102-592: The Diamond Fields Advertiser (DFA) is a daily newspaper published in Kimberley , South Africa, founded on 23 March 1878. The earliest paper on the Diamond Fields was a weekly called the Diamond Field , published from 15 October 1870 at Pniel . It moved the following year first to Du Toit's Pan and then New Rush (later renamed Kimberley), and had a strongly anti-imperial view point. Another of
204-645: A 'Coloured' Group Area, its erstwhile African and other residents being removed to other parts of town). Residential segregation was thus enforced in a process which saw the creation of new townships at the northern and north-eastern edges of the expanding city. Institutions that were hard hit by the Group Areas Act , Bantu Education and other Acts included churches (such as the Bean Street Methodist Church) and schools (some, such as William Pescod and Perseverance School , moved while
306-638: A competition for display space. South Africa's first school of mines was opened here in 1896 and later relocated to Johannesburg , becoming the core of the University of the Witwatersrand . A Pretoria campus later became the University of Pretoria . In fact the first two years were attended at colleges elsewhere, in Cape Town , Grahamstown or Stellenbosch , the third year in Kimberley and
408-497: A depth of 240 metres (790 ft) and yielded three tons of diamonds. The mine was closed in 1914, while three of the holes – Dutoitspan , Wesselton and Bultfontein – closed down in 2005. On 14 October 1899, Kimberley was besieged at the beginning of the Second Boer War . The British forces trying to relieve the siege suffered heavy losses. The siege was only lifted on 15 February 1900, but
510-588: A mixed-race bastard child. The name 'Baster' and 'Bastards' were not derived from the English word "bastard", but rather the Dutch word meaning "hybrid". It was only around 1876 that a group of Boer intellectuals, who named themselves "The fellowship of real Afrikaners", decided to use the term as a new means to describe the Boer people, as part of the project to create a new national identity for pioneer Boer people during
612-657: A separate ethnic group and live primarily in south-central Namibia , while those who consider themselves Griqua are mostly located around Campbell and Griquatown in the historic territory of Griqualand West in the Northern Cape ; around the small Le Fleur Griqua settlement at Kranshoek in the Western Cape ; and at Kokstad in KwaZulu-Natal . It is important to note that the Griqua nation, largely founded on
714-417: A shovel and pick in saltire, handles downward, Or; sinister, a staff of Aesculapius, Or . In layman's terms, the shield was divided in four by two diagonal lines, and depicted (1) six silver and blue stripes with wavy edges, (2) a crossed pick and shovel on a red background, (3) a golden staff of Aesculapius, and (4) three silver diamond-shaped fusils on a black vertical stripe on a silver background. The crest
816-549: A similar magisterial and policing role as the Boer officials of the same title did, and the kommandants, who also acted as police but were mostly in charge of organising military campaigns and commandos. Another important founding father of the Griquas was Barend Barends. He led a group of Griquas to fight against Mzilikazi at Moordkop in the North West Province. The battle led to the deaths of many Griquas. Barends
918-585: A sizable population who spoke Dutch and were instrumental in developing the colony. These children did not attain the social or legal status accorded their fathers, mostly because colonial laws recognised only Christian forms of marriage. This group became known as Basters , derived from bastaard , the Dutch word for "bastard" (or "crossbreed"). As part of the European colonists' paramilitary response to insurgent resistance from Khoi and San peoples, they conscripted Basters men into commando units. This allowed
1020-518: A system of private ownership in land. This was a rather novel land regime at the time for all polities in this part of sub-Saharan Africa, and for it to persevere in the face of increasing white interest in the region, the Griqua state — or ‘captaincy’ — needed to be extensive, bureaucratic, and respected: resilient in the face of serious challenge, coherent to both the Cape Colony administration and Boer communities.1 The organisation of this captaincy
1122-551: A vulgarism as New Rush and as for the Dutch name, Vooruitzigt … he could neither spell nor pronounce it." The matter was passed to Southey who gave it to his Colonial Secretary J.B. Currey. Roberts writes that "when it came to renaming New Rush, [Currey] proved himself a worthy diplomat. He made quite sure that Lord Kimberley would be able both to spell and pronounce the name of the main electoral division by, as he says, calling it 'after His Lordship'." New Rush became Kimberley, by Proclamation dated 5 July 1873. Digger sentiment
SECTION 10
#17327809599801224-481: A witness at the subsequent inquiry, placed the blame squarely on the policy of apartheid – including poor housing, lighting and public transport, together with "unfulfilled promises" – which he said "brought about the conditions which led to the riots." A later generation of anti-apartheid activists based in Kimberley included Phakamile Mabija , Bishop Graham Chadwick and two post-apartheid provincial premiers, Manne Dipico and Dipuo Peters . Other prominent figures of
1326-633: Is now South Africa and Namibia . The Griqua consider themselves as being South Africa’s first multiracial nation with people descended directly from Dutch settlers in the Cape, and local peoples. Griqua was the name given to a mixed-race culture in the Cape Colony of South Africa, around the 17th and 18th centuries (Taylor, 2020). They were also known as Hottentots before Europeans arrived in their lands where they lived as close-knit families. Griqua people’s multiple historical backgrounds have interwoven with rigid apartheid classification, academic attempts to fix
