UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA.

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC PLANNING COUNCIL

Report No, 9

NATIVE RESERVES ANDTHEIR PLACE IN THE ECONOMY OF THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA

------

Publi.sh.ed by Authority.

= =

PRICE 10s.

Pretoria, 23rd March, 1946.

P r in t e d i n t h e U n io n o f S o u t h A jfbioa b i - t k b G o v e r n m e n t iPux-N'iBK, P r e t o r ia

1946.

U.G. No. 32/1946.C ost o f P r in t in g : £378 10s .

G.P..S.1641—1946-7— 1,200.

UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA.

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC PLANNING COUNCIL

Report No. 9

THE NATIVE RESERVES AND THEIR PLACE IN THE ECONOMY OF THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA

*

Published by Authority.

Pretoria, 23rd March, 1946.

P r in t e d i n t h e U n io n o p S o u t h A f r ic a b y t h e G o v e r n m e n t P r i n t e r , P r e t o r ia

1946.

U.G. No. 32/1946.G.P.-S.1641—1946-7— 1,200.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

I.— INTRODUCTION.Reasons for the Report.................................................................................................................................................. 1Objects of the Report......................... ........................................................................................................................... 1Relationship of this Report to the General Principles of Policy in the Union.......................... ............................. 2Plan of the Report......................................................................................................................................................... 4

II-H ISTO R ICAL INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................. 4

III.-DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT ECONOMIC CONDITION OP THE RESERVES........................ 7Section A—Area, Population and Occupations......................................................................................................... 7

“ Native Reserves ’ ’ defined................................................................................................................................... 7Distribution, Area and Physical and Climatic Features.................................................................................... 7Population............................................................................................................................................................... 9Occupations of the Population.................................................................................................................................10The Functions of Traders in the Native Reserves.............................................................................................. ...10Migratory Labour......................................................... .............................................. .............. ..............................11

Section B—Agriculture and Forestry........................................................................................................................ ...11(а) Crop Production............................................................................................................................................... ...H

(i) Primitive Methods and Obstacles to Progress................................................................................... ...11(ii) Land Tenure.......................................................................................................................................... ...12

(iii) Crops Grown.......................................................................................................................................... ...13(iv) Methods of Cultivation..................................................................................................... .................. ...16(v) Storage................................................................................................................................................... ...17

(vi) Crop Yields............................................................................................................................................ ...17(б) Animal Husbandry..............................................................................................................................................19

(i) Importance of Livestock (particularly Cattle)....................................................................................19(ii) Livestock Population.................................................................................... ........................................20

(iii) Unequal Ownership of Stock.. . . 7 ................................................................................................... ...22(iv) Livestock and Land........................................................................................................................... ...23(v) Methods of Animal Husbandry......................................................................................................... ...24(vi) Milk Yields............................................................................................................................................25

(vii) Departmental Milk Schemes.............................................................................................................. ...25(viii) Cash Income from Livestock............................................................................................................. ...26

(c) Forestry.......................................... .....................................................................................................................26

I V —THE NEED FOR REHABILITATION................................................................................. .................................27

V.—THE PEOPLE IN THE RESERVES................................................................................................................... ..28A. Introduction.................................................................... ......................... ............................................................... ..28B. Health....................................................................................................................................................................... ..28

(i) Malnutrition.................................................................................................................................................... ..28(ii) Housing, Water Supplies and Sanitation..................................................................................................... ..29

(iii) Health Services and Health Conditions....................................................................................................... ..30C. Education................................................................................................................................................................. ..35

(i) Introduction....................................................................................................................................................35(ii) Missions and Education............................................................................................................................... ..35

(iii) Control, Finance and Management............................................................................................................. ..35(iv) Government and Government-Aided Schools.............................................................................. ............. ..36(v) Unaided Schools........................................................................................................................................... ..37

(vi) Syllabuses............................... ..................................................................................................................... ..37(vii) Pupil/Teacher Ratio................................................................................................................................... ..37

(viii) Secondary and High Schools.........................................................................................................................38(ix) University Education.....................................................................................................................................38(x) Teacher Training.......................................................................................................................................... ..38

(xi) Agricultural Education................................................................................................................................ ..38(xii) Vocational Training........................................................................................................................................39

(xiii) Conclusions and Recommendations..............................................................................................................40

VI.—THE PROBLEM OF MIGRATORY LABOUR..............................................'................................................... ..41

VII.—THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SOUND AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM..........................................................48A. The Native Affairs Department’s Rehabilitation Schemc................................................................................... ..48B. Comments on the N.A.D. Scheme...........................................................................................................................48C. Suggested Plans for Establishing a Sound Agricultural System.................................................... . ■ - ..............49

(i) General Development................................................................................................................................... ..49(ii) Increased Food Supplies.............................................................................................................................. ..49

(iii) Intensive and Improved Agriculture, Storage, Marketing and Transport............................................. ..49(iv) Overstocking.................................................................................................................................................(v) Soil Erosion................................................................................................................................................... ..®3(vi) Forestry..........................................................................................................................................................®4

(vii) Over-population............................................................................................................................................(viii) Summary.......................................................................................................................................................

V III—THE DIVERSIFICATION OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES................................................................................58(i) Introduction..................................................................................................................................................(ii) Village and Urban Centres.......................................................................................................................... .®9

(iii) Commercial Activities.................................................................. ................................................................(iv) Co-operation..................................................................................................................................................(v) Industrial Development........................ ...................................................................................................... .60

IX.—ADMINISTRATIVE MACHINERY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RESERVES...................... 61

X.—CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS..................................................................................................... 65A. Summary of Recommendations..............................................................................................................................B. Main Conclusions and Recommendations.............................................................................................................. 67

ANNEXURES.......................................................................................................................................................................... .71- 81

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY OF REFERENCES .............................................................................................................81-82

INDEX....................................................................................................................................................................................... .82-90

UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA_____________ _____ \

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC PLANNING COUNCILReport No. 9.

THE NATIVE RESERVES AND THEIR PLACE IN THE ECONOM Y OF THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA.

To t h e E i g h t H o n o u r a b l e t h e P r im e M i n i s t e r :

S i r ,

I.— Introduction.Reasons for the Report.

1. In carrying out its function of studying and reporting on various aspects of the Union s national social and economic life the Planning Council has repeatedly found it essential to deal with the Native Reserves and their future. It has in fact referred to various matters affecting lie serve development in several of its previous Reports, particularly Nos. 1, 2, 4 and 5.

Dealing though it did with many other large issues, the Third Interim Report of the Industrial and Agricultural Requirements Commission^1) devoted relatively little attention to the Native Reserves and the part they should play in the economic life o f the Union of South Africa. As a result, beyond a Chapter in the Report of the Mine Natives’ Wages Commission(2) and particulars given in Departmental Reports, 110 account of Native Reserve conditions and policy has been presented since the disturbing report of the Native Economic Commission in 1932.(3)

The Council therefore felt called upon to prepare this Report. The announcement of the Govern­ment's scheme for the rehabilitation of the Reserves makes its presentation even more essential.Objects of the Report.

2. The Report has two objects in view, viz.—(a) To present information.(b) To make recommendations regarding the

development of the Reserves and to indicate broadly the part these areas should play in South Africa’s economic structure.3. When commencing the investigatory work

necessary for the preparation of this Report the Council anticipated that there was a paucity of factual material. These expectations have been fully realised.

It is not the Council’ s function, nor has it the staff, to undertake field research work, but its enquiries have made clear the urgent need there is for work of this nature. The conflicting nature of

(!) U.G. 40/1941.(2) U.G. 21/1944, Ch. VII.(3) U.G. 22/1932.

S o c ia l a n d E c o n o m ic P l a n n in g C o u n c il ,39, S o m e r s e t H o u s e ,

Y e r m e u l e n S t r e e t , P r e t o r i a ,

23rd March, 1946.

personal opinions expressed by various individuals who claim to “ know the N ative” is in itself largely due to the lack of correct information. T w o of the first requisites to the form ulation of a sound policy are adequate inform ation and an informed public opinion.

T h e Council suggests that there is an immediate need for more complete reports of the activities of the various sections of the N ative Affairs Depart­ment, supplemented b y statistical tables (prefera­b ly in some standardised form ) which w ill make possible some study of year-to-year trends. Many of the Department’s achievements are little known. The Council therefore welcomes the appointment of a Publicity Officer to the staff of the Department and the decision to issue a number of illustrated brochures on Native life and administration in collaboration with the Bureau of Information^1)

But the dearth of information goes further than this. In many instances it is simply a case of no one being able to supply specific information. Th e Council w ould therefore stress once more the recommendations made in its S ixth Report(2) regarding the need for an im provem ent in the U nion’s social and economic statistical services. It w ould also emphasise the need there is for encour­aging research w ork in the social sciences. As well as presenting information, this Report should also serve to indicate the many gaps which occur.

4. In suggesting a policy the Council has to some extent been handicapped by this lack of informa­tion. It has, in fact, frequently been sorely tempted to try and draw further conclusions from available figures, but lias refrained from doing so on account of their unreliability or because of obvious omissions.

The policy advocated is, of course, in 110 way intended to be inflexible, and must be modified in the light of subsequent experiences and knowledge. But the need for a broad policy is absolutely clear. One o f the most promising ways of increasing the wealth of the Union’s population is by increasing the productivity of the Native Reserves, a conten­tion supported by the Native Economic Commis­sion.^)

For these reasons it is essential that there should be some goal or objective. At the present moment, beyond the recently announced Reserve Rehabilita-

(1) Review of the Activities of the Department of Native Affairs 1944/45, page 29.

(2) U.G. 35/1944.(3) U.G. 22/1932, page 3.

tion Sclieme of the Native Affairs Department 0) wliicli is referred to in greater detail in Part \ I I , there is as yet no clear idea as to what the future of the Native Reserves is to be. Are they to he allowed to deteriorate until they are scarcely able to support a fraction of their existing population t Are they to be developed as essentially rural and agricultural areas where the majority of the inhabitants are farmers and there is little or no dependence on migratory industrial labour ? Are they to be regarded as great areas of production, where a portion of the Native population may live their own lives under conditions less different from their past traditions than the European towns and urban areas? Are they rather to be looked upon as great reservoirs of labour for farming, mining and industry ?Relationship of this Report to the General P rin ­

ciples of P olicy in the Union.5. The Report which follows is necessarily

limited in scope. It is chiefly concerned with a survey o f conditions in the Reserves themselves, and the elaboration of a policy for their better use and development in the national interests no less than in the interests of their inhabitants. This task alone is a formidable one and demands a report to itself. But, while it would be impossible within the limits of a single report to survey every aspect of the Native policy of the Union, and every way in which the welfare of the Native people is related to general economic policy, it would be unrealistic, and indeed positively misleading, to face the detailed problems of the Reserves without first con­sidering their place in the general economic structure of the Union.

