Activities of Missionaries in South Africa

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Activities of Missionaries in South Africa

Missionaries were christen Europeans who came to Africa with the main purpose of spreading Christianity
They either worked as individuals or groups
The most common groups were Dutch reformed church, London missionary society, free church of Scotland, British bible society , Wesleyans,Presbyterians, Methodists, Anglicans, Paris evangelical Roma catholic society etc
The main individuals who worked in south Africa were Robert Moffat, Dr Van Der Kemp,Dr John Philip etc
He was a Moravian missionary
The London missionary society also worked amongst the Xhosa and Khoi-khoi
The free church of Scotland worked in natal , the Dutch reformed church operated with in the Dutch settlers
The Paris evangelist missionaries operated among the basuto
The missionaries advocated for circuit court that led to the passing of 1828 50 the ordinance
They fought against racial segregation in 1834
They advocated for emancipation of slaves
They preached Christianity to Africans
They constructed mission stations and churches of Christians
They put up many African languages into writing They translated the bible into local languages
They acted as advisers to African leaders like Moshesh
They supplied arms to Africans in order to fight against suppression
They constructed health centers to improve on the conditions of Africans
They taught Africans skills like carpentry, brick laying, shoe making & repairing
They traded with Africans in commodities like milk meat in exchange for clothes etc
They taught against African cultures like sacrificing ,polygamy and witchcraft etc
They taught Africans western cultures like dressing, eating etc
They integrated the different racial groups in south Africa setting up mixed schools
They taught Africans western languages like English French Dutch
They ignited colonialism of Europeans in south Africa
They built technical schools and provided education to Africans
They settled slaves and gave them help like clothing, eating , housing etc

How Missionaries Activities Affected the Africans

Qn. Show the importance /effects of missionaries in the history of South Africa

Many Africans became literate
Africans culture becomes inferior in favour of western cultures
Africans were Christianized
Africans were divided into groups ie Christians and non- Christians
African languages were put into writing
Some Africans intermarried with Africans in order to encourage mixed marriages
Africans acquired skills like carpentry, shoe making etc
Africans transport and communication were improved and more were constructed
African standards of living were improved through construction of health centers
Many Africans acquired professional jobs lke doctors, chief justice, pastors and teachers etc
Christians abolished slavery and slave trade of Africans
Missionary work disunited the Africans eg. Basuto, Ghana, Korana declared themselves independent from the Sotho
Africans gained liberty, equality and fraternity
Many Africans turned disloyal to their traditional leaders
Many Africans started going abroad to missionary countries for education
Africans lost their independence because missionaries facilitated colonialism
Africans lost their land in an attempt to provide some to missionaries for their activities

Reasons for the coming of missionaries in South Africa.

Need to spread Christianity to Africans
Need to stop slavery and slave trade
Need to civilize Africans by promoting formal education
Need to spread their home governments to facilitate colonialism
Some occupied south Africa to improve on the health of earlier white settles and Africans through establishing health centres
They wanted to settle the freed slaves in south Africa
Like any other Europeans they also wanted to adventure [ know more about other places]
They wanted to stop African separation from the boers
Some came to teach the converts skills like shoe making, carpentry

Problems Faced By Missionaries in South Africa

They were hated by Africans societies because they gave them inferior education compared to their
Inadequate manpower to fulfill their objectives and aims
Language barrier affected to widen their work
High costs incurred in hiring interpreters
Inadequate essential commodities like food especially in the interior of south Africa
Poor developed roads and accommodation facilities harden their work
Opposition from the Boers because they were preaching human equality which the Boers never wanted
Harsh climate conditions like Kalahari and Namibia desert like conditions touched them
They were attacked with diseases like malaria, small pox that costed their life
Natural geographical barriers like rivers, mountains limited their work
Resistance from African leaders for example from Zulu state, Soga etc
Sometimes they were denied chances of completing their work by their home governments with animals like lions
Conflicts amongst the European missionary groups

