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The Citizen
14-06-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Krugersdorp's concentration camps remembered
The fourth edition of the Echoes of Krugersdorp series takes a heartfelt look at a significant chapter in history – the role of concentration camps in Krugersdorp during the South African War, more commonly known as the Second Boer War. Recently, the Krugersdorp News teamed up with the Krugersdorp Heritage Association (KHA) to revisit some of the past events and remarkable buildings that hold deep historical significance in our town. ALSO READ: Exploring Krugersdorp's historic post office Jaco Mattheyse, co-founder of the KHA, shared that to truly understand the events, we need to journey back to 1899 to 1902 and the eight months after the outbreak of the Second Boer War. Many tens of thousands of women and children were forcibly moved into the concentration camps as part of the Scorched Earth policies, where the British destroyed Boer farms as part of their efforts to win the war. Historical background In June 1900, following the annexation of the Orange Free State, British troops under Major-General Archibald Hunter entered Krugersdorp without resistance. Magistrate JC Human officially handed over the town's administration, and martial law was put in place. A public ceremony was held on Commissioner Street in front of the old magistrate's court, where the Union Jack was hoisted, marking the beginning of British military control. 'The British garrison set up its headquarters in Kilmarnock House, located at the corner of De Wet and Begin streets in Krugersdorp North. Additionally, a blockhouse was built on the hillside of Monument to supervise the town, manned by seven soldiers and four black men who acted as servants and watchmen. This blockhouse still stands today, nestled in the park across from Monument Primary School at the corner of Sarel Oosthuizen and Sarel Potgieter streets,' Jaco mentioned. He continued by explaining that under martial law, movement was strictly regulated. Public gatherings were not allowed, and permits were needed for those wishing to travel or even access the railway platform. As the war broke out, the closure of shops led to shortages of food and necessities. Thankfully, a few stores like Hompes and Seehoff, Harvey Greenacre, McCloskie, and Te Water reopened after the British occupation, offering much-needed support to the struggling townspeople, many of whom had depended on gold mining operations, which were halted. 'In response to these challenges, the Krugersdorp Women's League was formed. Initially focused on alleviating poverty, the league expanded its efforts to support residents of the newly established Krugersdorp concentration camp. In October 1901, a health committee was re-established to monitor public health in line with pre-war regulations. Under Proclamation 21 of 1900, all infectious diseases had to be reported, with doctors receiving a fee of 20 cents for each case. Proclamation 10 of 1901 assigned the responsibility for investigating sudden or suspicious deaths to the resident magistrate, and all births and deaths needed to be officially registered,' he explained. Jaco noted that with the annexation of the South African Republic (ZAR), all citizens became British subjects. Townspeople were prohibited from supporting the Boer commandos. Each household received a permit after an inventory of their belongings was taken to prevent provisions from reaching Boer fighters. Nonetheless, several elderly residents at the time, such as Dr Van der Merwe, Magistrate JC Human, and Mr MWP Pretorius, managed to sneak intelligence to the commandos by tying notes to stray dogs, as detailed in our previous article on the Krugersdorp Club. Human was placed under house arrest for his involvement but continued to assist the Boer forces discreetly. Life in Krugersdorp during the war was incredibly difficult. With little steady income and scarce money circulating, townspeople faced daily struggles for survival. 'Formal education was halted; the local Dutch Reformed [NG] Church school closed when the war began. In 1901, the British established an English-medium school. In response, local leader Mr JH Grundlingh created a private Dutch-medium school that served 100 learners, employing Miss F van Binnedyk and H Putten at five pounds per month,' he shared. The Krugersdorp concentration camp Jaco explained that, although relatively small compared to others, the Krugersdorp Concentration Camp was marked by its own tragedies. Located at the base of Monument Hill, the site now occupied by Dr Yusuf Dadoo (formerly Paardekraal) Hospital and Coronation Park held over 6 000 women and children by the end of 1901. 'The camp was unsanitary, overcrowded, and poorly managed, experiencing severe outbreaks of measles, pneumonia, and dysentery. The situation was worsened by malnutrition and contaminated water. October and November 1901 were particularly tragic, with a heartbreaking total of 105 deaths during those months,' he narrated. 