
Basutoland  tribe),  of  the  Li-Kulube  section  of  the  Bakwebo  (see 
Zoutpansberg)  and  possibly  of  many  other  tribes,  now  merged 
in  the  Bapedi,  whose  identity  has  been  lost.  There  are  now 
moreover  large  numbers  of  people,  notably  in  the  Sabi  district, 
whose  tribes  have  not  yet  been  determined,  and  who  are  therefore 
classed  simply  as  Basuto.  These  are  partly  descended  from 
tribes  who  settled  in  these  districts  at  the  time  of  the  original 
Bantu  invasion  from  the  north,  and  partly  from  survivors  of  the 
Zulu  and  Swazi  massacres  of  the  early  nineteenth  century  in 
the  Northern  Orange  River  Colony  and  southern  and  south- 
eastern Transvaal,  who  sought  safety  in  the  wild  mountains  and 
forests  south  if  the  Olifants  river. 


1 


I 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.  8 1 

There  are  several  chiefs  of  these  unclassified  Easuto  in  the 
Sabi  district,  with  considerable  followings,  the  principal  oi 
whom  are  : — ■ 

Kobeni,  who  has  over  5,000  people  ;  Tabakulu, .  Mrehi. 
Maklufi,  and  Motele,  each  of  whom  has  over  2,000 ;  Sitlari. 
who  has  about  1,800  ;  and  three  others  who  have  some  4,occ 
l)eople  between  them. 

The  following  table  shows  the  principal  Bapedi  and  other 
liasuto  chiefs,  with  the  strength  of  their  respective  followings 
according  to  the  census  of  1904  : — 


(7260) 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OK   THE   TRANSVAAL. 


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THE    NATIVK   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 


83 


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84 


II li:    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL, 


o 
o 

s 

'o 
o 

CJ 

Locality  of  Chief  Kraals. 

Ilermansburg  1035. 
P^landsfontein  167. 

do. 
Waterhoutboom  523. 
Vooruitzicht  363. 
Welgevonden  364. 
Buffelsfontein  1218. 
Salique  594. 

-In  Town  Location. 

Dislricl. 

Sabi            

do.             

do 

do 

do 

do 

do.             

d.. 

Sekukuniland 
Middelburg 
Barberton 

Numbers. 

Fighting 
Men, 

OOOOOOOQ 
000lo»^"^00 

0       000 

8 

0 

Chief, 

Kobeni 

Mapuku      

Diamond 

Zwaartbooi 
Tabakulu   ... 

Maklufi      

Sitlari         

Mlitele        

Various  petty  chiefs 

No  chiefs 

No  chiefs      

Grand  Total 

'J 

1 

Other  Basuto  Tribes  - 

THE    NATIVE   TRIIJES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.  85 


Swazi  Tribes. 

I'he  bulk  of  the  Swazis  found  in  this  part  Uve  in  the  district 
of  Barberton,  where  they  settled  about  the  year  1865,  having 
lied  from  Swaziland  to  escape  the  wholesale  "  killing-off "  which 
took  place  on  the  death  of  the  great  Swazi  chief  Umswaziv 
■'I'hey  found  the  district  practically  uninhabited,  as  a  Basuto 
tribe  which  had  formerly  dwelt  there,  had  been  exterminated 
-some  years  before  by  the  Swazis  under  Sapusa. 

The  Barberton  Swazis  are  ruled  by  two  chieftainesses,  both 
widows  of  Umswazi,  named  Nomqcisa  or  Nompete,  and 
Nyanda  (known  as  Mac- Mac)  respectively.  The  former  lives 
near  Nelspruit,  and  the  latter  near  Kaapmuiden. 

The  total  number  of  Swazis  in  this  district  is  nearly  20,000, 
and  they  have  a  number  of  petty  chiefs  j  all  of  these  are,  how- 
ever, subject  to  one  or  other  of  the  above  royal  widows. 

In  the  Sabi  district  are  nearly  6,000  Swazis  under  the  three 
chiefs,  Ngulube,  Sitorom,  and  Msikiza,  and  in  Sekukuniland 
over  2,000  under  Shopiane,  Malikalik  and  Nkobe.  These  and 
the  few  in  Middelburg  district  are  probably  descended  from 
some  of  the  followers  of  Umswazi  who  remained  there  when 
the  latter  withdrew  his  victorious  forces  in  1846. 

These  Swazis,  though,  like  their  confreres  in  Swaziland,  they 
have  somewhat  deteriorated  since  the  days  of  Umswazi,  still 
show  signs  of  having  once  been  a  conquering  race.  They  have 
a  great  contempt  for  the  Basuto,  whom  they  refer  to  as  "dogs," 
and  are  decidedly  superior  to  the  latter  in  physique  and  per- 
sonal courage,  though  not  their  equals  in  cunning.  They 
have  never  taken  part  in  any  war  against  Europeans,  but  have 
on  the  contrary  more  than  once  proved  themselves  valuable 
allies  to  both  Boers  and  British  against  other  tribes. 

The  following  is  the  distribution  of  the  Swazis  in  t  e 
•t.astcrn  districts  : — 


86 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TR.\NSVAAL; 


Num 

jers. 

Plac 

e  of  Residence. 

Chief. 

1 

Fighting 
men. 

Total. 

District. 

Locality  of  Chief  Kraal. 

Nomqciza       or 

Nompete 
(Chieftainess). 
Under 

1,000 

4,473 

Barberton  ... 

Msoli       River       (near 
Nelspruit). 

Nomqciza : 
Roleka     ...^ 
Muisi 

Dantyo    . . . 
Duma 
M hobo bo 

1,200 

S.ooo 

f 
do.        J, 

Ingwenya  Mountains. 

Steynsdorp. 

Hilltop-Nelspi-uit. 

Nelspruit. 

Neikazi  River. 

Mhwayi  ... 
Silikana  ... 

do. 
Crocodile  Poort. 

and  several 

— 

lesser  chiefs  J 

I 

— 

Nyanda 
(Chieftainess). 
Under  Nyanda 
Matamu   . . .  ^ 

450 

1,889 

do.        .. 

r 

Three      Sisters      (near 
Kaapmuiden). 

Schoemansdal. 

Mbudula ... 

Nomahasha. 

Maqekeza 
Huya       ...  i 
Mjajana  ...  f 
Hlupeka  . . . 
and  several 

(abt.)\ 
2,000  J 

8,500 

do.        \ 

1 

Komatipoort. 

do. 
Hector  Spruit, 
Louws  Creek. 

lesser  chiefs  j 

I 

— 

Ngulube 

Sitorom 

Msikiza 

Shopiane 

Malikalik 

450 

350 

400 

300 

50 

1,997 
1,778 
1,938 
1,277 

330 

Sabi 
do. 
do. 

Sekukunilanc 
do. 

Lunsklip  (374). 
Klipkopje  (812). 
Spitzkop  (39). 
Het  Fort  (763). 
Twickenham  (701). 

Nkobe 

Mashele 

ISO 
100 

6,100 

636 
510 

do. 
Middelburg.. 

Hoepakrantz  (5). 
Wonderfontein. 

I 


I 


Zu/u  Tribes  {Amandebele  or  Matabele). 

The  only  considerable  Zulu  tribe  in  the  Eastern  districts  is 
that  usually  known  as  Mapokh's.  These  people  are  the  elder 
branch  of  the  Nzunza  section  of  the  Matabele,  of  which  a  small 
portion  resides  in  the  Pretoria  district  under  the  chief  Fene 


THE    NATIVE    TRIBES   OE   THE   TRANSVAAL.  87. 

Mahlangu.  As  has  been  related  in  the  description  of  the  tribes 
of  the  Central  division,  the  Matabele  came  to  the  Transvaal  in 
the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century  (probably  as  fugitives 
from  the  territory  of  the  Zulu  chief  Chaka)  under  the  leadership 
of  a  chief  named  Musi,  on  whose  death,  Nzunza,  one  of  his 
sons,  moved  eastward  with  a  following,  in  consequence  of  quarrels 
with  his  brothers,  and  settled  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Roos 
Senekal,  where  the  Mapokh  people  still  dwell.  Their  present 
chief  Jafta  is  the  lineal  descendant  of  Nzunza. 

Under  Nzunza's  successor,  known  to  the  Boers  as  Mapokh 
(his  native  name  was  Mabokho),  the  tribe  became  a  terror  to 
the  neighbourhood  owing  to  the  marauding  propensities  of  its 
members.  In  1863  the  Boer  Government  dispatched  a  fruitless 
expedition  against  Mapokh,  but  in  the  following  year  the  Swazis 
inflicted  a  severe  defeat  on  him.  It  was  not  till  1882-3,  how- 
ever, that  the  tribe  was  eff'ectually  subdued,  after  a  nine  months' 
campaign  by  the  commandos  of  the  Republic.  The  people 
were  then  distributed  over  the  Transvaal  as  "  indentured 
servants  "  among  the  Boers,  and  have  not  since  then  been  of 
much  account. 

The  Mapokh  people  are  still  a  stalwart  race,  and  are  superior 
in  physique  and  courage  to  their  Basuto  neighbours,  though  not 
their  equals  in  intelligence. 

Their  present  chief  is  named  Jafta,  whose  people,  including 
those  of  a  petty  chief  under  him,  named  Gamela  Kwakwari, 
number  over  10,000.  These  all  live  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
Middelburg  district. 

About  1,800  Zulus  also  live  in  Sekukuniland,  and  some  700 
in  Barberton  district.  These  have  no  chiefs  of  importance,  and 
those  in  Barberton  are  so  much  intermarried  with  the  Swazis 
that  they  may  to  all  intents  and  purposes  be  considered  one  with 
the  latter. 

The  detailed  distribution  of  the  Zulus  of  the  Eastern  districts 
is  as  follows  : — 


S8  THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   (JE   THE   TRANSVAAI, 


Numbers. 

Place  of  Reiiidence. 

Chief. 

Fighting 
men. 

Total. 

District. 

Locality  of  Chief  Kraal. 

Jafta  (Mapokh) 
Gamela  Kwak- 

2,000 
250 

9,049 
1,006 

Midflelburg      Kaffirskraal  (62). 

do.       !           — 

wari. 
Maime 
Xi)  chiefs 
do. 

So 
300 
150 

397 
1,490 

757 

1 

Sekukuniland   Indie  (688). 

do.            Scattered. 
Barbcrton    . . .         do. 

Total  (abt.)... 

2,800 

The  general  history  of  the  Shangaan  nation  is  given  in  the 
description  of  the  Zoutpansberg  natives.  The  Shangaans  found 
in  the  Eastern  districts,  however,  arc  mostly  recent  immigrants 
from  Portuguese  territory,  having  fled  into  the  7>ansvaal  aftei' 
the  defeat  and  capture  of  their  chief  Gungunyana  by  the  Portu- 
guese in  1896.  Gungunyana  was  the  son  of  Mzila  who  suc- 
ceeded Manukusa,  the  original  leader  of  the  Shangaans  in  their 
northward  march  from  Zululand. 

The  bulk  of  the  Shangaans  here  are  in  the  Sabi  district ;  they 
have  several  chiefs,  mentioned  below,  of  whom  the  most  in 
fluential  seems  to  be  Mpisane,  who  is  related  to  Gungunyana. 
There  are  no  chiefs  of  importance  in  the  other  Eastern  districts. 

The  people  called  Hlangaans  or  Amahlangana  are  a  mixed 
race,  being  the  offspring  of  Shangaans,  Zulus  or  Swazis,  who 
settled  among  and  took  wives  of  the  local  Basuto  tribes..  The\ 
liave  no  distinctive  features  and  are  of  no  particular  importance 
as  they  are  identified  with  the  tribes,  Basuto  or  Shangaan,  with 
which  they  live. 

Their  name  is  derived  from  the  Zulu  "  HIangana '"  =  to  mix. 

The  total  number  of  Shangaans  and  Hlangaans  in  these 
districts  i>  nearly  11,000,  made  up  as  follows  : — 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBLS   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 


89 


Numbers. 

Place  of  Residence. 

Chltf. 

Fighting 
men. 

Total. 

Uislric;. 

Locality  of  Chief  Kraal. 

Shangaans : 

M  pisane 

300 

1,387 

Sabi 

New  Forest  (267). 

Magvvagwaza 

550 

2,500 

do. 

Rooiboklaagte  (668). 

Mambatini  ... 

300 

1,410 

do. 

Sandford  (46). 

Matebela     ... 

300 

1,406 

do. 

Boschhoek  (47). 

Illupeka 

50 

220 

Barberton  ... 

Louw's  Creek. 

No  chiefs     . . . 

50 

289 

Sabi 

Scattered. 

1  llangaans  : 

Matches 

200 

914 

do. 

Lothian  (358). 

Njonjella 

KG 

571 

do. 

Cunning  moor  (271). 

No  chiefs     ... 

SCO 
2,400 

2,187 

Sekukimiland 

Scattered. 

Present  Condition   01-  Tru'.es. 

The  leading  factor  in  native  politfts  in  these  districts  is  of 
t-.ourse  the  Bapedi  tribe,  which  is  probably  more  likely  to  give 
trouble  than  any  other  in  the  Transvaal.  The  chief  Sekukuni 
considers  that  he  has  a  grievance  in  that  he  i.s  no  longer  sole 
<-hief  of  the  Bapedi,  and  is  constantly  agitating  and  intriguing 
against  Marichani,  who  is  recognized  by  the  Government  as  a 
[)ractically  independent  chief.  He  is  not  personally  a  strong 
<  character,  but  his  mother  and  his  councillors  continually  urge 
liim  on  to  assert  his  dignity,  and  his  descent  from  Sekwati  and 
Tulare  carries  much  weight  with  a  large  section  of  the  tribe,  so 
that  unless  he  alienates  their  sympathies  by  injudicious  be- 
haviour, his  faction  is  likely  to  increase,  or  anyhow  not  to 
become  less.  Now  that  the  natives  have  been  deprived  of  most 
of  their  firearms,  however,  it  is  not  easy  to  see  how  this  or  any 
other  tribe  could  rise  in  active  rebellion  against  the  Government, 
and  should  these  people  at  any  time  show  hostility  in  their 
traditional  manner,  namely,  by  stealing  cattle  on  a  large  scale 
and  attacking  unprotected  farmsteads,  it  should  be  a  fairly  easy 
matter  to  bring  them  to  book. 

The  Luluberg  range,  in  which  are  numerous  natural  strong- 
liolds  wherein  the  Bapedi  would  take  refuge,  is,  with  the 
improved  communications  now  existing,  much   more  easy  of 


90         THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OE   THE    TRANSVAAL. 

access  than  formerly,  and  we  should  almost  certainly  have  the 
active  support  of  a  large  number  of  Swazis  and  Zulus  from  the 
south,  as  well  as  of  certain  of  the  Basuto  and  Shangaan  tribes 
from  the  north.  The  Bapedi,  moreover,  have  never  been  re- 
nowned for  personal  courage,  so  that  any  trouble  that  they  might 
be  disposed  to  give,  could  probably  be  put  down  with  b'lt  a 
slight  show  of  military  force. 

Marichani,  who  is  the  present  head  of  the  other  section  of 
the  Bapedi,  is  reported  to  be  extremely  well-disposed  towards 
the  Government,  and  his  people  most  unlikely  to  give  trouble. 

Of  the  other  races  found  in  these  districts,  Mapokh's  people 
are  not  numerous  enough  at  the  present  day  to  be  seriously 
considered,  and  neither  Shangaans  nor  Swazis  have  ever  fought 
against  Europeans  in  the  Transvaal.  Should  the  Swaziland 
natives  ever  rise,  however,  it  may  be  anticipated  that  their 
kindred  in  the  Barberton  and  adjacent  districts  would  join  them. 

The  material  condition  of  the  natives  of  these  parts  is  far  from 
prosperous,  a  succession  of  lean  years,  cattle  plagues  and  sickness 
having  left  their  stamp  upon  them.  Much  of  the  country  they 
inhabit  is  unhealthy  at  all  times,  fever  is  very  prevalent,  and 
venereal  disease  rampant  and  on  the  increase.  Their  moral 
condition  is  described  as*  deplorable.  It  is  therefore  not  sur- 
prising to  learn  from  the  latest  ofificial  reports  that  their  progress  ■ 
in  civilization  is  very  slow. 

There  are  several  Lutheran  missions  amongst  these  tribes, 
but  they  have  comparatively  few  converts  and  but  little  influence, 
and.it  maybe  said  that  the  general  condition  of  these  tribes 
contrasts  unfavourably  with  that  of  most  of  the  other  native 
inhabitants  of  the  Transvaal. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE   TRIBES    OF   THE   SOUTH-EASTERN 
DISTRICTS. 

These  districts  no  longer  form  a  separate  administrative 
division  under  the  Native  Affairs  Department ;  it  has  not,  there- 
fore, been  possible  to  obtain  any  detailed  information  as  to  the 
respective  numbers  of  the  tribes,  Zulu,  Swazi  and  Basuto,  which 
are  here  represented. 

Of  the  total  numbers  of  natives,  however,  only  a  ver)'  small 
proportion  are  of  Basuto  extraction,  the  remainder  being  Zulus 
and  -Swazis  in  about  equal  proportions. 

Tribal  organization  is  not  regularly  maintained  in  these 
districts ;  there  are  no  chiefs  of  special  note,  and  the  natives  do 
not  live  in  special  locations,  but  all  reside  on  farms  or  in  the 
towns  in  which  they  are  employed. 

The  total  population  by  districts  is  as  follows  : — 


Wakkerstroom 
Piet  Retief 
Ermelo  ... 
Carolina 
Standerton 


19.465 
28,442 
14,172 
9=143 
15.550 

86,772 


Distribution  by  Districts. 

Wakkerstroom. — Zulus  and  Swazis  seem  to  be  in  about  equal 
numbers  here.  The  district  appears  to  have  been  originally 
part  of  the  Swazi  dominions,  and  about  the  middle  of  the 
eighteenth  century  was  inhabited  by  a  Swazi  tribe  called  "  Nkosi 
Tshabalala,"  whose  chief  was  named  Mate.  The  grandson  of 
the  latter  chief,  named  Simahla,  was  driven  out  of  the  district 
by  Umswazi,  the  Swazi  king,  probably  about  1830-40,  but  the 
people  of  the  tribe  remained  and  have  since  been  living  under 


*)2  THE    NATIVK   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

the  present  chief  Mahloi\iendhleni,  a  younger  brother  of  Simahla. 
He  is  now  about  70  years  of  age. 

The  Zulus  in  this  district  are  under  Dhlangayana  and  various 
petty  chiefs. 

J^ie^  Retief. — -This  district  was  ceded  to  the  South  African 
Republic  by  the  Swazis  in  1868  in  exchange  for  a  number  of 
cattle.  At  that  time  it  was  peopled  almost  entirely  by  Swazis, 
"but  a  few  years  later  some  Zulus  immigrated  who  have  also 
settled  there. 

Sitambe  is  the  only  chief  of  any  account  in  the  district. 

Ermelo. — In  the  valley  of  the  Vaal  river  and  along  the  Kaffir 
Spruit  in  this  district  live  the  remnants  of  a  Basuto  tribe,  which 
is  said  to  have  been  a  large  and  powerful  one  till  it  was  broken 
up  by  the  Swazis,  who,  in  1820,  assisted  one  section  of  the  tribe 
to  drive  out  the  other.  The  chief  of  the  victorious  section  at 
that  time  was  named  Gama,  and  the  present  tribe  is  composed 
of  the  descendants  of  his  following. 

With  the  exception  of  these  Basuto,  the  natives  found  in  the 
i'^rmelo  district  are  Zulus  and  Swazis,  chiefly  the  latter,  under 
Sobusa  and  various  petty  chiefs. 

Carolina. — This  district  is  jjeopled  almost  entirely  by  Swazis. 
The  Komati  Valley  has  for  a  very  long  time  been  looked  upon 
by  the  Swazis  as  part  of  their  territory,  as  they  claim  to  have 
driven  from  it  the  former  inhabitants,  who  are  said  to  have  been 
Dasuto. 

In  the  Western  part  of  the  district  are  members  of  vaiious 
tribes  who  have  come  in  at  various  times  and  settled  on  farms. 

The  only  chief  worth  mentioning  is  the  Swazi  chief  Noma- 
gahlela. 

Sta?ide7-t07i . — Zulus  and  Swazis  seem  to  predominate  in  this 
district,  but  there  are  also  a  number  of  Basutos  found  there, 
members  of  various  northern  tribes  who  must  be  the  des- 
cendants of  "indentured  servants"  captured  by  the  Boers  in 
<lifferent  native  wars  and  distributed  over  the  country. 

The  natives  here  are  not  under  any  chiefs  at  all. 

The  distribution  of  races  is  therefore  thus  :-- 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBE.S   OK   THE   TRANSVAAL 


District.                         Tribes.                           Chiefs. 

Population. 

Wakkerstroom      Zulu  and  Swazi     ... 

Piet  Relief      . . .  |             do. 

Ennclo            ...'  Zulu,  Svvazi,  and  Basuto... 

Carolina           ...i  Zulu  and  Swazi 

Standerton      ...j  Zulu,  Swazi,  and  Various 

Mahlomendhleni 
Dhlangayaiia  ... 
Sitamhc 
.Sobusii ... 
Nomagahlela  ... 
Nil        

j     19.465 

28,442 

14,172 

9.143 

15.550 

86,772 

From   this   total,    15,000    to     20,000    figlitiuL:;    men    could 
probably  be  raised. 

The  natives  of  these  districts  are  to  he  considered  rather 
in  conjunction  with  those  of  Swaziland  and  Zululand,  respec 
tively  than  with  any  of  the  other  Transvaal  tribes,  for  though 
they  profess  a  sort  of  allegiance  to  the  local  chiefs  above 
mentioned,  the  Zulus  really  look  to  the  paramount  chief  of 
Zululand,  Dinizulu,  as  their  real  head,  while  the  Swazis  consider 
themselves  to  be  subjects  of  the  Swazi  Queen.  It  is  tnerefort; 
likely  that  they  would  join  in  any  widespread  disturbance  or 
political  movement  that  might  arise  in  Swaziland  or  Zululand. 
as  the  case  might  be,  but  on  the  other  hand  it  is  improbable 
that  they  would  be  affected  by  any  native  movement  origina- 
ting in  the  Northern  or  Western  Transvaal,  as  they  have  no 
connection  with  the  tribes  inhabiting  those  jiarls. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

ADMINISTRATION. 

(A)  ■  Organisation  of  the  Native  Affairs  Department. 

The  natives  of  the  Transvaal  are  administered  by  the  Native 
Affairs  Department,  which  has  its  headquarters  at  Johannesburg. 
The  administrative  head  of  the  Department  is  the  Commissioner 
for  Native  Affairs  (now  Sir  Godfrey  Lagden,  K.C.M.G.),  who 
has  a  seat  on  the  Legislative  Council  of  the  Transvaal.  The 
permanent  head  of  the  Department  is  the  Secretary  for  Native 
Affairs  (Mr.  W.  Windham),  who  is  assisted  by  a  permanent  staff 
at  headquarters. 