The Dutch Reformed Church

Qn. Explain the role played by the Dutch reformed church in performing missionary activities in South Africa with in the 19^th century

This was the official church which worked with in the Dutch
It was also the earliest church in south Africa
It was the only church society in south Africa which never supported the Africans
It took the Dutch race as superior and the Africans races doomed
It converted and baptized members
It built schools where the Dutch received their education
The church preached basing on the old testament which stated that God cursed the Africans
The church saw killing of Africans by the whites as no sin
They preserved the cultures of white man
They gave holly communion to Dutch people around Swelledam and Great Reinet
It encouraged trade among the Dutch people dealing in
It greatly isolated the Dutch from Africans
They took Transvaal of south Africa as their promised land [Canaan of the bible]
They promoted unity between the Boers
The Dutch church worked hand in hand with the East Indian Company
Around 1857 the church introduced a policy of separate racial segregation that gave away in a famous great trek

The Role Played By Independent Churches

These are churches which separated from the European on going churches
Three different independent churches were formed eg Ethiopiansim, Zionism, and Messianic
Messianic church was led by Isaiah Shembe the Zulu Messiah
Nathaniel Tile led the Natal Church
Forming independent churches formed the earliest negative reaction over whites man’s domination
They criticized the white man’s exploitation
They fought against racial discrimination in South Africa
They encouraged Africans to put up African societies without foreign pollution
They formed Africans that the white man doesn’t have care and charity towards Africans
They built schools for Africans and managed by Africans
They fueled African resistances towards the white man like Namaherero
They fought against apartheid in South Africa
They informed people that Africa is for Africans
They formed Africans to start managing their own affairs
They led togrowth of African nationalism
They encouraged protest against colonialist in form of religion
They informed Africans that they were undergoing racial discrimination under the whites

Why Independent Churches Were Formed

The conflict between Africans and missionaries over leadership
Lack of consideration of Africans by whites
Converting of Africans into Christianity was a long process
The white churches undermined African cultures
Africans wanted to fight against colonialism using churches
The Africans formed churches in order to prepare for the coming of black Jesus
Presence of good leaders like Nathaniel Tile who mobilized Africans
The gospel of Ethiopianism led to the formation of independent churches
The Italian defeat of Ethiopianism led to the formation of independent churches
The Italian defeat of Ethiopians at the battle of Adowa made south Africans to think about the bible as the way of defeating Europeans
The need to react about political segregation in south Africa
The conservation of Africans took so long
Disrespect of Africans cultures
The rise of African nationalism
The role of Africans in Diaspora

The role played by vander kemp and john Philip during missionary work. J.t van der kemp.

He came to South Africa in 1779.
He was a member of London Missionary Society
He worked between the Khoi-khoi and Xhosa on the eastern frontier
He believed in equality of all races
He married a coloured who had been produced by a slave
He was blame for having encouraged laziness and idleness amongst Africans
Later he encouraged hard working amongst the Africans
He headed the fight to improve African standard of living
He taught people the skills of carpentry, brick making and building etc
He spread Christianity amongst the south Africans
He established a mission station at Bethelsdorp
He built schools for Africans
He taught the Xhosa and the Khoi-khoi how to read and write
He condemned the African traditional cultures
He encouraged equality to al mankind
He set up a health centre in the area he worked
He requested the black circuit courts where the Africans were to report their masters
With him they translated the bible in vernacular languages
He also introduced printing presses in south Africa DR. JOHN PHILIP.
He was one of the understanding missionaries in south Africa
He belonged to the London Missionary society of Scotland
He operated within the Griqua, Khoi-khoi and Banntu
Boers were condemned for having mistreated Africans
He encouraged Africans to look for better employments
He fought for the return of African land of Kei and keiskama from Boers and British
He discouraged slave trade
He old Africans to acquire education
He condemned African traditional ceremonies
He also added effort on establishing circuit courts
He condemned whites over grabbing African land like Xhosa
He requested other missionaries from U.K to assist Africans
He fought for African rights.