'After the administration transitioned from military to civilian control under Mr Tomlinson and Dr Aymard, conditions improved. The Ladies' Commission of the town increased its support to camp families, focusing on food provision. Rations were distributed in two categories: Class 1 [surrendered or British-employed] and Class 2 [families of active Boers], with Class 2 receiving fewer rations. When available, additional maize meal and milk [for children under two] were also provided. Unfortunately, family size was not considered in rationing, resulting in widespread malnutrition. There were also reports of contaminants in the food. Families often had to scavenge for firewood or cow dung for cooking. Some women found work with British soldiers, taking on tasks like laundry in exchange for better treatment,' he concluded. Jaco commented that a large tent in the camp doubled as a church and school. For many Boer children, this was their first formal education, taught in English, part of Britain's policy to anglicise Afrikaners. Many teachers remained in South Africa after the war, forming the core of the emerging education system. 'According to 89-year-old Rachel Lindhout-Fourie, her grandfather 'Oom Klasie' helped bury victims, who were initially interred at the camp site and later reburied at Burgershoop Cemetery. The graves, uniform and unnamed due to the reburials, are said to contain up to four bodies in each grave, accounting for the estimated 1 800 dead.' The surviving Boer women and children were released from the concentration camps in November after the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed in May 1902, which formally ended the Second Boer War. Krugersdorp's native refugee camp Jaco claims that, less widely acknowledged, is the existence of one of the largest native refugee camps in the region. In July 1901, many black residents of the western Transvaal sought refuge with British forces. To enforce the displacement of Boer women and children, black farm labourers were also removed and resettled. 'The native refugee camp was first established on the farm Roodekranz No 83 IQ near Krugersdorp, and later moved to Waterval No 74 IQ due to better water access. Farming began under a self-sustenance policy, and by September 1902, the British government had negotiated a crop-sharing agreement with the landowner, Mr AHF du Toit. The camp housed 3 382 people in December 1901. Of these, 1 288 black men served the British Army, while a small number worked in private homes,' he said. Jaco explains that conditions were dire in these camps, often worse than in the white camps. Disease and famine claimed many lives, with pneumonia, measles, and dysentery being the leading causes. Missionaries, such as Reverend Farmer, reported on November 23, 1901, that they had to work hard all day, but the only food they got was mealies and mealie meal in the camp, and they had to buy this with their own money. Meat is unavailable at any price, and they were not allowed to shop freely. 'The camp was abolished in October 1902. Some inhabitants refused to return to Boer farms, hoping instead for better lives under British rule. However, famine persisted in the region, and the Krugersdorp grain depot was retained to support the devastated black communities,' he stated. Aftermath of the war Jaco stated that the war reshaped Krugersdorp society. Assistant Resident Magistrate Lt Phillips took over administration as families and prisoners of war returned. For the first six months post-war, repatriation and reconstruction dominated public life. He added a commission under the Assistant Resident Magistrate processed Boer claims for war damage compensation. Although aid, such as food and farming equipment, was available on credit, many Boers fell into severe debt. 'Large numbers of impoverished Afrikaners settled near the Burgershoop Brickfields, where they began producing hand-moulded clay bricks used in many early Krugersdorp buildings. This clay was sourced from the wetlands near what is now Harlequins Rugby Club. Today, little physical evidence remains of either the white or the native camps. The white campsite became Coronation Park in honour of King Edward VII's coronation in 1902. The native camp area was absorbed into the old Krugersdorp Game Reserve, and all that remains there are a few graves in the veld,' he concluded. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading! Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here
Agriland
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Agriland
Land ownership has ‘led to violence' in Irish families
