The Occupation of Zimbabwe

Steps taken by the Europeans in the occupation of Zimbabwe:

a. Signing of treaties-Moffart Treaty (1836), Grobler treaty (1887),
Second Moffart treaty (1888) and the Rudd Concession (1888).
b. The Royal Charter of 1889.
c. The Formation of the British South Africa Company.
d. The Pioneer Column and the occupation of Mashonaland in 1890.
e. The Anglo-Ndebele war of 1893, the 1893 war of dispossession-
initial primary resistance-causes, course and results.
a. Signing of Treaties

i. The Moffart Treaty of 1836

• Signed by Robert Moffart-A missionary of the LMS (London
Missionary Society) and Mzilikazi-king of the Ndebele.
• It established friendship between the Cape government ruled by the
British and the Ndebele.
ii. The Grobler Treaty (July 30, 1887)

• Signatories-Piet Grobler on behalf of the Transvaal Boer Republic; Lobengula

representing the Ndebele state.
• Terms-Supposed to be a treaty of “mutual friendship” between the Ndebele and
the Transvaal Boer Republic; Boers were promised protection while hunting in
the kingdom; Boer citizens with Boer passports will be allowed in the kingdom;
Boers would provide military assistance to Lobengula; They would recognise
Lobengula as paramount king; will help Lobengula in the administration of
justice involving Boers; Boer criminals would be extradited to SA.
• Significance of the Treaty-Lobengula had unintentionally placed his kingdom
under the Boer sphere of influence; Boers believed Lobengula had accepted
Boer protection and that this would deter other concession seekers like the
Portuguese and the British; Lobengula realised that he had been deceived.
iii. The Moffart Treaty [11 February 1888]

• Signatories-John Moffart and Lobengula and was also meant to be a

“mutual friendship” treaty.
• Terms-There was to be peace and amity between the British Queen
and the Ndebele people; Lobengula was to renounce the Grobler
Treaty; Lobengula was not to enter into any other agreement without
the approval of the Queen.
• Significance-Lobengula had also unintentionally transferred his
kingdom to be under the British sphere of influence; Lobengula’s
powers were now limited since he could no longer make independent
decisions regarding foreign policy.
iv. The Rudd Concession (October 13, 1888)

Cecil John Rhodes wanted more concessions so he sent 3 envoys

(“negotiators”) from Kimberley SA to negotiate a treaty with Lobengula. These
were:
• Charles Rudd, Rhodes’ business partner and friend.
• Rockford Maguire, a lawyer to draw up the agreement’
• Francis Thompson, a fluent Zulu speaker well enough to be understood by
the Ndebele.
• They were supported by Rev Charles Helm who was Lobengula’s trusted
umfundisi and Lotshe, a senior Ndebele induna who they bribed.
The treaty had 2 versions: written version (deceptive) and the verbal version.
What Lobengula was promised was not reflected in the written version.
Terms of the written version

Lobengula agreed to:

• Grant Rhodes exclusive mining rights.
• Grant Rhodes permission to do what they deem necessary to promote their
mining activities’
• Power to hold, collect and enjoy profits and revenue from the minerals.
In return Lobengula would receive:
• 100 pounds every month.
• 1000 rifles and 100 000 rounds of ammunition.
• A gunboat to be placed on the Zambezi River or a payment of 500 pounds.
The verbal terms were as follows:[Which were
deceptive]
• That they would respect Lobengula’s laws and they will offer him
protection.
• That no more than 10 whites would come into the country.
• That they would surrender their weapons and will not mine near
towns.
However:
• Lobengula was tricked into signing a document that he did not
understand because he was illiterate.
• This paved the way for the occupation of his kingdom.
b. The Royal Charter of 1889

• After the Rudd concession Rhodes went to England to seek

permission to occupy Zimbabwe because he was an agent of British
imperialism.
• The British government was reluctant to grant the charter because of
the huge costs involved but Rhodes offered his personal fortune to
finance the occupation.
• In October 1889, the British government granted Rhodes a charter
which authorised him to colonise Zimbabwe.
Terms/Provisions (conditions) of the Charter

Rhodes and his group were given authority to:

• The BSAC was to administer the new colony; Establish and maintain a police force;
To undertake public works.
• The BSAC to maintain law and order but British government would be in overall
control of the colony.
• To suppress the slave trade and any forms of slavery, oppression and ill-treatment.
• The board of governors of the BSAC were supposed to be British citizens.
• The company was to protect natives from intoxicating spirits or liquor.
• Establish infrastructure-roads, telegraphs, railways etc.
• The British Colonial Secretary/Secretary of colonies was overally in charge of
British colonies.
c. The formation of the BSAC