The  Department  was  formed  soon  after  the  annexation  of  the 
Transvaal  in  1900,  and  the  present  Commissioner  for  Native 
Affairs  took  up  his  appointment  in  August,  1901,  but  owing  to  the 
state  of  war  then  prevailing,  he  was  not  able  to  exercise  complete 
supervision  of  the  natives  before  the  declaration  of  peace.  Until 
that  time,  therefore,  native  questions  were  generally  dealt  with 
by  the  military  authorities,  by  ^yhom  certain  officers  were  also 
appointed  as  temporary  Native  Commissioners. 

In  1902  the  Transvaal  was,  for  purposes  of  Native  Adminis- 
tration, divided  into  five  "  Divisions,"  viz.,  Eastern,  Northei-u, 
North-  Western,  Western  and  Central.  Each  division  had  a 
Native  Commissioner,  under  whom  were  Sub-Native  Commis- 
sioners— one  for  each  of  the  "  Sub-Districts  "  into  which  the 
division  was  divided.  This  arrangement  continued  till  the 
ist  July,  1904,  when  the  staff  of  the  Native  Affairs  Department 
was  considerably  reduced  in  most  parts  of  the  countr)- ;  the  East- 
ern and  North-Western  Divisions  were  abolished  as  administra- 
tive units,  and  those  officials  of  the  Department  left  there  brought 
under  the  Resident  Magistrates  of  Civil  Districts,  who  now 
combine  the  functions  of  Native  Commissioner  with  their  own. 
The  department,  however,  of  course,  still  deals  with  all 
questions  of  policy,  as  regards  Natives,  all  over  the  Colony. 

The  District  organisation  of  the  Native  Affairs  Department 
i.s  at  present  as  follows  : — 


•THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE    TRANSVAAL.  95 

Northern  or  Zoutpansberg  Division  : — Head — Native  Com- 
missioner at'  Pietersburg,  under  whom  are  the  Districts  of 
Pietersburg,  Spelonken,  Haenertsburg,  Shivasa,  and  Blauwberg, 
each  having  a  Sub-Native  Commissioner  in  charge, 

Western  Division  : — Head — Native  Commissioner  at 
Rustenburg,  under  whom  are  the  districts  of  Rustenburg, 
Pilansberg  and  Marico,  each  having  a  Sub-Native  Commissioner 
ill  charge.  The  districts  of  Potchefstroom,  Lichtenburg  and 
W^ohnaransstad  have  no  officials  of  the  Department,  but  their 
native  inhabitants  are,  for  purposes  of  statistics  and  general 
administration,  grouped  with  those  of  this  Division. 

Central  Divisiofi : — Head — Native  Commissioner  at  Pretoria 
under  whom  are  the  Districts  of  Pretoria  and  Hamanskraal, 
each  having  a  Sub-Native  Commissioner  in  charge.  For 
))urposes  of  statistics,  etc.,  the  districts  of  Witwatersrand  and 
Heidelberg  are  included  in  this  division. 

The  North -Western  and  Eastern  Divisions  have  been 
abolished  as  administrative  units,  and  no  longer  have  Native 
Commissioners  in  charge,  but  for  statistical  purposes  are 
arranged  in  the  following  groups  of  Districts  : — 

ATorth-  Western  :  Districts  of  Piet  Potgietersrust,  Warmbaths, 
and  Nylstroom. 

Eastern:  Districts  of  Sekukuniland,  Sabi,  Pokwani,  Middel- 
hurg  and  Barberton. 

Soiith-Eastern :  Districts  of  Ermelo  (including  Carolina), 
Wakkerstroom,  Pietretief,  and  Standerton  (including  Bethal). 

With  the  exception  of  Ermelo  and  Standerton,  in  which  no 
officials  of  the  Native  Affairs  Department  are  stationed,  each 
')f  the  above  Districts  has  a  Sub-Native  Commissioner,  who  is 
responsible  to  the  Resident  Magistrate  of  the  District. 

Duties  of  Officials  of  the  Native  Affairs  Department. 

The  functions  of  the  officials  of  the  Native  Affairs  Depart- 
ment are  chiefly  administrative  and  political,  but  Native 
<  'ommissioners  and  Sub-Native  Commissioners  also  exercise 
a  limited  jurisdiction  under  powers  conferred  on  them,  as  ex- 
officio  Justices  of  the  Peace,  outside  of  a  radius  of  20  miles 
from  any  Magistrates'  court  in  their  District. 

General  Duties. — Native  Commissioners  are  directly  res- 
ponsible to  the  Commissioner  for  Native  Affairs,  and  act 
as  his  representatives  in  their  respective  Divisions.  They 
are  responsible  for  the  observance  of   all  laws  and  regulations 


96  THE    NATIVK   TkllSES   OF   THE    TRANSVAAL. 

affecting  natives,  supervise  and  control  the  collection  ot 
native  taxes,  and  advise  the  chiefs  in  the  conduct  of  tribal 
affairs. 

Sub-Native  Commissioners  assist  the  Commissioners  generally, 
and  co-operate  with  the  Magistrates  in  enforcing  the  laws  ;  they 
collect  taxes,  issue  native  passes,  and  solemnise  marriages 
between  coloured  persons. 

Native  Commissioners  and  Sub-Commissioners  are  em- 
powered to  enquire  into  and  decide  all  civil  disputes  between 
native  and  native,  as  well  as  civil  matters  referred  to  them 
by  white  persons  against  any  natives  of  a  large  and  savage- 
tribe. 

Native  Commissioners  can  punish  any  native  offender  against 
the  criminal  laws  by  a  fine  up  to  £io,  or  imprisonment  u|> 
to  3  months,  or  lashes  up  to  25.  Outside  the  above-mentioned 
limits  they  may  deal  with  offences  committed  by  any  persons, 
punishable  by  a  penalty  not  exceeding  a  ^^25  fine,  or  imprison- 
ment for  one  month. 

They  have  also  power  to  inflict  various  penalties,  not 
exceeding  a  ;^2o  fine,  or  one  month's  imprisonment,  for  contra 
vention  of  the  Game  Laws. 

Each  Native  Commissioner  and  Sub-Commissioner  has  a 
small  staff  of  native  policemen.  These  act  as  a  sort  of 
intelligence  agents,  and  are  also  employed  in  the  serving  of 
warrants  and  subpoenas,  in  circulating  orders,  escorting 
prisoners  and  carrying  dispatches,  besides  assisting  the  Con- 
stabulary in  their  duties,  especially  in  enforcing  the  Game  Laws. 


(B)     SYSTEM     OF     LAND     TENURE. 

The  question  of  the  tenure  of  land  by  natives  in  South 
Africa  is  a  most  important  one,  as  from  it  arise  many  of 
the  most  serious  native  problems  of  the  day  ;  it  is  therefore- 
advisable  to  briefly  describe  the  various  conditions  under  which 
the  lands  occupied  by  natives  in  the  Transvaal  are  held  b\ 
them. 

In  this  Colony  natives  not  living  in  towns  (where  they  live 
in  urban  locations)  occupy  land  as  follows  : — • 

(a)  l/ocations  or  reserves  specially  set  apart  for  them,  or 
{b)  Land  regularly  acquired  and  owned  by  themselves,  or 
{c)  Land,  the  propcrt}'  of  white  owners,  or 
{d)  Crown  lands. 


THE    NATIVE   TKIP.ES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.  97 

(a)  Natives  living  in  the  (lovernment  locations  enjoy 
common  rights  in  regard  to  water,  wood  and  grazing — the 
"  garden  lots  "  being  apportioned  by  the  chiefs.  The  natives 
pay  no  rent  to  Government  for  the  use  of  these  lands. 

The  circumstances  under  which  some  of  the  principal 
locations  were  granted  to  natives  are  alluded  to  in  the  fore- 
going chapters. 

(d)  Almost  all  the  ground  which  is  the  actual  property 
of  the  natives  has  been  purchased  at  different  times  by  tribal 
subscription  and  is  occupied  communally  by  tribes  or  portions 
of  tribes. 

When  the  Boers  first  occupied  the  country  they  laid  down 
the  principle  that  no  native  could  own  land  or  acquire  it 
by  purchase.  This  was,  however,  afterwards  modified  in 
favour  of  individual  natives,  and  in  some  cases  missionaries 
and  unofiicial  Europeans  were  allowed  to  purchase  land  on 
behalf  of  natives,  from  which  practice  litigation  often  resulted. 

The  Pretoria  Convention  of  1881  provided  that  natives 
should  be  allowed  to  acquire  land,  but  the  transfer  of  the 
property  was  to  be  registered  in  the  name  of  the  Native 
Location  Commission,  in  trust  for  the  purchaser.  Under 
the  present  administration  the  Commissioner  for  Native 
Affairs  is  now  the  trustee  for  all  lands  purchased  by  natives. 

{c)  About  one-half  of  the  whole  native  population  of  the 
Transvaal  is  at  present  living  on  private  land,  owned  by 
Europeans  and  companies.  Under  the  "  Squatters'  Law  "  of 
1895,  not  more  than  five  families  of  natives  are  allowed  to  live  on 
any  farm  or  divided  portion  of  a  farm,  without  the  special 
sanction  of  Government.  This  law  has,  however,  not  been 
enforced  and  is  now  practically  a  dead  letter  throughout  the 
Transvaal,  with  the  consequence  that  large  numbers  of  natives 
are  congregated  on  many  farms  in  the  Colony,  especially  in  the 
Zoutpansberg,  Lydenburg,  A\'aterberg,  and  Middelburg  Districts, 
thus  forming  unauthorised  locations. 

The  natives  living  on  these  private  farms  pay  to  the 
owners  thereof  an  annual  rental  in  labour  or  money,  varying 
in  amount,  the  minimum  being  ^i  per  inhabited  hut  per 
annum. 

(ci)  Every  adult  native  cultivator  living  on  Crown  lands  is 
liable  to  pay  to  the  Government  an  annual  rental  of  j£i  in 
addition  to  the  poll  tax.  No  charge  is,  however,  made  for  water, 
wood  or  grazing,  and  the  natives  are  not  restricted  as  to  the 
amount  of  land  they  cultivate. 

(7269)  G 


98  THE    NATIVE   TKII'.ES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

As  ma)'  be  readily  imagined  these  various  systems  of 
occupation  of  land  by  natives  have  given  and  continue  to 
give  rise  to  much  trouble  to  the  authorities,  and  in  some 
cases  discontent  on  the  part  of  the  natives.  For  instance, 
some  of  the  regular  locations  and  reserves  are  too  small 
in  area  and  too  poor  in  water  and  soil  to  support  the  popu- 
lation to  which  they  were  allotted;  this  with  the  rapid 
increase  of  the  people  of  late  years,  has  led  to  the  overflow  of 
natives  on  to  lands  the  property  of  the  Crown  or  of  private 
individuals,  where  they  have  to  pay  rent  or  give  free  labour  in 
lieu. 

Some  discontent  not  unnaturally  exists  on  this  account 
among  the  natives,  who  are  becoming  increasingly  anxious  to 
purchase  land  outright. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  authorities  are  alive  to  the 
obvious  disadvantages  likely  to  ensue  if  the  unrestricted 
sale  of  land  to  natives  be  permitted,  and  are  therefore 
inclined  to  put  obstacles  in  the  way  of  natives  in  this  respect. 

The  whole  subject  of  land  tenure  has  been  minutely  discussed 
by  the  Native  Affairs  Commission  recently  held,  and  the 
general  conclusions  arrived  at  are  roughly  these  : 

(a)  That  natives  in  communal  occupation  of  land  should 

be  encouraged  to  adopt  individual  tenure. 
{/>)  That  to  natives  holding  land   individually   the   right 
of  permanent  occupation  should  be  assured,   subject 
to  forfetiure  for  rebellion,  treason  and  other  offences, 
or  for  failure  to  pay  rent. 
(c)  That  "  squatting  "  by  natives  on  private  land  whether 

as  tenants  or  otherwise  should  be  restricted. 
(<^)  That  natives  should  in  future  be  allowed  to  purchase 
land  only  in  certain  areas,  with  a  view  to  individual 
occupation,  and  not  with  a  view  to  tribal,   communal 
or  collective  possession. 

The  Commission  further  recommended  that  all  land 
set  apart  or  now  to  be  set  apart  as  native  locations,  should 
be  accurately  defined  and  delimited,  and  that  this  having 
been  done,  no  more  land  should  be  reserved  for  native  occu- 
pation. 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.  99 


(C)     TAXATION. 

The  natives  of  the  Transvaal  are  subject  to  a  poll  tax  of  ^2 
per  annum  per  male  adult,  a  further  amount  of  £^2  per  annum 
being  levied  on  each  wife  more  than  one. 

It  is  probable  that  on  the  recommendation  of  the  native 
Affairs  Commission,  this  may  be  changed  to  a  hut-tax  of  £,\ 
per  annum  per  inhabited  hut,  with  an  additional  tax  on  every 
wife  above  one. 

About  ^270,000  was  collected  in  native  poll-tax  during 
1903-4. 

Natives  also  pay  a  dog  tax  {\os.  per  dog  per  annum)  and  a 
fee  on  passes  and  certificates,  under  which  heads  about 
^197,340  was  collected  in  1903-4  in  the  Transvaal. 


(7269)  G  2 


CHAPTER    IX. 

NATIVE    WARS. 

Boer    Campaigns  Against  ^Moselikatse. 
ist  Expedition^   1837. 

The  first  t)rganized  expedition  by  the  emigrant  Boers 
against  natives  was  in  1837,  when  Commandants  Potgieter  and 
Maritz  led  a  force  of  107  mounted  burghers,  and  about  150 
friendly  natives,  mostly  Baralong  and  Griquas,  against 
Moselikatse's  Matabele,  in  retaliation  for  the  unprovoked 
attacks  made  on  them  by  the  latter,  south  of  the  Vaal,  the 
preceding  year. 

Starting  from  near  Thabanchu  in  the  Orange  River  Colony, 
this  small  force  surprised  the  chief  kraal  of  the  Matabele 
at  Mosega  in  the  Marico  District  on  the  17th  January,  1837, 
put  their  fighting  men  to  flight,  and  pursued  them  till  sunset, 
killing  400  of  them.  The  commando  then  set  fire  to  the 
kraals,  where  they  found  most  of  the  wagons  taken  from  them 
before,  and  returned  south  of  the  A'aal  with  7,000  head  of 
■cattle  as  booty.  The  Boers  had  not  a  single  casualty  in  the 
•engagement. 

2nd  Expedition,  1837. — A  second  campaign  against 
Moselikatse  was  undertaken  towards  the  end  of  1837.  The 
commando  this  time  numbered  135  farmers,  and  was  led 
by  Potgieter  and  Pieter  Uys.  A  few  friendly  Baralong 
accompanied  them.  In  November,  1S37,  the  expedition 
found  Moselikatse  on  the  Marikwa,  50  miles  north  of  Mosiga, 
and  in  a  campaign — or  rather  pursuit — of  eight  or  nine  days, 
accounted  for  400  or  500  Matabele,  and  captured  over  6,000 
head  of  cattle  without  the  loss  of  a  man. 

This  campaign  had  important  results,  for  the  Matabele 
retired  to  the  north  of  the  Limpopo  and  never  returned. 
After  the  flight  of  Moselikatse,  Commandant  Potgieter  issued 
a  proclamation  annexing  the  whole  of  the  territory  formerly 


THE    NATIVK    TRIBES   OF   THE   TF^IANSVAAL.       lOI 

overrun  by  that  chief.  This  included  the  greater  part  of  the 
present  Transvaal,  fully  half  of  the  present  Orange  River 
Colony  and  a  part  of  Southern  Bechuanaland,  all  of  which 
had  been  almost  depopulated  by  the  Matabele. 

yd  Expedition,  1847. — -In  June,  1847,  Commandant 
I'otgieter  led  another  expedition  against  Moselikatse,  who  was 
found  far  north  of  the  Limpopo.  The  Boers  seized  1,600 
cattle,  but  were  unable  to  get  them  away,  as  the  Matabele 
attacked  them  in  such  force  that  the  commando  was  forced 
to  retire.     This  expedition  was  therefore  quite  fruitless. 

1st  Expedition  ai^ainst  the  Ba-Pedi  Tribe,  1846. — In  the 
winter  of  1846  quarrels  arose  between  the  Boer  settlers  and 
the  Bapedi  people,  who  at  this  time  had  become  a  strong  and 
united  tribe  under  Sekwati,  and  inhabited  the  Lulu  Mountains, 
east  of  the  Olifants  River.  C'ommandant  Potgieter  with  150 
burghers,  some  Baralong,  and  a  party  of  natives  under  a  half- 
breed  son  of  the  outlaw  De  Buys,  attacked  the  Bapedi  and 
took  from  them  8,000  cattle  and  6,000  goats  apparently 
without  loss  to  themselves.  Peace  was  restored  by  the 
submission  of  Sekwati  to  the  Boers. 

2nd  Expedition  against  the  Ba-Pedi  [Seki/ki/ni)  Tribe,  1852. 
— The  victory  of  the  Basuto  at  Viervoet,  near  Thabanchu, 
Orange  River  Colony,  in  185 1,  over  a  European  commando 
under  Major  Warden  and  some  Baralong  allies,  had  a 
disturbing  effect  on  the  tribes  as  far  north  as  the  Limpopo, 
and  more  especially  on  the  Bapedi,  who  were  akin  to,  as  well 
as  in  entire  sympathy  with  Moshesh's  people.  Sekwati  began 
to  think  that,  if  the  Southern  Basuto  had  successfully  resisted 
the  white  man,  he  might  do  the  same.  Emboldened  also  by 
the  possession  of  a  number  of  muskets,  the  Bapedi,  about  the 
middle  of  1852,  became  openly  defiant  and  commenced  to 
rob  the  neighbouring  farmers'  cattle. 

On  25th  August,  1852,  the,  burghers  of  the  Zoutpansberg 
were  called  out,  and  Commandant  (General  Potgieter  led  them, 
about  320  strong,  against  Sekwati.  The  latter,  with  many  of 
his  people,  and  a  number  of  cattle,  retired  to  his  stronghold, 
the  flat  top  of  a  precipitous  mountain.  The  approaches  were 
strongly  fortified,  and  the  burghers  deemed  it  useless  to  try 
and  take  it  by  storm,  but  water  was  scarce  on  the  top,  so  a 
blockade  was  undertaken  in  order  to  reduce  the  place  by 
thirst,  while  a  part}-  swept  the  surrounding  country  to  collect 
cattle.  They  met  with  some  opposition,  and  lost  one  burgher 
killed,  and  three  wounded,   but  secured  5,000  head  of  cattle. 


102       THE    NATIVE   TRIBES    IN    THE   TRANSVAAL. 

and  6,000  sheep  and  goats.  The  blockade  continued 
meanwhile,  and  the  Bapedi  suffered  very  severely  from  thirst, 
a  great  number,  especially  woman  and  children,  dying  for 
want  of  water.  They  showed  no  enterprise  whatever  in 
trying  to  break  out,  which  they  might  easily  have  done  with 
such  a  small  investing  force.  On  the  20th  day,  however, 
heavy  rains  fell,  which  somewhat  relieved  the  besieged,  and 
the  burghers,  who  had  a  good  number  of  sick,  and  whose 
horses  were  dying,  decided  to  abandon  the  siege.  The 
disarmament  of  the  Bapedi — the  main  object  of  the  expedition 
— was  not  accomplished,  but  Sekwati  and  his  people  had  been 
sufficiently  chastised  to  keep  them  quiet  for  some  time  to 
come. 

Expedition  against  Setyeli  {Bakwena  Tribe,  1852). — About 
the  same  time  as  the  Sekwati  war  (1S52),  the  Boers  found  it 
necessary  to  punish  Setyeli  or  Secheli,  chief  of  the  Bechuana 
tribe  called  Ba-kwena,  who  lived  on  the  Kolobeng  near  the 
western  border  in  the  Potchefstroom  district.  Dr.  Livingstone 
had  established  a  mission  in  this  tribe  in  1845,  and  had  acquired 
great  influence  among  them.  He  had  encouraged  the  chief  to 
move  to  the  Kolobeng  from  the  location  nearer  Potchefstroom 
assigned  him  by  Commandant  Potgieter,  so  as  to  be  further 
removed  from  the  emigrant  farmers,  and  at  the  time  in 
question,  the  Bakwena  having  somewhat  recovered  from  the 
punishment  inflicted  by  Moselikatse,  Setyeli  considered  himself 
quite  independent.  , 

A  branch  of  the  Baharutse  tribe,  called  Bakhatla,  whose 
chief  was  named  Moselele,  at  this  time  gave  great  trouble  to 
the  Boers  by  continual  cattle-lifting,  and  when  the  Boer 
(rovernment  called  him  to  account,  fled  with  most  of  his  people 
to  Setyeli  and  claimed  his  protection.  This  was  accorded  by 
Setyeli,  who  also  invited  other  neighbouring  chiefs  to  assist  in 
resisting  the  Boers. 

By  order  of  the  Volksraad,  a  commando  of  over  300  men 
was  accordingly  called  out,  and  proceeded  to  Kolobeng  in 
August,  1852,  under  Commandant  P.  E.  Schol'z.  The  Baralong 
chief  Montsiwa,  who  was  on  the  footing  of  a  burgher,  was 
called  upon  to  furnish  a  contingent,  but  failed  to  comply.  The 
commando  then  moved  to  Setyeli's  kraal  without  assistance. 
The  Bakwena  were  found  to  have  entrenched  themselves  in  a 
strong  position  upon  a  ridge,  and  to  have  obtained  the  assist- 
ance from  neighbouring  tribes  that  the  chief  had  asked  for. 

Commandant  Scholz  demanded  the  surrender  of  ^Nloselele, 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.       IO3 

but  Setyeli  in  reply  merely  challenged  the  Boers  to  fight.  The 
position  was  therefore  attacked  and  taken  after  six  hours' 
fighting,  in  which  4  burghers  were  killed  and  5  wounded,  and 
89  Bakwena  killed.  The  next  morning  the  position  was 
found  to  be  evacuated,  whereupon  the  burghers  pursued  the 
natives  to  the  edge  of  the  Kalahari  desert.  ^loselele  was  not 
captured,  but  the  burghers  took  3,000  cattle,  some  horses,  two 
wagons,  48  guns,  and  between  200  and  300  women  and 
children  prisoners,  who  were  "  indentured  "  to  various  burghers 
as  servants. 

It  was  during  this  campaign  that  the  damage  to  the  house 
and  property  of  Dr.  Livingstone  (who  was  absent  in  Europe) 
was  done,  which  caused  so  much  correspondence  and 
controversy  in  England.  It  appears  never  to  have  been 
clearly  proved  whether  the  burghers  of  the  commando  or  the 
fugitive  Bakwena  were  the  culprits. 

Expedition  ai:;ainst  Makapaii's  People^  1854. — In  1854,  a 
Boer  hunting  party,  led  by  Hermanns  Potgieter,  consisting  of 
1 1  other  white  men,  with  their  wives  and  families,  about  20 
persons  in  all,  including  women  and  children,  were  treacherously 
murdered  by  Makapan's  people,  a  clan  of  Matabele  or  rather 
Zulu  race,  who  lived  at  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  Waterberg 
near  Nylstroom.  This  massacre  was  the  signal  for  the  revolt 
of  six  other  neighbouring  clans,  who  commenced  to  pillage  the 
district.  The  white  inhabitants  had  barely  time  to  go  into 
laager  before  their  houses  were  in  flames.  Commandant 
General  Potgieter  at  once  took  the  field  with  135  men  and 
marched  to  Makapan's  Poort,  where  he  found  the  hostile 
natives  ensconced  in  caves  from  which  it  was  impossible  to 
dislodge  them. 

