BRITAIN AND THE LABOUR QUESTION IN SOUTH AFRICA: THE INTERACTION OF STATE, CAPITAL, LABOUR AND COLONIAL POWER, 1867-1910 by GERTRUDE MAYLENE SWIEGERS THESIS submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree PHILOSOPHIAE DOCTOR in the FACULTY OF THE HUMANITIES (DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY) at the UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE SUPERVISOR: PROF. ANDRÉ WESSELS JULY 2014 I declare that the thesis hereby submitted by me for the Philosophiae Doctor degree at the University of the Free State is my own independent work and has not previously been submitted by me at another university/faculty. I furthermore cede copyright of the thesis in favour of the University of the Free State. I declare that I am aware that the copyright is vested in the University of the Free State. I hereby declare that all royalties as regards intellectual property that was developed during the course and/or in connection with the study at the University of the Free State, will accrue to the University. I declare that I am aware that the research may only be published with the dean’s approval. ……………….. G.M. Swiegers 1 July 2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE ............................................................................................................................................ 10 CHAPTER 1: BRITISH COLONIAL POLICY IN SOUTH AFRICA ......................................... 17 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 17 2. Ideas and philosophies ...................................................................................................................... 17 3. Colonial policy .................................................................................................................................. 23 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 23 3.2 Responsible government ............................................................................................................. 27 3.2.1 Responsible government and the Cape Colony ................................................................... 31 3.2.2 Crown colony government to responsible government in Natal .......................................... 37 3.2.3 Responsible government and the republics .......................................................................... 39 3.3 Annexation of territory and withdrawal of British influence in the colonies .............................. 41 3.3.1 The Cape Colony ................................................................................................................. 41 3.3.2 The Orange Free State .......................................................................................................... 47 3.3.3 The Transvaal ....................................................................................................................... 49 3.4 Confederation .............................................................................................................................. 68 4. Evaluation ......................................................................................................................................... 77 CHAPTER 2: DEVELOPMENT OF LABOUR LEGISLATION IN SOUTH AFRICA ............ 82 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 82 2. Definitions......................................................................................................................................... 82 3. Employment Contracts ...................................................................................................................... 84 4. British labour legislation during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries ................................. 87 4.1 Masters and servants legislation ................................................................................................. 87 4.2 Vagrancy legislation ................................................................................................................... 91 5. Masters and Servants Acts and other employment laws in South Africa ......................................... 92 5.1 Cape Colony ................................................................................................................................ 92 5.1.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 92 5.1.2 The Caledon Proclamation of 1809 ..................................................................................... 94 5.1.3 The introduction of circuit courts and the Cradock Proclamation of 1812 .......................... 97 5.1.4 The Commission of Circuit (1812-1813) and Circuit Courts .............................................. 98 5.1.5 The Commission of Enquiry of 1823 ................................................................................... 99 5.1.6 Ordinance No. 50 of 1828 .................................................................................................. 100 5.1.7 Ordinance No. 49 of 1828 .................................................................................................. 101 5.1.8 The Masters and Servants Act of 1841 .............................................................................. 102 5.1.9 The Masters and Servants Act of 1856 .............................................................................. 103 5.1.10 Act No. 23 of 1857 ........................................................................................................... 105 5.1.11 The Masters and Servants Acts of 1868 and 1869 ........................................................... 106 5.1.12 The Masters and Servants Amendment Act No. 18 of 1873 ............................................ 106 5.1.13 The Masters and Servants Act No. 7 of 1875 .................................................................. 107 5.1.14 The Masters and Servants Act No. 30 of 1889 ................................................................ 108 5.1.15 The Compulsory Lashing Bill of 1890 ............................................................................ 108 5.2 Griqualand West ....................................................................................................................... 109 5.3 Natal .......................................................................................................................................... 110 5.3.1 Ordinance No. 2 of 1850 .................................................................................................... 110 5.3.2 Ordinance No. 13 of 1850 .................................................................................................. 111 5.3.3 Act No. 23 of 1865 ............................................................................................................. 112 5.4 Transvaal ................................................................................................................................... 112 5.4.1 Ordinance No. 2 of 1864 .................................................................................................... 112 5.4.2 Act No. 9 of 1870 ............................................................................................................... 113 5.4.3 Act No. 13 of 1880 ............................................................................................................. 114 5.5 Orange Free State ...................................................................................................................... 115 6. Vagrancy laws ................................................................................................................................. 115 6.1 Cape Colony .............................................................................................................................. 116 6.1.1 The Vagrancy Bill of 1834 ................................................................................................. 116 6.1.2 Act No. 22 of 1867 ............................................................................................................. 116 6.1.3 Act No. 7 of 1895 ............................................................................................................... 117 6.2 Natal .......................................................................................................................................... 117 6.3 Transvaal ................................................................................................................................... 118 7. Pass laws ......................................................................................................................................... 119 7.1 Cape Colony .............................................................................................................................. 119 7.1.1 Act No. 23 of 1857 ............................................................................................................. 119 7.1.2 The Local Authorities’ Increased Powers Act No. 30 of 1895 .......................................... 120 7.2 Natal .......................................................................................................................................... 120 7.3 Transvaal ..................................................................................................................................