Mineral discovery in South Africa (Mineral revolution in South Africa) South Africa Before mineral discovery

Qn. Explain the situation in South Africa before the discovery of minerals.

Before the discovery of minerals in South Africa, different groups of people live independently i.e. the Boers, Africans, and British
Africans practiced substance agriculture
African produced commodities for export, e.g. hides, skins, ivory, & slaves etc.
African tribes and societies were united
They owned their land communally
They lived in families
Africans were better than the whites in the interior
The Boers greatly depended on primitive pastoral
Boers used rudimentary tools of farming hoes, axe, Ox-Ploughs
The best manufacturing industries were iron smelting and craft making
Ox-Ploughs were used as transport vehicles
Education provided to people was elementary in nature
Boers were not secure financially and politically
The Boers had no financial institutions
The British depended more on wool and wine for export
They were the richest financially in South Africa
They were limited and communication networks in South Africa
The British had little labour to facilitate their activities like sugar plantations
The African nations like Zulu, Ndebele were stronger politically, military & socially
The British were advocating for racial equality and taking Africans equal to them
Africans had strong bonds with their leaders and respected them so much
The economy was greatly influenced by the Boers

Economic development in South Africa.

Qn Explain the economic activities in South Africa between 1867-1920

Explain the changes in South Africa between 1862-1890.

In 1867 diamond was discovered along the banks of river Val (Kimberly]
In 1885 Gold was discovered on the Witwatersrand in Transvaal
Cooper was also discovered in Witwatersrand
Other minerals like coal were discovered in Natal and Springbok Fontein in the cape colony
Manganese was also discovered in various parts of south Africa
Over 4 million pounds were being collected from diamond exports by 1892
Many cash crops started being grown around the mines to supplement mineral exports
Later plantation agriculture was introduced which boosted on local market
Many Europeans from Britain, Netherlands and other parts of Europe flocked into South Africa
these came to be called Uitlanders and they did activities of mining , engineering etc
railways and roads were quickly built e.g. Natal railway and
Transvaal railways were constructed in 1891 and 1887 respectively • telephone and telegram lines were put in place
mineral discoveries acted as a solution to boer poverty and therefore their economy was boosted
companies to deal in mining like De-Beer and the British African company were established
many areas like Transvaal Johannesburg grew up as cities
finance institutions were set up like the standard orient bank
the prices of land rose up
modern services steamers were put on major water bodies like rivers val and orange
African also started searching for cash jobs and working in urban centers
Agricultural processing industries were established around the mines
Good heath facilities were established to help the workers in mines
Heavy taxes started to be collected from mining companies like De Boers

Effects of mineral discovery

1. on Africans

Africans agricultural products got market from white mines
Many Africans got employed in the mines
Africans turned to be migrants to urban centers in search for money jobs
Africans lost their land especially where minerals existed
Many families disintegrated because husbands left them and went to search jobs
Africans were put into camps and reserves especially those who migrated to towns and cities
Many Africans lost their lives due to diseases they acquired from camps and reserves
Many Africans norm and cultures were destroyed because many Africans became money oriented
Africans acquired bad habits from cities eg prostitution, smoking etc.
Africans suffered from famine because energetic people went to mines living agriculture for young ,old and women
Age marriage was prolonged because many people became busy with minerals
Some Africans got educated like Albert Luthuli, Walter Sisulu and Nelson Mandela because their parents got money from mines
Africans changes their economy into money economy
African nationalism increased because of elites who emerged
African minds were changed for example they valued so much now cattle and acres of land
Many people became orphans, widows, because their husbands lost their lives in accidents during mining
Many Africans got guns because they were paid to them as a reward for their labour in mines
Many Africans fought with the whites in an attempt to with draw guns from them eg the Basuto
Africans provided unskilled labour in mines hence employment discrimination
Africans lost their independence to the whites because of political power changes to whites.