On  the  25th  October,  this  commando  was  joined  by  about 
400  burghers  from  Potchefstroom,  led  by  Commandant 
General  Pretorius,  and  a  few  volunteers  from  the  Orange  Free 
State.     The  whole  force  then  numbered  550  men. 

The  greater  part  of  the  rebellious  tribes  were  found  to  be  in 
a  large  cavern,  about  2,000  feet  long,  and  400  feet  in  width. 
This  was  attacked,  but  it  was  so  dark  inside  that  nothing 
could  be  seen,  and  one  burgher  having  been  killed  and  two 
wounded,  a  blockade  was  resorted  to  with  the  object  of 
starving  the  natives  out.  A  part  of  the  force,  under  Mr.  Paul 
Kruger,  meanwhile  secured  the  surrounding  country.  The 
blockade  lasted  25  days.  Then  a  party  of  the  besiegers 
entered  the  cavern  and  met  with  so  little  resistance  that  they 


104      THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE    TRANSVAAL. 

took  possession  with  only  four  men  wounded.  Commandant 
General  Potgieter  had  been  killed  early  in  the  siege,  so  that 
the  total  Boer  casualties  were  only  two  killed  and  six  wounded. 
Makapan's  tribe  was  almost  annihilated.  It  was  estimated  that 
900  of  them  were  killed  outside  or  trying  to  break  out  of  the 
cavern,  while  more  than  double  that  number  had  perished  of 
hunger  and  thirst  inside. 

By  this  time  horse  sickness  was  making  such  havoc  that 
the  commando  could  not  keep  the  field  any  longer,  so  the 
other  tribes  that  had  risen  could  not  be  attacked,  but  it  was 
believed  that  the  punishment  inflicted  upon  Makapan  would 
deter  them  from  committing  any  acts  of  violence  against 
Europeans  for  some  time  to  come.  The  burghers  returned 
to  their  farms  at  the  end  of  November,  1S54. 

Expedition  against  the  Ba-Mafela,  185S. — The  Ba-Mapela, 
one  of  the  clans  that  had  risen  in  the  Zoutpansberg  in  1S54, 
again  took  up  arms  in  the  beginning  of  1858. 

The  outbreak  began  in  the  usual  manner  by  the  murder  of 
a  party  of  Europeans  and  the  seizure  of  their  property,  but 
it  was  speedily  suppressed.  When  a  strong  commando 
appeared  on  the  scene  the  marauders  retired  to  a  fortified 
hill.  The  surrounding  country  was  scoured,  and  a  good  deal 
of  stock  captured  by  the  Boers.  On  the  14th  April,  1858, 
Commandant  Paul  Kruger  led  a  force  to  the  attack  of  the 
stronghold  and  captured  it  with  the  loss  of  only  one  man 
killed,  but  a  good  many  were  wounded  by  the  stones  rolled 
down  by  the  enemy.  The  Ba-IMapela  lost  about  800  men  in 
this  campaign. 


Szvazi  Attack  o?i  Mapok/i,  1864. 

In  1864  two  clans  of  Zulu  extraction  under  the  chiefs 
Mapokh  and  Malewa  took  up  arms  in  the  Lydenburg 
district,  and  a  commando  was  sent  against  them,  but  was 
recalled  before  doing  anything,  owing  to  internal  dissensions 
among  the  Boers.  Soon  after  this  a  Swazi  army  fell  upon 
Mapokh  and  routed  him,  and  then  attacked  Malewa  and 
nearly  annihilated  the  tribe,  leaving  in  one  place  alone  the 
corpses  of  854  men,  and  2,840  women  and  children.  The 
Swazis  then  withdrew  within  their  boundary,  and  it  only 
remained  for  the  Boers  to  collect  the  remnants  of  the  hostile 
clans  and  assign  them  locations  to  live  in. 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.       105 

Fn/ificss  Expedition  against  Kat/akter,  Baraniapulann  Clan  of 
Bavenda  Tribe  {^Makhatd s),  1S65. 

In  1S65,  the  Zoutpansberg  was  again  the  scene  of  intertribal 
fighting  which  convulsed  the  whole  district.  Makhato, 
Katlakter,  and  other  chiefs  of  the  Baramapulana  (Bavenda), 
took  advantage  of  the  confusion  to  plunder  the  farms  in  the 
neighbourhood,  and  the  white  inhabitants  of  the  northern 
part  of  the  district  were  obliged  to  go  into  laager.  In  July, 
1865,  a  commando  attacked  Katlakter  who  was  giving  shelter 
to  certain  natives  that  refused  to  give  up  the  guns  lent  them  by 
their  Boer  employers  for  hunting  purposes.  The  attack 
however  failed,  and  as  a  result  the  insurrection  spread, 
mission  stations  were  destroyed  by  the  natives,  and  a  general 
state  of  anarchy  prevailed. 

Second  Fruitless  Expedition  against  Katlakter,  1865. 

A  strong  contingent  had  been  sent  from  the  Transvaal 
early  in  the  same  year  to  assist  the  Orange  Free  State 
against  the  Basuto,  and  the  Government  was  unable  to  do 
anything  to  suppress  the  Zoutpansberg  disturbances  till  the 
return  of  this  force.  Towards  the  end  of  1S65  2,000  men 
were  called  out,  but  only  500  responded,  and  with  this  force, 
which  was  very  ill-equipped,  Commandant-General  P.  Kruger 
moved  against  Katlakter  in  the  Zoutpansberg.  The  chiefs 
mountain  stronghold,  however,  could  not  be  taken,  so  Kruger 
retired  to  Schoemansdal.  Here  he  heard  that  Mapela  and 
other  chiefs  living  near  Makapanspoort  were  on  the  point  of 
rising,  and  as  he  got  no  help  from  the  unruly  white  inhabitants, 
he  abandoned  the  village,  which  was  soon  destroyed  by 
Katlakter's  people,  and  withdrew  to  Malitzi's  country,  about 
36  miles  distant.  Thence  he  retreated  by  way  of  Makapans 
Poort,  and,  leaving  a  small  guard  at  Piet  Potgietersrust, 
disbanded  the  commando. 

Ineffectual  attempts  to  raise  a  commando  were  made  during 
the  next  year,  the  whole  Zoutpansberg  district  meanwhile 
remaining  in  a  state  of  siege  ;  most  of  the  farms  were 
abandoned,  and  their  white  inhabitants  lived  in  three  great 
camps,  one  in  the  north,  another  at  Marabastad,  and  the  third 
at  Potuietersrust. 


I06       TllK    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 


Second  Expedition  against  the  Ba-mapela,  \  868. 

In  January,  1868,  the  chief  Mapela  had  at  least  5,000 
warriors,  and  had  occupied  a  position  of  great  natural  strength 
near  Makapan's  Poort.  The  Republic  was  nearly  bankrupt, 
but  with  great  difficulty  a  commando  800  or  900  strong  was 
raised,  and  took  the  field  in  June  of  that  year,  assisted  by  a 
strong  native  contingent.  Commandant-Creneral  Paul  Kruger 
took  command.  On  the  13th  June  Mapela's  mountain  was 
attacked  and  the  whole  position  captured,  except  the  point  on 
which  the  chief's  principal  kraal  was  built.  Two  burghers  were 
killed  and  eleven  wounded  in  this  fight,  while  at  least  300  of 
^Mapela's  men  were  killed,  and  about  2,00c  cattle  and  some 
guns  taken  by  the  Boers.  Another  attack  was  made  two  days 
later,  and  the  kraal  was  partly  burnt,  but  not  wholly  occupied 
or  destroyed.  A  number  of  women  and  children  were  captured 
.and  detained  in  order  to  bring  the  insurgents  to  terms. 

At  this  juncture  intelligence  was  received  from  the  north  that 
an  old  feud  had  broken  out  between  the  most  powerful  of  the 
clans  in  the  Zoutpansberg  Range,  that  they  were  fighting  with 
each  other,  and  that  Umzila,  the  chief  of  the  great  Shangaan 
tribe,  was  preparing  to  attack  them  all.  The  burghers' 
ammunition  was  now  running  short,  so  after  a  little  more 
desultory  skirmishing  round  Makapan's  Poort,  they  returned  to 
their  homes.  Peace  was  not,  however,  formally  concluded  with 
Mapela  till  February,  1869,  when  the  chief  agreed  to  hand  over 
all  cattle  that  he  had  captured  from  the  farmers,  to  leave  his 
mountain  and  to  settle  in  the  plain. 

Attacks  by  Sivazis  and  Shangaans  on  Bavenda  Tri(>es,  1869. 

Peace  now  reigned  for  some  time  between  the  black  and 
white  inhabitants  of  the  Zoutpansberg,  but  the  clans  in  the 
mountains  were  engaged  in  much  strife  amongst  themselves. 
There  was  internal  fighting  amongst  the  various  Bavenda  clans, 
Umzila  sent  an  army  of  5,000  Shangaans,  which  plundered 
many  of  the  kraals  in  April,  1869,  and,  later  in  the  year,  a 
Swazi  force,  assisted  by  Tabane,  a  brother  of  Makhato,  inflicted 
very  severe  losses  on  the  people  of  the  latter,  who  barely 
escaped  with  his  life.  The  Swazis  then  returned  to  their  own 
country. 


THE   NATIVE   TRIBES    OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.        10/ 

Further  Campaigns  against  the  Ba-pedi,  187 5-1 879. 

Though  Sekwati  had  been  severely  punished  by  the  Boers 
in  1852,  his  people  had  not  been  disarmed,  and  theref<:)re  did 
not  consider  themselves  conquered.  They  behaved  in  an 
insolent  and  threatening  manner  towards  the  Boer  settlers  of 
Lydenburg  district,  which,  between  1852  and  i860,  was  an 
independent  republic.  In  the  year  1861  Sekwati  died  and  his 
son  Sekukuni  became  chief,  and  under  his  rule  the  tribe  became 
more  and  more  arrogant.  A  number  of  muskets  had  found 
their  way  among  the  Ba-Pedi  through  natives  who  had  worked 
at  the  diamond  fields  or  on  the  east  coast,  and  armed  with  these 
they  became  so  overbearing  that  many  Boers  had  to  leave  the 
district  whilst  those  that  remained  actually  paid  tribute  to 
Sekukuni,  who  asserted  his  independence  and  laid  claim  to  the 
absolute  possession  of  the  country  allotted  to  his  father  as  a 
location  in  1857. 

In  1875  matters  came  to  a  head.  A  party  of  Christianised 
Ba-Pedi  attacked  some  of  the  farmers  and  drove  them  off  their 
land,  which  they  claimed  for  their  chief  Sekukuni.  The  Boer 
Government  hereupon  sent  a  commando  to  enforce  its  disputed 
sovereignty,  but  no  result  was  achieved,  and  the  commando 
retired,  leaving,  however,  a  small  garrison  at  Fort  Burgers  and 
another  at  Fort  Weeber  to  keep  the  natives  in  check. 

Early  in  1877  the  Boer  Government  made  a  treaty  with 
Sekukuni  and  defined  his  boundaries,  the  chief  agreeing  to 
become  tributary  and  to  pay  an  indemnity  of  2,000  head  of 
cattle.  Soon  after  this,  however,  when  a  Joint  Commission 
appointed  by  President  Burgers  and  Sir  T.  Shepstone  went  to 
enquire  into  the  state  of  affairs,  Sekukuni  repudiated  the  first 
part  of  the  treaty  and  asked  to  be  taken  under  the  protection 
of  the  British. 

AVhen  the  Transvaal  was  annexed  by  the  British,  Sekukuni 
•commenced  paying  the  fine,  and  by  August,  1877,  had  brought 
in  about  300  head  of  cattle  ;  he  wished,  however,  to  punish 
the  natives  who  had  assisted  the  Boers  against  him  in  the  late 
Avar.  This  was  not  permitted  by  Sir  T.  Shepstone.  After  some 
months  of  peace  and  quiet  the  tribesmen  again  became  trouble- 
some, forced  farmers  to  leave  by  threats  of  violence,  and 
transgressing  their  boundaries,  attacked  friendly  natives,  killing 
several.  The  reason  for  this  behaviour  was  at  first  sight  not 
apparent,  but  it  was  subsequently  found  to  be  directly  traceable 
to  messages  received  by  Sekukuni   from   (Jetywayo,   the  Zulu 


I08       THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

chief,  by  which  the  latter  invited  the  Ba-Pedi  to  assist  in  getting 
rid  of  the  white  people  who  lived  between  their  countries,  by 
attacking  them  from  the  north  while  he  did  the  same  from  the 
south. 

Legolana,  the  sister  of  Sekukuni,  who  lived  close  to  Fort 
W^'eeber,  threw  off  her  allegiance  to  the  Government  and  sent 
to  her  brother  for  assistance,  and  a  large  force  of  natives 
surrounded  the  fort.  The  Resident  succeeded  in  escaping  by 
night,  whereupon  the  fort  was  burnt  by  the  natives. 

A  small  volunteer  force  was  hurriedly  collected  at  Pretoria, 
and  with  some  Zulu  police  made  an  attack  on  Sekukuni's 
stronghold,  which  was  on  a  hill  named  Thaba  IMosego  in  the 
Lulu  Mountains.  This  attack  was  not  successful  and  the  force 
shortly  withdrew,  leaving  garrisons  in  forts  at  Mamolulei  and 
Magnet  Heights,  as  a  protection  for  friendly  natives.  A 
detachment  of  the  Diamond  Fields  Horse  was  also  stationed 
at  Dwarsriver  to  furnish  escorts  for  convoys  to  and  from 
Lydenburg. 

In  September,  1S78,  Col.  Rowlands  assumed  command  of 
the  operations.  He  had  collected  a  mixed  force  of  volunteers 
at  Kimberley,  and  was  joined  by  Major  Baker-Russell's  mounted 
infantry  and  the  Frontier  Light  Horse  under  Col.  Buller.  He 
failed,  however,  to  reduce  the  stronghold,  and  was  forced  to 
retire,  owing  to  horse-sickness  and  lack  of  water.  More  forts 
were  built,  and  garrisons  left  in  them,  as  a  defensive  policy  was 
the  only  possible  one,  the  bulk  of  the  troops  and  volunteers 
being  required  for  the  Zulu  war. 

The  Zulu  war  being  concluded.  General  Sir  Garnet  \\'olseley 
turned  his  attention  to  Sekukuni's  country.  "The  condition 
of  affairs  there,"  he  reported  in  a  despatch  dated  30th 
September,  1879,  "is  a  scandal;  Sekukuni,  being  elated  at  the 
failure  of  the  British  to  bring  him  to  account,  robs  and  plunders 
as  he  pleases,  and  the  country  is  deserted  by  white  settlers." 
At  the  same  time  General  Wolseley  sent  a  message  to  the  chief 
that  his  submission  w^ould  be  accepted  if  he  became  tributary 
to  the  Government,  compensated  those  who  had  suffered 
through  his  raids,  handed  over  the  raiders  to  justice,  and  paid  a 
fine  of  2,500  good  cattle;  a  military  post  was  also  to  be 
established  in  his  country.  Sekukuni  himself  was  inclined  to 
accept  these  terms,  but  his  indunas  persuaded  him  to  reject 
them. 

Accordingly  or.  23rd  October,  1879,  General  Wolseley  formed 
a  column  at  Middelburg,  consisting  of  six  companies  2nd  Batt. 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OK   THE   TRANSVAAL.        IO9 

2 1  St  Fusiliers,  six  companies  94th  Regiment,  a  detachment  of 
Royal  Engineers,  Ferreira's  Horse,  and  four  guns  of  the 
Transvaal  Artillery.  Col.  Baker-Russell  \vas  placed  in  com- 
mand of  the  force,  which  also  included  the  two  remaining 
•companies  of  the  94th  Regiment  and  one  company  of  the  80th 
Regiment  who  were  stationed  at  Lydenburg. 

On  the  morning  of  the  25th  November  the  advance  guard, 
having  made  a  night  march  (the  infantry  were  carried  in  mule- 
wagons)  seized  and  fortified  a  position  within  three  miles  of 
Sekukuni's  town,  and  established  a  post  there,  named  Fort 
Alexandra.  At  the  same  time  another  portion  of  the  force 
established  another  post  three  miles  off,  which  was  named  Fort 
George,  and  overlooked  the  chief's  kraal. 

(leneral  Wolseley  moved  his  headquarters  and  the  main 
body  to  Fort  Alexandra  the  following  day. 

A  volunteer  contingent  had  meanwhile  joined  from 
Rustenburg,  and  8,000  Swazis  were  advancing  to  assist  in  the 
operations  from  the  Lydenburg  side. 

The  troops  and  volunteers  delivered  a  well-timed  attack  on 
three  sides  of  the  mountain  held  by  the  enemy,  while  the 
Swazis  assaulted  the  chief  kraals  and  some  caves  on  the  hillside. 
All  the  attacks  were  successful,  and  a  large  number  of  the 
Ba-Pedi  were  killed,  including  three  of  Sekukuni's  brothers,  all 
his  sons  and  a  number  of  indunas.  Our  loss  was  :  two  officers 
killed  and  four  wounded,  and  a  small  number  of  casualties 
among  N.C.O.'s  and  men.  The  Swazis,  who  behaved  admirably, 
had  a  number  of  casualties. 

Sekukuni  now  submitted,  and  paid  the  fines  imposed  on  him. 
He  stated  on  surrendering  that  Mr.  Abel  Erasmus,  of 
Krugerspost,  had  urged  him  to  fight  the  British,  as  the 
Transvaal  would  soon  be  in  Boer  hands  again. 

The  country  now  settled  down  rapidly.  Troublesome  sections 
of  the  tribe  were  settled  in  places  divided  from  each  other  by 
loyal  natives,  and  by  January,  1880,  all  was  reported  quiet. 

Expedition  a^^ainst  Mapokli^  18S2-1S83. 

The  Mapokh,  a  Zulu  tribe,  living  in  the  part  of  the 
Middelburg  district  near  Roossenekal,  still  known  as  "Mapoch's 
'Gronden,"  was  in  1882  of  considerable  importance,  and  had 
been  giving  trouble  to  the  (lovernment  of  the  Republic  for 
■some  time  past,  but  matters  were  brought  to  a  head  towards 
the  end  of  1882  by  the  murder  of  Sekukuni,  the  chief  of  the 


no       TICK    NATIVE   TRIRKS   OF   THK    TRANSVAAL. 

Ba-Pedi  tribe,  by  Mampuru,  his  half-Vjrother  and  rival,  who- 
seems  to  have  been  aided  and  abetted  by  Nyabel,  chief  of  the 
Mapokh  people. 

The  Ba-Pedi,  who  had  been  at  peace  with  the  Ciovernnient 
since  the  Sekukuni  war  of  1879,  called  upon  the  Republic  to 
protect  them  and  to  punish  the  murderer  of  their  chief. 

Mampuru  after  the  murder  fled  to  Nyabel's  kraal  for 
protection,  and  the  latter,  when  sumimoned  by  the  Government 
of  the  Republic  to  give  the  murderer  up  to  justice,  refused  to 
do  so. 

The  Transvaal  was  at  this  time  in  a  disorganised  state 
owing  to  the  existence  of  various  opposing  factions  among  the 
burghers,  and  a  serious  expedition  against  a  powerful  native 
tribe  would  probably  not  have  been  undertaken,  had  not  the 
Yolksraad  considered  it  advisable  to  practically  demonstrate 
to  the  British  Government  that  they  were  better  able  then  to 
cope  with  the  native  tribes  than  was  the  case  in  1877,  when 
their  inability  to  restore  order  was  the  cause  of  the  British 
annexation. 

A  commando  was  therefore  got  together  from  all  parts  of 
the  Transvaal  and  dispatched  to  Mapokh's  country,  under  the 
command  of  Piet  Joubert,  the  Commandant-General.  No 
records  exist  of  the  exact  numbers  engaged,  but  from  General 
Joubert's  letters  it  appears  that  not  more  than  1,000  to  2,000 
burghers  were  ever  in  the  field  at  any  one  time,  as,  though 
many  more  were  commandeered,  numbers  seem  to  have 
returned  to  their  homes  without  permission  or  having  taken 
any  part  in  the  fighting. 

The  archives  of  the  late  Republic  do  not  contain  any 
details  regarding  the  tactics  employed  by  either  side,  but  the 
fighting  was  evidently  of  a  desultory  nature,  as  the  campaign 
was  protracted  over  nine  months,  and  General  Joubert  com- 
plained to  the  Volksraad  that  the  burghers  "  seemed  to  prefer 
looting  cattle  on  their  own  account  to  fighting." 

Mapokh's  people  appear  to  have  ensconced  themselves 
among  the  rocks  and  caves  of  various  strong  natural  positions 
and  the  Boers  to  have  blockaded  them  with  a  view  to 
starving  them  out.  These  tactics  were  eventually  successful, 
for  on  the  nth  July,  1883,  Nyabel  surrendered  uncondi- 
tionally, having  first  handed  over  the  murderer  Mapuru, 
bound  hand  and  foot.  Nyabel's  two  principal  sub-chiefs, 
Kameel  and  April,  surrendered  with  him,  and  more  than 
10,000  of  the  tribe. 


THE   NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.        Ill 

The  burghers  then  burned  Nyabel's  "  Hoofdstad  "  or  Chief 
Kraal,  and  "  indentured  "  Nyabel  and  the  whole  tribe  in  the 
usual  manner,  thus  scattering  them  all  over  the  country. 

Mampuru  was  taken  to  Pretoria  and  there  hanged. 

The  casualties  among  either  Boers  or  natives  are  not 
recorded. 

Expedition  against  David  Massouw,  1885. 

David  Massouw,  also  known  as  Riet  Taaibosch,  was  chief  of 
a  small  Koranna  (Hottentot)  clan  living  near  the  south-west 
border  of  the  Transvaal. 

Though  these  people  were  few  in  numbers,  they  were 
well  supplied  with  firearms,  and  in  1885  had  become  a  menace 
to  the  white  settlers  whose  cattle  they  constantly  raided. 
They  declined  to  pay  taxes,  and  generally  behaved  in  a 
lawless  manner.  Finally  a  farmer  named  ^^'eeber  complained 
to  the  Government  that  Massouw's  people  had  squatted  on 
his  farm,  cut  down  his  trees  and  ploughed  up  his  land,  and 
he  claimed  ;^2,ooo  compensation  for  the  damage  done  to  his 
property. 

A  commando  drawn  from  Lichtenburg  and  Potchefstroom, 
and  accompanied  by  some  guns  of  the  Staats  Artillerie,  was 
therefore  sent  to  the  spot.  General  Joubert  himself  being  in 
chief  command.  On  the  2nd  December  this  force  occupied  a 
ridge  overlooking  Massouw's  kraal,  and  the  rebels  were  ordered 
to  lay  down  their  arms.  This  they  agreed  to  do  and  the 
disarmament  was  actually  in  progress  when  a  quarrel  arose 
which  led  to  a  hand-to-hand  fight,  in  which  Massouw  and  a 
large  number  of  his  people,  and  one  Boer  field-cornet  and 
eight  burghers  were  killed,  and  several  burghers  wounded. 
The  chiefs  son  and  seventy-three  of  his  people — apparently 
the  only  survivors — were  taken  prisoners  and  scattered  over 
the  country  as  "  indentured  labourers  "  in  the  usual  manner. 
The  kraals  were  burnt  and  all  the  cattle  and  other  property 
of  the  tribe  divided  between  the  Government  and  the 
commando. 

