THE COLONISATION OF ZIMBABWE

INTRODUCTION
At first four European groups were interested in the territory between the Limpopo and
Zambezi Rivers (Zimbabwe). These were the British, Germans, Portuguese and the Boers.

The British because: (i) they thought the gold-bearing reef from the Rand
extended across the Limpopo into Zimbabwe
(ii)they wanted to stop the Boers from expanding into
Central Africa.
The Portuguese because: they wanted to link their colonies in South East Africa.
The Germans because: wanted to expand their territories into Central Africa.
The Boers because: also wanted to expand their territories into Central Africa.

This territory became known as Rhodesia in 1894, after Cecil John Rhodes. Rhodesia was
occupied and administered by a chartered company, the British South Africa Company
(BSAC) from 1893 to 1923. From 1923 to 1953 the colony was ruled by a responsible
government; from1953 to 1963 it was under the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland; 1963
to 1980 it was under the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI). In 1980 it became
independent. Zimbabwe has been under Comrade Mugabe from1980 to present (2013).

REASONS WHY ZIMBABWE WAS COLONISED

 Second Rand - they expected to find gold
 raw materials
 markets
 Rhodes’ Cape-to-Cairo dream
 to encircle the Boers
 cheap labour
 To invest surplus capital
 to spread civilisation
 favourable climate
 To spread Christianity
 racial superiority
 wild animals
 need for cattle
 need for fertile soils
 need for pastures
 work of hunters, explorers and traders
 lack of unity among Africans

HOW ZIMBABWE WAS COLONISED

 The Portuguese visited and traded with the Shonas from the early 16th century.
 Other European traders, hunters, missionaries and adventurers began to visit the land
to the north of the Limpopo in the early 19th century.
 Robert Moffat of the London Missionary Society signed a friendship treaty with
Mzilikazi in 1836.[* a treaty is an agreement]

Lobengula granted verbal treaties to (i) the London and Limpopo mining
Company 1870

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 ii) Austral-Africa Exploitation Company 1888
Tati Concession 1870
 Was signed between Lobengula and Sir John Swinbourne
 Concession-seekers were given the right to search for gold and other minerals
 The concession-seekers found little gold, suffered many hardships and perished form
malaria

Grobler Treaty July 1887

 was signed between Piet Grobler and Lobengula
 Piet Grobler had been sent by Paul Kruger, the President of the Boer Republic of the
Transvaal
 Lobengula was the son of Mzilikazi and king of the Ndebele state
Terms of the Grobler Treaty
 there would be peace between the Ndebele state and the Boer Republic
 the Boers recognised Lobengula as a king who was to be their friend from then
onwards
 Lobengula would provide military help to the Boers when necessary
 Lobengula promised to catch and send back criminals who would have escaped from
the Boer Republics
 hunters and traders from the Boer Republics would operate freely in Matabeleland
 the Transvaal would send a Consul (an ambassador) who would settle in Lobengula’s
kingdom. This ambassador would administer justice in Matabeleland.

The Grobler Treaty alarmed the British and they then negotiated the Moffat Treaty.

Cecil John Rhodes

 was the Briton who planned and directed the colonisation of Zimbabwe.
 Cecil John Rhodes had migrated to South Africa from England as a result of ill-
health.
 He formed the De Beers Company for mining diamonds at the Kimberley in 1880.
 When gold was discovered in the Transvaal in the 1880s he formed the Consolidated
Gold Fields Company.
 He became very rich from the mining business.
 Rhodes was an imperialist from the depth of his heart; to him the British were the
finest race in the whole world which and had the duty to spread its culture to the rest
of the world.
 He had the ‘Cape to Cairo’ dream whereby he envisaged (visualised) the whole of
Africa as a British colony.