1428-675: Is the area around Kimberley , which became an important mining town in the decades following the first local discovery of diamonds in 1866. Ownership of the diamond fields was contested by the Boer republics of the Orange Free State and the Transvaal, as well as various other groups like the KhoiKhoi, Koranas under Andries Waterboer, and the Batlhaping under Chief Mankuroane.In 1870, Transvaal President Andries Pretorius declared
1530-641: The Bureau of Heraldry in February 1968. The design was a combination of the Union Jack and the charges from the Cape Colony's coat of arms , with a lozenge to represent the diamond-mining industry : Azure, a cross and saltire superimposed Gules both fimbriated Argent, in chief three bezants Or, each charged with a fleur de lis Azure, and in base three annulets Or; on a lozenge Or, superimposed over
1632-558: The DFA , outlived its rivals and has continued as a daily paper (although the Saturday edition was dropped in the late 1960s). Today it is a member of Independent News & Media . Readership stood at 108,000 in 2015, mainly in Kimberley and the surrounding region, with a distribution of 9,161 copies in Q1 2015. Kimberley, Northern Cape Kimberley is the capital and largest city of
1734-580: The Drakensberg mountains. They settled on a piece of unclaimed territory between Pondoland and Natal which subsequently became known as Griqualand East. The region remained independent for a few years before the territory was annexed by Britain . Griqua descendants are now largely concentrated in Kokstad, where the Griqua Church (Protestant) is the center of the community. Griqualand West
1836-586: The First and Second Boer Wars and for more powerful political legitimacy. This is why today many Afrikaans-speaking white people are still known as Afrikaners, as this message was powerfully conveyed as a national identity during the times of the South African Union (1910–1961) and the apartheid years of the Republic of South Africa. According to the 18th-century Dutch historian Isaak Tirion ,
1938-632: The Gore Browne (Native) Training School was closed down). Other legislation restricted the movement of Africans and some public places became 'Europeans Only' preserves in terms of the Reservation of Separate Amenities Act . The Native Laws Amendment Act sought to cleave church communities along racial lines – a law rejected on behalf of all Anglicans in South Africa by Archbishop Clayton in 1957 (in terms of which this aspect of apartheid
2040-519: The Mayibuye Uprising in Kimberley, on 8 November 1952, revolved around the poor quality of beer served in the beer hall. The fracas resulted in shootings and a subsequent mass funeral on 12 November 1952 at Kimberley's West End Cemetery. Detained following the massacre were alleged 'ring-leaders' Dr Letele, Sam Phakedi, Pepys Madibane, Olehile Sehume, Alexander Nkoane, Daniel Chabalala and David Mpiwa. Archdeacon Wade of St Matthew's Church, as
2142-599: The Northern Cape province of South Africa . It is located approximately 110 km east of the confluence of the Vaal and Orange Rivers . The city has considerable historical significance due to its diamond mining past and the siege during the Second Anglo-Boer war . British businessmen Cecil Rhodes and Barney Barnato made their fortunes in Kimberley, and Rhodes established the De Beers diamond company in
SECTION 20
#17327809599802244-631: The Orange River . Once free of colonial rule, these groups referred to themselves as Oorlam . In particular, the group led by Klaas Afrikaner became notorious for its exploits. They attracted enough attention from the Dutch authorities that Afrikaner was eventually rendered to the colony and banished to Robben Island in 1761. The Griquas settled on the outskirts of the Cape Colony since they were neither European nor African. They formed their own communities and spoke Afrikaans. The Griqua surnames were predominantly Afrikaans and are still common in
2346-529: The Star of South Africa , was found nearby ( 29°3′S 23°58′E / 29.050°S 23.967°E / -29.050; 23.967 ). This diamond was sold by van Niekerk for £11,200, and later resold in the London market for £25,000. Henry Richard Giddy recounted how Esau Damoense (or Damon), the cook for prospector Fleetwood Rawstorne's "Red Cap Party", found diamonds in 1871 on Colesberg Kopje after he
2448-530: The 1990s there was a decline in the use of the railways. Today passenger train services to and from Kimberley are provided by Spoornet 's Shosholoza Meyl , with connections south to Cape Town and Port Elizabeth and north to Johannesburg. Luxury railway experiences are provided on the main north–south line by the Blue Train and Rovos Rail . The central railway station of Kimberley is Kimberley railway station . Wagon and coach routes were developed rapidly as
2550-557: The 21st century have shown these people also had Tswana , San , and Xhosa ancestry. Later, the Europeans chose mixed-race women of the Khoikhoi, who were living in the Cape during the 17th and 18th centuries. As time went on, mixed-race people began to marry among themselves, establishing a distinct ethnic group that tended to be more assimilated to Dutch and European ways than tribal peoples in separated villages. During Apartheid,
2652-607: The Afrikaners, or "Boers" as they were known in that time, many of these groups migrated inland when the British took over the colonial administration. The Khoisan and the Mozambiquans were the one group of people that was often looked down onto as the jobs given to them and the way they lived was not up to standards. The word "Afrikaner" itself was originally (for over 350 years) used as a description for not white Boers but