When it comes to land, there is an edge to how Irish people think about what is theirs, or maybe what they believe is theirs which seems to come up in different forms again and again. That is according to Luke Murphy, dance artist and choreographer of Attic Projects, who has created a large-scale dance 'Scorched Earth', which will be staged at the Black Box Theatre, Galway city, from July 15-19 as part of Galway International Arts Festival. Murphy told Agriland: 'Of course the country has a history where defending what's yours became a really powerful and important message, but that fear and that steeliness can get romanticised too. 'Wanting, owning, and keeping land has led to violence in families and communities over and over again, so you have to question the cost.' Inspired by John B Keane's seminal work, The Field, 'Scorched Earth' is Murphy's biggest work to date. It invites the audience into the stark world of an interrogation room in a garda station as a detective and suspect dredge through the ghosts of an unsolved murder, long thought forgotten. Part crime drama, part psychological thriller, the fast-paced show mixes spoken word, theatre, dance, and music, to pierce into a dark but fundamental part of the Irish psyche. Reopening a cold case 12 years after the incident, stories are revisited and old wounds are opened as the detective and suspect fall into a world of memory, fantasy, ambition, and resentment. 'Scorched Earth' by Luke Murphy. Source: Marcin Lewandowski, soundofphotography. The show blurs the lines of dance and theatre, where Murphy weaves a tapestry of story, striking visuals, and visceral movement through which the cast of international performers sear a picture of wanting, striving, deserving, and resenting. Murphy, whose family have a house and land at Sheep's Head peninsula in West Cork, has created and produced over 12 dance theatre works for stage, film, installation and site-specific/immersive contexts. His pieces have been presented throughout Ireland, the UK, the US, and Germany. According to Murphy, this production of 'Scorched Earth' is a key turning point in both his and Attic Projects' careers, being their biggest show to date. Having premiered on the Abbey Theatre's main stage in May. 'Scorched Earth' is brought to life by the same team that created Murphy's multi award-winning production 'Volcano' in 2021. Murphy said: 'Today's Ireland is ever more concerned with development and progress, and this progress is ever more defined as built infrastructure. 'While the pandemic upended common expectations around where Irish citizens work, live, and interact, how the land is used retains its almost gravitational significance.'
Irish Times
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Scorched Earth review: An individual tragedy and a national malaise
Scorched Earth Abbey Theatre, Dublin ★★★★☆ The first moments of Scorched Earth explain that a public inquiry into a spate of 'land-based crimes' has led to a report highlighting the link between violent crime and ownership of land. Although inspired by John B Keane's play The Field, it is clear that what is about to unfold isn't just an individual tragedy but a national malaise. A cold case has been reopened by Detective Kerr (played by Sarah Dowling) into the death of a developer, William Dean (Will Thompson). He was found dead in a field shortly after outbidding a local (Luke Murphy) who had leased the field for years. [ Luke Murphy on Ireland's land obsession: 'There's something about having and owning. I see a fixation on that, and I feel it in myself' Opens in new window ] Murphy's character remains the prime suspect for Kerr as she tries to get a confession in a bleak interrogation room. He reiterates his innocence, but Murphy's tense squirming constantly contradicts those words of denial. The claustrophobic setting recalls some of Murphy's previous works, particularly The Archivist and Volcano , as does the theme of individual versus system, but here it is difficult to empathise with the slippery suspect and his false bravado. READ MORE The setting is ahistorical, in spite of references to the 1990s and Celtic Tiger excesses, and many of the themes are universal, particularly the tension between stasis and change. A local guard who ineffectually investigated the original crime (Ryan O'Neill) is constantly wary of the outsider, in contrast to the local radio host (Tyler Carney-Faleatua), who can't contain her gushing admiration of the developer during an interview. A final group dance suggests that it is the land, expressed through Alyson Cummins's ingenious set, that has a timeless grip over individuals' behaviour. The obsession with possession of land and consequent exclusion are embedded in society, whether at a micro level between neighbours or a macro level with attitudes to immigrants. Scorched Earth is at the Abbey Theatre , as part of Dublin Dance Festival , until Saturday, May 24th and at Black Box , as part of Galway International Arts Festival , from Tuesday, July 15th, until Saturday, July 19th
Scoop