The Moffat Treaty Feb 1888

 When Rhodes realised that the Boers had negotiated the Grobler Treaty he panicked
and decided to send John Smith Moffat to Matabeleland to negotiate a Treaty on
behalf of the British.
 JS Moffat was a missionary who had been disappointed by the fact that the Ndebele
had been resistant to accept Christianity.
 Rhodes carefully and wisely chose JS Moffat because Lobengula knew Moffat
personally as their fathers had been friends who had earlier on signed the Moffat
Treaty of friendship in 1836.
Terms of the Moffat Treaty

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  Lobengula renounced the Grobler Treaty [Lobengula said the words in the Grobler
Treaty were not his]
 Lobengula reversed the Grobler Treaty
 The Moffat Treaty was a friendship treaty between the British and the Ndebele
 Lobengula promised that he would not have any dealings with any other foreign
power (country) without the permission of the British High Commissioner in South
Africa.

The Rudd Concession 30 October 1888

 Rhodes sent three men to Lobengula to negotiate a treaty
 These three were
1. Charles Rudd - he was Rhodes’ business partner
2. Rochford Maguire – a lawyer
3. Francis Thompson – spoke Ndebele well
 The team was led by Charles Rudd
 Lobengula did not want to sign a treaty with these men
 Lotshe and Sikombo, his indunas, were bribed by Thompson and persuaded
Lobengula to sign the Rudd Concession
 Reverend Charles Helm, a missionary also persuaded Lobengula to sign the Rudd
Concession
 Reverend Charles Helm was being paid by Rhodes to persuade Lobengula

Terms of the Rudd Concession

The Rudd Concession stated that the British Government would give Lobengula
a. 100 pounds (£100) per month
b. 1 000 rifles
c. 100 000 rounds of ammunition/bullets
d. A gunboat to be placed on the Zambezi River

In return Lobengula agreed to:

1. grant mining rights to Rhodes’ men
2. grant them power to do what they wanted to carry out and expand their mining
activities
3. not to give any land and mining concessions to any other Europeans without the
approval of the British

PEQ: State three written terms and three non-written terms of the Rudd concession
Written (Non-Verbal)
 The Ndebele king to receive 1 000 riffles and 100 000 rounds of ammunition.
 The gun-boat to patrol the Zambezi or 500 pounds instead.
 Metals and mineral rights were granted to Rhodes and his group.
 Rhodes was given the power to do what he deemed necessary.
 The British were given the power to do what they deemed necessary to protect their
interests.
 Lobengula was not to grant land and mineral rights without British
consent/permission.
Verbal (Non-Written/Oral)
 a maximum of ten (10) Whiteman would be allowed at the Royal court at a time

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  Notices to be put in South African press.
 Upon entry into Matabeleland Whiteman would surrender firearms (guns)
 Miners would leave the country after completing their work
 Only a few Europeans would be needed to carry out the mining activities

We should understand that:

a. the Rudd Concession was written in the English Language which Lobengula could
not understand
b. Lobengula was illiterate
c. Lobengula was only to put an X on the Rudd Concession

 After signing the Rudd Concession, Lobengula realised that he had been tricked
 South African newspapers carried the news of the signing of the Rudd Concession
 The Boers sent a group of men to explain to him that he had sold away his country
 Lobengula sent two of his izindunas to England to explain to the Queen that he had
not given anybody the right to rule his country
 Lotshe and Sikombo were executed/killed for their role
 On 10 August 1889 Lobengula sent another letter to the Queen saying he no longer
agreed to the Rudd Concession

THE CHARTER October 1889

 A charter was a written document that authorised Rhodes to colonise Zimbabwe
 Cecil John Rhodes went to England to seek a charter for the occupation of Zimbabwe
 Rhodes got the support of leading British politicians and business people.
 When some pointed out that this exercise would be costly Rhodes offered his personal
fortune (wealth) to colonise Zimbabwe.
 In October 1889 the British Government granted a Charter to Cecil Rhodes to enable
him to colonise Zimbabwe.
 He formed a company – the British South Africa Company [BSAC]– that would
finance and occupy Zimbabwe.