2754-747: The Big Hole was mined to a depth of 1097 metres. A popular local myth claims that it is the largest hand-dug hole on the world, however Jagersfontein Mine appears to hold that record. The Big Hole is the principal feature of a May 2004 submission which placed "Kimberley Mines and associated early industries" on UNESCO's World Heritage Tentative Lists. By 1873, Kimberley was the second largest town in South Africa, having an approximate population of 40,000. The various smaller mining companies were amalgamated by Cecil Rhodes and Charles Rudd into De Beers , and The Kimberley under Barney Barnato . In 1888,
2856-519: The Boers and the colonial masters to the area known as Griqualand West denied the Griquas the opportunity to follow their own development paths. They lost their land and traditional resources and were tossed into a sea of rapid social change which saw them lose the independence they had searched for in the Orange Free State area. They were disheartened and had to relocate. The Dutch East India Company (VOC) did not intend for its Cape Colony possessions at
2958-473: The Cape Parliament's Bill of Annexation became law (SESA 1972). It was passed on August 5, 1879. In 1877, a census of Griqualand West showed that the province had 44,877 people living in it, with 12,374 of them being of European descent. ( Griqua | South African History Online ) In the first 15 years of Griqua Philippolis, Adam Kok II, and the most important of his successors, Adam Kok III, constructed
3060-586: The Cape and established separate communities. The Griqua were the first from the Cape to make their way to and remain in the Transorangia area, beyond the Orange River. Some Griqua raided the Tlhaping, a Tswana speaking community, while others obtained cattle from them which was used to trade with the Cape farmers for firearms, horses, and wagons. Griqualand East , officially known as New Griqualand
3162-519: The Griqua had largely adopted what would be known as the Afrikaans language . Adam Kok I, the first Kaptein of the Griqua and recognised by the British, was originally a slave who had bought his own freedom. He led his people north from the interior of the Cape Colony. Probably because of discrimination against his people, they again moved north—this time outside the Cape, taking over areas previously controlled by San and Tswana people. Adam Kok, head of
Diamond Fields Advertiser - Misplaced Pages Continue
3264-455: The Griqua were further marginalized when they were not given "Griquastans" or special territorial reserves. Genetic evidence indicates that the majority of the present-day Griqua population is descended from a combination of European, Khoikhoi and Tswana ancestors, with a small percentage of San , or Bushmen, ancestry. Griqua historians in South Africa and Namibia are digging into their past and telling their stories. Building work started on
3366-449: The Griqua were racially classified under the broader category of "Coloured" (Taylor, 2020). Throughout the 18th century, new communities characterized by race, culture, religion, and unequal access to property and power started to form; they came to be connected by spoken word. The term " Bastaards " was used to describe one of these groups of people; it referred to the descendants of marriages between Europeans, slaves, and Khoisan. The word
3468-524: The Griqua. Legend has it that in the 1750s, Adam Kok married the daughter of the Chariguriqua, chief of the Khoikhoi clan. Kok was a former slave who managed to rule the Griqua nation and he led his people across the country, South Africa to settle next to the Orange River. He was referred to as the chief of the colored people. Adam Kok I's father was Cornelius Jacobz who worked for the VOC and his mother
3570-689: The Griqualand West Supreme Court, on the Market Square in 1882 and took two years to complete, opening in February 1884. This was short-lived as the building was declared unsafe in 1886, partially demolished and rebuilt. The clock tower (with clock) was added on in 1889. The building remained the Supreme Court of Griqualand West until 1968 when it moved to its present position in the Civic Centre (Malay Camp), but
3672-478: The Griquas at Nomansland, on the demand of the teacher John Campbell, concocted the name Griqua. They set up a fundamental arrangement of government dependent on pioneers known as kaptyns and officers drawn from the main families. However, Kok had a rival known as Nicholas Waterboer, he ruled the farthest west of Kimberley. He was no threat to Kok until diamonds were discovered there. Kok's successor, Andries Waterboer , founded Griqualand West , and controlled it until
3774-998: The Johannesburg Times. 1898 – 1910 George AL Green, Rhodes's 'Prince of Journalists'. Went on to edit the Cape Argus. 1910 – 1923 Frank Ireland 1923 – 1932 Henry Lissant Collins 1932 – 1938 George A Simpson. Was one of Sol Plaatje's pallbearers at his funeral at the West End cemetery. 1938 – 1939 Hastings H Beck 1939 – 1942 A Harrington 1942 – 1949 Rex Hall. Later helped to establish South Africa's Iron and Steel Corporation. 1949 – 1959 David Brechin 1959 – 1962 Archie Atkinson 1962 – 1967 Conrad Lighton 1967 – 1977 Mike Lloyd 1977 – 1984 Graham Etherington 1985 – 1991 Anthony Ball 1991 – 1992 Charles Guild (acting) 1992 – 2002 Kevin Ritchie 2002 – present Johan du Plessis The Diamond Fields Advertiser , affectionately known to its readers as