A  Basuto  chief  named  Jong,  who  was  known  to  have  been 
Massouw's  partner  in  his  raids,  though  he  had  not  taken  part 
in  the  fight,  was  then  arrested.  He  was  shortly  released,  how- 
ever, on  payment  of  one  head  of  cattle  (or  one  horse  or  six 
sheep)  per  head  of  his  tribe.  Of  these  cattle  half  were  given  to 
Weeber  as  compensation  for  his  losses  and  the  remainder  were 
appropriated  by  the  Government. 


112       THE   NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

Campaign  against  Malabokh,  \  S94. 

jVIakhato,  chief  of  the  Ba-Ramapulana  (Bavenda),  Malabokh, 
chief  of  the  Bakhanawa,  a  neighbouring  FJasuto  tribe,  and 
several  lesser  clans,  began  to  give  trouble  early  in  1894. 
These  clans  refused  to  pay  taxes,  or  to  keep  within  their 
respective  boundaries,  but  for  some  time  committed  no  acts  of 
overt  hostility.  In  May,  1894,  however,  a  collision  took  place 
between  Commandant  B.  Vorster,  Native  Commissioner,  and 
the  people  of  Malabokh,  owing  to  the  refusal  of  the  latter  to 
allow  a  census  of  the  people  to  be  taken.  The  Government 
therefore  decided  to  punish  Malabokh,  commandos  were  called 
out  early  in  June  from  the  districts  of  Pretoria,  Waterberg, 
Middelburg,  Rustenburg  and  Marico,  making  with  a  few 
Zoutpansberg  burghers  1,500  white  men  in  all,  with  one  7-pr. 
and  one  9-pr.  gun,  and  this  force,  which  was  joined  by  a 
contingent  500  strong  furnished  by  Matala,  Hans  Masibi  and 
other  friendly  chiefs,  moved  on  the  Blauwberg,  where 
Malabokh's  stronghold  was  situated.  Commandant-Cieneral 
P.  Joubert  was  in  supreme  command.  The  approaches  to 
the  stronghold  are  described  as  extremely  precipitous.  The 
"  stad  "  or  chief  village  was  on  a  plateau  near  the  summit  of 
.the  mountain,  and  with  some  adjacent  caves  was  held  in 
force  by  the  rebels.  The  "  stad  "  was,  however,  commanded 
by  the  actual  summit,  which  does  not  appear  to  have  been 
strongly  held. 

After  a  little  skirmishing  had  taken  place,  Malabokh  sent  a 
present  of  a  white  cow  and  j[,2o  and  asked  for  a  two  days' 
'truce  in  which  to  comply  with  the  demands  of  the  Government. 
This  was  granted  and  a  further  respite  of  two  days  from  the 
17th  June  was  also  agreed  to  by  the  burghers,  but  the  time  was 
jiierely  used  by  Malabokh  to  place  his  cattle  in  safety  and 
prepare  for  active  resistance. 

Fighting  began  on  the  20th  June,  on  which  day  the  Waterberg 
burghers  placed  a  mountain  gun  on  a  kopje  on  the  north-west 
side  of  the  mountain,  losing  one  burgher  killed  and  five 
burghers  and  six  natives  wounded. 

The  Pretoria  burghers  were  also  engaged  and  estabHshed  a 
post  on  the  hill  side.  During  the  next  few  days  other  works 
were  constructed  round  the  stronghold  and  on  the  26th  the 
Rustenburg  commando  succeeded  in  mounting  a  9-pr.  on  the 
summit,  commanding  the  stronghold;  they  lost  one  burgher 
iind  one  native  killed  in  the  operation. 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE    TRANSVAAL.        II3 

On  the  28tlt  a  general  attack  was  made  in  a  thick  fog,  and 
the  rebels,  being  driven  from  their  main  position,  took  refuge  in 
the  adjacent  caves.  On  this  day  one  burgher  was  killed  and 
one  wounded. 

A  blockade  was  now  resorted  to,  which  put  Malabokh  to 
some  straits,  as  on  the  6th  July  he  attempted  to  make  terms  for 
himself,  but  there  was  still  a  small  supply  of  water  available 
for  the  besieged.  The  Boer  posts  were  within  Martini-Henry 
rifle  range  of  the  caves  and  lost  two  men  killed  and  four 
wounded  during  the  next  few  days. 

No  more  serious  fighting  took  place  and  Malabokh  surren- 
dered unconditionally  on  3rst  July,  1894. 

The  total  Boer  casualties  recorded  were  six  killed  and  sixteen 
wounded  ;  the  losses  of  Malabokh  are  not  stated,  but  it  appears 
that  most  of  the  fighting  men  had  made  good  their  escape 
through  the  Boer  lines. 

Malabokh  handed  over  about  ;£ioo  in  cash  on  surrendering 
and  some  rifles  were  found  in  the  caves.  A  number  of  cattle 
were  also  captured  during  the  operations  and  divided  between 
the  men  of  the  commandos  and  their  native  allies. 

The  people  who  surrendered  with  Malabokh  were  indentured 
to  burghers  in  different  parts  of  the  country,  and  it  was  enacted 
that  they  should  never  return  to  the  Zoutpansberg.  Their 
wages  were  moreover  liable  to  be  handed  over  to  the  Govern- 
ment in  settlement  of  arrear  taxes. 

Malabokh  himself  and  183  of  his  men  were  imprisoned  in 
Pretoria,  where  the  chief  was  found  on  the  British  occupation 
in  June,  1900. 

Punitive  measures  against  tribes  who  had  assisted  Malabokh, 

1894. 

While  the  operations  against  Malabokh  were  still  in  progress, 
various  other  chiefs  in  the  "Low  Country"  (Haenertsburg 
district)  became  so  troublesome  that  action  had  to  be  taken 
against  them,  and  a  commando  700  strong,  raised  from  Lyden- 
burg  and  Ermelo  districts,  was  ordered  to  the  scene  of 
disturbance  on  loth  July,  1894,  while  4,000  friendly  "  Knob- 
noses  "  were  ordered  to  co-operate.  The  villages  of  Haenerts- 
burg and  Agatha  were  threatened  by  Mamatolla,  a  chieftainess 
of  a  small  Basuto  tribe,  and  Mashuti,  the  chief  of  another.  No 
actual  fighting  took  place  with  these  people  and  a  peaceful 
settlement  was  afterwards  arrived  at.     After  the  reduction  of 

(7269)  H 


114       'I'HK    NATIVK    TKIBKS    OF    Till-:    TRANSVAAL. 

Malabokh's  stronghold  (rcneral  Joubert  arrived  with  reinforce- 
ments and  took  charge.  On  the  21st  August  a  slight 
engagement  took  place  between  the  burghers  and  the  people  of 
Mahupa,  another  petty  chief;  one  burgher  only  was  wounded 
and  Mahupa's  chief  kraal  was  burnt  on  the  25th  August. 

Mapiet. — On  the  28th  the  kraals  of  Mapiet,  formerly  one  of 
the  chieftainess  Mojaji's  indunas,  who  was  in  active  rebellion, 
were  similarly  dealt  with. 

Selehil. — Selebul  was  chief  of  a  section  of  the  Barareng  tribe 
in  the  Haenertsburg  and  district  and  joined  in  the  rebellion  of 
Makhuba.  He  and  another  chief  named  Makabata  were 
captured  after  a  certain  amount  of  skirmishing,  and  were 
imprisoned  in  Pretoria  where  Selebul  died.  Makabata  was 
subsequently  released  and  now  rules  the  tribe.  (See  tribes  of 
the  Zoutpansberg.) 

Makhuba.- — I'he  chief  Makhuba  was  next  summoned  to 
surrender,  and  as  he  failed  to  comply,  his  kraals  were  burnt 
on  the  29th  August.  A  Swazi  impi  assisted  the  Boers  and 
slew  numbers  of  Makhuba's  people  before  they  were  stopped 
by  the  Boers.  Makhuba's  head  was  brought  out  on  a  spear  by 
the  Swazis. 

MamatoUa,  Masliiiti and Mukhiihua. — On  the  5th  September, 
after  some  negotiations,  the  chieftainess  Mamatolla  and  chiefs 
Mashuti  and  Mahaboya  surrendered  near  Agatha.  They 
were  sent  to  Pretoria  and  their  people  placed  in  locations, 
every  man  being  fined  ^5,  to  be  paid  at  once  in  money  or 
kind. 

Mojaji. — ^Rekwali,  another  minor  chief,  having  surrendered  on 
loth  September,  two  forts,  each  manned  by  fifty  burghers,  were 
established  in  the  district,  and  the  remainder  of  the  force 
moved  northward  to  deal  with  the  chieftainess  Mojaji,  who 
besides  having  assisted  Malabokh,  had  a  number  of  looted 
cattle  in  her  possession.  Though  she  maintained  a  hostile 
demeanour  till  the  commando  approached,  she  and  her 
indunas  surrendered  without  any  fighting.  Her  people  were 
fined  ^5  each,  which  was  collected  at  once,  mostly  in  cattle. 

The  total  number  of  cattle  taken  from  Mojaji  amounted  to 
nearly  9000  head. 

This  concluded  the  operations  and  the  commando  broke  up 
on  September  24th,  1894. 

The  rebellious  tribes  dealt  with  were  all  of  Basuto  race,  but 
this  did  not  prevent  the  chiefs  Matala  and  Kivi  (the  latter  a 
half-brother  of  Malabokh's)  from  actively  assisting  the  Boers. 


I 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.        II 5 

It  is  also  officially  recorded  that  the  Matabele  chiefs  Hans 
Masibi  and  Valtyn  Makapan  gave  valuable  help  throughout 
the  operations. 

Campaign  against  Mpefu,  1898. 

Mpefu,  the  son  of  Makhato  chief  of  the  Bavenda  tribe,  had 
never  been  punished  by  the  (jovernment  of  the  South  African 
Republic  for  the  share  taken  by  his  tribe  in  Malabokh's  revolt 
in  1894.  He  therefore  continued  to  maintain  his  defiant 
attitude  and  to  disregard  all  regulations  imposed  by  the  Native 
Affairs  Department.  As  no  measures  were  taken  to  bring  him 
to  reason,  in  1898  he  proclaimed  himself  an  independent  chief 
and  commenced  to  collect  tribute  from  the  members  of  his 
tribe,  wherever  they  might  be  living.  Some  of  his  own  people 
paid,  but  when  he  attempted  to  levy  taxes  from  the  Buys 
People,  who,  he  said,  were  tributary  to  him,  they  refused  to 
pay  and  sought  the  protection  of  the  (Government. 

A  commando  of  600  men  was  then  raised  and  despatched 
to  Piet  Potgietersrust  (then  the  terminus  of  the  railway)  whence 
the  force  marched  via  Pietersburg  and  Louis  Trichardt  to 
Rietvlei,  close  to  the  chief  kraal  of  Mpefu  in  the  Magato 
mountains.  The  chief  was  summoned  to  a  parley  but  returned 
a  threatening  answer  and  prepared  to  fight.  Seeing  this,  the 
Boer  Commandant  sent  for  reinforcements,  including  two  field 
guns  of  the  Staats  Artillerie,  and  as  soon  as  they  arrived, 
proceeded  to  bombard  the  village.  Contrary  to  expectation, 
very  slight  resistance  was  made,  and  when  two  hours  later  a 
general  assault  was  delivered,  it  was  found  that  Mpefu  had 
fled  northwards,  taking  most  of  his  followers  with  him.  He 
was  not  pursued  but  the  kraals  were  burnt  and  a  certain 
number  of  cattle  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  burghers. 

The  casualties  among  Mpefu's  people  are  not  stated,  and 
the  death  of  only  one  burgher  is  recorded,  killed  by  a  flint- 
lock bullet. 

Mpefu  was  afterwards  found  to  have  taken  refuge  in 
Mashonaland  with  many  of  his  people;  he  returned  in  1904, 
and  was  allotted  the  location  which  he  now  occupies. 

It  is  noteworthy  that  the  eastern  section  of  the  Bavenda,  by 
a  mutual  understanding  arrived  at  with  the  Boers,  took  no 
])art  at  all  in  the  fighting,  while  a  chief  of  the  same  tribe, 
named  Sintimulla,  actually  assisted  the  Boers  against  Mpefu. 

The  tribe  does  not  appear  to  have  been  well-provided  with 

(7269)  H  2 


Il6       THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OE   THE    TRANSVAAL. 

firearms  at  the  time  of  the  war,  which  fact,  together  with  the 
employment  for  the  first  time  of  modern  field  guns  against 
them,  probably  accounts  for  the  feeble  show  of  resistance 
offered. 


Conclusions  to  be  Drawn. 

^M^en  it  is  considered  how  weak  in  numbers  and  military 
experience  and  how  ill-equipped  were  the  Boer  commandos 
that  took  part  in  these  various  expeditions,  how  deficient  they 
were  in  discipline,  dash  and  all  military  qualities  except 
woodcraft  and  knowledge  of  the  country — and  in  addition  that 
the  total  number  of  Europeans  in  the  country  was  until  quite 
lately  a  mere  handful  compared  with  the  hordes  of  natives  in 
the  Transvaal,  the  feeble  resistance  made  in  each  case  by  the 
latter  and  their  lack  of  efficient  combination,  cannot  but 
forcibly  strike  one. 

Some  of  the  campaigns  were  certainly  very  protracted,  but 
this  was  wholly  due  to  the  small  numbers  of  the  burghers,  and 
the  very  slight  control  exercised  over  them  by  their  leaders. 
Never  since  the  days  of  Moselikatse  have  any  native  tribes  in 
the  Transvaal  fought  Europeans  in  the  open  or  otherwise  than 
behind  strong  natural  or  improvised  fortifications,  and  this  is 
the  more  remarkable  if  the  broken  and  difficult  nature  of  the 
country  in  most  of  the  territories  which  had  to  be  operated  in, 
be  taken  into  account. 

On  the  other  hand  it  may  be  said  that  when  the  Boers  first 
appeared  in  the  Transvaal,  all  the  tribes  had  already  been 
decimated  and  terrorised  by  the  armies  of  Moselikatse  and 
other  savage  invaders,  and  were  therefore  not  likely  to  make  a 
good  stand  against  the  Boers,  who,  besides  being  the  first 
white  people  with  whom  they  had  been  brought  in  contact,  had 
acquired  additional  prestige  in  the  eyes  of  all  natives  by  the 
manner  in  which  they  had  cleared  the  country  of  the  dreaded 
Matabele. 

The  Bantu  peoples  are  however  so  prolific,  and  their 
recuperative  powers  so  great,  that  it  is  very  probable  that  they 
would  have  been  able  to  seriously  impede  the  march  of 
civilisation  in  the  Transvaal,  had  any  really  great  native  leader 
been  found  among  them,  capable  of  making  them  sink  their 
petty  tribal  differences,  and  unite  to .  oppose  the  white  man's 
advance.  No  such  leader  has  however  been  forthcoming,  and, 
now  that  the  natives  are    beginning   to   feel    the    benefits    of 


TlIK    NATIVE    TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.        11/ 

civilisation,  it  is  nut  likely  that  they  will  make  any  great 
combined  efforts  to  throw  off  the  restraints  of  European 
Government  in  order  to  revert  to  their  pristine  savagery.  It  is 
indeed  difficult  to  conceive  of  any  circumstances  under  which, 
now  that  the  tribes  are  disarmed,  a  native  rising  en  masse 
would  be  likely  to  take  place. 

Various  causes,  such  as  the  restriction  cr  moving  of  native 
locations,  the  imposition  of  heavier  taxes,  compulsory  labour 
laws,  or  undue  interference  with  native  customs,  might  indeed 
at  any  time  lead  to  isolated  outbreaks,  in  which  some  loss  of 
life  and  damage  to  property  would  occur  at  the  outset  in 
districts  far  removed  from  European  centres,  but  any  such 
risings,  even  if  affecting  more  than  one  tribe,  could  without 
doubt  be  very  easily  dealt  with  in  these  days  of  improved 
communications,  highly  mobile  ordnance  and  iirearms  of 
precision. 

Inter-tribal  politics  and  animosities  have  been  touched  upon 
in  the  foregoing  chapters,  and  it  has  been  seen  how  on  various 
occasions  certain  tribes  have  actually  assisted  the  Government 
in  military  operations  against  other  tribes.  In  any  future 
troubles  that  may  arise,  we  may  still  under  ordinary  circum- 
stances count  on  the  assistance  of  Swazis  or  Shangaans  against 
Basuto-Bechuana  or  Bavenda  tribes  or  vice  versa,  and  even 
of  some  Basuto  tribes  against  others  belonging  to  the  same 
nation.  Circumstances  at  the  time  must  determine  whether 
it  is  advisable  or  not  to  actually  pit  one  tribe  against  another, 
but  even  if  it  should  be  decided  not  to  employ  native  aux- 
iHaries  as  fighting  men,  their  services  would  be  invaluable  as 
scouts  or  spies,  and  in  various  noncombatant  capacities. 

Of  native  tactics  there  are  no  special  features  to  notice. 
Except  possibly  the  Swazis  and  the  true  Zulus  of  the  south- 
eastern districts,  no  Transvaal  natives  are  likely  to  resort  to 
shock  tactics  against  a  disciplined  force.  Having  signalised 
their  defiance  of  authority  by  the  looting  of  stock  on  unprotected 
farms  and  possibly  by  the  murder  of  their  inhabitants,  the 
rebels  would  probably  rather  take  to  the  most  convenient 
mountain  or  jungle  stronghold  with  their  spoils,  and  there  keep 
up  a  more  or  less  passive  resistance  till  the  reduction  of  their 
fastness  by  assault  or  starvation.  Night  attacks  might  be 
expected,  raids  on  horses,  cattle  and  baggage  convoys  would 
have  to  be  guarded  against,  and  in  the  bush-covered  tracts  of 
the  Northern  and  Eastern  Transvaal,  where  natural  fastnesses 
are  very  numerous,  the  operations  would  probably  extend  over 


Il8        TlIK    NATI\  !•;    TRIJiKS    OF    THE    TRANSVAAL. 

a  large  area  and  would  be  difficult  to  bring  to  a  head.  It  is  in 
this  case  that  native  auxiliaries  would  be  most  useful,  as  was 
proved  by  the  successful  employment  of  Swazis  by  the  Boers 
against  various  Basuto  tribes  in  1894. 

The  tactics  most  likely  to  prove  effectual  against  South 
African  natives  do  not  differ  in  principle  from  those  employed 
against  any  other  savages,  and  it  is  therefore  not  necessary 
to  enlarge  upon  them  here.  One  maxim  of  native  warfare  is 
however,  worthy  of  attention,  namely,  that  if  the  cattle  of  a 
tribe  can  be  captured,  the  early  submission  of  that  tribe  is 
assured.  A  tribe  about  to  commence  hostilities  will  always 
send  its  cattle  and  as  much  grain  as  possible,  to  some  place 
of  security  beforehand.  Every  effort  should  therefore  be 
made  at  the  outset  to  ascertain  where  the  cattle  have  been 
concealed,  and  the  earliest  opportunity  taken  of  obtaining 
possession  of  the  herds,  as  the  chief  of  a  tribe  measures  his 
dignity  by  the  number  of  his  cattle,  and  these  once  lost,  he 
feels  that  his  prestige  is  gone,  and  that  he  has  consequently 
nothing  left  to  fight  for. 

The  general  principle  moreover  cannot  be  too  frequently 
reiterated,  that  if  an  expedition  be  undertaken  against  natives 
for  a  definite  object,  be  it  the  disarmament  of  a  tribe,  the 
levying  of  a  fine,  or  to  obtain  possession  of  the  person  of 
some  individual  offender,  no  terms  must  be  made  until  that 
object  has  been  fully  attained.  Natives  are  entirely  incapable 
of  appreciating  magnanimity  in  war  and  usually  attribute  any 
leniency  shown  them  to  fear  on  the  part  of  their  assailants. 
The  neglect  of  this  principle  in  former  wars  has  invariably 
led  to  further  troubles  with  the  tribes  concerned,  necessitating 
fresh  and  more  extensive  operations  in  each  case. 


CHAPTER    X. 

BANTU    ETHICS    AND    SOCIOLOGY. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  that  with  the  spread  of  civiUsation 
and  increased  contact  with  the  white  races,  the  natives  as  a 
whole  are  gradually  abandoning  many  of  their  ancient  customs 
and  superstitions,  or  that  chiefs  are  losing  something  of  their 
hold  over  the  people,  so  that  the  tribal  system  if  not  a 
dying  institution,  may  certainly  be  said  to  be  on  the  wane. 
There  is,  however,  in  the  heart  of  the  native,  a  deep-rooted 
attachment  for  the  beliefs  and  ideals  of  his  ancestors,  which 
it  will  take  generations  if  not  centuries  of  civilisation  to 
efface,  and  it  is  quite  certain  that  in  the  event  of  any  race-war 
or  native  upheaval  in  our  times,  the  original  Bantu  traditions 
would  reassert  themselves,  and  that  by  nine-tenths  of  the  native 
population  the  teachings  of  Christianity  and  of  civilisation 
would  be  completely  set  aside. 

It  is  therefore  advisable  to  briefly  allude  to  some  of 
the  chief  points  of  the  Bantu  tribal  organisation,  and  to 
some  of  the  customs  and  practices  which  form  an  essential  part 
of  it,  as  some  knowledge  of  this  subject  is  of  great  assistance 
in  dealing  with  all  matters  affecting  natives,  and  may  often 
afford  the  key  to  native  problems  otherwise  difificult  of  solution. 


Tribal  System. 

The  tribal  system  itself  is  worthy  of  some  attention.  The 
whole  organisation  of  the  tribe  centres  round  the  chief,  who 
almost  invariably  holds  his  position  by  virtue  of  his  descent 
from  former  chiefs.  In  theory  the  chiefs  power  is  absolute. 
The  persons  of  his  subjects,  their  cattle,  their  houses,  land 
and  crops  are  his  property  to  dispose  of  at  his  pleasure.  He 
formerly  had  power  of  life  and  death   over  all  his  people   and 


120       THK    NATIVE    TKIIiKS    OF    Til]-,    TRAXS\AAL. 

still  may  and  does  help  himself  to  any  of  their  [)ossessions  he 
requires.  Thus  when  men  of  a  tribe  return  to  their  kraals  with 
the  wages  they  have  earned  at  work  beyond  their  districts  the 
chief  invariably  takes  a  proportion  of  the  money  for  himself. 
When  a  crop  is  ready  for  reaping,  the  chief  gives  permission 
for  the  harvest  to  begin,  and  receives  a  full  share  of  the 
first-fruits.  Though  land  is  considered  the  common  property 
of  the  tribe,  the  chief  points  out  the  place  where  each  man 
may  build  his  hut,  and  the  latter  must  at  any  time  move  if 
ordered  to  by  his  chief.  Cattle  are,  so  to  speak,  held  in  trust 
for  the  chief  by  their  various  owners,  who  can  use  them  for 
milking,  ploughing,  etc.,  but  the  chief  may,  if  he  wishes,  claim 
for  his  own  purposes  any  animals  in  possession  of  members  of 
the  tribe. 