6. The issue is often put as one between the Reserves considered as the home of a settled, stable Native peasantry and the Reserves considered as a reservoir of labour for the mines, for industries, for farming, for domestic service and for European needs generally. Although the antithesis is in practice not quite so clear-cut as this, there is a real value in facing this issue and trying to get our minds clear on it.

7. The*<Council feels that, in the main, our policy should be directed towards the ideal of the Reserves as the home of a settled, stable Native population. In the opinion of the Council the Reserves will have to carry out a programme of internal urbanisa­tion and of the development of handicrafts and suitable industries, providing a suitable and adequate livelihood for many who cannot be land­owners, calling into beinsr a local market for- farming products, and exercising a generally stimulating effect on the economic and cultural life of the Reserves.

8. It is important that the Council should define its policy in relation to the demands of the Euro­pean labour market. The Council would reiterate its view that the main functon of the Reserves should be the settlement of a stable Native popula­tion, both in the interests of the agricultural development of the Reserves and in the interests of stability of labour in agriculture and industry out­side the Reserves. The Council realises, however, that this end will take time to attain. It does not recommend sudden and violent changes overnight. The gold mining industry in particular has come to rely largely on migratory labour, and could not introduce a radical change in this respect without repercussions which would be widely felt. At the same time the Council expresses the earnest hope that any new developments in the gold mining industry will not be embarked upon with the assumption that the old system of compound labour

(■) Address of the Secretary for Native Affairs in the“ Proceedings o f a Special Session of the Ciskeian General Council,” 8th January, 1945.

is to be uncritically accepted and followed. So convinced is the Council of the undesirability of the extension and prolongation of the migratory labour system that it would not willingly accept its continuance on the gold mines except for the fact that the existing mines are a disappearing— though fortunately for the Union a very slowly dis­appearing— asset. Gradually, as the slow decline of the industry makes itself felt, other provision in the Reserves or elsewhere must be made for the economic life of those families whose bread-winners now look to the mines for their income. It is Jiar- tic u la rly im portant that bold and effective policies for the development of agriculture in the Reserves should not be held up because of any fear of reper­cussions on recruiting for the gold mines. Th is w ould be m ortgaging the future for the present, and lin k in g up South A fric a ’s progress too exclu­s ive ly w ith one great industry.

9. Large-scale migratory labour in other forms of industry is a phenomenon of the present century only, and there is no reason to treat it as a deeply entrenched vested interest. In moving towards a settled industrial population enjoying true family life we must, however, take account of the difficul­ties of industrialists in adapting themselves to the new conditions. So long as our main goal of policy is clear, and we are working to a plan, we need not hesitate to give all due consideration to the reason­able wishes of employers. Indeed the Native workers themselves will need time to reorientate themselves to the new policy. Probably at no time in the predictable future will migratory labour completely disappear. There will always be men, especially younger men of a more adventurous type, who will want to come out of the Reserves to work. Moreover there are Reserves in close proximity to large industrial areas— and this is particularly true of Durban— where the call to urban employment is too strong’ to be resisted, and at the same time the desire to remain in the Reserve so deeply rooted as to make settlement within the urban area unpopu­lar. Facts must be faced, and Reserves differ greatly. A ll that we can do is to base our main Reserve policy on the principle of keeping a settled and efficient N ative farm ing population on the land; to refuse to “ go slow ” because of fears of the effects of rapid development on the supply of m igra­to ry labour; to make allowances for differences such as those between the Transkeian Territories and Northern Zululand on the one hand and the Reserves in the v ic in ity of Durban on the other; and to make allowances in our policy for the tradi­tions and sentiments of w hite and black alike.

10. The Council has already indicated that there are reasons for supporting the policy of making the Reserves homes rather than labour reservoirs. High among these must be mentioned the agricultural development of the Reserves. It is not only a question of securing the best possible yield from land, some (though by no means all) of which is of rich agricultural potentiality. It is also a question of preventing by. rapid and vigorous action the deterioration o f good land to a point where full recovery becomes impossible, and in some areas of preventing imminent and irreparable ruin.

11. The same danger that threatens the land threatens our human resources. Soul erosion needs to be fought as well as soil erosion. The past liali- century has witnessed a decline in the stability of Native family life which constitutes a danger to the whole nation— black and white alike— in the spheres of health, of morality and of general social structure, peace, order, reasonable contentment, good-will, and a sense of national solidarity. The situation is too grave to be dismissed lightly. The nation as a whole must fight for its family life and for sound and sane traditions.

12. There is another side to this vexed question. It is the urgent necessity for a more stable labour supply in farming and industry. The more the population inside the Reserves becomes a settled one, the greater is the chance of stabilising labour outside the Reserves. As will be shown later, the need for this in our farming life is urgent and admitted. So far as industries are concerned, taking a long view of the situation, the building up of a settled, and therefore efficient,-labour force under conditions which reduce drink, immorality and absenteeism to a minimum will bring far more advantages than it will entail hardship to the employer in housing costs and rising wages.

13. T h e Council feels that the Reserves, while they cannot absorb or provide for the whole Native population, or anyth in g like it, form a permanent and valuable part of our economic structure, and it is for this reason that the Council has proceeded with the Report w hich follows. A t the same time the Council feels constrained to issue a w a rn in g that the utmost extension of the Reserves possible under the present law, and their utmost develop­ment, w ill still leave outside them large masses of the N a tive population to be provided for. No Reserve policy— not even the policy advocated in this Report— w ill make it possible for South A frica to evade the issues raised b y the presence of the Native in European farm ing areas and in urban areas. These must be considered on their own merits, and while this Report, concentrating as it does on the Reserves, is not the place to consider them at length, it seems only right to give some indication of the Council’ s views on these matters.

14. Before proceeding to do so, it would be as well to deal with the question of the effect of improvements in the economy of the Reserves on the distribution of the Native population. There are those who feel that if the Reserves could double their production, they co\ild carry double their present population. A trained student of population questions will not be in much danger of falling into this fallacy, but it is as well to face every theory which attracts popular support. The rehabilitation of the Reserves will undoubtedly raise the standard of living of the Native popula­tion, and make it possible for the bread-winner to remain at home and still support his family, but it will not in fact increase the proportion of the Native population in the Reserves appreciably. The rise in the standard of living will inevitably follow the rise in productivity. Nor— to be realistic— does the European population really wish to lose its farming and industrial labour supply to the Reserves. It could only send them back to the Reserves on the inadmissible and self-destructive policy of turning the Reserves into mere labour reservoirs.

15. The development of the Reserves thus, though well worth while in itself, does not save South Africa the trouble of thinking out proper policies as regards farming and urban Native labour. As regards farming labour, the greatest desideratum seems to be stability, _ and present policies do not ensure this. The majority of' pro­gressive farmers realise that conditions of housing, wages and other amenities must be more generally improved if agriculture is to compete for labour with mines and industries. At the present moment legislation which ostensibly exists to protect farming interests works out in practice in such a way that the farmer often has to house the aged and the very young, while the best workers go off to better-paid urban employment. At the present stage of South African and international opinion, restrictive legislation tying the Native more_ firmly to the land is unthinkable, even if it were right m itself; and experience has shown that it does not help the position. The solution must be sought on practical economic lines, in the general reconstruc­

tion of agriculture as set out in the Council’ s Report No. 4, and in a system of tenure such as to make stable employment on the farms really economically attractive to a sufficient proportion of the Native population.

In this connection it is worthy of consideration whether the time has not come for a modification of policy as regards cash tenancy. It wasundoubtedly grossly abused in the past, to the detriment of pro­gressive agriculture; but under suitable safeguards, it could be permitted to-day, and would be a material factor in easing the farm labour situation. The farming community needs the sympathy and help of the whole community in its desire to obtain a stabilised and efficient labour force, and any way in which this can be done which is just in essence to the labourer, practicable in execution and economically sound, should receive support.

16. It is not possible to go any more into detail as regards the urban than as regards the rural employee in this Report, but the Council is con­vinced that means can be and must be found to encourage the steady growth of a permanent urban labour force. This will involve the provision of housing, and land for the purpose, for Native families within reasonable reach of the bread­winner’s place of employment, as well as consider­able modifications in our Urban Areas legislation. The difficulties in the way of the former provision are not insuperable, and many of them have been dealt with in the Council’ s Report No. 5 (Regional and Town Planning). The nettle must be grasped, and a way out must be found. The Council has recommended elsewhere^) that a Commission be appointed to consider the applicability of our present TJrban Areas legislation to changing condi­tions, due to rapid industrialisation and other causes. A t this stage the main point which the Council desires to make is that its recommendations with regard to the future of the Reserves, while they will materially assist in reducing the number of unattached, migratory labourers in the cities and towns, will not enable South Africa to avoid coming to grips with its problems of urban housing, wages or control.

17. The question is sometimes raised whether progress in the Reserves is really possible under the tribal system, and in particular under the customary tribal tenure, which tends to combine some of the worst features of individual and com­munal tenure. On the tribal system in general, the Council adopts a purely empirical point of view. The Native people themselves will ultimately decide the fate of this, as of so many other aspects of their life. Generally it would seem a mistake either to bolster up tribalism artificially, or to break it down deliberately where there is a sentiment in its favour. It may well be that in some parts of the Union, as elsewhere in Africa, the Chief’ s power may be developed into a constitutional monarchy, with extensive powers handed over in practice to an effective Council. The education of sons of Chiefs should be encouraged, progressive Chiefs fully used, and tribal sentiment respected; but whole areas must not be held back from progress through inertia or a mistaken desire not to inter­vene where a Chief is a definite hindrance to progress.

The land tenure question is referred to later in the. body of the Report, but it may be said here that, while no one system is equally satisfactory for all areas or sufficiently proved to be preferred always above others, experiments should be pro­ceeded with along the line of re-allocation of land into residential, arable and grazing plots (such as are now being tried on Trust Farms and have been adopted extensively in Southern Rhodesia); in modifications of the “ one man, one plot ” rule in

(*) Report No. 8, XJ.G. 40/1945.

favour of the really progressive farmer; m the encouragement of co-operation; in collective farming in a few new areas; and, finally, in actively encouraging individual purchase, particularly on the part of bona fide farmers, in “ released areas.

18. In short, the Council’ s attitude is one of facing the existing facts of Native and European life, and from that basis moving forward progres­sively, vigorously, and without avoidable delay. The Council feels that one of the greatest dangers which South Africa has to avoid in this field is the danger of evasion. Unpleasant facts should not be set on one side, clear-cut issues should not be con­fused by ill-considered catch phrases, the real matters to be decided should be resolutely dealt with. As it proceeds to consider the narrower issue of the Reserves, the Council desires, alike in this and in the wider issues of policy, to face all the facts, and refuses to consider any “ solutions ” which fail to do so.