3876-568: The Khoi name Griqua (or Grigriqua ) is first recorded in 1730 about a group of people living in the northeastern section of the Cape Colony. In 1813, Reverend John Campbell of the London Missionary Society (LMS) used the term Griqua to describe a mixed-race group of Chariguriqua (a Cape Khoikhoi group), Bastaards , Korana , and Tswana living at the site of present-day Griekwastad (then known as Klaarwater). Klaarwater
3978-495: The Khoikhoi or slaves. Slavery was practiced in the Dutch East India Company -controlled Cape Colony, and the mixed-race groups that developed in the early Cape Colony as a result of white settler interaction with captured Khoi people who began to work around the farms, eventually opted different names for themselves, including Bastards , Basters , Korana , Oorlam or Oorlam Afrikaners, and Griqua . Like
4080-481: The Khoikhoi, were pastoral people who lived a laid-back life at one with nature and their surroundings. Due primarily to the racial policies of South Africa during the apartheid era, many Griqua people accepted classification in the larger "Coloured" group for fear that their Griqua roots might place them at a lower level than other groups. As a result, estimates of the size of the Griqua population are difficult to determine and remain largely unknown. During apartheid,
4182-486: The Kok arrested a Boer accused of ill-treating his people, and the trekker community tried to take over his entire territory. A British force stationed at Colesberg quickly crossed the Orange River and defeated the Boers at Zwartkoppies. The chief's land was divided in two, one side was to keep the chief and his people busy and the other side was for the Boers who paid rent to the chief and the Cape government. The arrival of
Diamond Fields Advertiser - Misplaced Pages Continue
4284-522: The LMS called them Griqua. The term Bastaards refers to a group of people of mixed origin. The Bastaards were not given legal status because of them being "Mixed". The Griquas were not happy about this and built a force of their own. The Bastaards joined the Khoi and San and the Bastaards made sure that they were skilled men in combat tactics. When it came to war the Griquas decided to flee the Dutch and live
4386-711: The Natal was under British control, they remembered the good lands they had passed through so they moved back over the Drankensberg [O'Connel, 2013]. He eventually led them beyond the Cape Colony, near the Orange River just west and south of what would eventually become the Boer Republics of the Orange Free State and Transvaal , respectively. This area is where most of the tribe settled, although some remained nomadic. Prior to beginning their migrations,
4488-752: The National Khoisan Consultative Conference (Afrikaans: Nasionale Khoe-San Oorlegplegende Konferensie ), which was established in Oudtshoorn in 2001 to represent the interests of South Africa's Khoisanid peoples. The conference participates in cooperative research and development projects with the provincial government of the Western Cape and the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein . Members of
4590-504: The Pan-Africanist Movement from 1989, was born and grew up in Kimberley. The Northern Cape Province became a political fact in 1994, with Kimberley as its capital. Some quasi-provincial infrastructure was in place from the 1940s, but in the post-1994 period Kimberley underwent considerable development as administrative departments were set up and housed for the governance of the new province. A Northern Cape Legislature
4692-664: The Provincial Administration. It services the mining and agricultural sectors of the region. Griqua people The Griquas are a subgroup of mixed-race heterogeneous formerly Xiri -speaking nations in South Africa with a unique origin in the early history of the Dutch Cape Colony . Like the Boers they migrated inland from the Cape and in the 19th century established several states in what
4794-584: The area, with regular scheduled flights from Cape Town and Johannesburg . Work on connecting Kimberley by rail to the cities along the Cape Colony 's coastline began in 1872, under the management of the Cape Government Railways . The railway line from Cape Town to Kimberley was completed in 1885, accelerating the transport of both passengers and goods. The railway connected Kimberley with cheaper sources of grain and other products, as well as supplies of coal, so that one of its local impacts
4896-508: The banks of the Orange River , on the farm De Kalk leased from local Griquas , near Hopetown , which was his father's farm. He showed the pebble to his father, who then sold it. The pebble was purchased from Jacobs' father by Schalk van Niekerk, who later sold it on again. It proved to be a 21.25-carat (4.3 g) diamond , and became known as the Eureka . Three years later, in 1869, an 83.5-carat (16.7 g) diamond, which became known as
4998-452: The city for money was prostitutes, from a wide variety of ethnicities who could be found in bars and saloons. It was praised as a city of limitless opportunity. Five big holes were dug into the earth following the kimberlite pipes, which are named after the town. Kimberlite is a diamond-bearing blue ground that sits below a yellow colored soil. The largest, The Kimberley mine or "Big Hole" covering 170,000 square metres (42 acres), reached
5100-509: The city is the settlement of Platfontein created when the !Xun and Khwe community formerly of Schmidtsdrift and originally from Angola/Namibia acquired the land in 1996. Most of the community had moved to the new township by the end of 2003. In 1998 the Kimberley Comprehensive Urban Plan estimated that Kimberley had 210,800 people representing 46,207 households living in the city. By 2008 estimates were in