The  chief  was  formerly  also  the  sole  arbiter  of  justice  in 
the  tribe,  decided  all  disputes  and  punished  all  offenders. 
(Under  the  present  laws,  however,  chiefs  have  no  criminal 
jurisdiction  :  this  is  a  blow  at  their  pockets  as  well  as  at  their 
prestige,  for  all  fines  which  they  inflicted  were  appropriated  by 
the  chiefs.)  By  native  law  every  member  of  a  tribe  is  bound 
to  bring  to  the  notice  of  his  chief  any  crime  or  misdeed  com- 
mitted by  any  other  member,  and  though  mendacity  in  itself  is 
not  considered  disgraceful,  no  native  will  tell  a  deliberate  lie  to 
his  own  chief. 

The  above  powers  exercised  by  the  paramount  chief  are 
delegated  in  a  lesser  degree  to  the  petty  chiefs  or  headmen  of 
the  small  clans  of  which  every  tribe  is  a  congeries,  and  again 
to  the  heads  of  the  families  of  which  the  various  clans  are 
composed,  thus  forming  a  complete  chain  of  responsibiHty 
from  the  lowest  to  the  highest. 

Many  chiefs  are  even  at  the  present  time  credited  with 
supernatural  powers,  such  as  "  rain  making,"  which  naturally 
increase  their  influence,  and  the  blood  relations  of  all  chiefs 
are  looked  upon  with  a  respect  and  enjoy  privileges  which 
do  not  in  any  way  depend  upon  their  personal  characters  or 
qualifications. 

In  practice,  a  chief  is  always  assisted  in  all  his  duties  by 
"  councillors,"  who  are  often  themselves  hereditary,  and  whose 
power  of  course  varies  inversely  as  the  personal  strength  of 
character  of  the  chief.  Thus,  as  strong  chiefs  are  comparatively 
rare,  it  is  as  often  as  not  the  councillors  who  exercise  the  real 
power  in  the  tribe.  A  few  really  strong  chiefs,  such  as  the  Zulu 
king  Chaka,  have  exercised  their  absolute  powers  to  the  full. 


THK    NATIVE    TRIBES    OE    THE    TKAXSXAAL.        121 

but  it  more  commonly  happens  that  in  peaceful  times,  and  so 
long  as  he  receives  a  sufficient  share  of  their  goods,  a  chief 
does  not  interfere  to  any  great  extent  in  the  private  affairs  of 
his  people. 

With  the  gradual  curtailment  of  the  chiefs'  powers  by  the 
present  administration,  it  is  likely  that  the  tribal  system  will 
eventually  disappear  and  that  the  natives  will  look  to  the 
official  representative  of  the  Government  in  their  locality  as 
their  head.  The  Shangaans,  as  has  been  seen,  accepted 
Albasini  as  their  head  in  the  early  days  of  the  Republic,  since 
when  they  have  not  reverted  to  the  tribal  system,  but  have 
been  the  constant  allies  of  the  white  man  against  other  tribes, 
thereby  distinctly  advancing  the  cause  of  civilisation  in  the 
Transvaal.  As  natives  become  civilised,  their  reverence 
for  their  chiefs  and  tribal  institutions  becomes  less,  and  they 
acquire  a  desire  for  individual  rather  than  tribal  aggrandisement ; 
it  is  thus  possible  that  in  course  of  time  the  tribal  factor  may 
be  entirely  eliminated  and  with  it  any  danger  that  may  now 
exist  of  one  or  other  of  the  great  tribes  breaking  out  into  active 
rebellion.  Such  a  consummation  does  not,  however,  seem 
altogether  desirable,  for  a  general  fusion  of  hitherto  antagon- 
istic tribes  would  then  be  possible,  and  this  would  constitute 
a  far  greater  danger  to  the  white  community  than  is  to  be 
apprehended  from  any  of  the  present  tribes. 


Manners  and  Customs. 

Bantu  customs  are  now  pretty  generally  known,  and  are 
described  in  great  detail  in  many  eminent  works.  The  following 
are,  however,  worth  noticing. 


Marriage  Customs. 

'J'he  Bantu  have  been  polygamists  from  time  immemorial. 
With  them  as  with  other  peoples,  the  practice  of  polygamy  no 
doubt  came  into  force  owing  to  the  former  great  excess  of 
women  over  men,  which  excess  had  its  origin  in  the  inter-tribal 
wars  of  extermination  when  the  men  of  a  vanquished  tribe 
were  slaughtered  wholesale,  the  women  and  girls  being  carried 
off  by  the  conquerors.  Nowadays  the  disparity  between  the 
respective  numbers  of  the  sexes  is  but  slight,  so,  as  very  few 


122        THE    NATI\  i;    TRIIJKS    OF    THK    TRANSVAAL. 

men  ever  remain  single,  the  numl)er  of  polygamists*  is  rapidl) 
becoming  less. 

A  native  girl  is  not  supposed  to  have  any  say  in  the  choice 
of  a  husband  for  herself,  the  marriage  being  al\va)'s  arranged 
by  her  father  or  guardian.  The  chief  feature  of  the  marriage 
contract  is  the  payment  by  the  bridegroom  elect  of  Lobola  to 
the  father  of  the  bride.  Lobola  generally  takes  the  form  of  so 
many  head  of  cattle,  which  vary  in  number  according  to 
the  status  of  the  intending  husband.  By  the  payment  of 
these  cattle  the  girl  does  not  become  the  chattel  or  slave  of 
her  husband,  as,  if  she  leaves  him  on  account  of  ill-usage,  he 
cannot  claim  the  return  of  the  Lobola.  On  the  other  hand, 
should  the  girl  be  convicted  of  misconduct,  her  father  is  bound 
by  native  law  to  return  the  whole  or  part  of  the  cattle  to  his 
son-in  law.  Lobola  thus  acts  as  a  useful  check  on  both  husband 
and  wife,  and  it  is  one  of  the  standing  grievances  of  the  natives 
against  the  present  administration,  that  marriages  by  native 
custom  are  not  officially  recognised  by  the  latter,  so  that  if  a 
native's  wife  desert  him,  he  has  no  legal  remedy. 

This  grievance  would  appear  to  be  a  real  one,  as  during  the 
years  1903-4  only  1,240  native  marriages  were  recorded  as 
having  been  solemnised  under  Christian  rites,  and  of  these  the 
majority  were  in  the  comparatively  civilised  central  and  western 
districts.  These  can  bear  but  a  small  proportion  to  the 
number  of  marriages  under  native  custom,  and  none  of  the 
latter  are  accorded  any  legal  status. 

Lobola  is,  however,  liable  to  abuse,  and  sometimes  de- 
generates into  the  sale  of  a  girl  by  her  father,  so  to  speak,  to 
the  highest  bidder.  Moreover,  now  that  natives  as  a  rule  have 
fewer  cattle  and  more  money  than  formerly,  a  money  payment 
sometimes  takes  the  place  o'i\\\kt  Lobola  cattle,  especially  amongst 
Basuto  tribes,  and  this  money,  once  paid,  is  seldom  returned 
in  any  circumstances,  thus  making  the  transaction  a  purely 
commercial  one. 

There  are  no  religious  ceremonies  or  observances  attendant 
on  native  marriages  and,  the  Lobola  once  paid,  the  bridegroom 
can  take  his  bride  to  his  own  kraal,  though  this  is  not 
necessarily  done  at  once.  The  bride's  father  usually  sends  an 
ox  or  two,  or  sheep  or  goats  according  to  his  means,  with 
the  bride  as  a  present  to  his  son-in-law's  people. 

*  Of  the  total  adult  male  natives  of  the  Transvaal,  1 1  "65  per  cent,  have 
more  than  one  wife  at  the  present  time. 


THE    NATIVK     TRIISKS    OK    TllK    TRAXSN  AAL.       1 23. 


Death  and  Burial  Customs. 

The  natives  have  no  definite  beliefs  concerning  the  fate  of 
mortals  after  death,  but  death  itself  is  held  in  abhorrence,  and 
a  dead  body  is  considered  unclean,  so  that  in  most  tribes  any 
person  who  has  touched  a  corpse  has  to  go  through  certain 
ceremonies  of  purification  before  he  can  rejoin  his  fellows. 
When  a  man  dies  in  his  hut,  that  hut  is  abandoned  or  destroyed, 
and  on  the  death  of  a  chief,  the  whole  village  is  sometimes 
abandoned.  So  great  was  the  dread  of  the  presence  of  death 
in  former  times,  that  it  used  to  be  the  custom  to  carry  persons 
seen  to  be  in  the  last  extremity  to  a  distance  from  all  human 
habitations,  and  there  leave  them  to  die  alone. 

The  l)odies  of  ordinary  persons  used  to  be  (and  doubtless 
still  are  in  out-of-the-way  places)  taken  outside  the  village  and 
left  for  the  beasts  and  birds  to  devour.  The  chiefs  have, 
however,  always  been  buried,  the  body  being  "  trussed  "  in  a 
sitting  posture,  and  it  was  the  custom  to  bury  his  weapons  and 
personal  ornaments  with  the  departed  owner.  His  favourite 
animals  such  as  dogs  and  oxen  were  also  killed  and  shared  his 
grave,  and  if  he  were  a  great  chief,  as  man)'  of  his  wives  as 
could  not  escape  suffered  a  like  fate.  These  customs  still 
continue  as  regards  the  weapons  and  animals,  and  as  the  law 
forbids  the  killing  of  wives,  these  are  forced  to  take  refuge  in 
the  wilds  for  some  months,  and  undergo  great  hardships  before 
they  are  allowed  to  return  to  their  kindred.  At  the  burial  of 
a  chief  prayers  are  offered  to  appease  his  spirit  and  his  aid  is 
invoked  for  the  future. 

Tribes  usually  Vjury  their  chiefs  in  the  same  selected  spot, 
which  is  held  in  awe  and  not  willingly  approached  by  the 
people. 

Circumcision. 

This  rite  appears  to  have  originally  been  almost  universal 
among  all  Bantu  tribes  (except  the  Bavenda).  Chaka  abolished 
it  among  the  Zulus,  so  that  the  Shangaans  who  left  Zululand 
in  the  time  of  that  monarch  did  not  practise  it  when  they  came 
to  the  Transvaal.  All  the  Basuto  tribes  practise  circumcision, 
however,  and  both  Shangaans  and  Bavenda,  wherever  they  live 
in  proximity  to  Basuto,  have  in  later  times  taken  to  it  largely. 

Every  few  years  all  the  boys  of  a  tribe  who  have  attained  the 
requisite   age,    14  to    16,    are    circumcised  together.     This    is 


124       iHK    NATI\  K    TRIBES    OF    THE    TRANSVAAL. 

made  the  occasion  of  a  sort  of  festive  gathering  of  as  many 
people  of  the  tribe  as  can  be  collected,  lasting  several  weeks. 
Various  rites  and  ceremonies,  mostly  of  an  obscene  nature,  are 
gone  through  under  the  direction  of  the  witch  doctors,  and 
much  feasting  and  beer-drinking  are  indulged  in  throughout 
the  proceedings. 

When  a  chief's  son  of  any  standing  is  to  be  circumcised, 
as  many  youths  as  possible  of  similar  age  are  got  together  to 
undergo  the  rite  with  him,  and  it  is  said  that  all  such  circum- 
cision-fellows of  a  chief  are  invariably  for  the  rest  of  their 
lives  his  most  absolutely  devoted  adherents.  Men  who  were 
circumcised  together  are  also  sworn  friends  and  will  not  bear 
witness  against  each  other. 

Among  most  tribes  a  rite  which  takes  the  place  of  circum- 
cision is  also  practised  on  females  when  they  attain  the  age  of 
puberty.  This  is  usually  performed  during  the  year  following 
that  in  which  the  boys  of  the  tribe  are  circumci.sed.  The 
attending  ceremonies  last  a  few  days  only,  but  are  of  a 
peculiarly  indecent  and  revolting  nature. 

It  is  said  that  these  orgies  are  considered  as  objectionable  by 
natives  in  the  vicinity  who  do  not  themselves  practice  them,  as 
by  the  whites.  They  are  not  infrequently  the  cause  of  faction- 
fights  between  the  circumcised  and  the  uncircumcised  portions 
of  a  tribe. 

Religious  Beliefs. 

No  trace  can  be  discovered  among  the  ancient  traditions  of 
the  Bantu,  of  belief  in  any  one  universally  supreme  being, 
corresponding  to  God,  and  any  ideas  on  this  subject  that 
are  at  present  current  amongst  the  heathen  peoples  can 
usually  be  traced  to  contact  with  missionaries  or  converted 
natives. 

The  Bantu  have  indeed  always  believed  in  the  existence  of 
a  variety  of  deities,  mostly  malevolent,  but  these  seem  to  have 
been  inextricably  confused  with  the  spirits  of  their  own 
ancestors,  certain  of  whom,  especially  those  of  great  and 
renowned  chiefs,  can,  so  they  still  believe,  send  lightning, 
storms,  and  rain,  good  or  bad  harvests,  and  all  blessings  or 
calamities.  It  seems,  though,  that  the  spirits  are  more 
inclined  to  bring  down  evil  than  good  on  mortals,  wherefore 
it  behoves  the  latter  to  propitiate  them  by  means  of  sacrifices. 
This  they  frequently  do,  by  offering  cattle,  sheep,  fowls,  or 
even   grain   or   other  fruit   of    the   harvest   on  altars  specially 


THE    NATIVE   TRIHES   OF   THE    TRANSVAAL.        1 25 

prepared  for  the  purpose.  The  meat  or  other  food  is  however 
eaten  by  the  persons  making  the  "sacrifice,"  as  it  is  supposed 
that  the  hungry  ghost  is  satisfied  with  the  smell. 

The  Bantu  "  religion "  contains  no  belief  of  reward  or 
punishment  after  death  for  acts  committed  during  life,  nor  is 
there  any  regular  conception  of  a  particular  place  of  abode 
of  the  spirits  of  the  dead,  but  the  latter  are  supposed  to 
haunt  lonely  localities  in  the  neighbourhood  of  their  earthly 
abodes.  Natives  are  therefore  often  afraid  to  venture  near 
such  places  after  dark  in  case  they  should  meet  the  dreaded 
"spooks."  There  is  also  an  ancient  Bantu  belief  that  the 
spirits  of  the  dead  visit  their  friends  and  descendants  in  the 
form  of  animals,  each  tribe  regarding  some  particular  animal 
as  the  one  selected  by  the  ghosts  of  its  kindred  ;  this  animal 
is  called  the  "  siboko "  of  the  tribe,  and  is  not  only  not 
willingly  killed  or  eaten,  but  contact  of  any  sort  with  it  or  its 
skin  is  avoided  as  far  as  possible.  This  belief  is  the  origin  of 
the  various  totems  of  the  tribes,  whence  mauy  of  them  derive 
their  names,  e.g. — 

the  Bakwena  =  the  people  of  the  "  Kwene,"  the  crocodile; 

the  Ba-Tau  =  the  people  of  the  "Tau,"  the  lion  ; 

the  Ba-Phiring  =  the  people  of  the  "  Phiri,"  the  hyena; 

and  so  with  many  of  the  Bechuana  and  Pjasuto  peoples.  The 
Zulus,  Xosas,  and  other  coast  tribes  all  regard  the  same  species 
of  snake  as  the  form  in  which  their  ancestral  shades  appear — 
their  sub-tribes  are  therefore  named  after  famous  chiefs,  as 
are  also  some  of  the  Bechuana-Basuto  tribes.  The  latter 
however  all  have  a  distinctive  totem  which  they  reverence. 

It  is  from  the  identity  of  their  respective  totems  that 
the  connection  between  certain  tribes,  now  living  far  apart, 
has  been  traced,  and  to  this  day,  if  a  native  meets  a  stranger 
and  wishes  to  ascertain  his  tribe,  he  asks  "To  what  do  you 
dance  ?  "  and  the  name  of  the  animal  totem  is  given  in  reply. 

Besides  the  spirits  of  their  deceased  chiefs  and  ancestors, 
the  Bantu  believe  in  a  great  variety  of  goblins,  water-spirits 
and  fairies,  some  of  which  take  the  forms  of  animals.  All  of 
these  without  exception  are  thought  to  be  hostile  to  man,  and 
are  therefore  to  be  carefully  shunned. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  though  the  Bantu  have  a  belief 
in  various  supernatural  agencies,  they  only  regard  these  as 
potential  authors  of  evil,  to  be  propitiated  as  such.  They  have 
in  fact  no  religion  in   the  ordinarily  accepted   sense   of   the 


126       THE    NATI\'E    TRIHES    OF   THK    TRANSVAAI.. 

word,  and  no  idea  of  any  obligation  to  do  good  for  its  own 
sake,  or  even  for  fear  of  punishment  in  a  future  state.  Of 
])urely  religious  observances  they  have  absolutely  none. 

"  \V^iTCH  Doctors." 

The  belief  in  witchcraft  is  deep-seated  and  universal, 
and  to  this  day  forms  the  most  powerful  lever  for  moving 
natives  in  any  direction.  The  witch-doctors  are  the  regular 
exponents  of  the  craft  and  still  exercise  a  very  great  influence 
over  chiefs  and  people. 

There  are  several  classes  of  witch-doctors,  some  being 
specialists  in  "rain-making,"  some  in  "  smelling-out  "  or  witch- 
finding  ;  "  and  some  having  an  intimate  knowledge  of  herbal 
remedies  and  poisons.  The  greatest  "  doctors  "  usually  have 
some  skill  in  all  these  arts. 

The  professional  "smeller-out"  {i.e.,  discoverer  of  persons 
who  by  a  power  obtained  from  demons  are  supposed  to  bewitch 
others,  thereby  causing  sickness,  death  or  disaster)  naturally 
enjoys  great  power  in  a  tribe  ;  he  is  generally  in  the  pay  of 
the  chief,  who  gets  him  to  "  smell-out "  persons  obnoxious  to 
himself.  Such  persons  were  in  former  days  put  to  death  with 
fearful  tortures  and  even  at  the  present  time  are  often  ill-used 
or  boycotted  to  such  an  extent  that  they  have  to  leave  the 
tribe  or  starve. 

The  "  rain-maker's "  calling  is  more  precarious,  as,  though 
he  gets  much  credit  as  well  as  material  profit  if  rain  falls  soon 
after  his  incantations,  the  people  soon  lose  faith  in  him  when 
he  fails  to  produce  the  desired  downpour. 

The  native  herbalists  are  said  to  have  a  really  wonderful 
knowledge  of  plants  with  medicinal  and  poisonous  properties, 
and  authentic  cases  are  on  record  of  cures  affected  by  them 
of  virulent  sores,  snake-bite  and  even  cancer.  They  seldom 
however  can  be  persuaded  to  divulge  their  recipes,  which  are 
passed  on  from  father  to  son,  and  form  the  most  treasured 
family  possession.  They  also  know  of  many  most  subtle 
poisons,  by  the  sale  of  which  they  become  rich,  and  by 
administering  which,  chiefs  and  other  persons  able  to  purchase 
them,  sometimes  rid  themselves  of  their  enemies,  the  latter  to 
all  appearance  dying  from  perfectly  natural  causes. 

The  most  familiar  "  properties  "  of  the  witch-doctors  are 
the  "  knuckle-bones,"  known  to  the  natives  as  "  daula  "  and  to 
the   Boers  as  "dol  os."     They  may  consist  of  pieces  of  bone, 


tup:    NATIVl':    TRIHKS    OV    the    TRANSVAAL.        12/ 

or  wood  or  stones  or  almost  any  substance.  They  are  much  in 
evidence  whenever  a  witch-doctor  is  consulted,  as  from  the 
manner  in  which  the  bones  fall  when  thrown,  he  decides  the 
answer  to  the  question  asked  him.  Natives  have  great  faith  in 
the  knuckle-bones  and  they  are  thrown  on  all  sorts  of  occasions. 

Though  the  power  of  witch-doctors  has  lessened  of  late 
years,  owing  to  the  advance  of  Christianity  and  civilisation, 
these  people  still  exercise  a  very  great  influence  over  all 
natives,  even  over  so-called  converts,  and  are  therefore  still 
to  be  reckoned  with  as  a  power  among  the  tribes. 

Of  the  Transvaal  natives,  the  Shangaans,  especially  those 
in  the  Zoutpansberg,  are  said  to  practise  and  believe  in 
witch-craft  the  most.  Next  to  them  the  Bavenda  and  Zulu 
tribes  are  the  most  superstitious.  The  Bechuana  tribes,  being 
as  a  rule  more  civilised,  and  the  Basuto  possessed  of  more 
common  sense,  are  in  general  less  superstitious  than  the  others. 

Pursuits  and  Occupations. 

Originally  hunters  and  herdsmen,  the  modern  Bantu  of 
South  Africa  have  had  perforce  to  turn  agriculturists.  Their 
method  cf  hunting  was  to  organise  large  drives  in  which  all 
the  men  and  boys  of  a  tribe  took  part.  The  game  was  either 
surrounded  or  driven  into  a  cul-de-sac  and  killed  by  spearing 
or  clubbing.  Considerable  skill  was  displayed  in  the  manage- 
ment of  these  drives  which  have  now  been  practically  put  a 
stop  to  by  the  game-laws  recently  introduced. 

The  natives,  however,  still  employ  various  ingenious  traps 
for  animals  of  all  sorts — a  practice  which  is  not  easily  checked, 
and  which  greatly  retards  the  increase  of  the  game,  even  in  the 
reserves. 

Though  now  o!)liged  to  till  the  soil  to  support  life,  the 
Transvaal  natives  have  not  yet  develo])ed  any  great  skill  in 
agriculture.  In  some  few  localities  the  missionaries  have 
taught  and  encouraged  them  to  grow  fruits  and  vegetables,  by 
means  of  irrigation,  but  the  great  majority  plant  nothing  but 
mealies  (maize)  and  kafifir  corn  (sorghum  or  millet),  and 
little  more  of  these  than  is  sufficient  for  their  own  immediate 
needs.  They  seldom  store  this  grain  but  sell  any  surplus 
they  may  have  to  the  nearest  "  kaffir-store-keeper  "  at  a  cheap 
rate,  only  to  buy  it  back  again  at  famine  prices  when  the  pinch 
of  want  is  felt. 

The    usual     implement     of    cultivation     is    the     hoe,    with 


128       THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

which  they  merely  scratch  up  the  surface  of  the  ground.  No 
attempt  is  made  to  manure  the  ground,  but  crop  after  crop  is 
sown  till  the  soil  is  exhausted,  when  a  fresh  spot  is  sought. 

All  the  field  labour  was  till  recently  done  by  the  women  and 
girls,  who  worked  together  in  large  parties,  tilling,  sowing  and 
reaping  all  the  fields  of  the  tribe  or  clan  in  turn.  It  was  in 
fact  the  duty  of  the  women  to  provide  all  the  food  for  the 
kraal  except  meat  and  milk,  which  were  obtained  by  the  men. 
The  gradual  introduction  of  ploughs,  worked  by  the  men,  is 
however  revolutionising  this  system,  and  where  the  plough  is 
used,  the  life  of  the  women  is  made  much  easier.  Indeed  the 
plough  is  incidentally  the  means  of  greatly  decreasing 
polygamy,  for  many  wives  are  desired  by  the  native  primarily 
as  so  many  inexpensive  farm  labourers,  fewer  of  whom  are 
necessary  when  such  a  labour-saving  implement  is  in  use. 