Plan of the Report.

19. The plan of this Report is as follows: —Part I I— consists of a concise historical

account of the development of the Reserve system.

Part I I I — is purely descriptive, and describes the present economic conditions in the Reserves, particular reference being made to agricultural activities.

Part IV-—stresses the need for the rehabilita­tion of these areas which the previous description makes so evident.

Part Y — deals with the people themselves— their health, sanitation, housing, educational and other services.

Part V I— deals with the problem of migratory labour because the principal source o f cash income to the majority of Reserve inhabitants, as well as the effect of migration on social and economic activity in general, must be considered before any plans for rehabilitation can be formulated.

Part V II— suggests plans for the establish­ment of a sound system of agriculture in the Reserves, and discusses the Native Affairs Department’s Rehabilitation Scheme.

Part V II I— describes ways and means of attaining a more diversified economy.

Part I X — discusses the part to be played by the Native Affairs Department in the various developments pro­posed.

Part X — consists, firstly, of a summary of the principal conclusions arrived at in the body of the Report, and, secondly, of a broad statement of the main conclusions and recom­mendations.

In order to facilitate reading, various statistical tables and other data have been relegated to the Annexures. A short select bibliography of useful works of reference is also annexed.

II.— Historical Background.20. The conception of the Native Reserves^)

grew up gradually in the Cape Province, parti­cularly in that part now known as the C'iskei, during the first forty years of the nineteenth century. A thorough study of the system of the Reserves, however, would have to take us further back, and would demand some investigation of the early Hottentot Reserve policy of the earlier Administrations in South Africa. Interesting though this would be historically, it is not perhaps of very great importance as a contribution to the study o f present-day conditions in the Native areas.

It must be emphasised that prior to the first set­tlement of Natives in Natal no extensive and considered Reserve policy had been adopted by any South African Government. The settlement of the Fingoes under the government of Sir Harry Smith by the Rev. W . B. Calderwood and others marks the beginning of the setting aside of definite Native areas. The policy subsequently pursued in British Kafifraria, or, as we now call it, the Ciskei, was deliberately one of dotting small Reserves about among European areas, and stands in strong con­trast to the later Transkeian system of establishing large blocks of Native territory. The motive forces behind the “ chessboard ” pattern of Reserves were, firstly, the attainment of more secure control against combinations of tribes and Native uprisings generally, and, secondly, the ensuring of an adequate labour supply to the European farmers between whose farms the Reserves were situated.

21. The first thorough-going policy was carried out in Natal during the period of office of Sir Theophilus Shepstone. It is important to consider the historical antecedents of this policy. (3)

When the Voortrekkers entered Natal the main lines of their policy were fairly clearly defined. These were, firstly, to secure an adequate Native labour supply for the farms, and, secondly, to segregate the surplus Native population not required by the farmers. This segregation could not take place in Zululand owing to treaty obligations, and the Voortrekkers made the mistake of selecting a site too, far to the south and impinging on a territory occupied by the Pondos, with consequent pressure of tribe on tribe until the Cape frontier was affected. A somewhat similar pressure was, in a sense, exercised as a result of the depredations of the Zulus under Tshaka. The resources of the Republic, which at that time was paying less than ,£500 per annum in salaries to all of its officials, were clearly inadequate for the task of building up a great Native Reserve, and a well-meant effort furnished a reason— or pretext, according to one’s school of thought— for British intervention.

British intervention brought Sir Theophilus Shepstone to Natal, and so commenced the period of thirty years during which he was to frame Natal Native policy. His policy has left its mark both on land and administration right up to the present day. Yet, curiously enough, on many points, what has come to be known as a “ Shepstone policy ” does not represent Shepstone’ s original ideas, but the modifications of those ideas brought about by the divergent views of colonial governors and the unwillingness of the British Treasury to spend money on a scheme of Native development in a remote area. Shepstone’s own original idea was the same as that of the Voortrekkers, i.e. the building up of a big homogeneous Native Reserve somewhat on the lines of the modern Transkeian Territories, south of Pietermaritzburg and north

(*) Strictly speaking the term “ Native Reserve ” means the same as“ Scheduled Native Area,” i.e. land reserved for Native occupation and described in the Schedule to Act No. 27 of 1913 and amendments. (See Annexure II.) Due to statistical difficulties and the common use of the term," Native Reserves ” and “ Native Areas ” are used synonymously in the latter parts of this Report (See para. 31). H.

(a) Cf. “ Histor/ Native Policy in outh Afrioa” , 3E.

of the Pondoland border. He east himself for the role of more or less independent governor of this area. The Shepstone scheme could have been carried out if the British Administration had had the funds and if it had been willing to use them ; in Shepstone it certainly had the man.

22. Shepstone’s scheme not having been approved, a new policy had to be worked out. And it had to be worked out under circumstances widely different from those which the Voortrekkers had been facing. W hen the British annexation first took place in 1843 there were estimated to be some25,000 Natives in Natal, apart from Zululand. Bound about 1845 this figure had increased to approximately 100,000. This influx consisted mainly of Natives who had been dispossessed of their lands in Natal by Tshaka and who were now returning to their ancestral homes. The govern­ment of Natal appointed a Commission, of which Shepstone was a member, and which is generally known as the Natal Native Land Commission of 1846-47. This Commission followed the Ciskeian model of setting up a large number of locations or Eeserves dotted about between European farming areas. It was a chessboard, but the squares were very much larger than in the Ciskei. The same two motives probably influenced the Commission and the Natal Government as influenced the Cape Government in its similar decisions for the Ciskei. The motive of providing a labour force for European farmers was expressly mentioned.

In this, however, the Commission failed to achieve its purpose. It did so because the Eeserves set apart at that date were undoubtedly adequate not only for the existing occupiers, but even to provide for a natural increase of population for quite a time to come. In many parts of Natal these Eeserves are to-day very congested and quite in­adequate, but this state of affairs did not arise for many a long year after the first demarcation. That these facts are correctly stated is proved in a striking way by the importation of Indian coolies in the 1860’ s to form the labour supply of the Natal sugar plantations. The Indians were introduced largely because, short of forced labour, there was no way of getting the Zulus to come out and work. Had the pressure of population on the land been very great this difficulty would not have existed.

23. The work of the Commission of 1846-47 supplied a basis for all future land policy in Natal. It later affected Zululand, and it was the basis for the very imperfect location system of the Transvaal. One aspect of policy introduced by the report of 1846-47 has, however, not been imitated elsewhere; it was the setting \ip of “ mission reserves.” These mission reserves must be differentiated from mission stations of the ordinary type. They were intended to be places of refuge for those of the Bantu who wished to lead a Christian and civilised life under missionary teaching. In contrast with the “ glebe,” which corresponds to the ordinary mission station and is technically an European area, the mission reserves themselves were reserves entirely for Native occupation.

In the course of time these mission reserves have come to be very little different from the tribal loca­tions. There are many Christians in the tribal loca­tions, and there are some heathens in the mission reserves. The extent of the control exercised by the Missions is small. The local missionary usually sits on the Reserve Board and half the proceeds of the annual rent are paid to the particular Mission concerned, which, however, must use this money for primary education within a particular reserve.

24. Some twenty years after the report of the 1846 Commission Shepstone introduced another conception which has been very fruitful in Native land policy. This was the conception of the

Trusty1) In Shepstone’s original conception a separate Trust Board was to be set up for each tribe consisting of the Chief of the tribe, the Secretary for Native Affairs and a third non-official European member. This policy was dropped after only one such Trust had been created, and the whole of the Natal Native locations and Reserves were put under the control of a single body, the Natal Native Trust.(2) The Zululand Native Trust established in 1909 operated in Zululand. In 1936 these Trusts were merged into the South African Native Trust. (3) The Trust, although consisting of the Governor-in- Council and, for practical purposes, of the Native Affairs Department, was, however, a legally separate entity. There are psychological advantages in the distinction thus drawn between the Govern­ment and the Government in Trust, as is evinced by the fact that to-day the Estimates of the South African Native Trust Fund are handled quite separately and on quite different lines from the official Estimates of the Native Affairs Depart­ment^4)

25. As the Cape Colony began to expand its boundaries the old chess-board land policy began to make way for the creation of large homogeneous Native territories which were to be accoi’ded a certain measure of administrative autonomy. Such was the policy applied when Basutoland was annexed to the Cape in 1871 and in the successive annexations of the Transkeian Territories, including Tembuland and Pondoland, between 1877 and 1894. The disannexation of Basutoland at the request of the Cape Government in 1884 ended one side of this interesting experiment, but the Transkeian territories remain to-day a great homogeneous Native area with little European occupation or ownership save in the district of Mt. Currie, in the town lands of the small villages and, to a lesser extent, in one or two other districts such as Mata- tiele and TTmzimkulu. The Trust system was not applied to this land, and it remained technically Crown land just the same as any other Crown land until the South African Trust and Land Act of 1936.

26. In the Transvaal and Free State no effective large-scale Native land policy was undertaken before 1877. W hile the Free State at an early date made provision for Chief Moroka’s tribe in the TIir.Tin ’ Nchu district and, at a considerably later date, in the Witzieshoek area, the Reserves of the Free State may be said, for our present purposes, to be of minor importance. I f the fortune of history had permitted the Free State to annex Basutoland we would no doubt have seen an interesting experiment. But destiny decided otherwise.

The earlv Transvaal Administration was very seriously hampered through an almost complete lack both of funds and of trained officials. Even ec, it is impossible to acquit the Government o f those days of grave negligence in handling the land situation, partic\ilarly as farms were in many instances surveyed in areas which were actually occupied at the time by Native tribes for whom no alternative provision was made. The annexation of 1877 led to the introduction of the Natal Native land policy, and preparations were made for the demarcation or rural locations or Reserves. Matters, however, proceeded in so dilatory and leisiirely a fashion that not a single rural location had been measured out when the W ar of Independence broke out. In the Pretoria Convention of 1881 provision was made, therefore, for a Location Commission on which the British Resident served with two officials of the restored Republic. Most, if not all, of the

(*) For details regarding the various Trusts, see Rogers : “ Native Administration in South Africa,” Vol. I, Chapter V.

(2) Constituted in 1864. The small Putile Trust was also adminis­tered by the Natal Native Trust from 1908.

(a) Section 5, Act No. 18 of 1936.(4) For a summary of S.A. Native Trust Expenditure, 1943/44,

see Annexure I.