 The BSAC was supported by rich companies like

 Rothchilds
 De Beers
 Consolidated Gold Fields

 The directors of the BSAC were influential men such as:

 the Duke of Fife
 the Duke of Abercon
 Earl Grey
 Therefore Rhodesia was created by the British ‘lords of commerce’
PROVISIONS OF THE ROYAL CHARTER
 to promote good governance
 to preserve peace and order
 to issue mining concessions
 to grant plots of land
 to establish banks
 to make roads, railways, telegraphs, harbours

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  to promote legitimate trade and commerce
 to promote civilisation
 to respect local customs, laws and religion
 to ban sale of liquor to locals
 to abolish slave trade
 to make laws
 to establish a police force
 to establish a monetary economy
 charter to be renewed after 25 years

THE PIONEER COLUMN

The Recruitment Process
 The recruitment and the equipping of the Pioneer Column was tasked to Frank
Johnson
 He was assisted by Maurice and Henry Borrow
 Advertisements were splashed in the international newspapers seeking men interested
in starting a new life in a new country
 Pioneer corps were to be below the age of 30 years*
 They were carefully chosen from several thousand applicants (2 000)
 The Pioneers were to include English and Afrikaner people
 The Pioneers were to have South African experience
 Only 200 were needed
 Pioneers came from many different occupations e.g. blacksmiths, carpenters, builders,
printers, bakers, miners, farmers, traders, doctors
 Each was promised 3 000 acres of land and 15 gold claims
 1 000 Ngwato auxiliaries were also hired
 400/500 mounted men were also included in the Column
 A number of important civilians also accompanied the Pioneer Column: (i) Leander
Starr Jameson went as Rhodes’ personal representative; A R Colquhoun as the BSAC'
company secretary
Movement
 The Pioneer Column crossed the Macloutsie River in Botswana on 27 June 1890
 There was use of advance scouts
 The Pioneer crossed the Shashi River on 12 July 1890
 Established Fort Tuli
 Ngwato people accompanied the Pioneers
 They avoided the Ndebele state
 They were led by Colonel Pennefather and guided by Frederick Selous
 Their provisions and supplies were transported by 117 ox-wagons; wagons also
transported women and children
 They covered about 20 kilometres a day
 Established Fort Victoria in August 1890 and left a few policemen
 Moved to establish Fort Charter
 Before getting to present-day Harare, a group led by Selous left Fort Charter for
Manicaland
 They arrived at Fort Salisbury on 12 September 1890
 They raised the Union Jack (the British flag) on 12 September 1890 and declared
Mashonaland occupied

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  On their way they established the following forts: Fort Tuli, Fort Victoria, Fort
Charter
PIONEER CORPS POLICE
prospective settlers protect the group on its way to Mashonaland
about 200 young men of about 25 years about 500 to join the Police
recruited by F Johnson + Maurice & Heany headed by Lt Col Pennefather
Borrow
had different occupations and trades heavily armed:2Maxims & two 7-Pounders
were responsible for cutting of the road guarded forts which had been built
wore brown uniforms & leather leggings wore blue uniforms
each was promised 3 000 acres and 15 gold was paid 7 shillings 6 pence a day
claims
was armed and given military training was armed and given military training

The Security Arrangements Made By The Pioneer Column During Its Movement Into
Mashonaland In 1890
 Pioneers were given military training
 Each pioneer member was armed
 500 policemen accompanied the Column
 A lot of ammunition was provided
 Establishment of forts on their way e.g. Tuli, Victoria
 Policemen were left to guard forts
 Heavy guns – maxims, two seven pounders
 Maintained patrols on horseback
 Use of laagers when they camped for the night
 Sent advance parties
 Kept a big lamp burning when they camped at night
 Avoided Matabeleland
 Use of Selous as a guide so they would not get lost
 Accompanied by Ngwato auxiliaries