5202-404: The coloured community today. Many of the Griqua men enlisted to do commando service. However, the Griquas were constantly being removed from their land as the Europeans took preference over them. This caused the Griquas to move away from the Cape colony in search of their own land. This migration was in two main groups the Kok and Barends families. One of the most influential of these Griqua groups
SECTION 50
#17327809599805304-457: The diamond fields as Boer property. "Griquatown Gold" known as Tiger's Eye is the only feasible mining that can be traced back to Adam Kok and his ancestors. Kimberley is also known for its sports teams, including the Griquas rugby team, which competes in South Africa's annual Currie Cup tournament and contests its home matches at Griqua Park . With the arrival of the Boers to Griqualand West,
5406-588: The early days of the mining town. On 2 September 1882, Kimberley was the first city in the Southern Hemisphere and the second in the world after Philadelphia , Pennsylvania in the United States to integrate electric street lights into its infrastructure. The first stock exchange in Africa was built in Kimberley, as early as 1881. In 1866, Erasmus Jacobs found a small brilliant pebble on
5508-414: The early papers was the pro-British Diamond News of R. W. Murray . The Independent , owned by William Ling in 1876, was acquired by J. B. Robinson . By the late 1870s the success of the Independent had forced the Diamond Field to close, but with the Diamond Fields Advertiser then emerging as a third paper alongside the Diamond News and the Independent keeping local politicians on their toes in
5610-401: The early years included R. W. Murray , and F. Y. St Leger , later founder of the Cape Times . 1878 – 1884 Henry Tucker, secretary of the Kimberley mining board and one time Member of the Cape Parliament. 1884 – 1896 Robert Fisher Wilson, independent spirit and fearless writer. Went on to become editor of the Johannesburg Times. 1896 – 1898 Albert Cartwright. Went on to edit the SA News and
5712-450: The fess point, a lion rampant Gules . The motto was Spero meliora . The arms were depicted on a cigarette card issued in 1931. Divisional council – The Kimberley divisional council, which administered the rural areas outside the city, registered its own arms at the Bureau in August 1970. The arms were: Per saltire, in chief, barry wavy of six Argent and Azure; in base, Argent, a pale Sable charged with three fusils Argent; dexter, Gules,
5814-445: The first Compton Patterson Biplane preserved there), situated near to Kimberley airport. In the 1930s Kimberley boasted the best night-landing facilities on the continent of Africa. A major air rally was hosted there in 1934. In the war years Kimberley Airport was commandeered by the Union Defence Force and run by the 21 Flying School for the training of fighter pilots. Today Kimberley Airport ( IATA : KIM , ICAO : FAKM ) services
5916-471: The first nineteenth century frontier overlay of farm names. It lay beyond the areas occupied by Tswana people in the precolonial period. Sites such as the nearby Wildebeest Kuil testify to a Khoe–San history dating up into the nineteenth century. In the post-1994 era the Kimberley City Council was renamed the Sol Plaatje Local Municipality after the area it served was expanded to include surrounding towns and villages, most notably Ritchie . Sol Plaatje ,
6018-571: The first town in the Southern Hemisphere to install electric street lighting . The rising importance of Kimberley led to one of the earliest South African and International Exhibitions to be staged in Kimberley in 1892 . It was opened by Sir Henry Loch , the then Governor of the Cape of Good Hope on 8 September. It presented exhibits of art, an exhibition of paintings from the royal collection of Queen Victoria and mining machinery and implements amongst other items. The exhibition aroused considerable interest at international level, which resulted in
6120-437: The fourth year in Johannesburg. Buildings were constructed against a total cost of 9,000 pounds with De Beers contributing on a pound for pound basis. South Africa's first school of aviation , to train pilots for the proposed South African Aviation Corps (SAAC), was established in Kimberley in 1913. Known as Paterson's Aviation Syndicate School of Flying , it is commemorated in the Pioneers of Aviation Museum (and replica of
6222-460: The heavily indebted region, but, after striking a deal with the Home Government and receiving assurances that the local population would be consulted in the process, he passed the Griqualand West Annexation Act on 27 July 1877. As miners arrived in their thousands the hill disappeared and subsequently became known as the Big Hole (or Kimberley se Gat in Afrikaans) or, more formally, Kimberley Mine . From mid-July 1871 to 1914, 50,000 miners dug
SECTION 60
#17327809599806324-399: The hole with picks and shovels, yielding 2,722 kg of diamonds . The Big Hole has a surface of 17 hectares (42 acres) and is 463 metres wide. It was excavated to a depth of 240 m, but then partially infilled with debris reducing its depth to about 215 m; since then it has accumulated water to a depth of 40 m leaving 175 m visible. Beneath the surface, the Kimberley Mine underneath
6426-428: The influential Le Fleur clan of Griqua are especially represented in this body. The Griqua established their own church, known as the Griqua Church, which is Protestant . The Church has a strong focus on maintaining Griqua cultural and ethnic identity. They are represented mostly in South Central Namibia. The church was the first church to be established in South Africa in 1920. One of several disputed theories as to
6528-426: The influx of Europeans after the discovery of diamonds. In 1834, the Cape Colony recognised Waterboer's rights to his land and people. It signed a treaty with him to ensure payment by Europeans for the use of the land for mining. In 1876, Chief Waterboer was caught and jailed when he tried to free some of his followers from a prison work gang. The diamond fields were named after him. It wasn't until October 18, 1880, that