Native scheduled areas marked out in the Trans­vaal before Union were marked out by this body. They were, moreover, mainly done during the first few years of the Commission’s existence. The pro­vision made was grossly inadequate. _ Large numbers of the Native population lived on European farms and, particularly in the Northern Transvaal, large numbers lived on land held by speculators or land companies under a system of absentee ownership. These were de facto locations, but locations without Government supervision or responsibility and without any security of tenure. Even the 1913 Act failed to schedule what are really Native areas.

27. After the annexation of Zululand to the Colony o f Natal in 1897, the same system was applied there as in Natal, except that the black squares of the chess-board were somewhat bigger than the white squares. Zululand, however, was not kept a homogeneous Native territory like the Transkei. Many people who do not know the facts are under the impression that it is a purely Native area, but in fact much of the best land of Zululand belongs to-day to European sugar and wattle farmers. W hile the Zulus still retain a consider­able portion of their land, much o f what they do retain is thornveld or malarial lowveld. (See maps.)

28. Prior to Union there was never any doubt on the point that in the Cape and Natal Natives were entitled, either individually or corporately, to buy land anywhere. A ll Native areas in that triangle of Northern Natal formed by the Tugela and Buffalo Rivers and the Drakensberg are the result of purchase by individual Natives, Native syndicates or Native tribes. As such, they are the substitutes for the Reserves not provided by the Natal Government. In the Free State and Trans­vaal, on the other hand, no Native was allowed to acquire land in freehold. Under the terms of the Pretoria Convention of 1881 such land could in fact be bought by an individual Native, but the transfer was not made out to him, but to the Secretary for Native Affairs in trust for him. A decision of the Transvaal Supreme Court in 1905 (Tsewu versus the Registrar of Deeds) established, however, the right of the individual Native to have land registered in his own name as in the Cape and Natal.

An attempt at uniformity was made by the passing of the Natives Land Act of 1913. This Act scheduled practically all existing mission reserves, tribal locations or reserves and the like, together with some tribal and privately-owned farms. These were henceforth to be known as “ scheduled Native areas,” and the Act provided that these areas might not be disposed of to any non-Native and, on the other hand, that no Native might buy outside them from any non-Native with­out the special permission of the Governor-General. The Act aimed ostensibly at uniformity, but a pro­vision was inserted which j)revented any Native from acquiring land in the Orange Free State and a saving clause made the whole Act largely in­operative in the Cape. It therefore applied, in the main, only to the Transvaal and Natal. The other Provinces were, however, brought into line by Act No. 18 of 1936.

Those who were responsible for the Act realised very fu lly at the time that its restrictions were inequitable unless more land was provided for the Natives. A Commission was therefore set up in terms of the Act itself under the chairmanship of Sir W illiam Beaumont to report on such provision. This Commission was delayed in its work by the first W orld W ar and only reported in 1916.(x) On the basis of its report the Government introduced the Native Affairs Administration Bill of 1917. But

the land provision recommended met with such widespread opposition from the European interests concerned that the Bill was dropped and five local committees were appointed to revise the details of the proposed land provision. These local com­mittees reported in 1918.

The political situation was such that no further legislation took place in many years. In the mean­time by administrative action the situation was somewhat eased, the Native Affairs Department in general advising the Governor-General to give his assent to the purchase of land which was common to the recommendations both of the Beaumont Com­mission and of the local committees. A ll that this meant, however, was that individual Natives could buy in certain areas, but it did not mean that the Government was taking responsibility for buying up land for locations in areas such as the Transvaal where inadequate provision had been made.

29. An attempt at a further settlement of the whole question and at the creation of greater uniformity between the Provinces was made when General Hertzoa1 introduced his famous Native Bills in 1926. It took ten years for the Bills to become, in a greatly altered shape, Act.s of Parliament. The present land policy of the Union is formulated in the Native Trust and Land Act, No. 18 of 1936. This Act made proArision for “ released areas ” within which land could be bought either by individual Natives or by the South African Native Trust. (The term “ released area ” applies to those areas released from the provisions of the 1913 Act with regard to the acquisition of land by or for Natives. They are listed in Schedule I of Act No. 18 of 1936.) This body, modelled on the Natal Native Trust, was extended to cover the whole Union, and all scheduled Native areas within the Union came under its ownership as well as any additional areas which it chose to buy.

The Trust Eund derives most of its revenue from Parliamentary grants, but additional sources of revenue are rentals paid by Natives in respect of occupation of land, trading rentals, prospecting and licence fees, certain fines, etc. A summary of Trust expenditure for 1943-44 is shown in Annexure I.

The policy of the Government as laid down in explicit terms by General Hertzog at the time the Bill was passed was to purchase extensively, and purchase did take place on a fairly generous scale in the years 1937, 1938 and 1939. Up to the end of 1944 the Trust had purchased 1,592,814 morgen of land (1,112,796 morgen in the Transvaal, 381,226 in the Cape, 52,020 in the Orange Free State and 46,082 in Natal) at a cost of £4,863.484. (Details regarding the extent of land in the Scheduled and Released Areas, land acquired by the Trust by purchase and vesting, and other relevant informa­tion are given in Annexure I I .) The W orld W ar suspended lar^e-scale purchase, but the Government has repeatedly stated its intentions of honouring General Hertzog’ s pledges as soon as the W orld War came to an end.

30. The Natives at present therefore live—(a) on Trust land which consists o f scheduled(l)

Native Reserves under the Native Trust and Lana Act of 1936. Included under this heading of Trust land are the Natal mission reserves already referred to, land bought by the Trust in released areas which may by proclamation be added to the list of scheduled areas, and Crown land in released and scheduled areas which was vested in the Trust by the 1936 A ct;(2)

(*) Scheduled under the Natives Land Act No. 27 of 1913 as amended by Acts Nos. 28 o f 1925, 34 of 1927, 36 of 1931 and 27 of 1935.

( l ) U.G. 19/1916.(2) See Annexure II.

(b) on Crown lands outside released areas, the main difference here being that the squatters who rent the land have no security of tenure, buck Crown lands could, for example, be used for the settlement of European returned soldiers and the Native occupiers turned off— something which could not legally happen with Trust land ;

(c) on land bought by themselves individually, as syndicates, or as tribes, and not scheduled as Native areas. To-day a Native may buy such land without special permission either

(i) from a Native who owns this land out­side a released area, or

(ii) from any one of any race within a released area.In all other cases lie can only buy with the

Governor-General’ s special permission. 1 here are a number of squatters on such Native-owned land.

(d) on European-owned land which may con­sist of a mission (not a mission "reserve) or of a farm. W ith special permission, and in the event of certain contingencies, he may be a rent-paying tenant. In other instances the Native must either be a labourer working for wages or a labour tenant giving a specified period of free labour every year to the European landlord m exchange for his right to remain on the land. There is, of course, no security of tenure in these cases. Natives living under such conditions do not fall witbin the scope of this R eport;(*)

(e) in urban areas under the provisions of the Native (Urban Areas) Act of 1923 and later legislation. It is not the intention of this study, however, to discuss urban and peri-urban areas.(3)

III-Description of the Present Economic Condition of the Reserves.

A. A R E A , P O P U L A T I O N A N D O C C U P A T IO N S .“ Native Reserves ” defined.

31. It is with those Natives living in the areas falling under Class (a) in paragraj)h 30, viz. Trust land in its widest sense, that this survey is principally concerned. Owing to the classification adopted by the Office of Census and Statistics in the compilation of the Agricultural and Pastoral Production and Population Censuses, however, the tables based on these figures refer to areas (a), (b) and (c) of paragraph 30(3).

D istribution, Area and Physical and Climatic Features.

32. The distribution of the various Native areas can be seen from the attached maps.^1) It will be noticed that they are concentrated in the South­eastern section of the sub-continent, though there are also fairly extensive areas in the Northern and Western Transvaal and North-western Cape.

33. Though the Office of Census and Statistics collects various types o f information relating to “ Native areas ” no exact figures are available regarding the actual extent of many of these areas. To make possible comparisons of densities of human and livestock populatioin, etc., the Council therefore devoted considerable time to the compilation of the estimates embodied in Table I. This Table presents an overall picture of the extent of the Native areas and their distribution and the method of compiling it is described in Annexure II I . According to this Table the Native areas of the Union increased from just over 45,000 square miles in 1916 to almost 52,000 in 1936 and55,000 in 1939.

34. The maps show • practically all the Native Reserves with the exception of the North-west Cape and Northern and Western Transvaal as lying within the over twenty inches per annum rainfall belt. Topographical and climatic factors, however, make generalisations difficult. Thus even the average rainfall figures for individual districts shown in the last column of Table I do not by any means portray the full picture. Rainfall, temperature, altitude, climate, etc., may change considerably within the space of a few miles, particularly in broken areas such as the Witzieshoek or many of the Natal Reserves. Many of the Native Reserves are in fact in hilly or rugged areas.

It is beyond the scope of this Report, however, to give a detailed description of each single Native area. Thus in Table I and the succeeding Tables based on figures published by the Office of Census and Statistics seventeen broad regional groups have been chosen.(2) In this way it is possible to make comparisons between, say, the dry, flat, sparsely populated North-western Cape Reserves and the rugged, well-watered, densely populated Reserve^ of the Natal Midlands.

I1) Sec Report of the Native Farm Labour Committee, 1937/39. (a) See Report of the Inter-Departmental Committee on the Social

Health and Economio Conditions of Urban Natives.(3)“ Native Areas’ * as used by the Office of Census and

Statistics cover:(а) Crown Reserves or (d) Native-owned farms ;

Locations; (e) Crown Lands occupied by(б) Mission Reserves or Natives ;

Stations ; ( / ) Trust Lands purchased(c) Tribaliy-owued farms ; since 1936.

(i) The maps will bs found at the end of the Report.(a) These broad regional groups have been chosen for several

reasons. In the first plqce, unless grouping were resorted to, changes in the boundaries o f magisterial districts made it impossible to express the Census Office’s population and agricultural figures in terms of densities per square mile and form a series of figures to facilitate the gauging of trends over a period. Secondly, though the Native areas are subdivided for administrative purposes, these administrative divisions are not always the most convenient when any description of the areas is attempted. In the regional group used in Table I and subsequent Tables an attempt has been made to take account of administrative divisions and geographical factors. Thus Herschel, Glen Grey and Queenstown are not combined with the Ciskei proper. Herschel is separated from the rest of the Ciskei by the Drakensberg, and though Glen Grey and Queenstown lie east o f these mountains they have a much higher altitude than the other Ciskeian Districts. Geographically parts of the Western Transvaal are very similiar to the North-west Cape, but the Provincial division has led to their being shown separately.

T a b le I.—Estimated Area and Population of Native Areas (as).

(The sub-totals are repeated in Column 4 only where Trust Purchases took place in the Region between 1936 and 1939).