2. on Boers

Boers became recognized internationally because they were seeking minera; abroad
Boer’s prostitution,theft plus other crimes increased
Many boers became rich due to income earned from mines
Boers started buying guns because they now had money
Boers acquired high standards of education because now strong schools were set up
Boers healthy increased because their labour shifted to mines Boers republics like Transvaal became powerful because they had now threatended due to the increased number of Uitlands who flocked into mines
Boers started conflicting with british for example during the 1^st
Anglo boer war , Jameson raid Beor’s pastoral economy declined.

3. British

British got interested into the interior of south Africa after mineral discovery
They felt a heart of humanity to protect the Uitlands against kruger’s harassment
The boers humiliated the british when they interfered in their policies
British abandoned the poicy of supporting the Africans because now became the poorer
The british started associating with the boers because now were powerful ones
British attitude to control south Africa increased
British capitalists started flocking into the interior of south Africa for minerals
British now encircled boer states
British acquired wealth and set up schools, hospitals and banks in south african

How the discovery of minerals affected the relationship between the Boers and the British.

British and Boers became bitter enemies
Boer’s hatred towards British increased Paul Kruger started mistreating the Uitlands
The Uitlands were denied their political rights
The british federation proposal now started growing
The british and the boers startd going into wars eg anglo boer wars
Boers and british later united in 1910 during the act of union
Britian now acquired bostwana, Malawi and Zimbabwe
In 1899 boer republics allied against the british • The british at the cape became jealousy to boer republics
The british annexed Transvaal in 1877.

Reasons For The Annexation Of Transvaal In 1877

Transvaal was a Boer republic
The Boer trekker in the interior of south Africa ha established it
It is where Gold fields were discovered
Then the British took it over in 1877
Britain intended to expand her influence in to the region
Britain hoped to discover more minerals in the region
The defeat of the Boers in the Bapedi war of 1876 which the British used as an opportunity because Boers were exhausted
The republic was so bankrupt by then therefore wanted to boost her economy
The Boers refused to pay taxes which the British used as an opportunity for compensation
Boer mistreatment of the Africans which the British wanted to rescue
British taking of Transvaal increased hatred between the two parties which resulted into the 1^st Anglo Boer war

The Anglo Boer war 1880-1881.

Qn. What were the causes of the conflict between Paul Krugger and the British in 1880-1

This was the 1^st gentleman’s war in south Africa
It was a war between the Boers and the British
Paul Kruger led the Boers
Paul Kruger was born in the cape colony in 1825
He went into the interior of south Africa during the period of great trek
He frequently remembered the death of Piet Retief and felt sorrow
He felt proud of Boers triumph over Mzilikazi at the battle of Vegkop
His early life was full of hunting and fighting
While in Transvaal the British annexed her in 1877 this annoyed him and other Boers and decided to fight them
The Pedi war 1876 weakened the Boers which attracted the British also to fight the Boers
The Boers at Transvaal had so many debts of cape banks which the British took as an advantage
The discovery of diamond at Kimberly in 1867
The Boers wanted to protect the independence of Transvaal
The increase in Uitlanders number in Transvaal republic annoyed Paul Kruger
The war was inevitable because it was a period of scramble and partition of south Africa

Course of First Anglo War 1880-1881

The war started on 20^th Dec 1880
It started when the British confiscated the Boer farmer property
The farmer had just failed to pay the British tax
About 300 Boers attacked the British in order to take back the confiscated property
Over 264 British men stood up to defend themselves
The strength of their defense was weakened by relief force, which was slaughtered by deadly Boer fires
Half of the British were killed and others wounded
Generally Colley rushed from natal with troops and began a foolish attack on Laing’s Nek
The Boers had protected this place with over 2000 Boers
The British had under estimated the Boer’s efficiency here also
They fought up to Majuba hill where the Boers defeated 500 British soldiers
Here 92 British soldiers were killed while the bores suffered causalities only
British prime minister Gladstone decided to end the way by signing the 1881 Pretoria convention with the Boers

Activities Of Missionaries In South Africa