The  staple  food  of  the  natives  is  mealies — stamped  or 
boiled — and  milk.  The  latter  is  never  drunk  fresh,  but  is 
kept  in  skin  bags  till  it  ferments.  Pumpkins  are  occasionally 
eaten  and  certain  wild  roots,  herbs  and  fruits.  Goats  and 
sheep  are  occasionally  killed  for  food,  but  cattle  only  on  very 
great  occasions,  a  native  looking  on  his  flocks  and  herds  as  his 
bank,  and  their  increase  as  the  interest  on  his  money  ;  cattle  are 
by  far  his  most  treasured  possession. 

Cattle  diseases. have  latterly  much  reduced  the  natives'  herds  : 
the  following  are  the  numbers  of  stock  officially  estimated 
to  have  been  in  possession  of  natives  in  the  various  divisions 
and  districts  in  1904  : 


Division. 

orses. 

lU 

>> 

c 

0 

0 

c 

1 

0 

U 

X 

0 

- 

Northern 

74 

.39 

1,113 

81,321 

94,251 

213,237 

14,051 

Eastern 

125 

35 

568 

33,725 

23,826 

137,553 

11,600 

Central 

,V8 

71 

1,520 

23,420 

40,009 

47,512 

6,974 

Western 

272 

72 

786 

35,371 

31,326 

42,627 

10,950 

North-Western 

27 

16 

,361 

28,214 

30,338 

58,532 

7,130 

South-Eastern 

910 

15 

16,925 

13,084 

75,352 
574,813 

15,128 

Total 

1,726 

233 

4,363 

218,976 

232,134 

65,833 

THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OI-    THE   TRANSVAAL.        1 29 

lVea/>ons. 

The  traditional  weapons  of  the  Bantu  tribes  are  various- 
forms  of  spears  and  javeHns  known  as  "  assegais  "*.  There 
are  different  kinds  of  these,  used  for  stabbing  and  throwing 
respectively,  the  former  having  short,  stout  shafts  and  broad 
blades,  while  the  latter  have  narrow  points  and  long  tapering 
shafts. 

"  Knob-kerries  "  (clubs  or  throwing  sticks)  are  also  in  general 
use  by  the  natives.  They  throw  the  lighter  varieties  with  some 
skill,  and  are  able  to  bring  down  birds  on  the  wing  with  them. 

Bows  and  arrows  do  not  appear  ever  to  have  been  generally 
used  by  the  Bantu  tribes  of  South  Africa  as  serious  weapons  of 
war,  though  it  is  related  that  the  Bavenda  tribe  (see  Zoutpans- 
berg  division)  overcame  the  original  inhabitants  of  the  Northern 
Transvaal  by  means  of  poisoned  arrows.  Though  occasionally 
used  in  the  chase  by  natives  of  remote  districts,  the  bow  is  not 
much  in  evidence  at  the  present  time. 

Firearms  seem  to  have  been  first  obtained  by  the  Eastern 
Transvaal  natives  from  the  Portuguese  settlements  on  the  East 
coast  early  in  the  nineteenth  century.  In  the  forties  the  Boers 
used  to  give  out  muskets  and  ammunition  to  large  numbers  of 
natives  in  the  northern  and  north-eastern  districts  to  enable 
them  to  procure  ivory  and  skins,  which  they  brought  back  to 
their  employers.  There  came  a  time  when  the  natives  refused 
to  give  back  these  guns,  and  turned  them  against  their  owners, 
thereby  causing  some  of  the  earlier  native  wars  which  have  been 
described. 

Clood  marksmanship  with  the  rifle  is  very  uncommon  among 
the  Transvaal  natives,  and  as  all  the  tribes  were  officially  dis- 
armed between  September,  1902,  and  January,  1903,  they  have 
not  much  chance  at  present  of  improving  themselves  in  this 
respect. 

Firearms  as  under  were  collected  from  the  natives  at  the 
general  disarmament,  compensation  being  paid  for  every  weapon 
brought  in. 


*  This  is  nol  a  native  word,  being  of  Porluguese  extraction. 
(7269) 


MO       THE    XATIVl-:    TKIBKS    OK    THE    TRANS\AAL. 


. 

Xuniljcr  of  am 

IS  ^urrenciertd. 

Ammuni- 
tion. 

District. 

Maga- 

Other 

Other 

Number 

zine 

breech 

fire 

Total. 

of 

Rifles. 

loaders. 

arm?. 

• 

Rounds. 

East  and  south-cast 

213 

1.355 

7,230 

8,798 

5,985 

Zoutpanslierg 

125 

1,808 

28,909 

30,842 

Central  districts... 

62 

850 

2,952 

3,664 

3,356 

North-west  districts 

41 

579 

4,269 

4,907 

1,112 

West  districts     

42 

1,136 

899 

2,077 

630 

Total          

483 

5,746 

44,259 

50,488 

11,083 

Compensation  to  the  amount  ol  ^,61,548  wa.s  paid  to  tlie 
natives  for  the  above  arms  and  ammunition. 

The  following  firearms  were  registered  as  in  the  possession  of 
chiefs  and  headmen  in  the  year  1903-4  : — 


Northern  Division... 

206 

Eastern           „ 

8 

Central           „ 

9 

Western           ,, 

46 

North-western 

2T 

Total 


290 


Besides  the  above,  for  which  the  possessors  hold  licences,  it 
is  probable  that  some  firearms  have  been  concealed  by  certain 
tribes.  Zebedela  or  Shikwane  in  the  Waterberg  division  was 
the  only  chief  officially  suspected  of  having  withheld  a  certain 
number  at  the  time  of  the  general  disarmament,  but  the 
Shangaans  and  other  north-eastern  tribes  undoubtedly  have 
opportunities  of  obtaining  arms  from  natives  in  Portuguese 
territory,  while  in  the  western  districts  it  is  possible  that  the 
natives  may  occasionally  be  supplied  from  their  kinsmen  in  the 
Bechuanaland  Protectorate,  who  have  never  been  disarmed. 
On  the  whole,  however,  it  is  considered  that  comparatively  few 
natives  are  in  possession  of  firearms  at  the  present  tmie. 


THE   NATIVE   TRllJES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.        13I 


Tribal  Distinctions. 

Physique. — Taken  as  a  whole,  the  Shangaans  are  superior  in 
physujue  to  all  other  tribes  met  with  in  the  Transvaal,  the  people 
of  Zulu  extraction  having  quite  lost  their  national  characteristics 
in  this  as  in  ocher  respects,  and  being  for  all  practical  purposes 
merged  in  the  Basuto. 

Next  come  the  Basuto  and  Bechuana,  who  are  both  moderately 
■developed  people,  generally  well-built,  wiry  and  active,  but  slight 
in  figure. 

The  Bavenda  are  decidedly  inferior  in  physi(jue  to  all  the 
■other  tribes,  being  neither  tall  nor  muscular.  This  may  be  the 
result  of  their  allowing  marriages  between  close  blood-relations, 
which  is  totally  opposed  to  the  practice  of  all  other  Bantu  tribes 
in  South  Africa. 

Dress. — In  the  western  and  central  divisions  and  in  all 
localities  which  border  on  large  European  centres,  the  natives 
have  to  a  large  extent  adopted  some  form  of  European  clothing, 
and  their  tribes  can  therefore  no  longer  be  distinguished  by  their 
styles  of  dress  or  personal  appearance.  In  districts  compara- 
tively remote  from  civilisation  however,  such  as  the  Zoutpansberg, 
Waterberg,  and  Eastern  I  )istricts,  the  following  tribal  peculiarities 
are  observed  : — 

Basuto  tribes. — Men.  .Shave  the  whole  of  their  head  periodi- 
cally, and  are  therefore  never  seen  but  with  very  short  hair. 
They  also  often  gash  their  faces  on  the  cheeks — one,  two  or 
more  scars  on  each  side  according  to  tribe.  They  have  no 
head-dress.  By  way  of  body-clothing  they  wear  a  roughly- 
dressed  skin  hanging  from  a  waist-belt  in  front,  to  which,  after 
passing  between  the  legs,  it  is  also  fastened  behind. 

Basuto  women  may  be  recognized  by  their  hair,  which  is 
■closely  cut  on  the  crown  of  the  head,  the  remainder  on  the 
forehead,  neck  and  temples  being  clean-shaved,  thus  giving  the 
.appearance  of  a  skull-cap.  Immediately  below  the  irregular 
edge  of  this  "cap,"  a  line  of  l)lack  and  red  is  painted. 

They  are  fond  of  wearing  numerous  metal  bangles,  usually  of 
plain  iron,  brass  or  copper  wire  of  varying  thicknesses,  on  their 
arms  and  ankles,  and  bracelets  of  the  same  material  round  their 
necks.  Their  dress  consists  of  two  dressed  leather  aprons 
fastened  round  the  waist  by  a  girdle.  The  hinder  apron  is  cut 
to  a  point  which  hangs  down  to  the  level  of  the  knees,  that  in 
front  being  square,  but  often  ornamented  with  strings  made  of 
twisted  sinews,  or  with  coloured  beads. 

(7269)  I  2 


133       THE    NATI\K   TRIBES   OF    THE   TRANSVAAL. 

Zulus. — Transvaal  Zulu  men  cannot  readily  be  distinguished' 
from  Basuto  by  their  personal  appearance.  Their  women  wear 
a  skirt  or  kilt  reaching  to  the  knee,  made  of  leather,  brayed  and 
dressed  very  soft,  Avhich  is  not  worn  by  any  other  tribes. 

Shangaans. — As  stated  before  the  men  of  this  race  affect  a 
larger  variety  of  the  well-known  Zulu  "head-ring."  This  is 
worn  by  all  the  older  men,  and,  unhke  the  original  Zulu  article, 
is  removable.  They  do  not  shave  the  head,  nor  do  they  now 
make  scars  on  their  faces,  though  they  formerly  disfigured 
themselves  in  a  peculiar  manner  which  earned  them  the  nick- 
name of  "knob-noses."  They  wear  round  their  waists  skins, 
with  the  hair  outwards,  after  the  fashion  of  the  Zulu  "  Moocha." 

Shangaan  women  are  easily  identified  both  by  their  hair, 
which  is  worn  in  thin  plaits,  six  to  eight  inches  long  at  the  back 
and  sides,  and  by  their  pleated  skirts,  which  are  nearly  always  of 
a  dark  blue  coarse  cloth  manufactured  by  themselves,  and  reach 
to  a  little  below  the  knee.  They  also  wear  numerous  bangles, 
but  these  are  made  of  very  thin  wire,  twisted  and  worked  intO' 
patterns  on  a  foundation  of  horse-hair. 

Bavenda. — Both  men  and  women  of  this  tribe  always  keep 
their  whole  heads  quite  clean-shaved.  Otherwise  they  are  not 
easily  distinguishable  from  the  Basuto,  except  by  their  poorer 
physique,  as  the  skin  loin-cloths  of  the  men  and  the  two  leather 
aprons  worn  by  the  women  are  very  similar  to  those  of  the  latter 
people. 

Swazis. — The  Swazis  dress  after  the  style  of  the  Zulus  of 
Zululand,  wearing  the  skin  "moocha";  unlike  Zulus  though, 
they  often  wear  a  head-dress  of  furs. 

In  cold  or  wet  weather  the  natives  of  all  tribes  who  cannot 
procure  a  European  coat  of  some  sort,  wear  a  blanket  or  skin- 
rug  ("  Kaross ")  thrown  over  their  shoulders,  which  they  also- 
use  as  a  covering  at  night. 

Habitatio7is. 

As  in  the  matter  of  clothing,  so  in  their  style  of  house-building, 
the  more  civilised  class  of  natives  are  aping  Europeans,  and 
near  towns  and  villages  as  well  as  in  the  Western  districts 
generally,  round  or  rectangular  stone  huts,  mud-plastered,  and 
with  pitched  roofs  of  thatch,  are  conmionly  seen.  Chiefs, 
indeed,  often  have  quite  good  houses  of  European  pattern. 

The  following  types  of  huts  are  however  generally  adhered  to- 
by the  different  tribes  in  the  remoter  districts  : — 


THK   NATIVK    TRIIJKS   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.        1 33 

Basil  to. — The  hut  is  circular  in  plan,  the  walls  consisting  of 
fairly  stout  vertical  poles,  stuck  in  the  ground  and  4  to  5  feet 
high,  interlaced  with  light  pliable  rods  and  reeds,  the  whole 
being  plastered  with  mud  and  cow-dung  outside.  The  roof  is 
of  grass  thatch  and  conical  in  shape,  with  eaves  projecting 
slightly  beyond  the  walls.  The  doorway  is  very  low,  and  is 
closed  by  a  swinging  mat  or  sometimes  by  a  rough-hewn  board. 
There  are  no  windows.  The  floor  of  the  hut  is  of  carefully 
rammed  earth,  and  the  fireplace  is  in  the  middle.  There  is, 
however,  no  outlet  for  the  smoke,  except  the  door.  A  space 
round  the  front  of  the  hut  is  usually  enclosed  by  a  high  screen 
of  reeds,  within  which  the  women  sit  and  work. 

Basuto  for  choice  build  their  huts  on  the  slopes  of  rocky  hills. 

Sha/igaans.—'T\\e  Shangaan  type  of  hut  is  similar  in  general 
■shape  to  the  Basuto,  but  has  much  lighter  walls,  mostly  made 
of  reeds  stiffened  by  a  few  poles  only,  and  is  generally  smaller ; 
the  roof  is  of  higher  pitch,  better  made,  and  with  eaves  projecting 
nearly  to  the  ground.  These  differences  are  probably  due  to 
vthe  fact  that  the  Shangaans  as  a  rule  live  in  a  hotter  climate 
than  do  the  Basuto,  and  are  subject  to  heavier  rainfall,  while 
they  usually  select  a  plain  or  valley  in  preference  to  a  hill-side 
for  a  site. 

Bavenda. — The  Bavenda  build  huts  very  like  those  of  the 
Basuto,  but  these  people  are  very  poor  and  slovenly  architects, 
and  spend  a  considerable  portion  of  the  year  living  in  the  open. 

Zulus. — The  Zulus  of  the  Transvaal  build  circular  huts  with 
vertical  wails  like  the  other  tribes,  but  often  make  their  roofs 
•of  a  beehive  shape  instead  of  the  usual  cones. 

Arts  and  Handicrafts. 

The  Bantu  are  not  artists,  their  only  efforts  in  this  direction 
being  rude  attempts  at  carving  human  and  animal  figures  out  of 
wood,  the  ornamentation  of  assegai  shafts  with  wire-work,  and 
the  working  of  designs  in  coloured  beads  on  the  aprons  of  the 
women  of  some  tribes. 

Their  skill  as  handicraftsmen  is  not  conspicuous,  but  is 
sufficient  to  keep  their  simple  wants  supplied.  The  smelting 
of  metals  appears  to  have  been  known  to  them  from  very  early 
times,  and  they  have  always  manufactured  their  own  iron  spear- 
heads, rude  knives,  and  the  picks  and  hoes  used  in  agriculture, 
heating  the  metal  by  means  of  a  primitive  clay  furnace  fanned 
with  bellows  made  oi  a  goat  or  antelope  skin,  and  beating  it 


134       TIIK   NATI\K   TRIBES   OF   THK   TRANSVAAL. 

with  a  largt  flat  stone.  (Joppcr  has  also  been  worked  for  a  long 
time  by  certain  tribes,  notably  the  Batlokwa,  but  appears  onl) 
to  have  been  used  for  making  bracelets  and  other  ornaments.. 
Various  kinds  of  wirework  are  also  common  in  bracelets,  etc. 

It  is  said  that  there  are  certain  men  in  Malabokh's  tribe  in 
the  Blauwberg  who  are  able  to  make  gunpowder,  but  the  truth 
of  this  is  doubtful. 

The  greatest  and  most  general  accomplishment  of  South 
African  natives  is  the  dressing  of  leather  and  skins,  either 
with  or  without  the  natural  hair.  The  skin  "  Karosses "  or 
robes  made  by  these  people  are  Avell  known  for  the  excellence 
of  their  curing  and  the  neat  manner  in  which  the  pieces  are 
sewn  together  with  sinews. 

The  Shangaans  appear  to  be  the  only  people  who  practise 
any  form  of  weaving.  They  make  a  stout  coarse  woollen  cloth, 
usually  dyed  indigo  with  red  stripes,  of  which  the  skirts  of  their 
women  are  usually  made. 

Most  of  the  Basuto  tribes  and  some  others  are  very  skilful 
in  the  making  of  baskets.  These  are  so  closely  woven  of 
rushes  or  grass  that  milk  or  even  water  can  be  carried  in: 
them. 

Clay  pottery  is  also  extensively  manufactured  by  the  women' 
of  many  of  the  tribes.  They  fashion  pots  of  all  shapes  most 
cleverly  without  any  sort  of  appliance  like  a  potter's  wheel,  but 
using  the  hands  only,  manage  to  produce  symmetrical  and 
finished  articles.  The  pots  are  of  all  sizes  from  small  mugs 
used  for  drinking  to  enormous  jars  in  which  kaflir  beer  is- 
l:)rewed  or  grain  stored. 

When  instructed  by  Europeans,  these  natives  are  able  to 
learn  ordinary  trades,  and  become  fairly  efficient  rough 
carpenters,  stonemasons  and  even  blacksmiths,  but  instances 
are  very  rare  of  South  African  natives  having  acquired 
sufficient  manual  dexterity  to  make  really  skilled  mechanics. 


CHAPTER     XI. 
NATIVE    LANGUAGES. 

Thk  language  spoken  b)-  the  Bantu  tribes  is  of  a  high  order, 
subject  to  strict  grammatical  rules  and  adequate  for  the 
expression  of  any  ideas  whatever.  The  construction,  however, 
is  very  different  from  that  of  the  languages  of  Europe,  as  it 
is  inflected  principally ' by  means  of  prefixes,,  and  in  the  con- 
struction of  sentences  follows  certain  rules  depending  upon 
harmony  of  sound.  It  has  become  broken  up  into  many 
dialects,  so  that  individuals  from  the  Western  coast,  from  the 
interior  and  from  the  Eastern  coast  cannot  understand  each 
other,  though  the  great  majority  of  the  words  used  by  all  are 
formed  from  the  same  roots. 

In  the  South  Eastern  dialects  the  sound  of  the  letter  R  is 
wanting,  while  in  some  others  the  sound  of  our  L  is  never 
heard.  In  all  are  combinations  of  consonants  which  are  very 
difficult  for  strangers  to  master. 

The  "  clicks  "  which  occur  in  various  Bantu  dialects  as  now 
spoken,  were  no  doubt  imported  from  Hottentot  or  Bushmen 
sources  ;  the  words  in  which  they  occur  being  chiefly  those 
pertaining  to  the  occupations  of  women  ;  it  is  surmised  that 
they  were  introduced  by  females  of  Bushman  or  Hottentot  race 
who  were  spared  when  the  tribes  to  which  they  belonged  were 
concjuered.  There  is  this  jieculiarity  in  the  language,  that 
some  of  the  dialects  on  the  opposite  sides  of  the  continent 
bear  a  closer  resemblance  to  each  other  than  to  those  between 
them.  The  tribes  seem  to  have  been  scattered  and  mixed 
together  again  by  violent  convulsions  in  some  long  forgotten 
time. 

The  Bantu  language  is  divided  by  experts  into  three  main 
branches  :  the  Western,  Eastern  and  Southern,  which  are  again 
divided  into  sub-branches.  It  is,  however,  sufficient  here  to 
consider  the  branches  of  the  Southern  Division,  which  embrace 
all  the  languages  met  with  among  the  Bantu  races  in  South 
Africa. 


136       THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

The  Southern  branch  is  divided  into  three  sub-branches  : 
•"  Eastern,"  "Central"  and  "Western,"  and  by  examining  the 
first  two  of  these,  all  Bantu  languages  in  British  South  Africa 
can  be  placed. 

The  Eastern  sub-branch  includes  three  languages  only : 
I.     Zulu. 
II.     Xosa. 
III.     Gwamba. 

This  may  be  called  the  "  click "  group,  as  its  languages 
contain  several  different  forms  of  "click"  sounds,  unpronounc- 
able  by  the  average  European. 

I.  Zulu,  properly  called  "Sizulu,"  is  spoken  in  Zululand  and 
also  in  a  more  or  less  corrupt  form  by  the  people  of  Zulu 
extraction  now .  living  in  the  Transvaal.  Its  use  as  the 
language  of  a  conquering  and  superior  race  extends  as  far 
north  as  the  River  Zambesi,  and  even  when  another  language 
is  the  vernacular  of  the  people,  Zulu  is  generally  understood. 
Setebele,  the  so-called  language  of  the  Matabele,  is  Zulu  with 
dialectic  variations. 

There  are  two  forms  of  Zulu — the  High  and  the  Low — 
used  by  the  upper  and  lower  classes  respectively. 

The  language  of  the  Swazis,  called  Siswazi,  is  merely  a 
dialect  of  the  Zulu  tongue. 

II.  Xosa  is  the  oldest  form  of  Bantu  speech,  and  is  closely 
allied  to  the  Zulu.  It  is  confined  to  the  Transkei  and  neigh- 
bouring native  territories  of  Cape  Colony. 

III.  Gwamba,  Sigwamba  or  Sichangaan  is  the  language 
used  by  the  generality  of  natives  in  Portuguese  East  Africa, 
and  also  by  the  Shangaan  tribes  in  the  Transvaal,  who  are  of 
the  same  race.  It  bears  a  close  resemblance  to  Zulu,  and  Zulus 
can  understand  it  without  much  difficulty. 

The  Central  sub-branch  has  four  languages,   of  which  two 
only  need  be  touched  upon  here, viz.  : 
I.     Sesuto. 
II.     Sechuana. 

These  differ  from  the  Eastern  tongues  in  having  no  "  clicks  " 
(except  in  a  few  Sechuana  dialects)  and  are  also  generally 
harsher,  more  guttural  and  less  liquid  in  sound. 

I.  Sesuto  is  the  language  of  Basutoland  and  is  also  spoken 
by  the  Barotse  north  of  the  Zambesi,  the  latter  having  at  one 
time  being  conquered  by  the  Makalolo,  a  tribe  of  Basuto 
race.     The  conquerors  have  disappeared,   but  their  language 


THE    NATIVE    TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL.        1 37 

remains.  Various  dialects  of  Sesuto  are  largely  spoken  among 
the  native  tribes  of  the  Transvaal,  the  Bapedi  tongue,  called 
Sipedi,  being  that  most  widely  spoken  and  understood. 

II.  Sechuana  is  so  closely  allied  to  Sesuto,  that  it  is 
sometimes  difficult  to  discern  to  which  of  these  languages 
certain  dialects  spoken  in  the  Transvaal  belong.  It  is  the 
language  of  the  Baralong,  Kakwena,  etc.,  of  Bechuanaland,  and 
in  various  dialects  is  spoken  by  many  tribes  of  the  Transvaal, 
where  it  is  generally  understood. 