Region, (b)

Cape Province—North Western (Total)...

Mafeking........................Vryburg.........................Taungs...........................Barkly West..................Kuruman.......................

Herschel............................Glen Grey/Queenstown...Ciskei (Total)...................

Kingwilliamstown.........Middledrift....................Keiskamahoek..............Victoria East................Peddie............................East London.................

Transkei (Total)...............Highlands (Sub-total)..

Matatiele............. ..Mt. Ayliff...................Mt. Currie..................Mt. Fletoher..............Mt. Frere...................Umzimkulu...............Qumbu.......................

Midlands (Sub-total)...Flagstaff....................Tabankulu.................Libode........................Tsolo..........................Umtata......................Engcobo......................Idutywa.....................Nqamakwe..................Tsomo..........................Butterworth................St. Marks.....................Xalanga.......................

Coastal (Sub-total).........Bizana.........................Lusikisiki.....................Port St. Johns............Ngqeleni......................Mqanduli.....................Elliotdale.....................Willow vale..................Kentani.......................

Natal, excluding Zululand-—Highlands (Sub-total).......

Bergville.................. ; . . .Dundee............................Estcourt..........................Klip River.......................Newcastle........................Impendhle.......................Polela...............................

Midlands (Sub-total).........Msinga.............................Kranskop........................Mapumulo.......................Umvoti............................New Hanover..................Ndwedwe.........................Camperdown...................Pietermaritzburg............Richmond.......................Ixopo...........................Alfred..............................

Coastal (Sub-total)............PinetOwn.........................Umzinto............................Port Shepstone.................

Zululand (Total)......................North (Sub-total)................

Ingwavuma.......................Ubombo............................Hlabisa.............. ...............

Inland (Sub-total)...............Nongoma...........................Mhlabatini.........................Entonjaneni......................Eshowe..............................Nkandhla..........................Nqutu................................

Coastal (Sub-total)..............Lower Umfolosi................Mtunzini............................

Native Areas,

1916. (c)

sq, mis.

NativeAreas,1936.

sq. mis. (d)

Native Areas, 1939

(Trust Added), sq. mis.

Native Population, (e)

1916. ( / ) 1936. (g)

Population per Square Mile.

1916. 1936.

Normal Rainfall Ins. (h)

4,215 5,988 5,988 75,100 89,200 17-8 14-91,208 1,216 1,216 18,200 32,000 _ _ 221,232 2,800 2,800 15,400 18,200 _ 19

642 676 676 21,200 19,700 — _ 17377 377 377 10,000 7,200 _ _ 16756 919 919 10,300 12,000 _ 15682 682 682 39,100 36,300 57-4 53-2 27

1,121 1,188 1,204 62,500 73,600 55-8 62-0 221,155 1,259 1,392 121,100 120,200 105 95-4 _

737 424 471 1 41,500 _ 25— 308 308 y 84,300 J 25,400 — _ 20— 115 115 J I 15,300 _ __ 25

98 105 105 14,700 9,800 _ __ 23260 256 271 14,600 18,100 _, _ 2360 51 122 7,500 10,000 — _, 33

1.3,563 13,916 14,084 892,100 1,107,100 65-6 79-5 _.3,683 3,717 3,885 192,200 243,100 52 -1 65-4 _

656 606 733 37,200 44,400 _ _ 27330 362 362 13,200 25,500 _ _ 2782 32 32 3,100 3,100 _ _ 27

921 923 923 25,800 37,100 _ _ 28644 662 662 38,800 47,400 _ _ 29513 608 648 34,900 44,300 _ _ 28537 524 524 33,300 41,200 _ _ 30

5,893 6,060 6,060 398,600 484,100 67-6 79-8 _412 420 — 32,400 42,500 _ _ 34501 503 — 40,000 45,900 _ 30515 520 ’ — .26,000 37,900 _ _ 29592 600 — 33,900 38,600 _ _ 26562 562 — 41,600 44,500 _. _ 26

1,030 1,060 — 60,900 70,100 _ _ 32438 440 — 30,100 35,100 _ _ 23418 418 — 32,000 39,400 __ _ 28392 392 — 25,800 33,000 _ __ 22240 237 — 20,300 24,300 _ __ 25447 567 — 39,200 53,500 _ _ 25346 341 — 16,600 19,300 __ _ 24

3,987 4,139 4,139 301,300 379,900 75-4 91-8 _697 697 — 42,200 57,300 __ _ 32904 918 — 49,700 69,100 __ __ 43293 298 — 18,000 23,300 _ __ 48427 531 — 41,700 46,700 _ __ 31484 484 — 35,100 46,500 _ __ 27279 279 — 34,600 33,700 __ __ 27500 500 — 42,100 55,300 ___ __ 41403 432 — 38,000 48,100 — — 36

1,282 1,202 1,202 65,200 100,600 50-8 83-3459 418 — 11,900 17,400 _ - 26123 66 — 5,200 10,200 _ _ 32200 180 — 10,800 16,500 _ _ 29144 121 — 8,200 17,100 _ _ 3079 84 — 4,200 7,400 _ _ 3670 106 — 7,700 8,500 _ _ 36

207 227 — 17,100 23,500 _ _ 422,487 2,623 2,623 193,200 309,500 77-7 117-7 . .

670 706 — 41,200 60,800 _ _ 26298 202 — 11,700 17,200 _ _ 30215 324 — 31,600 40,300 _ __ 39176 150 — 10,000 16,000 _ _ 38111 116 — 7,700 13,600 _ _ 38256 272 — 26,300 44,400 _ _ 4252 80 — 5,900 12,000 _ _ 27

114 130 — 11,000 19,700 _ _ 3681 64 — 5,900 9,900 _ _ 44

215 281 — 21,500 37,700 _ _ 34299 298 — 20,500 37,900 _ _ 32893 819 819 88,500 160,800 99-0 196-0308 298 — 36,200 59,300 _ _ 36338 293 — 30,300 59,900 _ _ 43247 228 — 22,000 41,600 _ _ 44

6,540 7,661 7,676 241,100 318,300 36-8 41-62,589 3,486 3,486 68,700 80,600 26-5 23 1 _1,405 1,609 — 33,200 39,200 _ 32618 1*065 — 17,500 21,200 _ — 35

566 812 — 18,000 20,000 _ _ 443,236 3,558 3,573 134,900 193,200 41-6 54*3

692 868 868 16,300 29,400 _ _ 35458 606 606 14,000 20,900 _ _ 32329 311 311 10,000 16,600 _ _ 31557 557 572 36,700 47,300 _ _ 53627 626 626 30,900 42,800 _ _ 32573 590 590 27,000 36,100 _ _ 30715 617 617 37,600 44,500 52-5 7 2 0459 358 — 14,900 17,000 _ 42256 259 22,700 27,400 — — 50

Region, (b)

Transvaal—Central (Total).........................................

Rustenburg...........................................Brits......................................................Waterberg..................... .......................Pretoria.................................................Middelburg...........................................

Western (Total).......................................Marico...................................................Lichtenburg..........................................

North and East (Total).........................Potgietersrust.......................................Pietersburg...........................................Zoutpansberg........................................Letaba...................................................Lydenburg............................................Pilgrimsrest..........................................Nelspruit............................... ..............Barberton..............................................

Orange Free State—East (Total).............................................

Harrismith............................................Thaba ’Nchu........................................

Gkand Total..................................Other Areas not Included.............

GRAND TOTAL FOR UNION.

Native Areas,

1916. (c)

sq. mis.

NativeAreas,1936.

sq. mis. (</)

Native Areas, 1939

(Trust Added), sq. mis.

Native Population, (e)

Population per Square Mile. Normal

Rainfall. Ins. (h)

1916 .(/) 1936. (g) 1916. 1936.

1,486 1,781 2,748 103,700 114,900 69-6 64-5750 1,108 1,845 42,600 46,900 — — 26

____ 90 97 — 8,000 — — 23163 100 110 26,800 6,300 — — 24345 255 270 18,900 28,300 — — 28228 228 426 15,300 25,300 — — 29856 856 1,290 32,700 37,700 38-2 44-0 —582 582 760 20,000 17,900 — — 23274 274 530 12,700 19,800 — — 23

3,816 6,847 8,158 277,000 439,300 72-6 64-2 —____ 514 972 — 37,800 — — 251,303 780 1,464 105,600 110,600 — — 19

867 2,632 2,755 117,000 146,500 — — 29— 1,124 1.170 — 63,300 — — 31

896 767 767 37,800 43,800 — — 24____ 280 280 — 14,200 — — 39____ 230 230 — 11,800 — — 28

750 520 520 16,600 11,500 --- — 30

456 397 405 21,400 18,600 46-8 46-8 —

166 165 165 4,700 7,700 — — 25290 232 240 16,700 10,900 — — 24

38,552 45,219 48,271 2,212,600 2,926,000 57-4 64-6 —

6,570 6,570 6,860 56,400 36,400 — — --

45,100 51,800 55,100 2,269,000 2,962,400 50-3 57-2,

la) Excludes Natives on European-owned land (see paragraph 17 of text).(6) See paragraph 34. Account must be taken of changes in magisterial districts. To make the Table of manageable proportions

Native Areas with only relatively small populations have been incorporated in “ Othqr Areas.”(c) Estimates by Beaumont Commission U.G. 19/1916, Appendix III.(d) For method of calculation see Annexure III.(e) See paragraph 36.( /)U .G . 19/1916. Appendix IV.(q) U.G. 21/1938. Table 13.(h) Normal annual rainfall at longest established station in principal village or town vide U.G. 6/1938. There may, ol course, be

considerable variations of rainfall within relatively small areas.

Population.35. Native population censuses, as well as being

subject to a wide margin of error, have been few and far between. Sufficient information is avail­able, however, if one also takes into account the age composition of the Native population and such vital statistics as are available, to indicate that this population is increasing raiiidly.

Despite rural-urban migration, Table 1 shows the population in Native areas to have increased from 2 3 millions in 1916 to 3 millions in 1936— an average annual increase of 1-3 per cent. According to population census figures the total Native population increased by 2-3 per cent, per annum between 1921 and 1936.(x)

36. The 1936 Census— the last complete Census— shows the population in the different types of Native areas, and these figures are reproduced in TableIII. Unfortunately the 1911 and 1921 population censuses do not differentiate between Reserve and other Natives, with the result that it is impossible to give the population density of the Reserves over a period. In Table I, therefore, the approximate population figures quoted by the Beaumont Com­mission are used to compute the density per square

(1) See Table XVIII.

mile in 1916, and are compared with the 1936 Census figures (columns 7 and 8 of Table I).

