2.1 Changes in the life and work on sa mines

Social sciences

History

Grade 8

The mineral revolution and related wars in south africa

Module 8

Industrialisation in south africa

READING 1

Changes in the Life and WORK ON SA MINES, the Country and Cities

As with the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution in Britain, the Mineral Revolution in South Africa heralded great changes in its surroundings and people. Fortune seekers from all over the world poured into South Africa in the hope of quickly becoming wealthy. Initially these Foreigners were dependent on the surrounding farmers for food and transport. The early days of surface prospecting – river gold and diamonds – were soon passed and deeper mining techniques meant importing professional technicians and complicated machinery. To extract gold from the bedrock was a complicated process. In 1890 a new means of extraction, the cyanide process, was introduced, which needed still more workers.

The black workers in the area of the Kimberley mines were housed in kampongs. These people were contract labourers who returned to their tribal homelands after 3 to 6 months when their contract expired. This relatively short time spent at the mines prevented them from being better trained. The mine owners paid as little as possible for labour in order to increase their own profit. As in the Industrial Revolution, the rich got richer and the poor got poorer. Whereas the unplanned mining towns that sprang up became ordered in time and started promoting health and training, the conditions in the kampongs were deteriorating.

These conditions on the mines deteriorated even further when 60 000 Chinese where imported between 1904 and 1907 to work on the goldmines. Though there was a shortage of workers after the South African War, this system held no benefits for anyone. Most of the Chinese workers were sent back home.

In 1896 a restriction was placed on the immigration of Indian labourers to SA. These labourers worked mainly on the sugar plantations of Natal.

The Coloured farm workers of Cape Colony were hit hard by the weak harvest on the wine farms because of the rampant plagues that destroyed the crops. The farm owners owed the banks large amounts of money, and job opportunities decreased. Those in the clothing industry were also affected by the weakening in trade. Production was dependant on the successful import and export of products.

On the Witwatersrand, the British Foreigners demanded representation in the Volks-raad (parliament) of the Transvaal. They wanted Britain to take control of the Transvaal. The most famous attempt at this was the James Invasion, supported by mining tycoon, Cecil John Rhodes. The Boer commandos of President Kruger were able to arrest the invaders by 1896.

It is clear that the situation in South Africa had changed drastically. A great number of differing people were trying to make a life for themselves on the mines, farms and in the cities and towns.

GROUP DISCUSSION

1. Write down the cleverest answer, in your opinion, given by the members of your class on the following questions. Please read through these questions and answers again before the next examination.