6630-470: The intended Crown Colony in January 1873. Months passed however without any sign of the proclamation or of the promised new constitution and provision for representative government. The delay was in London where Secretary of State for the Colonies , John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley , insisted that before electoral divisions could be defined, the places had to receive "decent and intelligible names. His Lordship declined to be in any way connected with such
6732-493: The men to become skilled in lightly armed and mounted skirmish tactics. In the winter of 1831, a Ndebele commando attacked a Griqua commando led by Gert Hooyman who intruded the Ndebele territory and stole many of their cattle. Hooyman warned the Griqua troops to be vigilant because the Ndebele might come for revenge at any time. They ignored him and on this night the Ndebele attacked the Griquas while they were still feasting on their stolen cattle. Around 1000 Griqua men were killed on
6834-411: The mines of Kimberley (and later on the gold fields) drawing workers in growing numbers from throughout the subcontinent. The labour compound system developed in Kimberley from the 1880s was later replicated on the gold mines and elsewhere. The city housed South Africa's first stock exchange , the Kimberley Royal Stock Exchange, which opened on 2 February 1881. On 2 September 1882, Kimberley became
6936-399: The more costly options, while by far the majority of Black people remain in the townships where poverty levels are high. Major township residential developments, with ' RDP housing', were implemented – not without criticism concerning quality. There has been an increase in Kimberley's population, urbanization being spurred on in part by the abolition of the Influx Control Act. Also added to
7038-428: The now famous hill called Moordkop. But many recruited to war chose to abandon Dutch society and strike out to pursue a way of life more in keeping with their maternal culture. The resulting stream of disgruntled Dutch-speaking marksmen leaving the Cape hobbled the primarily Dutch colonists' ability to crew commando units. It also created belligerent, skilled groups of opportunists who harassed indigenous populations along
7140-417: The origin of Bloemfontein 's name connects it to the Griqua leader Jan Bloem (1775–1858). However, this may be a coincidence as Bloemfontein is Dutch for "fountain of flowers", or "blooming fountain", and the area could have been named for its local vegetation. The Griquas started a campaign in 1994 to bring back the remains of Saartjie Baartman from France. The GNC (Griqua National Conference) wanted to see
7242-414: The original identity of the Griqua nation restored. Saartjie was a member of the Khoikhoi people. She was a slave who was taken to Europe to be viewed as a 'freak show attraction' by people who paid to do so. The Griquas wanted to honor their Khoi forefathers by at least being able to bury her body in her homeland. Several areas of South Africa became known as 'Griqualand' when the group migrated inland from
7344-502: The parameters of Griqua identity and the diversity of Griqua ethnic experience to produce a situation of paradoxical status. They are a racially and culturally mixed people who are primarily descendants from European colonist men, and primarily Khoikhoi slaves. The Griquas could trace their forefathers to two clans, the Koks and Barendse, the first was made up mainly of Khoikhoi and the second of mixed European descent. Genetic studies of
7446-734: The prominent writer and activist, lived for much of his life in Kimberley. Similarly the erstwhile Diamantveld District Council became the Frances Baard District Municipality , with reference to the trade unionist, Frances Baard , who was born in Greenpoint, Kimberley. Municipality – The Kimberley borough council assumed a coat of arms in 1878. The arms were registered with the Cape Provincial Administration in December 1964 and at
7548-402: The region of 250,000 inhabitants. The shifts from frontier farm names to digger camp names to the established names of the towns of Kimberley and Beaconsfield – which duly amalgamated in 1912 – are outlined above. The only traces of any precolonial settlement within the city's boundaries are scatters of Stone Age artefacts and there is no record of what the place/s might have been called before
7650-484: The region. Klaarwater's strategic location facilitated trade routes between the interior of Southern Africa and the Cape Colony, contributing to its significance as a cultural and economic center. Despite facing challenges such as colonial expansion and land dispossession, Klaarwater played a pivotal role in the history of the Griqua people and remains an important symbol of their resilience and cultural heritage. The British found their "proud name", Bastaards , offensive, so
7752-416: The rush for the diamond fields gathered momentum. Two of the major routes were from the Cape and from Port Elizabeth, the nearest maritime port at the time. Contemporary accounts of the 1870s describe the appalling condition of some of the roads and decry the absence of bridges. From the mid-1880s the route through Kimberley and Mafeking (now Mahikeng) became the main axis of British colonial penetration and it
7854-672: The southern tip of Africa to develop into a political entity. As the colony expanded and became more successful, its leadership did not worry about its frontiers. As a result, the frontier of the colony was indeterminate and ebbed and flowed at the whim of individuals. While the VOC undoubtedly benefited from the trading and pastoral endeavours of the Trekboers , it did little to control or support them in their quest for land. The high proportion of single Dutch men led to many taking indigenous women as wives and companions, producing mixed-race children. These multiracial offspring gradually developed as