The rate of increase in population far out­stripped the rate at which land was added to the existing Native areas, with the result that average density of population per square mile increased from 50-3 in 1916 to 57 2 in 1936 (Table I). The Natal Reserves showed the g r e a t e s t increase in density, whereas some of the Ciskeian districts actually showed a decrease. Comparisons of crude density figures are apt to be misleading, particularly in Africa, where all areas are not open to all races: thus the comparison of European and Non-European densities per square mile in rural areas in the Union has little significance. Never­theless, it is interesting to compare the figure for individual Native areas with that of the Union’ s total 20-3 per square mile, Basutoland’s 48, the United States of America’ s 41, Argentine’ s 11, Australia’ s 2 or India’ s 220. (*)

37. The distribution of the Native population in the Native ureas of each of the Provinces at the time of the 1936 Census (i.e. before the formation of the S.A. Native Trust) is shown in the following T able: —

f1) Union Year Book No. 22, page 992.

T a b le II.—Natives in Native Areas—1936 Census.

Crown Reserves or Rural

Locations.

Mission Reserves or

Stations.

Tri bally - owned Farms.

Native-ownedFarms.

CrownLands. Total.

1,393,000693.000320.000

15.000

14.00074.00025.000

1,000

4,00010,000

120,000

26,00081,00032,0004,000

9,00046.00095.000

1,446,000904.000592.000 20,000

2,421,000 114,000 134,000 143,000 150,000 2,962,000

More than half the Crown Reserve or rural loca­tion population in 1936 was concentrated in the Cape Province, whereas the hulk o f the population in mission reserves or stations and Native-owned farms lived in Natal. Practically 90 per cent, of the population on tribally-owned farms and 63 per cent, on Crown lands lived in the Transvaal. In all Provinces, Crown Reserves or Locations con­stituted the most important portion of the Native areas.

38. A comparison between the rural and urban Native population in each Province in 1936 is shown below : —

T a b le III.— Native Population—Rural and Urban, 1936. (a)

R ural.TotalPopu­lation.

NativeAreas.

OutsideNativeAreas.

TotalRural.

Urban.

Cape............Natal...........Transvaal... O.F.S..........

1,446,000904.000592.000 20,000

380.000522.000

1,162,000429.000

1,826,0001.426.0001.754.000

449,000

219.000128.000691.000104.000

2.045.0001.554.0002.445.000

553,000

Union. . . . 2,962,000 2,493,000 5,455,000 1,142,000 6,597,000

(a) U.G. 21/1938, page 5.

The bulk of the population in each of the Provinces was rural, but whereas the majority of this rural population in the Cape and Natal lived in the Native areas, this was. not the Case in the Transvaal or the Orange Free State. No less than 70 per cent, of the Cape and 60 per cent, of the Natal Native population lived in the Native areas. The corresponding Transvaal and O.F.S. per­centages were 25 per cent, and 35 per cent, respectively.

Occupations of the Population.39. Though there is no Occupational Census

referring specifically to Reserve Natives, it can be sa id ' that almost all economic activity in the Reserves is bound up with agriculture and migratory labour. (l)

The few small urban centres adjoining or encircled by the Reserves provide a limited avenue of employment, particularly in the various govern­ment services. W ithin the Reserves themselves, however, beyond a few government employees and teachers, practically all are engaged in agriculture. In a sense it is the trader who ^provides the principal contact with the outside exchange economy. It is the trader who caters for the Native’s varied demand for commodities ranging from agricultural implements and ornaments to everyday needs like food and clothing, who purchases his wool and other agricultural produce, trades in the Native food supplies of grain and cattle, provides credit facilities and cash advances and, in certain instances, acts as recruiting agent.Th e Functions of Traders in the N ative Reserves.

40. Traders nowadays form an integral part of life in the Native Reserves. Yet very few of the traders are Natives, though attempts to encourage Native trading have been made by various Pro­clamations^2) Various factors prevent Natives from taking to commercial enterprise. The slow development of Native produce markets also bears this out. Co-operatives have not been a general success.

(') The 1936 Occupational Census figures relating to Native males over ten years of age show 62-4 per cent of the total to be engaged in agriculture, 17-1 per cent, in mining and 9-1 per cent in manufacturng (U.G. 12/1942, page 15).

(3) E.g. Transkei Proclamation No. 11 of 1922 and Proclamation No. 74 o f 1943 (see Part V n i).

The number of traders in the Transkeian Territories at the 31st March, 1945, was as follow s: — (a)

Europeans:

N atives(fc):

Urban Areas Rural Areas

350705

Total ..................... 1,055

Traders ............... ... 37Bakers ....................... 6B utchers.................... 40

Total 83

(а) Information supplied by the Chief Magistrate, Umtata.(б) The licensee must be an adult resident and must be on a

residential or building site in a location. Licence fees are £5. 10s. and 10s. per annum for a trader, baker and butcher respectively.

41. The traders in the Native Reserves perform a number of functions. In the first place they cater for the varied demand for commodities such as blankets, sheeting, sugar, tea, paraffin, ploughs, pots and dishes, meal, matches and soap. These sales vary tremendously according to the size of the crop reaped. The following figures analyse the sales of some trading stores in the Transkeian Territories: —

T a b l e IV.— Analysis of Sales of Trading Stores (Tran­skeian Territories) (Percentage of Value of All Sales).

Groceries, including tea, sugar, mealies and tobacco

Medicines...................................Blankets, cotton and woollen,

rugs and sheeting.................Ready-made clothing and dress

materials...............................Agricultural implements and

fencingFertiliser....................................Hardware and general house­

hold goodsKaffir pots.................................Ornaments.................................Building material.....................

1932.(o) 1939.(6) 1942.(6)

25

30

20

8

10

43

100

25

2

50

100

40

2

45

100

(a) Pim : “ A Transkei Enquiry ” (1933), page 21. Analysis of sales of 90 trading stores.

(b) Analysis o f sales of largest wholesale and retail trader in Territory.

42. On account of the widespread and varied activities o f traders, complaints about malprac­tices do arise. A complaint stressed before the Native Economic Commission was that “ the Native, particularly in the rural areas, has to pay more for the same article than would a European, while for the same class of goods of the same quality he would receive less than would a European.’ ’ f1)

It is difficult to determine how far the higher prices charged are justified by higher tran­sportation costs and higher unit sales costs in­curred on sales of the small quantities purchased by Natives. It is also difficult to assess the additional profit which arises through the Natives’ practice of bartering their own produce for the commodities which they require.

Traders buy the crops after harvesting, store them and sell them again at considerably enhanced

(i) U.G. 22/1932, para. 946.

prices during the scarce season. There was no control over this such as there is in Bechuanaland, where the chiefs long ago prohibited the sale of kaffircorn without special permission. (') The advent of marketing control of wheat, maize and kaffircorn has, however, limited the traders’ profit.

43. An investigation by E. S. Haines in 1933 showed that over a period a number of traders sold grain for credit at double the market price.(3) Haines further estimated cash selling prices to be 50 per cent, to 60 per cent, of the credit price. On this basis the cash price approximates to the ruling market price, but the credit price appears excessive. Traders, however, estimate ten to forty per cent, of their book debts to be had, while they have to wait ten to fifteen years before some of their debts can be recovered.(“) This is so much so that some traders contend that through maize control limiting the profit which can be made on buying and selliug maize it no longer pays to deal in this commodity. I f traders did not deal in mealies, it would constitute a hardship to the Natives.

44. Traders also advance cash to Natives persuaded by them to go to the Labour Recruiting Offices for examination and attestation, as well as to others leaving to look for work, other than mining, outside the Reserves. It has been suggested that some traders encourage the purchase of goods on credit on the understanding that later the Native, or his sons, will come forward for recruitment and the trader will receive the capi­tation fee. The rapid growth in the popularity of the “ Assisted Voluntary Scheme ” under which the would-be mine employee receives his train fare and an advance, but does not have to “ contract ” while in his home area, has led to a reduction in the amount of contracting and financ­ing by traders, and the mines themselves have followed a policy of establishing their own offices.

45. Notwithstanding any Local Licensing Com­mittees or Boards which may be set up under the various Provincial Ordinances the sanction of the Minister of Native Affairs or his delegate must be secured before a licence to trade is granted in respect of any Native area.(4)

In the Transkei, Proclamation 11 of 1922 (which supersedes certain earlier Proclamations) provides additional special rules in regard to the granting of trading sites and the licensing of traders. The powers under Act 18 of 1936 have been delegated to the Chief Magistrate. In the Native areas, in order to give the trader security and protection from undue competition, as well as to encourage a class of trader who is prepared to make a permanent home amongst the Natives, this Proclamation provides that no trading site shall be granted within a distance of five miles, by the shortest route which can be travelled, from any existing trading site. According to the Chief Magistrate of the Transkeian Territories it does not give rise, as may be supposed, to monopolistic evils. “ Time and distance have little meaning to the rural Native, and a trader is likely to lose his customers if he attempts to sell at higher prices than his neighbour. The result is that prices for nearly all classes of goods are stabilised. There are very few cases, if any, in which a trader has been able to establish a monopoly of trade by reason of the ‘ five mile radius rule ’ (as it is some­times erroneously called).”

(1) “ Native Land Tenure in the Bechuanaland Protectorate,” byI. Schapera, page 19.

(2) “ The Transkei Trader,” S.A. Journal of Economics, June, 1933.

(») Ibid.(4) Section 24 (3) of Act No. 18 of 1936.

In European areas, i.e. areas where there is an urban local authority or Divisional Council, the Cape Provincial Licensing Ordinance 19 of 1930 applies.

46. The provision of law which is designed to prevent trade monopolies is that laid down in Proclamation 164 of 1934 and known as the “ twenty mile radius rule,” whereby no person who is the owner or occupier of a trading site may trade on another site within a distance of twenty miles of the former. Once again the Chief Magis­trate states that “ there are a few instances in which trading rights to two or more sites are held by one individual, but these cases are rare, and no complaints of overcharging at such sites have been received ” .

In 1942 the distribution of trading sites among Europeans in the Territories was as follows (Information supplied by the Chief Magistrate, Umtata): —

Number of persons trading at 1 tradingsite: 463.

Number of persons trading at 2 tradingsites: 55.

Number of persons trading at 3 tradingsites 7.

Number of persons trading at 4 tradingsites: 5.

Number of persons trading at 7 tradingsites: 1.

Number of persons trading at 19 tradingsites: 1.

The nineteen trading sites owned by one firm were situated in several districts at widely separated points. This firm also traded in urban areas.

47. The trader is undoubtedly fulfilling a definite function in the Reserves, where he forms the principal link with the European money economy. Whether his charges for his services are exorbitant it is difficult to say, as any generali­sation would be misleading, and individual opinions are inevitably coloured by individual ex­periences. Because he is in a sense in a special position as a marketing agent, and has a measure of monopolyr, there might be grounds for intro­ducing a system of inspection.