The Recruitment Of Members Of The Pioneer Column By Cecil John Rhodes

 The BSAC advertised for fit and adventurous young men in the English speaking
world
 Also advertised for those with South African experience
 Over 2 000 applicants
 Only 200 young men chosen
 Members included blacksmiths, carpenters, builders, printers, bakers, miners
 Were promised 3 000 acres of land and 15 gold claims
 Each troop in the BSAC police to receive seven shillings and six pence for each day
spent with the Pioneer police
 Each Pioneer given military training
 Each Pioneer was armed
 Colonising party led by Major Frank Johnson and two deputies (Henry and Maurice
Borrow)
 Each of the 12 officers in the Pioneer Column promised 20 gold claims
Establishment Of A Colonial government

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The Pioneer Column was disbanded soon after the construction of Fort Salisbury. Some
returned to South Africa to enjoy their earnings. Others joined the new arrivals to form a
standing army.
A semi-military administration was created under a Resident Commissioner Leander Starr
Jameson. The main task of the Commissioner was to:
o Create a political structure that would promote BSAC’s expansion to cover as much
ground as possible up to the Indian Ocean
o Monetarise the economy by introducing tax and labour laws.
o Establish a police force
o Establish financial administration in the colony
o Control the means of production of Africans.

Monetarisation was not easy. The BSAC had to

i. take land from Africans
ii. take cattle from Africans
iii. force Africans to work (forced labour/chibharo)
iv. control Africans politically

PAST EXAM QUESTIONS

COLONISATION TREATIES
Name any three concession seekers who visited Matabeleland between 1870 and 1900 and
the respective treaties they signed
Describe the terms of the Grobler Treaty of 1887 and the verbal terms of the Rudd
Concession of 1888
Did the Grobler Treaty protect the Ndebele state from colonisation? Explain your answer
[Nov 2012]

State any six provisions of the Royal Charter given to Rhodes by the Queen in 1889
Describe Lobengula’s reaction after observing that he had been cheated in the Rudd
Concession
Why did Lobengula’s efforts fail to stop the colonisation of Zimbabwe?
[Jun 2012]

Name any six whites who were involved in signing of treties and concessions in Zimbabwe
between 1850 and 1891
Outline the written and verbal terms of the Rudd Concession of 1888
Did the Ndebele benefit from the Rudd Concession? Explain your answer.
[Nov 2011]

State any six verbal terms of the Rudd Concession

Describe the events leading to the signing of the Rudd Concession
How far were missionaries to blame for signing of the Rudd Concession?
[Jun 2008]

Name any six concession seekers who visited Matabeleland between 1870 and 1900
Describe the terms of the Grobler Treaty (1887) and the Moffat Treaty (1888)
How far did the Grobler Treaty protect the Ndebele state from colonisation?

List five agreements other than the Rudd Concession signed between Lobengula and the
whites between 1870 and 1891

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Outline the verbal and written terms of the Rudd Concession
Did Lobengula and his people benefit from the Rudd Concession? [Jun 2005]

PIONEER COLUMN
State any six provisions of the Royal Charter given to Rhodes by the Queen in 1889
Describe the march of the Pioneer Column into Mashonaland in 1890
How far can the occupation of Mashonaland be attributed to the Pioneers?
[Jun 2013]

Identify any three skills that were possessed by members of the Pioneer Column and name
any three White members of the Pioneer Column
Describe the security arrangements made by the Pioneer Column during movement to
Mashonaland
How important was the Pioneer Column in the colonisation of Zimbabwe?

Name any six people who assisted Rhodes to get the BSAC Royal Charter
Describe the Pioneer march into Zimbabwe in 1890
Did the Pioneers find it easy to reach their destination? Explain your answer
[Nov 2010]

Identify three leading British citizens and their companies that supported BSAC financially
Describe the recruitment and the movement of the Pioneer Column to Mashonaland
To what extent did the recruitment of the Pioneer Column contribute to success of
settlement?
[Nov 2008]

Name any six leaders of the Pioneer Column that moved into Mashonaland in 1890
Describe the recruitment of members of the Pioneer Column
To what extent did the Pioneer Column contribute to successful occupation of Mahonaland?

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