7956-553: The struggle against apartheid who had Kimberley connections include Robert Sobukwe , founder of the Pan Africanist Congress , who was banished (placed under house arrest) in Kimberley after his release from Robben Island in 1969. He died in the city in 1978. Benny Alexander (1955–2010), who later changed his name to Khoisan X , and was General Secretary of the Pan Africanist Congress and of
8058-646: The territory known as Griqualand West was proclaimed on 27 October 1871. Colonial Commissioners arrived in New Rush on 17 November 1871 to exercise authority over the territory on behalf of the Cape Governor. Digger objections and minor riots led to Governor Barkly's visit to New Rush in September the following year, when he revealed a plan instead to have Griqualand West proclaimed a Crown Colony . Richard Southey would arrive as Lieutenant-Governor of
8160-501: The turbulent years that followed. During the Siege of Kimberley , the newspaper was the subject of a feud between Cecil Rhodes and garrison commander, Colonel Robert Kekewich . The local newspaper, which was under Rhodes' control, ignored the military censor and printed information that compromised the military. Kekewich obtained permission from his superior to place Rhodes under arrest if necessary. Prominent journalists in Kimberley in
8262-476: The two companies merged to form De Beers Consolidated Mines , which once had a monopoly over the world's diamond market. Very quickly, Kimberley became the largest city in the area, partly due to a massive African migration to the area from all over the continent. The immigrants were accepted with open arms, because the De Beers company was in search of cheap labour to help run the mines. Another group drawn to
8364-465: The war continued until May 1902. By that time, the British had built a concentration camp at Kimberley to house Boer women and children. The hitherto separately administered Boroughs of Kimberley and Beaconsfield amalgamated as the City of Kimberley in 1912. Although a considerable degree of urban segregation already existed, one of the most significant impacts of Apartheid on the city of Kimberley
8466-569: The way they wanted to, the way their foremothers had lived. An insignificant amount of Bastaards groups were formed in the Northwestern and eastern border suburbs of Colesberg, Roggerfeld, Namaqualand, and Hantam. They had European names and were able to speak Afrikaans , and their children were baptized in churches. They have their own church, which is Protestant in South Africa, and that is where their children most likely got baptised. They were informed of commando services. The actual name
8568-648: The world-renowned Kimberley Mine . The Cape Colony , Transvaal , Orange Free State and the Griqua leader Nicolaas Waterboer all laid claim to the diamond fields. The Free State Boers in particular wanted the area, as it lay inside the natural borders created by Orange and Vaal Rivers . Following the mediation that was overseen by the Governor of Natal , the Keate Award went in favour of Waterboer, who placed himself under British protection. Consequently,
8670-460: Was a slave. His father believed that the Cape was The Garden of Eden and this is how Adam got his name. His surname 'Kok' comes from the Dutch word kok which means cook , or chef, an occupation Adam once fulfilled. Kokstad was named after the Griqua chief Adam Kok the Third who settled there in 1863. Cornelius was the son of Adam Kok III and got baptised by the missionary John Phillip in 1800. This
8772-406: Was also applied to subordinate blacks who were proficient in Dutch, could ride horses, and could shoot. Bastaards': or Basters ': worked on farms owned by White people in more specialized roles as craftsmen and transport riders. Later, they traveled into the interior bearing these abilities. Originally, the term " Bastaards " referred to people who were more "civilized" and religiously devoted than
8874-504: Was derived from the Chariaguriqua people whose princess became the wife of the first Griqua leader, Adam Kok I (Taylor, 2020). Adam Kok was a liberated slave, who figured out how to acquire burgher rights and a ranch close to the present Piketberg , established the most incredible blended local area. Because of a common ancestor named Griqua and shared links to the Chariguriqua (Grigriqua), the people officially changed their name to
8976-482: Was designed and situated to bridge the formerly divided city. The Kimberley City Council of the renamed Sol Plaatje Local Municipality (see below) was enlarged. A new coat of arms and Motto for the city were ushered in. With the abolition of apartheid previously 'whites only' institutions such as schools became accessible to all, as did suburbs previously segregated by the Group Areas Act . In practice this process has been one of upward mobility by those who could afford
9078-431: Was expressed in an editorial in the Diamond Field newspaper when it stated "we went to sleep in New Rush and waked up in Kimberley, and so our dream was gone." Following agreement by the British government on compensation to the Orange Free State for its competing land claims, Griqualand West was annexed to the Cape Colony in 1877. The Cape Prime Minister John Molteno initially had serious doubts about annexing