• Rhodes then formed the British South Africa Company (BSAC) to

finance the occupation and was supported by Rhodes’ South African
companies, De Beers, Rothschild and Consolidated Goldfields etc.
d. The Pioneer Column and the occupation of
Mashonaland
• This was a group of mercenaries to occupy Zimbabwe.
• 200 mercenaries chosen from about 2000 applications supported by 500 policemen.
• The pioneer column was to move through Mashonaland to prevent a direct clash with
the Ndebele warriors.
• It was led by Colonel Pennefather.
• At night the column formed a laager for protection.
• Each member of the Pioneer Column was promised a farm of 3000 acres and 15 gold
claims when they arrived in Mashonaland.
• The route of the Pioneer Column-Fort Tuli, Fort Victoria (Masvingo), Fort Charter
(Chivhu) and finally Fort Salisbury (Harare) where they raised the Union Jack on 12
September 1890.
e. The 1893 War of Dispossession/Anglo-Ndebele War

• It was an example of initial primary resistance movement-resistance

to prevent occupation of their territory by the BSAC.
Long Term Causes: BSAC side

• The occupation of Zimbabwe by the British would never been complete without the occupation
of Matabeleland; Failure to find huge amounts of gold in Mashonaland by the BSAC convinced
them that the “second rand” could be found in Lobengula’s kingdom. This was strengthened by
rumours that Lobengula’s capital, Bulawayo, was built on a hill of gold.
• The BSAC was having financial problems in Mashonaland and hoped that if they occupied the
Ndebele state their problems would be solved; Dispute over the control of the Shona between
the BSAC and the Ndebele. The Ndebele still felt the Shona were still their subjects and
continued to raid them if they failed to pay tribute.
• The boundary dispute-The Ndebele and the BSAC failed to agree on a common boundary
between Matabeleland and Mashonaland.
• Matabeleland lay on the proposed BSAC railway route to South Africa and this would be easy if
the Ndebele were occupied.
• Refusal by the Ndebele to accept Christianity. Lobengula did not allow his subjects to be
converted to Christianity.
Long term causes: Ndebele side

• The Ndebele fought to prevent loss of land, cattle, minerals ‘The

second rand”, culture and their independence.
• They also fought to maintain their authority over the Shona.
• The boundary dispute.
• The railway line.
Immediate causes/Short term causes (The Victoria incidents)

• In May 1893, headman Gomala’s subjects stole 500m of telegraph wire

between Fort Tuli and Fort Victoria. Gomala used Lobengula’s cattle
entrusted to him to pay a collective fine and lied to Lobengula that the
cattle had been forcibly taken by the BSAC.
• Chief Bere was also accused of stealing Lobengula’s cattle entrusted
under his care through the ukusisa/kuronzera system.
• Lobengula sent a regiment led by Manyao and Mgandani to the area
around Fort Victoria to punish the culprits and some Shona were killed.
However, these punitive raids interfered with mining and farming
operations which infuriated the whites.
• The BSAC used the Ndebele raids to invade the Ndebele state in 1893.
Course/Main events of the Anglo-Ndebele War

• White settlers in Masvingo asked the BSAC to deal with the Ndebele once
and for all, i.e. the invasion of the Ndebele state. Dr Starr Jameson sent 38
soldiers under Captain Lendy to attack the retreating Ndebele warriors.
• Captain Lendy was instructed to push the Ndebele out but his men killed
about 30 Ndebele warriors including Mgandani which angered Lobengula.
• Lobengula recalled his 6000 strong impi which had been on a raiding
mission north of the Zambezi to defend his kingdom.
• The BSAC recruited volunteers to invade the Ndebele state and each was
promised 6000 acres of land 20 gold claims and a share of Lobengula’s
cattle.
Course (contd)

• The invading forces set off from Fort Salisbury, Fort Victoria and from Bechuanaland.
Lobengula’s enemy, Khama, king of the Ngwato also assisted the invading force.
• The first battle was at the Shangani River on the 24th of October and about 5000
Ndebele warriors were defeated.
• The second battle was at Mbembesi River and the Ndebele were again defeated.
• On the 4th of November the BSAC troops entered Bulawayo but found it deserted and
burnt.
• A small force under Major Forbes and Major Allan Wilson was attacked and killed by
Ndebele troops.
• Lobengula escaped and reportedly died in January 1894. His cause of death remains a
mystery with some saying he died of small pox and others saying he died of malaria.
Results of the Anglo-Ndebele war

• The Ndebele were defeated and the BSAC extended colonial rule to Matebeleland.
• The defeat of the Ndebele and the death of Lobengula in 1894 left them without a
King and they were not allowed by the BSAC to choose a new King.
• Dr Star Jameson became the Administrator of both Matebeleland and
Mashonaland.
• A land commission demarcated land between the BSAC and the native Ndebele.
• The Ndebele were resettled in dry and unproductive reserves of Gwai and
Shangani.
• The white settlers seized over 80000 Ndebele cattle. Thomas Meikle, the founder
of the Meikles business empire in Zimbabwe was a beneficially of the looted
Ndebele cattle.
Results (contd)

• The Ndebele were forced to work in the farms and mines.

• The Ndebele were forced to pay hut tax and other forms of taxation.
Forced labour was imposed on those who failed to pay hut tax.
• There were desperate food shortages and many people died during the
war.
• The results of the Anglo-Ndebele war sowed the seeds for Umvukela I/
Chimurenga I.
• Mashonaland and Matebeleland were combined to become Southern
Rhodesia in 1895.
• The Ndebele became peasant farmers and their way of life was destroyed.