Sivenda,  the  language  of  the  Bavenda  tribe  of  the  Zout- 
pansberg,  differs  materially  from  both  the  Eastern  and  Central 
groups  of  languages,  and  is  not  understood  or  easily  acquired 
either  by  Zulus,  Shangaans  or  Basuto,  in  View  of  which  fact, 
the  opinion  held  by  some  that  it  is  a  blend  of  Sesuto  and 
Lukalanga  (the  language  of  the  Makalanga  of  Mashonaland) 
■does  not  appear  correct.  It  is  more  probably  a  dialect  of  some 
Bantu  language  spoken  much  nearer  the  Equator,  for  it  is  said 
that  it  closely  resembles  the  speech  of  a  tribe  now  living  in 
the  valley  of  the  Congo. 

In  general  sound  Sivenda  is  much  softer  than  the  Sesuto 
and  Sechuana  languages. 

The  general  distribution  of  languages  in  the  Transvaal  is 
thus  : 

Noriheni    Districts. — Sesuto    predominates ;    Sigwamba, 

Sivenda  and  Sizulu  also  spoken. 
Eastern  Districts. — Forms  of  Sesuto  almost  universal. 
-5".  Eastern  Districts. — Sizulu  and  Siswazi  universal. 
Central     Districts. — Sesuto     predominates,     but     some 
Sechuana  dialects,  and  a  little  Sizulu  are  also  spoken. 
N.    Western  Districts. — Sizulu   universal,    but   becoming 

more  and  more  mixed  with  Sesuto. 
Western  Districts. — Sechuana  universal. 

Orthography  ok  Native  Names. 

The  Bantu  have  no  written  characters  of  their  own,  and 
as  there  is  as  yet  no  universally  recognized  system  of  spelling 
native  words  in  the  Transvaal,  the  manner  in  which  these  are 
rendered  in  most  current  works  on  South  Africa  and  on  the 
maps  in  general  use,  is  apt  to  be  confusing  if  not  actually 
misleading. 

The  best  known  system  of  spelling  is  that  inaugurated  by 
the  late  Dr.  Colenso,  Bishop  of  Natal,  which  is  now  generally 


138       TIIF,    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

followed  in  that  C.'olony  and  also  in  the  Cape  Colony.  The 
system  was  specially  devised  to  represent  the  sounds  of  the  Zulu 
language,  and  for  this  purpose  it  is  satisfactory.  As,  however, 
it  uses  the  letter  R  (the  ordinary  sound  of  which  is  unknown 
in  Sizulu)  to  represent  the  strong  guttural  similar  to  the  Arabic 

r^  (kh),  it  is  manifestly  not  entirely  adapted  for  the  rendering. 

of  the  Sesuto  or  Sechuana  languages,  wherein  the  English  R 
frequently  occurs. 

Throughout  this  treatise  an  attempt  has  therefore  been 
made  to  follow  the  system  of  spelling  indicated  in  Appendix 
IJl,  King's  Regulations,  which  seems  to  provide  the  means  of 
approximately  rendering  all  Bantu  sounds  except  the  "clicks." 

The  clicks  are  of  three  kinds :  (a)  dental ;  {/>)  palatal  ; 
(c)  lateral,  each  of  which  has  several  varieties  or  shades,  but  it 
is  unnecessary  to  describe  these  here. 

(a)  The  dental  click  is  produced  by  pressing  the  tip  of  the 
tongue  against  the  back  of  the  front  teeth,  and  its  sound  is 
like  the  "  ts "  sound  often  made  by  Europeans  to  express, 
sorrow  or  commiseration. 

(/')  The  palatal  click  is  made  by  curling  the  tongue  upwards 
against  the  palate,  and  its  sound  is  exactly  like  that  used  to 
urge  on  a  horse — "cl'ck." 

(c)  The  lafe}-al  click  is  very  similar  to  (/')  but  is  made  by 
placing  the  tongue  in  the  cheek. 

These  three  clicks  are  not  provided  for  in  Appendix  III, 
King's  Regulations,  and  are,  therefore,  here  represented  by 
Colenso's  method,  namely,  by  the  letter  C,  Q  and  X  respectively,. 
e.g.,  Amabara,  Ma^ekeza,  Ama.rosa.  Clicks  are,  however,  not 
very  numerous  in  the  Transvaal,  except  along  the  Eastern 
border. 

It  has  been  necessary  to  alter  the  spelling  of  a  number  of 
native  names  which  were  evidently  first  written  by  Dutchmen, 
and  which  would,  therefore,  be  likely  to  be  mispronounced  at 
sight  by  an  Englishman.  For  example,  Secoecoeni  has  been 
altered  to  Sekukuni  (OE  being  in  Dutch  pronounced  as  the 
English  00). 

Magalie    1    ,         ,  u       1  .      /  Alakhali 

Magato    j  ^^^'^^^  ^^^"  ^^^^'^^  ^°  i  Makhato 
(G  being  a  strong  guttural  in  Dutch). 

Certain  obviously  French  spellings  have  also  been  eliminated 
e.g.,  Modjadji,  Shikoane,  Seseloane  have  been  replaced  by 
Mojaji,  Sliikwane,  Seselwane. 


APPENDIX  I. 

NOTES  ON  SOME  NATIVE  STRONGHOLDS. 

Detail?.!)  topographical  descriptions  of  a  number  of  localities^ 
which  would  ])robably  be  resorted  to  and  defended  by  certain 
tribes,  or  used  as  places  of  concealment  for  cattle  and  suppplies 
in  case  of  hostilities,  have  been  obtained,  and  will  be  found  in 
the  Trans-caal  Route  Book.  The  following  are  some  of  the 
most  important. 

In  the  Zoutpansberg  Division. 

The  Blauwberg  (see  Jackson  Map  25).  This  is  a  lofty  rangt 
of  mountains,  rising  over  3,000  feet  above  the  surrounding 
plain,  situated  in  the  district  of  that  name.  It  is  approached 
either  from  Pietersburg  (about  68  miles)  or  from  Piet  Potgieters- 
rust  (slightly  over  100  miles,  via  Masibi's  and  Matala's  locations).. 
Water  is  not  sufficient  for  a  large  force  on  either  road,  but  there 
is  a  good  supply  once  the  southern  slopes  of  the  range  are 
reached. 

The  Blauwberg  is  occupied  by  the  Bakliananwa  tribe  under 
chiefs  Malabokh  and  Kivi,  the  former  of  whoni  is  by  far  the 
more  powerful.  There  is  bitter  enmity  between  the  two  chiefs. 
Malabokh's  kraal  is  on  a  high  hill  called  Leoken,  near  the 
centre  of  the  range,  which  contains  numerous  caves  and 
natural  passages.  On  the  west  side  of  the  hill  is  a  very  large 
cave  in  which  many  cattle  could  be  concealed.  The  whole  hill 
is  very  rocky  and  thickly  covered  with  bush. 

Kivi's  kraals  are  on  the  southern  slopes  of  the  eastern 
extremity  of  the  range. 

Several  native  tracks  practicable  for  pack  animals  ascend 
the  range  from  the  south. 

A  wagon  track  from  the  west  also  leads  to  Beaule)",  tlie 
headquarters  of  the  Sub-Native  Commissioner.  This  would 
probably  be  the  most  suitable  direction  from  which  to  attack 
Malabokh's  stronghold.     The  choice  of  roads  from  the  railwa) 


140       THE   NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAL. 

would  naturally  depend  on  the  attitude  of  the  tribes  located  to 
the  south  and  east. 

Matala's  Location. 

(Jackson's  Map  22).  About  equidistant  {40  miles)  from 
Pietersburg  and  Piet  Potgietersrust.  Good  roads  for  all  arms 
with  a  sufficiency  of  water. 

The  greater  part  of  the  location  is  surrounded  by  high  hills, 
the  space  inside  containing  plenty  of  water.  The  chiefs  kraal 
is  within  the  hills.  The  best  approaches  for  purposes  of  attack 
would  be  from  the  east. 

Though  Matala's  people  are  of  Basuto  extraction,  it  should 
be  noted  that  they  assisted  the  Boers  against  Malabokh  and 
other  Basuto  tribes  in  1894. 

MojAji's  Location. 

Li  Haenertsburg  district  (see  Jackson's  Map  32).  This 
location  is  situated  about  37  miles  N.E.  of  Haenertsburg,  which 
is  some  33  miles  by  road  from  Pietersburg.  Surrounded  as  it 
is  on  the  north,  west  and  south-west  by  high  hills,  any  attack  on 
on  this  location  would  be  best  made  from  the  ea.st  or  south-east, 
which  would  be  reached  from  Haenertsburg. 

The  eastern  portion  of  the  location  is  open  and  fertile  with 
plenty  of  water,  while  the  western  is  sterile,  rough  and  hilly. 
The  tendency  of  the  native  population  is  therefore  to  overflow 
to  the  eastward,  and  many  of  the  people  live  outside  the  limits 
of  the  location  in  that  direction. 

There  are  in  the  Zoutpansberg  Range  proper  and  in  the 
north-eastern  part  of  the  division  generally  tracts  of  almost 
impenetrable  jungle,  traversed  by  only  a  few  native  paths,  which 
would  doubtless  be  used  as  places  of  refuge  by  the  local  tribes 
in  time  of  war  for  themselves  and  their  cattle.  It  is  doubtful, 
however,  whether  during  the  winter  months  when  alone  an 
expedition  could  be  undertaken  in  those  parts,  they  could 
•obtain  enough  water  to  maintain  themselves  for  any  length  of 
time.  Louis  Trichardt  would  be  the  only  possible  base  for 
operations  in  that  part  of  the  country. 

Li  the  North-Western  Division  the  following  is  the  only  place 
worth  notice  : — ■ 

Makapans  Gat. — (Jackson's  Map  4)  Approached  by  a  fair 
Toad  from  Piet  Potgietersrust — 18  miles.     It  is  a  deep  and  con- 


THE    NATIVE    TRIBES   OE   THE   TRAN8\'AAL.        141 

fined  valley  surrounded  by  steep  and  rugged  hills  in  the  sides 
of  which  are  several  extensive  caves,  some  of  which  contain 
water.  This  place  was  the  scene  of  the  fighting  in  1854  between 
the  Boers  and  the  Mapela  tribes  when  the  latter  suffered  so 
severely  (see  Native  Wars).  Infantry  could  scale  the  hills  from 
nearly  every  side  and  so  command  the  whole  valley.  Some  of 
the  Letwaba  people  live  in  the  vicinity  at  present  (see  N.W. 
districts). 

The  \V'^aterberg  hills  west  of  the  railway  are  very  rugged  and 
broken,  and  along  the  Magalakwin  River  are  no  doubt  many 
places  which  natives  might  defend  in  time  of  war. 

The  Eastern  Districts. 

The  Luluberg  Range  (Jackson  Maps  10  and  11)  extends 
southwards  from  the  Olifants  River  nearly  to  Roossenekal.  It 
is  the  headquarters  of  the  Bapedi  tribe  (Sekukuni's)  and  has 
been  the  scene  of  various  campaigns  between  1846  and  1879. 
It  consists  of  rugged  and  lofty  mountains  which  are  generally 
more  easily  approached  from  the  west  than  from  the  east.  The 
principal  points  which  have  been  defended  by  the  natives  in 
former  times  are  (a)  Thama  Khush  (also  known  as  Kolodie's 
Kop  or  Masupa),  (/'')  Khonoko,  and  (r)  Thaba  Mosego. 

(a)  Is  near  the  southern  extremity  of  Geluk's  location  and 
was  defended  by  the  Bapedi  in  1879.  It  could  best  be 
attacked  from  the  west  from  Schoonoord,  the  headquarters  of 
the  Native  Sub-Commissioner,  whence  two  tracks  lead  up  the 
mountain  and  near  which  are  suitable  artillery  positions. 
Schoonoord  is  about  90  miles  from  Belfast  via  Roossenekal  and 
about  80  miles  from  Pietersburg. 

(d)  Is  some  5  miles  north  of  (a)  on  the  farm  Genekat 
Kop  (122)  and  is  important  as  it  is  probably  to  this  mountain 
that  Sekukuni  and  his  immediate  following  would  resort  in  case 
of  hostilities.  Paswani,  Sekukuni's  chief  adviser,  has  his  kraal 
3  miles  west  of  Khonoko.  It  is  also  the  highest  peak  of  the 
Luluberg,  being  about  6,300  feel  above  sea  level  It  is  eminently 
suited  for  defence,  as  there  is  a  good  water  supply  on  the 
mountain,  and  secluded  valleys  exist  in  which  large  numbers 
of  cattle  could  be  concealed,  as  well  as  caves  for  the  storing  of 
grain.  The  immediate  approaches  are  very  difficult  rocky 
paths,  the  only  one  suitable  for  pack  animals  being  one 
branching  from  the  Pietersburg-Lydenburg  road  in  a  N.E. 
direction  over  a  shoulder  of  the  mountain.     There  are  two  or- 


142        THE    NATIVE    TKIISES    OF    THE    TRANSVAAL 

three  other  foot  tracks  which  ascend  Khonoko  from  the  W. 
and  N.W. 

((.')  Thaba  Mosego,  owing  to  the  scarcity  of  water  on  it,  is 
not  of  any  great  importance  from  a  mihtary  point  of  view.  It 
is  situated  20  miles  north  of  Khonoko.  This  mountain  is  the 
sacred  place  of  the  Bapedi,  who  still  offer  sacrifices  on  the 
graves  of  Sekwati  and  other  chiefs  who  are  buried  there. 

Besides  the  regular  strongholds  above  mentioned,  many 
places  in  and  about  the  Drakensberg  range  offer  facilities  for 
guerrilla  warfare,  and  would  afford  hiding  places  for  natives  in 
revolt.  The  whole  of  the  Low  country,  east  of  the  Drakensberg, 
is  practically  covered  with  thorn-bush,  which  is  thick  in  parts 
Except  along  the  rivers,  however,  water  is  too  scarce  to  admit 
•"of  any  large  numbers  of  natives  maintaining  themselves  for  any 
lencth  of  time. 


Western  Division. 

The  Pilansberg  {see  Transvaal  Degree  Sheet  '■'' Rusteitbnrg") 
IS  the  only  native  location  in  these  districts  worth  considering 
from  a  military  point  of  view.  It  is  a  circular  chain  of  hills, 
rising  700  to  1,500  feet  above  the  surrounding  plain,  the  circle 
being  about  18  miles  in  diameter.  The  hills  are  rocky  with  a 
few  trees  ;  the  interior  valleys  mostly  clothed  with  bush.  There 
is  a  fairly  good  water  supply  from  several  streams.  The 
Pilansberg  is  80  miles  via  Rustenburg  from  Pretoria,  the  near- 
est point  on  the  railway.  Good  roads  for  all  arms  all  the  way. 
There  are  six  roads  into  the  Pilansberg,  an  attack  on  which 
would  present  no  real  difficulties  to  a  force  provided  with 
artillery.  The  place,  however,  has  some  importance  as  it  is 
occupied  by  the  Transvaal  Bakhatla,  who,  owing  to  their 
connection  with  the  people  of  Linchwe  in  Bechuanaland,  would 
most  probably  be  involved  in  any  disturbance  that  might  be 
started  by  that  somewhat  ambitious  chief. 

Of  the  other  locations  in  this  division,  the  two  principal  ones, 
namely,  the  Moilo  and  Kunana  locations,  are  not  easily  de- 
fensible, and  could  besides  be  very  quickly  reached  from  the 
western  railway.  None  of  the  remaining  western  locations  are 
•of  any  military  importance. 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE    TRANSVAAL.        I43 


'I'hi-:  Ckxtrai,   Division. 

There  are  no  si)ecial   localities  to  which  any  of  the  tril)es 
would  be  likely  to  retire  with  a  view  to  defending  them. 


Thk  South-Eastern  Districts. 

The  mountainous  borders  of  Swaziland  might  be  utilized  by 
revolted  natives  as  temporary  places  of  refuge,  but  it  is  more 
likely  that  they  would  retire  into  Swaziland  proper. 


APPENDIX  II. 

THE  NATIVE  MISSIONS  OF  THE  TRANSVAAL. 

Almost  every  native  location  and  native  centre  in  the 
Transvaal  has  its  own  mission.  The  missionaries  are  of 
various  denominations  but  include  only  one  Roman  Catholic ;. 
the  majority  are  German  Lutheran,  and  Swiss  Presbyterian. 
The  missions  are  distributed  as  follows  : — 


THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF    THE   TRANSVAAL.        145 


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146       THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRANSVAAK 


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THE    NATIVE   TRIBES   OF   THE   TRAN.SVAAU        147 


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148       THE    NATIVK   TKII'.I'.S   OF    l  Hi;    TRANSVAAL. 

This  number  of  natives  nia\'  be  considered  as  directly  under 
the  influence  of  Christianity,  and  it  will  be  noticed  that 
considerably  more  than  half  of  them  are  in  the  western  districts. 
There  are  of  course  numbers  of  natives,  besides  those 
resident  on  Mission  Stations,  who  profess  Christianity  in  some 
form  or  other,  but  the  total  number  of  so-called  converts  is  a 
very  small  percentage  of  the  whole  native  population,  and  this 
number  does  "not  seem  to  be  increasing  very  rapidly. 

The  missionaries,  howexer,  also  do  an  immensity  of  good  in 
various  ways  unconnected  with  religious  doctrines,  teaching 
the  natives  better  methods  of  agriculture,  and  the  rudiments 
of  various  trades  and  handicrafts  by  the  practice  of  which  they 
<:an  earn  money  and  so  better  their  material  condition.  As  a 
result  it  is  noticeable  that  natives  living  near  mission  stations 
usually  have  better  houses,  get  more  out  of  the  ground,  and 
are  individually  more  prosperous  than  the  others. 


APPENDIX  III. 
AUTHORITIES    CONSULTED. 

The  Bcginnini:,    of  South   Afnca)i  History.     By    Dr.    O. 

McC.  Theal.     Capetown  :  T.  Maskew  Miller.     1902. 
History    of    South    Africa.     5    volumes.      By    Dr.    G. 

McC.  Theal.     Eondon  :  Swan  Sonnenschein  and  Co. 

1897-1900. 
The  Boer  States.     By  Professor  A.  H.   Keane.     London  : 

Methuen  and  Co.     igoo. 
The  Modem  Languages  of  Africa.     2  volumes.     By  R.  iN . 

Cust.     London  :  Triibner  and  Co.     1883. 
Geschichte    dcr   Baivciida-Mission    in    Nord    Transvaal. 

Missionary  pamphlet  by  W.  Criindler.     Berlin  :  1897. 
Lc    Bokaha.       Missionarj-    pamphlet    by     E.     Thomas. 

Neuchatel.      1895. 
Various   Parliamentary    Bluebooks     on     South    African 

Affairs. 
Annual  Reports  of  the  Commissioner  for  Native  Affairs. 

Transvaal,  1902,  1903,  1904. 
Report  hy  the   Commissioner  for    Native    Affairs   on    the 

"  Acquisition  and  tenure  of  land  by  natives"  1904. 
Report  of  the  South  African  Native  Affairs   Commissiou 

190375- 
The  Archives  ot  the  late  South  African  Republic. 
Sundry  manuscript  notes  by  the  Officials  of  the  Nali\(.- 

Affairs  Department,  French  and  German  Missionaries, 

etc.,  kindly  lent  l)y  the  Secretary  for  Native  Affair.-^, 

Transvaal. 


INDEX. 


A. 

PAGE 

Administrative  "  Divisions"  and  "  Districts...  ...  ...  ...  94-5 

Albasini,  JoSo,  becomes  chief  of  the  Shangaans  ...  ...  ...  64 

,,           ,,     his  character  and  career           ...  ...  ...  ...  65 

Arms  in  possession  of  natives    ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  ...  30 

Arts  and  handicrafts,  native       ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  ...  133-4 

Asiatics,  influx  of            ...         ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  ..  7 


B. 

Bafokeng,  The.     Section  of  the  Bakwena  tribe          ...  ...  ..  20 

.Baharutsi  (Barotsi)  tribe,  The    ...         ...         ...          ...  ...  ...  18 

Bahwaduba,  The.     Section  of  Zuhis    ..           ...         ...  ...  ...  34 

Bakhafela,  The.     Section  of  the  Bakhatla  tribe         ...  ...  ...  23 

Bakhatla  tribe,  The         ...         22-4 

,,      tribes  descended  fiom  ...         ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  23-4 

Bakhaha,  The.     Branch -.  f  the  Bapedi  tribe  ...         ...  ...  ...  55 

Bakhananwa  (Malabokh's)  tribe.  The 53 

Bakoni  tribe.  The.     Eastern  districts  ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  78-9 

,,             ,,          Zoutpansberg  Division  ...         ...  ...  ...  47 

Bakubung  or  Bakhofa,  The.     Section  of  Bakwena  tribe  ...  ...  21-2 

Bakulubeng,  The..,         ...         ...         ..           ...         ...  ...  ...  27 

Bakwebo  tribe,  The         ...          ...          ...          ...          ...  ...  ...  5° 

Bakwena  tribe.  The        19,80 

■  Balemba,  probable  Semitic  origin  of  the          ...         ..  ...  ...  60 

Baloyi,  The.     Shangaan  tribe  ...         ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  66-7 

Bamakhopa,  The.     Section  of  the  Bakwena  ...       ....  ...  ...  20 

Bamalete,  The 27 

Bamatau,  The.     Section  of  the  Ba-moHmosana          ...  ..  ...  21 

Bamatlaku,  The.       ,,         ,,         ,,           ,,        ...         ...  ...  ...  21 

Bamolechi,  The.     (Mahtzi's  tribe)        ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  47 

Bamolimosana,  The        ...          ...          ...          ...          ...  ...  ...  21 

Bamosetla,  The.     Section  of  the  Bakhatla  tribe        ...  ...  ...  23 

Banareng  or  Banareni  tribe,  The           ...          ...          ...  ...  ...  5^ 

Ba-nkuna  tribe,  The.     (Shangaan)       ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  65 

■^ Bantu,  Meaning  of  the  word      ...         ...          ...         ...  ...  ...  6-7 


INDEX;  151 

PAGE 

Bantu,  uibal  system,  The  ■.;  .   .■•>;;U9-2l  ■ 

Banlwane,  The    ...         ...  ...         ...         i.-  ..-.;,.         34 

Bapedi  tribe,  The  ...         ...         ...         ...         ...     74~8 

Baphalane,  The.     Section  of  the  Bakwena  tribe        ...     ■       .,..        22 

Baphiring  tribe.  The       ...  ...         ...  ...  ...         ...         ...         24 

Baphuti  or  Bahputi,  The  79 

Bapo  and  the  Batlako,  The        26 

Baralong  tribe.  The         ...         ...  ...         ...  ...         ...      I5"~^ 

Baramanemela,  The.     Section  of  the  Ba-niolimo.sana  ...         ...         21 

Barotseland,  Conquest  of  ...         ...         ...         .•■  .■•         •••  9 

Barotse  tribe,  The  ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         18 

Basuto,  Dialects  of  the    ...         ...         .......         ...         ...  ...         46 

Basuto  tribes  of  the  Central  Division    ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         32 

,,         „      of  the  Eastern  Districts    ...         ...         ...  ...         ...         73 

,    „         ,,      of  the  Zoutpansberg  Division      ...         ...         ...         ...     45"^ 

Ba-Tau  tiibe,  The.     (Eastern  Districts)  79 

Ba-Taung,  The    ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         .••         25 

Batlaung,  The      27 

Batlokwa  or  Batokwa,  The        25,49 

Batlokwa  tribe,  The  original      ...         ...         ...         ...  ...         ...  9 

Batsuetla,  Basuto  name  for  the  Bavenda  ...         ...         ...         ...         59 

Bavenda  tribe.  The  ...         ...  ...         ...         ...  ■•         ...         59 

,,  ,,  Descent  from  Bakhatla  stock  of  chiefs  of  ...         59 

,,  ,,  Attacked  by  Swazis  and  Shangaans        ...         ...        106 

,,  ,,  Fighting  strength  of  ...         ...  ...         ...,        63 

"  Black  Matabele,"  The 4° 

Blauwberg,  Stronghold  of  the    ..  ...         ...  ...         ...  ...        I39 

Blood  River,  Battle  of  the  9 

Boer  Expeditions  against  the  Bamapela  ...  ...  104,  106 

,,        Bapedi loi,  107 

,,        David  Massouw  m 

,,        Katlakter  (Bavenda)     105 

,,        Makapan's  people  ...         ...    103-4 

,,         Malabokh  I12-3 

,,         Mapokh 109-11 

,,         Moselikatse       100 

,,         Mpefu 115-6 

,,         Setyeli 102-3 

,,         various  tribes     ...         ...         ...         ...   II5~5 

British  expedition  against  Sekukuni      ...         ...  ...  ...         ...   108-9 

Bushmen,  The      ...         ...  ...  ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  5 

Buys  people.  The  (half-caste  tribe)       ...         ...         ...  ...         ...  69-70 


Carolina  district.  The  tribes  of  ...          ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  9 

Cattle  owned  by  natives ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  128 

Central  division.  Native  population  of  the  ...  ...  ...  ...  32 

Chaka,  The  Zulu  chief    ...          ...          ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  9 

Circumcision         ...         ...         ...          ...  ...  ...  ..  ...  123-4 

Classification  of  the  Bantu           ...         ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  7 


152 


INDEX, 


Coast  tribes,  The  ...         ...         