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Greenpeace Braced For ‘Scorched Earth' Budget From Govt
Press Release – Greenpeace New Zealand With the Government set to release its Budget tomorrow, Greenpeace is calling for bold investment in climate and nature, but is bracing for the worst. 'Given that this Government just legalised killing kiwi, we're bracing for a Scorched Earth Budget,' says Greenpeace Aotearoa spokesperson Gen Toop. Greenpeace has been critical of the Luxon-led Government's anti-environment policies, but says that the PM's war on nature does not have to continue in the 2025 Budget. Budget 2024 decreased funding for DOC to such an extent that last year the agency was asking for public donations to fund its work and is this year reportedly facing a 30% shortfall for maintaining its hut and track network. 'This Budget is a chance for the Government to change course from its war on nature,' says Toop. 'It's a chance to invest in climate action, protect biodiversity, and support everyday people with the cost of living – that's what a responsible, future-focused Budget would do.' 'People have a right to clean water, a livable climate, and groceries and power bills they can afford. Any budget that prioritises corporate profits and tax cuts for landlords instead of those basic rights is not the kind of budget we need,' says Toop. Greenpeace says a Budget that truly tackles the climate, biodiversity, and cost of living crises would: Make a significant investment in distributed solar to bring down power bills, reduce emissions and help communities generate their own energy. Create an ecological farming fund to support farmers to transition away from intensive dairy and take advantage of the rise in demand for plant-based food. Bring back Jobs for Nature, funding real employment in the restoration of forests, rivers and wetlands to combat the biodiversity crisis. Fund it all by taxing corporations and the ultra-wealthy, starting with bringing the country's biggest climate polluter, Fonterra and intensive dairying into the Emissions Trading Scheme. Since taking the reins, the Government has abolished the clean car discount; forced the Ministry for the Environment, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Conservation to cut jobs; canceled the Auckland Light Rail Project; cut public transport subsidies for young people; and steadfastly refused to put agriculture into the Emissions Trading Scheme.
Scoop
20-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Greenpeace Braced For ‘Scorched Earth' Budget From Govt
With the Government set to release its Budget tomorrow, Greenpeace is calling for bold investment in climate and nature, but is bracing for the worst. "Given that this Government just legalised killing kiwi, we're bracing for a Scorched Earth Budget," says Greenpeace Aotearoa spokesperson Gen Toop. Greenpeace has been critical of the Luxon-led Government's anti-environment policies, but says that the PM's war on nature does not have to continue in the 2025 Budget. Budget 2024 decreased funding for DOC to such an extent that last year the agency was asking for public donations to fund its work and is this year reportedly facing a 30% shortfall for maintaining its hut and track network. "This Budget is a chance for the Government to change course from its war on nature," says Toop. "It's a chance to invest in climate action, protect biodiversity, and support everyday people with the cost of living - that's what a responsible, future-focused Budget would do." Advertisement - scroll to continue reading "People have a right to clean water, a livable climate, and groceries and power bills they can afford. Any budget that prioritises corporate profits and tax cuts for landlords instead of those basic rights is not the kind of budget we need," says Toop. Greenpeace says a Budget that truly tackles the climate, biodiversity, and cost of living crises would: Make a significant investment in distributed solar to bring down power bills, reduce emissions and help communities generate their own energy. Create an ecological farming fund to support farmers to transition away from intensive dairy and take advantage of the rise in demand for plant-based food. Bring back Jobs for Nature, funding real employment in the restoration of forests, rivers and wetlands to combat the biodiversity crisis. Fund it all by taxing corporations and the ultra-wealthy, starting with bringing the country's biggest climate polluter, Fonterra and intensive dairying into the Emissions Trading Scheme. Since taking the reins, the Government has abolished the clean car discount; forced the Ministry for the Environment, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Conservation to cut jobs; canceled the Auckland Light Rail Project; cut public transport subsidies for young people; and steadfastly refused to put agriculture into the Emissions Trading Scheme.