Haines, however, came to the conclusion that trading in the Transkei is a safe and fairly profit­able form of business, that fortunes and insol­vencies are rare, that the trader’s eggs are dis­tributed among many baskets and that his cost of living is low.

M igra tory Labour.48. Very few Reserve families are true agri­

culturalists or peasant farmers depending solely on this mode o f living for a livelihood.^) The reasons for this are made clear in the Sections which follow. Almost all males at some time or other go out to work.(2) For this reason a special chapter is devoted to the problem of migratory labour.

•

B. A G R I C U L T U R E A N D F O R E S T R Y .(a) Crop Production.

(i) P rim itive Methods and Obstacles to Progress.49. Probably the most striking feature of Native

agriculture is the failure to adapt the earlier methods employed by them to modern circum­stances. Though practices differ to some extent from area to area depending on such factors as the degree of contact with European civilisation,

(*) See Family Budgets, Annexure XIII.(2) See Table X XX IV for proportiot. sab

tribal traditions, rainfall, temperature, evapo­ration, topography, prevalence of human and stock diseases, etc., they are, in general, similar in their emphasis on the one crop maize or kaffir- corn and their failure to maintain soil fertility. It appears that though the South African Natives were primarily a cultivating and cattle-keeping people they were never genuine farmers.

50. Some of the principal obstacles to progress are lack of foresight or consideration for posterity, lack of education, superstition, custom, prejudice, an ingrained fear that improvements may lead to Europeans desiring their land, and sheer inertia. It has been suggested that cause and effect are inseparably linked to one another; poor agricul­tural methods lead to low productivity, which leads to inadequate food supplies, and the consequent malnutrition in turn leads to poor methods of cul­tivation. It must be remembered that Native pea­sants are not alone in this respect, as rural com­munities the world over are noted for their conser­vatism. The Natives’ scale of preferences is after all different from the Europeans’ . T o overcome these various obstacles to progress w ill be a long and tedious task in w hich education and propaganda must play a m ajor part.

That suspicion and inertia can be overcome has been proved in several instances, e.g. the increasing practice of planting maize in rows now rather than broadcast, the increased use of fertiliser, the cul­tivation of vegetables on irrigation projects and, in another sphere, the acceptance of livestock restric­tion by several communities. According to one Agricultural Officer employed by the Native Affairs Department, “ The Native is an extraordinarily stubborn person. He is amenable to being guided into the right way, but he likes to take time in talking about it, and once he is convinced the rest is easy. For instance, a field 011 a slope which is showing signs of erosion is pointed out to him. This means nothing to him because he, like many of them, has the idea that the Trust will go on buy­ing more farms as he destroys the old fields, or perhaps he hopes that some fields will be confiscated from the larger landholders. W hen the difficulty of this is pointed out he is still, as a rule, uncon­vinced. Another argument is then necessary, such as that, unless he can strip-plough and save his soil from being washed away, it will, most likely, be taken away from him in order to save the soil for the future or by touching his pride by compar­ing his unkept field with a neighbour’s which may be in a good condition. A ll this must be done w ith patience and sym path y and firm guidance because he himself is patient and does not like being ‘ rushed ’ into th in gs.”

(ii) Land Tenure.51. Another fundamental obstacle to progress is

the present system of Native land allocation and land tenure.

The system of allocating land varies. It depends not only on the different Provincial regulations but also on the conditions on which the land is set aside for the Natives. These differences,, are summarised in Annexure IY .

52. Generally speaking it may be said that on Trust land purchased under the 1936 Act or 011 Crown land vested in the Trust it is possible to exercise strict control in terms o f various regula­tions for the administration and control of such land. As a result such “ Trust land ” is invariably in a better condition than adjoining Native areas. On the Trust Settlements which are being developed in areas like Umzimkulu, Matatiele and Pieters- burg the land is divided into arable, grazing and residential areas taking into account such factors as topography, aspect, suitability of the soil and proximity to water. Grazing and livestock are

controlled, practices such as up-and-down ploughing eliminated and, in general, more people accomo­dated and better provided for by this systematic arrangement. Very little relief has, as yet, been afforded to the Tribal Reserves, however, as these Trust settlements are providing principally for the resettlement of the numerous Natives who were previously living on the land acquired. These latter remarks do not, of course, apply to those Trust Farms which are being carefully controlled and used to augment the Natives’ grazing lands. From the point of view of illustrating what a more orderly arrangement of land allocation can achieve in the Reserves the work carried out in some of the “ Betterment Areas ” (referred to in the Section on “ Animal Husbandry ” below) where the land has also been divided into arable, residential and grazing land provides a good example.

53. In nine districts of the Ciskei and seven out of the twenty-seven districts of the Transkeian Territories individual ownership on the Glen Grey pattern has been introduced based on a detailed survey^1) Though such practices as the sub­division of allotments are prohibited by Regulation in these areas their general condition and standard of agricultural practice do not suggest that herein lies a solution to all the problems, or that intro­ducing individual ownership in this instance has “ turned sand into gold.” The fault seems to lie more with the system employed, however, as if agricultural progress is to be achieved the assurance of security of tenure to the man who adopts improved methods appears essential. But the system of rough inexpensive surveying plus registration of occupation adopted on the Trust Settlement appears satisfactory. In the districts where the Glen Grey system of individual tenure was introduced not only was the land not always surveyed on the contour but “ surveying was an expensive process . . . the Natives were not able to appreciate the value of exact measurement . . . and the surveys were not in all instances carried out in a way to meet the conservative habits of the allottees.” (3)

54. The majority of the land in the Reserves is, however, still administered under a more or less modified form of tribal tenure, land being allocated by the chiefs or headmen subject to a varying degree of control by the magistrate or Native Com­missioner.^)

It is in these tribal Reserve areas that land condi­tions are at their worst.

“ Under the tribal system the basic idea of land tenure was occupation by the tribe as a whole and land was not regarded as a negotiable or commercial asset, the idea of actual legal ownership of the soil not having been developed.

Each tribesman ordinarily received from the chief, or a (petty chief acting on his behalf, a

(1) In the Ciskei there are locations held under individual tenure in the districts of East London, Kingwilliamstown, Victoria East, Fort Beaufort, Peddie, Stutterheim, Queenstown, Herschel and Glen Grey. The seven surveyed districts of the Transkeian Territories are: Butterworth, Nqamakwe, Tsomo, Idutywa, Umtata, Engcobo and Xalanga. [See Annexure IV, Cape Province (6).]

(2) “ Native Administration in the Union of South Afrioa,” by H. Rogers, page 138. (Survey fees amounted to about £2. 5s. for a building site and £4. 5s. for an arable site.)

(3) It should be pointed out that in purely Native distriots such as those of the Transkeian Territories, the local chief executive officer belongs to the Native Affairs Department and is primarily a Native Commissioner. In districts carrying a large population both Euro­pean and Native, the chief local executive officer remains the Magistrate, an official o f the Department of Justioe. He is, however, also appointed as a Native Commissioner under the Native Administration Act, while in addition special provision to subserve the interests of the Natives is sometimes made by the appointment of a senior Native Affairs Department official as Native Commissioner. In some districts where the European population preponderates, but which at the same time carry a fair Native population living under tribal conditions or employed in industries, the position is met by appointing the Magistrate as a Native Commissioner under the Act and a Native Affairs officer as an Assistant Native Commissioner.

homestead allotment for residential purposes and an arable allotment for cultivation— polygamists obtaining a seperate land or arable allotment for each wife. The remainder of the tribal holding was utilised as common pasturage, from which, as the members of the tribe increased and fresh households were formed, further portions were allotted to the additional households.

The tribesman, though, as previously stated, not in the juristic sense the “ owner ” of the land allotted to him, yet possessed certain permanent and exclusive rights therein which were recog­nised under Native law, e.g. he could cultivate it or not as he pleased but no one else had the right to do so ; any crops reaped belonged to him personally and there was no sharing of the fruits among the tribe as a whole; and though possibly upon his death the land theoretically reverted to the chief, in actual practice the heir of a parti­cular house succeeded to the deceased’s rights over the land allotted that household, just as he had to assume responsibility for the maintenance of that house, the system of inheritance being based upon primogeniture.” ^)55. There is, in fact, a certain similarity

between the factors inhibiting progress in the Native Reserves and those which retarded agricultural development in manorial Europe. Grazing is communal, as it was 011 the mediaeval manor, and it includes arable land after the crops have been reaped. Fields used for cultivation vary considerably in shape and size, and, on the whole, are small and scattered. Land, like stock, is, how­ever, unevenly distributed, and many have little or

(*) Rogers, op. cit., page 112.

no land at all.^ ) Enclosure is rare, although un­cultivated strips (corresponding to the mediaeval baulks) or other conventional boundary marks are used to distinguish fields. Most tribes have their fields situated within walking distance of the home­steads, but in the case of those living in large village settlements (e.g. the Tswana) the fields may frequently be some distance away. An individual’s plots may also be fairly widely separated.

Such a system w orked relatively satisfactorily w hile land was abundant. It is entirely unsatis­factory to-day. (iii) Crops C row n.

56. In practically all except the drier North­western areas there is a predominance of the single crop maize. In the drier areas maize’s place is taken by kaffircorn and millets. Owing to the fact that kaffircorn is a much safer crop under dry con­ditions and poor soil and its food value is, if any­thing, higher, its cultivation in place of maize in the drier areas should he encouraged. Account must, however, be taken of the stock food value of maize stalks. Generally speaking, except in limited areas, kaffircorn is not relished as a food, though it is in common use in preparing “ beer ” . Judging from the reports of the Director _ of Agriculture, however, its popularity is increasing in areas like Lichtenburg and Kuruman. High prices resulting from the increased demand from urban Beer Halls have stimulated production. Pro­duction figures for maize and kaffircorn are shown in Table Y .

(l) It is difficult to obtain details of the size distribution of the fields, but replies to a questionnaire sent to agricultural officers of the Native Affaire Department seem to suggest a Union average of 2—5 morgen of arable land per family with considerable variations between the drier parts of the Western Transvaal and North-west Cape and the better watered South-eastern areas.

Region (as).

Maize (200 lb. Bags). Kaffircorn (200 lb. Bags).Average Annual

Production 1934-39. (Bags).

Average Annual Production per head.

(Bags).

1934. 1935. 1936. 1937. 1938. 1939. 1934. 1935. 1936. 1937. 1938. 1939. Maize. Kaffir­corn. Maize. Kaffir­

corn.