Commissioner  for  Native  Affairs,  The  .. 
Conclusions  drawn  from  Native  Wars  .. 
Chuenc,  petty  chief 


7 

94 
II6-8 

55 


D. 

David  Massouw,  Boer  Expedition  against        ...         ...  ...  ...  m 

Death  and  Burial  Customs         ...         ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  123 

Descent  of  Various  Tribes  from  the  Bakhatla  ...         ...  ...  ...  23-4 

Dingaan,  The  Zulu  Chief           ...         ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  9 

Distribution  of  Natives,  Present            ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  12-13 

Distribution  and  Strength  of  Tribes  of  Western  Division  ...  ...  28-9. 

,,                   ,,             ,,            Central          ,,  ...  ...  37-S 

N.W.         „  43 

„                   ,,             ,,              S.E.  Districts  ...  ...  91 

„                   ,,         Basuto  of  Zoutpansberg  Division  ...  57-8 

„                   ,,               ,,     of  Eastern  Districts  ...  ...  82-4 

,,                   ,,         Bavenda    ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  63 

„                   ,,         Shangaans  of  Zoutpansberg  ...  ...  68 

,,                   ,,                 ,,             Eastern  Districts  .. .  ...  86 

,,                   ,,         Swazis                  ,,             ,,  ...  ...  86 

Divisions  and  Districts,  Administrative            ...         ...  ...  ...  94-5 

Dog  tax     ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  99 

Dress  distinctions...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  131-2 

Duties  of  Officials  of  Native  Affairs  Department         ...  ...  ...  95-6 

Dzada,  The  ruins  of        ...         ...          ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  6o> 


E. 

vj^astern  Districts,  Native  ropuhilion  of  the 

Eland,  Charlie,  Petty  chief        

Eland,  Jack,  Petty  chief... 

'  Ermelo  District,  Tribes  of  the   ... 
*'  Ethiopian  Church,"  Influence  of  the... 


40 
40,  69 

92 
35.41- 


F. 

Faction  fight  in  the  Bakhatla  tribe 
Factions  of  the  Bapedi    ... 
Firearms  surrendered  by  natives  1903,  List  of 
Franz,  The  Rev.  R.,  German  missionary 


•  35-l> 

•  77-S 
.129-30 

54 


Gasibone,  Bakwena  chief 
♦' Great  Trek,"  The 


2f 
Ct-10> 


INDEX. 


is:> 


H. 


Habitations,  Native 

Heidelberg  District,  Unclassified  natives  of  th 

Hereros,  The 

Herman  Selon,  Bakwena  chief  ... 

Hlangaan  tribes,  The 

Hottentots,  The   ... 

Hut  tax,  Proposed 


PAGl!- 

35 

}y 

21 

8S 

5 

9f> 


Ikalafeng,  Bahurutsi  chief 
Interior  tribes,  The 


I'* 
ii 


J. 


Jensen,  Mr.,  Missionary... 


Katlakter,  Ba\cnda  chief,  Boer  Expedition  against 

Kekaan,  Karel,  Zulu  chief 

Kekaan  tribes,  The         ...  ...  ..'. 

Khafela,  Tiie  Bakhatla  of  

Khopane,  Baharulsi  chief 

Khupa,  Section  of  the  Bakwebo  tribe... 

Kivi,  Bakhananwa  chief. .. 

Klein  Makhato,  Tau  chief 

Klein  Mtiba,  Bakoni  chief 

"  Knob- Noses,"  The.     (Shangaans)     ... 

Kobeni,  Basuto  chief.     Eastern  Districts 

Kukuna  Lekhali,  Bakoni  chief... 


105 

34 

34 

.39 
23 
19 
5' 
54 
50' 
49 
64 
81 

40 

L. 

Laban,  Joseph,  I'ctly  chief 

Labour  Districts  ... 

Lagden,  Sir  (iodfrcy,  Commissioner  for  Native  Affairs 

Land  tenure  by  natives,  Question  of    ... 

Languages,  Native 

Lehau,  Bakhatla  chieftainess 

Leihlo  Lo  Babatsho,  Native  newspaper 

Lekhali's  section  of  the  Bakoni  tribe    ... 

Letwaba  tribe.  The 

Li-Kulube  section  of  the  Bakwebo  tribe 

Linchwc,  Bakhatla  chief 


37 

14 

94 

96-8 

135-^ 
36 
7' 
48 
60 
51,80 
30.31 


,154  INDEX. 

PAGE 

List  of  tribes  and  chiefs.     Central  Division      ..          ...         ...  ...  37-8 

...      .'           ,-           ..          N.W.          „           43 

,,           ,,           ,,          Western      ,,            ...         ...         ...  ...  28-9 

,,  ■        ,,  ■        Basuto,  Eastern  Districts  ...         ...  ...  82-4 

■         ,,           ,,           ,,                ,,       Zoutpansberg  Division  ...  57-8 

,,  '  '      ,,'          ,,'          Bavenda       ...                                 ...  ...  63 

,,  ■  ■      ,,           ,,          Shangaan,  Eastern  Districts         ...  ...  89 

.,"         ,,'          .>                  ,,          Zoutpansberg  Division  ...  68 

,,           ,,'          ,,           Swazi,  Eastern  Districts    ...         ...  ...  86 

,,   "      ,,           ,,          Zulu,  Eastern  Districts      ...         ...  ...  88 

,,           ,,           ,,          S.E.  Districts          ...         ...         ...  ...  93 

Livestock  owned  by  natives,  Return  of            ...         ...         ...  ...  128 

Livingstone,  Dr.,  Damage  to  property  of        ...         ...  ...  103 

Lobengula             ...          ...         ...         ...         ...          ...         ...  ...  ii 

Lomomio,  Bavenda  chief           ...         . . .   •      ...          ...         ...  ...  62 

Luluberg,  Strongholds' of  the  •  ...          ...         ...          ...         ...  ...  141-2 


M. 

Maake  section  of  the-Bakonitribe  ••     ...   *"  ...  48 

Maake  section  of  the  Bamolimosana  tribe  ...  ...  ...  ...  21 

Mabalane,  Philip,  Baphiring  chief        ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  24 

*' Mac-Mac"  or  Nyanda,  Swazi  chieftaine.ss  ...  ...  ..  ...  85 

Mafefe,  Nuku  chief         ...          ...         ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  56 

Magwaniba,  The.      (Shangaans)            ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  64 

Mahlangu,  Fene,  Zulu  chief      ...          ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  34 

Mahupa's  section  of  the  Bakoni  tribe    ...  ...  ...  ...  48 

Maja,  I'etty  chief             ...          ...          ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  55 

Makapan's  Gat,  Description  of...          ...  ...  ...  ...  ...    140-1 

Makapan,  Solomon,  Bakhatla  chief      ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  37 

Makapan,  Valtyn,  Kekaan  chief           ......  ...  ...  ...  39 

'Makhato,  Bavenda  chief 
■Makhato,  Klein,  Tau  chief 


Makhuba,  Mutalerwa  chief 

Makololo,  The     

Makwarella,  Bavenda  chief 


Malabokh's  tribe  (the  Bakhananwa)     ...         ...  ...          ...  ...  53 

Malabokh,  Boer  expedition  against       ...         ...  ...         ...  ...   112-3 

Malakutu,  Bapedi  chief  ...          ...          ...          ...  ...          ...  ...  77 

Maleo  or  Maloyi  tribe     ...          ...          ...          ...  ...          ...  ...  80 

Malikajik,  Swazi  chi.ef    ...                       85 

Malitzi's  or  Bamolechi  tribe        ...          ...          ...  ...          ...  ...  47 

]VIamabolo  or  Li-Kulube  section  of  Bakwebo  tribe  ...          ...  ...  51 

;Mamaiolla's  section  of  Banareng  tribe...          ...  ...          ...  ...  52 

iMamichi  or  Sekoko,  Nuku  chief           ....       ...  ...  56 

.Mamitwa,  Baloyi  chief   ...          ...  ...          ...  ...  66 

Mamokhali,  Johannes  Otto,  Bakwena  chief    ...  ...          ...  ...  21 

.Manala  section  of  Zulus ...          ...          ...          ...  ...          ...  ...  33 

.Manners  and  Customs     ...          ...          ...          ...  ...          ...  121  el  seq. 

.Ma  Ntatisi  ;  The  Mantatis  .       9 

iMapela  Tribes,  The         ...                      ...          ...  ...         ...  ...  40 


INDEX.  155 

PAGE 

Mapela  Chiefs,  Characters  of  the          ...  ... 41 

Mapokh's  tribe     ...         ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  86-7 

Mapokh  and  Malew a  routed  by  Swazis  ...  ...  ...  ...  104 

,,        Boer  e.xpedition  against          ...  ...  ...  ...  ...109-11 

Maraba,  Jonathan,  Kekaan  chief         ...  ...  ...  ...  ...40,69 

Maraba,  WilHam,         ,,          ,,             ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  40 

Marichane,  Bapedi  chief            ...          ...  ...  .-..  ..  ...  77 

Maritz,  Boer  leader         ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  ...  n 

Marriage  customs            ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  121-2 

Mashashaan,  Letwaba  chieftainess        ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  69 

Masibi,  Hans,  Mapela  chief      ...          ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  40 

Masibi,  Hendrik  Backeberg,  Mapela  chief  ...  ...  ...  ...  40 

Matabata,  Mutalerwa  chief        ...         ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  55 

Matabele,  The      n 

"The  Black"            40 

Matala's  Location,  Description  of         ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  140 

,,        section  of  the  Bakoni  tribe    ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  48 

Maihibe,  Amos  (alias  Lipunu),  Zulu  chief  ...  ...  ...  ...  34 

,,         Paledi,  mixed  tribe  under      ...          ...  ...  ...  ...  34 

Matlaping,  Sibulawa,  Batlokwa  chief ...           ..  ...  ...  ...  25 

,,           Sidumedi,          ,,            ,,       ...          ...  ...          ...  ...  25 

Matok  or  Masanyane,         ,,            ,,       ...          ...  ...          ...  ...  49 

Matsatsi  Tlol we,  Batlokwa  chief          ...         ...  ...         ...  ...  25 

Mavamba,  Shangaan  chief         ...          ...          ...  ...          ...  ...  65 

Minga,  Shangaan  chief  ...          ...         ...         ....  ...          ...  ...  65 

Missions,  Native  ...         ...          ...          ...         ...  ...         ...  ...  145-8 

Mohlaba,  Nkuna  chief    ...         ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  ...  66 

Moilo's  Location,  Description  of          ...         ...  ...          ...  ...  31 

Mojaji,  chieftainess  of  the  Bakwebo  tribe        ...  ...         ...  ...  5°"^ 

Mojaji's  Location,  Description  of          ...         ...  ...          ...  ...  140 

Mokhale,  Darius,  Bapo  chief    ...         ...          ...  ...          ...  ...  26 

,,         Diederick,  Bapo  chief           ...          ..  ...          ...  ...  26 

Mokhatla,  Tom,  Baharutsi  chief           ...         ...  ...         ...  ..  19 

Mokoto,  husband  of  Mojaji       ...          ...          ...  ...          ...  ...  5^ 

Molehi,  alias  Ramaubane,  petty  chief ...          ...  ...          ...  ...  21 

Molepo,  Mutalerwa  chief           ...          ...          ...  ...          ...  ...  55 

Molete,  David,  chief  of  Bakulubeng  tribe      :..  ...         ...  ...  27 

Molifyane,  Sefanyetso,  Faphiring  chief            ...  ...          ...  ...  25 

Molotlegi,  alias  August  Mokhatle,  Bakwena  chief  ...         ...  ...  20 

•  Montsiwa  and  Moshete,  War  l)elween...          ...  ...          ...  ..,  17 

More,  Daniel,  Bakwena  chief   ...          ...          ...  ...         ...  ...  21 

•  Moselikatse,  The  Zulu  conqueror          ...          ...  ...         ...  ...  10 

,,           routed  by  Boers     ...         ...          ...  ...         ...  ...  Ii 

„            founds  the  Matabele  kingdom     ...  ...          ...  ...  Ii 

„           Boer  expeditions  against  ...          ...  ...         ...  ...  loo-i 

Motele,  Basuto  chief.  Eastern  Districts            ...  ...          ...  ...  81 

Mpahlela,  Bakhaha  chief           55 

Mpefu,  present  chief  of  Bavenda  tribe             ...  ...         ...  ...  61 

„        Boer  expedition  against...          ...          ...  ...          ...  ...  11 5-6 

Mrehi,  Basuto  chief.  Eastern  Districts...          ...  ...          ...  ...  81 

Msikiza,  Swazi  chief       ...         ...          ...          ...  ...         ...  ...  85 

Mtiba,  petty  chief           49 


156  INDEX. 

I'AGK 

Mukhubua,  chief  of  the  Banialelc         ...          ...  ...  ...  ...  27 

Mukhubua  section  of  the  Bakweho  tribe          ...  ...  ...  ...  51-2 

Musi,  The  sons  of,  founder  of  the  Transvaal  Zulu  tribes  ...  ...  33 

Mutalcrwa  tribe.  The      ...         ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  ...  54-!% 

Mutlo  Mabi,  Batlako  chiel         

N. 

Natal,  British  annexation  of      ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  ...  10 

Natalia,  Republic  of       ...          ...          ...          ...  ...  ...  ...  10 

Native  Affairs  Department,  Organisation  of  the  ...  ...  ...  94 

Native  names,  Orthography  of ...         .„         ...  ...  ...  ...  137 

Native  Vigilance  Association,  The        ...         ...  ...  ...  ...  71 

Native  wars,  Conclu  ions  drawn  from  ...         ...  ...  ...  ...  116-S 

Native  weapons    ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  ...  129 

Newspaper,  Native  (Leihlo  Lo  Babatsho)       ...  ...  ...  ...  71 

Ngulube,  Swazi  chief      ...         ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  ...  85 

Nkobe,          ,,       „          85 

Nkuna  or  Bankuna  tribe,  The  ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  ...  65 

Nkwane,  Baphuti  chief  ...          ...         ...          ...  ...  ...  ...  79 

Nomqcisa  or  Nompete,  Swazi  chieftainess       ...  ...  ...  ...  85 

Nuku  Section  of  Bakhaha  tribe...          ...          ...  ...  ...  ...  55 

Nyanda  or  "  Mac-mac,"  Swazi  chieftainess     ...  ...  ...  ...  85 

Nyumba  Mabena,  Zulu  cliief     ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  ...  33 

Nzunza  (Mapokh's)  tribe  of  Zulus         ...         ...  ...  ...  ...  34 

O. 

"  Oorlamsch,"  The.     Descendants  of  slaves  ...  ...  ...  ...  35 

Organization  of  the  Native  xVftairs  Department  ...  ...  ...  94 

Orthography  of  native  names     ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  ...  13? 

Ovampo  tribe.  The          ...         ...         ...         ...  ...  ...  ...  ^ 


Paswane,  Sekukuni's  adviser     ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...79,80 

Physique  of  natives          ...          ...          ...          ...          ...          •••          ...  13^ 

Piet  Retief,  Boer  leader 10 

Piet  Retief  district.  The  tribes  of         ...         ...          ...          ...         ...  92 

Pilane,  Ramono.     Bakhatla  chief        ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  30 

Pokhisho,  Baharutsc  chief          ...          ...          ...          ...          ...          ...  19 

Poll-tax,  Native 99 

Population,  1904.     Total  native            ...          ...          ...          ...          ...  12-13 

,,           ,,         Western  Division   ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  15 

,,           ,,         Central          .,         3^ 

N.W.             „ 39 

,,           ,,         Zoutpansberg  Division       ...         ...          ...         ...  44 

,,           ,,         Ea.stern  Districts    ...         ...         ...         ..,         ...  73 

S.E.             „          9' 

Powers  of  Officials  of  Native  Affairs  Department       ...         ...         ...  95""^^ 

Punitive  measures  against  various  tribes           ...          ...          ...          ...  II3~.'> 

Pursuits  and  occupations.  Native          ...         ...         ...         •••         •••  1^7""^ 


INDEX. 


157 


R. 


Uamakhupa,  Batokwa  cliicf 

Ramakok,  Bakwena  chief 

Ramapulana,  Bavenda  chief 

Ramaramisa  (known  as  Sibasa),  Bavenda  chief 

Ramolekana,  Baralong  chief 

Ramputa,  Bavenda  chief 

Ralsegaai,  alias  Andries  Lekhwali,  Bakwena  chief 

Ivedistribution  of  tribes,  Causes  of 

Registered  firearms  in  possession  of  natives     ... 

Rehgious  beliefs,  Bantu  ... 

Retief,  Piet,  Boer  leader 

Rifles  in  possession  of  the  Bakhatki 


PAGE 

49 
22 
61 
62 
18 
62 
21 

II-I2 
130 

124-6 
10 
30 


s. 

Sebetwane,  Makololo  chief 
Sebogodi,  Bahurutsi  chief 
Secretary,  Native  Affairs,  The   ... 
Sekhopo  section  of  the  Bakwebo  tribe  ... 
Sekoko  alias  Mamichi,  chief  of  Nuku  tribe     ... 
Sekororo's  section  of  the  Banareng  tribe 
.Sekukuni  I,  chiefof  the  Bapedi 

,,       British  expedition  against  ... 
Sekukuni,  The  present  chief 

,,         Character  of  ... 
Sekukuniland,  The  strongholds  of 
.Sekvvati,  Bapedi  chief     ... 
Sekwati,  Bakoni  chief     ... 
Selebul's  section  of  the  Banareng  tribe 
.Seripa  Moloto,  chief  of  the  Bamolechi  tribe    ... 
Sesuto,  Dialects  of 

Setjeli  or  Secheli,  Boer  expedition  against 
.Shangaan  tribes.  The.     Zoutpansberg  Division 

,,  ,,         ,,         Eastern  Districts 

Shikwane  (Zebedela)  Kekaan  chief 
Shopiane,  Swazi  chief  eastern  districts... 
Sibasa  or  Ramaramisa,  Bavenda  chief  .. . 
Sibolayu  Tlokhvvane,  Pleadman 
Sikundu,  Shangaan  chief 

.Sintimulla,  brother  of  Mpefu,  Bavenda  chief  .. 
Sillari,  Basuto  chief,  Eastern  Districts... 
Sitorom,  Swazi  chief,  Eastern  Districts 
Sivenda,  Language  of  the  Bavenda 
.Skep  Maluka,  Bakhatla  chief    ... 
Spelling  of  native  names... 
Standerton  District,  The  tribes  of 
Stephen,  Bakwena  chief. .. 
Strength  and  distribution  of  tribes. 


Western  Division 
Central  Divisiort 


9 

19 
94 
51 
56 

52 
76 

108-9 
77 
7« 

141-2 

76 

49 

53 

47 

46 

102 

64-8 

88-9 

39 

«5 

62 

27 
65 
62 
81 
8s 
60 

35.  3(> 

137 

92 

22 

28-9 

37-« 


158 


INDEX. 


Strength  and  distribution  of  tribes,  N.W.  Division  ... 

S.E.  Districts    ... 
Basuto,  Zoutpansberg  Division 
Eastern  Districts 
Bavenda  tribe    ... 
Shangaans,  Zoutpansb.  Div.  .. 
,,         Eastern  District,^  .. 
Swazis,  Eastern  Districts 
Zulus         ,,  ,, 

Zoutpansberg  Division 

Strongholds,  Descriptions  of  various  native 

Swazi  tribes.  Eastern  Districts  ... 

Swazis,  The.     Raid  the  Bapedi 
,,         ,,         Attack  Mapokh... 
,,         ,,  ,,     the  Bavenda 


I'AGfc 

43 

91 

57-8 

82-4 

63 

68 

89 

86 

88 

69 

139-42 

85 

76 

104 

106 


J'abakulu,  Basuto  chief,  Eastern  Districts 
Taxes  paid  by  natives 
Tengwe,  Bavenda  chief  .. . 

Thebe,  Petty  chief  

Tohoyandwa,  The  Bavenda  hero 
Totems  or  tribal  emblems 
Tribal  distinctions 

,,      system,  The  Bantu 
Tribes  descended  from  the  Baralong     . . . 

,,  ,,  ,,  Baharutsi    ... 

Tseke,  Batau  chief,  known  as  Makhali 
Tsolobolo  or  Selebul,  Banareng  chief  ... 
Tulare,  Bapedi  chief 
Turmetsyane,  Sekukuni's  mother 


81 


99 
62 

19 
60 

125-6 

131 

! 19-21 

16 

18 

80 

53 

75 

77 

u. 


Umzilikazi,  see  Moselikatse. 
Unclassified  natives,  Heidelberg  District 


"  Vaalpens,"  The.     (Aboriginals) 
Valtyn  Makapan,  Kekaan  chief 
Vigilance  Association,  The  native 


70 
39 

71 


VV. 

Wakkerstroom  District,  The  tribes  of  ... 
Weapons,  Native 

William,  son  of  Kholane,  Bapedi  chief 
Windham,  Mr.  W.,  Secretary  Native  Affairs 
Witchcraft  and  Witch-doctors    ... 


91-2 
129 

n 
94 
126 


INDKX. 


159 


Z. 


Zimbabwe,  The  ruins  of... 
Zoutpansberg,  The  strongholds  of  the 
Zulu  invasion  of  the  Transvaal  ... 

,,    Empire  in  1828 

,,    tribes  Central  Division 

,,       ,,      Zoutpansberg  Division 

,,       ,,      Eastern  Districts 
Zwaartbooi's  Location     ... 


pai;k 

5 
139-40 

9 

9 

35 

69 

86-7 

34 


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