9180-711: Was from Kimberley, along that route, that the Pioneer Column for the settlement of Rhodesia set forth in 1890. Today, however, the central arterial route to the north, the N1 from the Cape to Johannesburg, goes via Bloemfontein, not Kimberley. Kimberley is located at the intersection of the N12 and N8 national roads. Today, Kimberley is the seat of the Provincial Legislature for the Northern Cape and
9282-473: Was key to its success. The Captain sat at the head of his volksraad, a nominated council of varying size and influence. The raad would come to decisions collectively, but the Captain always retained a right of veto. Together, the Captain and raad codified laws and pencilled out their own land titles. The enforcement of these laws was mostly left up to other executive roles, including the veldkornets, who performed
9384-473: Was never completely implemented in churches such as Kimberley's St Cyprian's Cathedral). Resistance to apartheid in Kimberley was mounted as early as mid-1952 as part of the Defiance Campaign . Dr Arthur Letele put together a group of volunteers to defy the segregation laws by occupying 'Europeans Only' benches at Kimberley Railway Station – which led to arrest and imprisonment. Later in the year,
9486-606: Was no match for Milikazi and many of the Griqua soldiers died during this battle. Trudie (Barends Granddaughter) was captured by Milikazi and forced to join Milikazi as his harem. It is rumoured that she was later rescued by a missionary, Robert Moffet. It is believed that Griqua blood runs through the Ndebele people from the children that Trudie bore during her years with Milikazi. Despite similarly mixed-race origins, those Coloured peoples identifying as Basters are considered to be
9588-780: Was one of four short-lived Griqua states in Southern Africa from the early 1860s until the late 1870s and was located between the Umzimkulu and Kinira Rivers, south of the Sotho Kingdom. Is the area around Kokstad on KwaZulu-Natal 's frontier with the Eastern Cape . It was a historical division in the Eastern Cape province approximately 19000 km . This area was named after Adam Kok III . In 1861–1862, Kok III led more than 2,000 Griqua through Basutoland over
9690-714: Was retained as the Magistrate’s Court until May 1990 when the staff moved into their new premises on Knight Street – opened officially by Kobie Coetsee on 22 February 1991. In 1999, the National Khoi-San Council (NKC) was established and facilitated discussions between these indigenous people and the South African Government. They discussed and collaborated on many issues concerning the Khoisan people. Griqua people are represented by
9792-471: Was sent there to dig as punishment. Rawstorne took the news to the nearby diggings of the De Beer brothers – his arrival there sparking off the famous "New Rush" which, as historian Brian Roberts puts it, was practically a stampede. Within a month, 900 claims were cut into the hillock, which were worked frenetically by two to three thousand men. As the land was lowered, so the hillock became a mine – in time,
9894-517: Was the Oorlam. In the 19th century, the Griqua controlled several political entities that were governed by Kapteins (Dutch for "Captain") and their councils, with their own written constitutions. The first Griqua Kaptein was Adam Kok I, a former slave who had bought his own freedom. Kok led his people north from the interior of the Cape Colony, likely to escape discrimination, before moving north again. As Voortrekker moved North to Natal and found out
9996-499: Was the beginning of Christianity amongst the Basters. The missionaries did not agree with the degrading name, basters. The Griquas accepted their new name and this is how the mission town Klaarwater's name changed to Griquatown. The Boers arrived in the area of Griquatown after Natal was taken over by the British . They acquired land from the Griqua, buying it in exchange for horses, liquor, firearms and ammunition. Trouble started when
10098-443: Was the first Griqua settlement which emerged in the early 19th century in what is now the Northern Cape province of South Africa. Established by the Griqua leader Adam Kok I, Klaarwater served as a refuge and trading hub for Griqua communities, as well as for other indigenous groups and European settlers. The settlement grew rapidly, attracting people from various backgrounds seeking economic opportunities and protection from conflicts in
10200-669: Was the implementation of the Group Areas Act . Communities were divided according to legislated racial categories, namely European (White), Native (Black), Coloured and Indian – now legally separated by the Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act . Individual families could be split up to three ways (based on such notorious measures as the ' pencil test ') and mixed communities were either completely relocated (as in Malay Camp – although those clearances began before Apartheid as such) or were selectively cleared (as in Greenpoint which became
10302-586: Was to undercut (mainly African) trade in fresh produce and firewood in Kimberley's hinterland. Another footnote to railway history is its role in the initial rapid spread of the Spanish Influenza epidemic in 1918. The railway reticulation eventually would link Kimberley with Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg, Durban and Bloemfontein. The major junction at De Aar in the Karoo linked early twentieth century lines to Upington (later to Namibia) and to Calvinia. From
10404-430: Was two crossed rifles in front of an upright sword; the supporters were two kudus; and the motto was "Nitanir semper ad optima". Kimberley was the initial hub of industrialisation in South Africa in the late nineteenth century, which transformed the country's agrarian economy into one more dependent on its mineral wealth. A key feature of the new economic arrangement was migrant labour, with the demand for African labour in
#979020