Cape P rovince- 15,900 14,300 14,600 6,600 4,700 8,900 10,500 19,200 15,800 7,500 6,100 11,100 10,800 11,700 01 2 01 3North Western......................... 17,000 5,200 1,400 25,800 7,000 8,000 9,000 4,000 3,300 18,700 4,000 6,000 10,700 7,500 0-29 O'21Herschel....................................Glen Grey-Queenstown........... 73,200 34,100 28,500 32,300 25,400 28,900 2,600 9,600 7,800 15,500 12,400 15,800 37,000 10,600 0-50 0-14Ciskei......................................... 96,500 11,100 22,500 47,300 80,900 109,900 7,400 2,000 2,500 5,000 6,600 10,400 61,000 5,700 0-50 0-05Transkei (total)....................... 1,951,300 1,147,600 401,300 2,029,400 1.590,500 1,658,700 260,500 89,200 27,200 115,600 125,500 113,200 1,463,000 122,000 1-32 011

„ Highlands................ 358,300 351,200 30,200 326,600 304,40 332,700 156,500 42,200 3,900 64,600 48,600 40,000 284,000 59,000 11 7 0-24,, Midlands.................. 952,500 552,200 231,200 936,000 616,600 661,000 62,400 37,000 19,800 45,000 53,500 57,900 660,000 46,000 1-36 00 9,, Coastal..................... 640,500 244,200 139,800 766,800 669,500 665,000 41,600 10,000 3,500 6,000 23,400 15,300 521,000 17,000 1-37 0 0 4

Natal (excluding Zululand)—Highlands.................................. 99,100 64,000 18,200 89,700 82,900 100,600 28,600 10,300 4,800 20,000 15,800 21,800 76,000 17,000 0-76 01 7Midlands.................................... 407,300 260,600 213,400 99,700 298,500 265,400 63,800 33,700 28,900 32,100 71,400 66,900 257,000 50,000 0-83 0 1 6Coastal....................................... 198,200 193,000 78,400 46,400 80,100 105,300 24,600 15,100 9,000 3,700 18,800 6,900 117,000 13,000 0-73 0-08Zululand (total)....................... 278,500 169,400 152,300 118,800 133,600 127,500 117,200 74,600 57,600 33,100 38,700 55,000 163,000 62,000 0-51 01 9

„ North....................... 35,100 19,300 56,600 17,800 17,500 24,400 30,900 22,300 28,500 6,100 6,400 19,600 •28,400 18,700 0-35 0-23,, Inland...................... 213,000 119,500 79,100 89,300 98,600 84,600 73,100 42,500 22,500 23,300 27,100 29,400 114,000 36,000 O'59 0 1 9„ Coastal..................... 30,400 30,600 16,600 11,600 17,500 18,500 13,200 9,800 6,600 3,700 5,300 6,000 20,800 7,500 0-50 0-17

Transvaal—-Central....................................... 153,300 71,900 81,700 85,300 91,000 166,900 212,100 85,900 68,900 64,100 69,600 136,900 108,000 106,000 0-94 0-92Western..................................... 19,700 13,900 13,300 31,500 21,700 23,900 63,900 52,100 24,000 42,600 19,800 30,900 20,700 39,000 0-55 1-03North and Eastern...................

Orange Free State—■315,000 137,400 185,900 272,300 120,400 235,400 361,400 195,600 227,900 222,200 232,100 189,800 211,000 238,000 0-48 0-54

East........................................... 17,000 12,800 9,500 55,000 35,800 75,900 3,600 3,400 2,900 9,300 5,700 15,400 34,000 6,700 1-83 0-36Other Areas.................................. 46,600 28,500 15,100 28,100 35,200 42,500 21,000 10,100 4,700 9,300 6,300 10,800 32,700 10,300 — —

T o t a l : All Native Areas......... 3,689,000 2,164,000 1,236,000 2,968,000 2,608,000 2,958,000 1,186,000 605,000 485,000 599,000 633,000 691,000 2,600,000 700,000 0-88 0-24

(a) For details of Regions see Table I.

57. Wheat is a cereal whose production has in­creased considerably in recent years, particularly on irrigation Settlements such as Taungs and Nebo in the Northern areas. Nebo figures are shown in tlie following Table : —

Table VI.— Wheat Returns— Nebo (Middelburg District).(a)

Year.

OlifantsRiver

IrrigationScheme.(Bags).

OtherTrustFarms(Bags).

Total(Bags).

1941........................................... 300 1,000 1,3001942........................................... 4,580 9,000 13,5801943.......................................... 6,038 18,000 24,038

(a) Address by Director of Native Agriculture to Natives’ Repre­sentative Council, 1944, page 4.

Not only is wheat proving a useful cash crop, but increasing quantities are being eaten. Con­siderable encouragement in the form of supplies of good seed, facilities for buying and carting manure, etc. has been rendered by the Native Affairs Department. The fixed price and market­ing arrangements under the Wheat Marketing Scheme have also played their part. Unfortuna­tely the last Agricultural Census figures obtain­able are those shown in Table V II and refer to 1937.

58. Production figures for other crops grown by Natives are difficult to seciire, as most of them are not included in the Agricultural Census returns, and even the figures for wheat, potatoes, peas and beans, tobacco and groundnuts, as well as being very approximate, are only collected for certain “ average ” years, the last being 19-37. The 1937 figures are reproduced in Table V II below.

T a b le VII.— Crop Production in Native Areas, 1937 (Agricultural Census).(a,)

Region. (6)Native

Population,1936.

Wheat (200 lb. hags).

Potatoes (150 lb. bags).

Peas and Beans (200 lb. bags).

Tobaccolb.

Groundnutslb.

Cape Province—North Western........................................... 89,200 1,200 — 1,700 5,900 100Herschel...................................................... 36,300 20,900 200 1,000 2,100 ___

Glen Grey-Queenstown............................. 73,600 24,800 200 300 — _Ciskei.......................................................... 120,200 10,500 1,200 3,000 26,800 —

Transkei (Total)....................................... 1.107,100 15,700 5,300 54,500 320,200 1,400,, Highlands.................................. 243.100 6,700 2,000 19,400 43,200 1,400„ Midlands.................................... 484,100 9,000 1,700 29,900 192,300 _,, Coastal...................................... 379,900 100 1,600 5,300 84,700 _

Natal (excluding Zululand)—Highlands................................................... 100,600 100 1,800 3,800 1,100 22,000Midlands..................................................... 309,500

160,800100 3,600 9,400 55,900 62,700

Coastal........................................................ — 2,300 3,900 7,900 37,500Zululand (Total)....................................... 318,300 — 4,200 1,800 14,000 201,700

North...................................................... 80,600 — 600 200 6,600 120,700Inland..................................................... 193,200 — 1,300 1,200 3,700 63,400Coastal.................................................... 44,500 _ 2,300 400 3,700 17.500

Transvaal—•Central........................................................ 114,900 2,800 200 2,300 6,500 22,600Western...................................................... 37,700 1,900 100 1,100 2,700 1,400North and East.......................................... 439,300 1,800 2,500 24,400 40,400 1,026,200

Orange Free State—Eastern.......................... ......................... 18,600 — — 800 900 _

Other Areas.................................................... 36,400 2,700 1,900 1,300 13,600 19,600

T o t a l : All Native Areas..................... 2,962,400 94,000 23,500 109,000 497,000 1,395,000

(а) Those figures are only collected for certain “ average ” years.(б) For details o f Regions, see Table I.

59. Pumpkins and beans are grown in most areas, while potatoes and tobacco are both fairly generally cultivated. Groundnuts are commonly cultivated in parts of Natal, the Transvaal and, to a lesser extent, the Cape (Transkeian Terri­tories). Amadumbi (colocasia), which are popular in Natal, are not grown to any extent elsewhere; they are also grown in a limited area of Zoutpans- berg, where they are called Matambala. Sugar cane is a special crop confined to the Natal coastal districts and Sekukuniland; in 1944-45 Natal Native growers delivered 42,253 tons of cane (5,704 tons of sucrose).

60. Though fruit and/or vegetables are often cultivated, especially under irrigation, there are many districts in which few or no common vegetables are grown, even where conditions are eminently suitable. Attempts to encourage the planting of fruit trees by distributing seeds and seedlings have been going on for some time. Vegetable production is a comparatively recent development, and though it is extending, the fact that fruit and vegetables are not a spice or luxury but a daily necessity has not yet been readily appreciated. Several Departmental schemes, in­cluding the establishment of produce markets, crop-growing competitions, agricultural shows and school gardens, have aimed at increasing fruit and vegetable production. Since the war seed, fertili-

1641—2.

ser and manure have been supplied at subsidised prices, while assistance has also been rendered in the form of ploughing units and draught animals. Various attempts have been made to popularise vegetable dishes (particularly at Fort Cox Agri­cultural School). (Further details regarding Departmental schemes are given in the Annual Reviews of the Department of Native Affairs. See also paragraphs 65 and 66 below.)

61. Progress is, however, slow. Shortage of agricultural field staff presents a problem, while there is some evidence of lack of efficient co-ope­ration between the Departments of Native Affairs, Public Health and Education^1) Water is a con­stant difficulty. In the latter respect the various irrigation projects (the most important of which are the Tugela and Mooi River schemes, Natal; Grobler dam scheme, Thaba ’Nclra; Taungs scheme; Olifants River irrigation works; Gompies River scheme; Zebediela and the Thabina scheme, Letaba) fulfil a real need. A special instance, which shows how vegetable production could be increased on these lines, is the case of the culti­vation of vegetables for sale in Native urban locations on a labour-profitsharing basis on the Trust Farm “ York ” in the Tzaneen district.

(1) See Part IX below

Collection Number: AD1715

SOUTH AFRICAN INSTITUTE OF RACE RELATIONS (SAIRR), 1892-1974

PUBLISHER: Collection Funder:- Atlantic Philanthropies Foundation

Publisher:- Historical Papers Research Archive

Location:- Johannesburg

©2013

LEGAL NOTICES:

Copyright Notice: All materials on the Historical Papers website are protected by South African copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, or otherwise published in any format, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

Disclaimer and Terms of Use: Provided that you maintain all copyright and other notices contained therein, you may download material (one machine readable copy and one print copy per page) for your personal and/or educational non-commercial use only.

People using these records relating to the archives of Historical Papers, The Library, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, are reminded that such records sometimes contain material which is uncorroborated, inaccurate, distorted or untrue. While these digital records are true facsimiles of paper documents and the information contained herein is obtained from sources believed to be accurate and reliable, Historical Papers, University of the Witwatersrand has not independently verified their content. Consequently, the University is not responsible for any errors or

omissions and excludes any and all liability for any errors in or omissions from the information on the website or any related information on third party websites accessible from this website.

This document forms part of the archive of the South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR), held at the Historical

Papers Research Archive at The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.