132 NEWCONTREE
THE BAROLONG BA GA MODIBOA OF
MACHAVIESTAT (MATLWANG): VICTIMS OF
FORCED REMOVALS, 1923·1995
Gerhard Oosthuizen
(Department of History, Potchefstroom University for CHE)
OPSOMMING
G
edurende 1960 tot 1983 is sowat 3,5 miljoen Suid-Afrikaners deur die hervestigingsbeleid van opeenvolgende Apartheidsregerings geraak. 'n Sprekende voorbeeld van geledeonreg betreffende gedwonge verskuiwings in die
Noordwesprovinsie, is die van die Barolong ba ga Modiboa van Machaviestat in die Potchefstroom-distrik. Die Machaviestatters het die gebied 'n tydperk van 120 jaar lank bewoon, totdat sommige van die nasate van die Voortrekkerbondgenote op 'n gedwonge wyse in 1971 na Rooigrond in die eertydse Republiek van Bophutatswana verskuif is. Die Machaviestatters het gedurende die verblyf van sowat 24 jaar te Rooigrond deurlopend vesoeke tot die Regering gerig om na Machaviestat terug te keer. Uiteindelik het geslaagde onderhandelinge tussen die nuwe Minister van Grondsake, Derek Hanekom, die Barolong ba ga Modiboa Aksiekomitee en die Stadsraad van Potchefstroom daartoe gelei dat die mense in April 1995 na hulle voorvaderlike grond kon terugkeer. Interne struwelinge versuur egter die suksesverhaal en bemoeilik die herontwikkeling van Machaviestat.
INTRODUCTION
A particularly sensitive issue which is gaining prominence in the new South Africa, is the redistribution of land and the claims made by various groups to land which they were forced to surrender in 1913 and even earlier. During the period 1960 to 1983, some 3,5 million South Africans were affected by the resettlement policy of former apartheid Governments.1 To address this situation, the
Re-construction and Development Plan of the ANC makes provision for the establishment and implementation of a national land redis-tribution plan "to address effectively the injustices of forced remov-als and the historical denial of access to land". 2 The principle is,
L. Platzky and C. Walker, The surplus people. Forced removals in South Africa (1985).
p.9; M. M. Khosa, 'Whose land is it anyway?", Indicator SA, (Summer 1994), p.50. ANC, The Reconstruction and Development Programme. A policy framework, (1994), p.20.
NEWCONTREE 13~ however, that affirmative action should not be a mechanism to favour one group above another. Attempts to remedy committed injus-tices should not create another kind of injustice.3 Consequently, to
apply affirmative action with regard to land claims in a meaningful and just way, a thorough investigation into the historical and factual situation of the claims should be undertaken. However, research/ publications concerning land issues have mainly been initiated by the legal fraternity, whereas reliable scientific-historical research is relatively scant. Consequently, historians have an indispens-able role to play in providing government officials/lawyers who are responsible for the implementation of land claims with the relevant information.
A striking example of injustices suffered due to forced removals in the North West Province, is that of the Barolong ba ga Modiboa of Machaviestat in the Potchefstroom district. This study constitutes the beginning of a comprehensive project by the Department of History at Potchefstroom University concerning land problems in the recently established North West Province.
SETTLEMENT IN MACHAVIESTAT, 1841
The Barolong, one of the core Sotho groups, already occupied/ owned the land between the Vaal, Harts and Molopo Rivers early in the second millennium. During the seventeenth century, the Barolong were ruled by the powerful paramount chief Tau. After his death, the Baro)ong subdivided into four chieftainships under the leadership of his sons: the Tshide Barolong, the Seleka Barolong, the Rapulana Barolong and the Ratlou Barolong.4 The
followers of Modiboa constituted one of the minor groups. How-ever, the Barolong were driven out of their habitat by the Matabele under Mzilikazi. Due to the intervention of missionaries, the Barolong, among others the Selekas under Moroko and the Rapulanas under Matlaba (named Machavie by the Europeans) settled in Thaba Nchu and environment during the 1830'S.5 The Barolong leaders used the arrival of the Voortrekkers in Thaba Nchu to expel the Matabele enemy from the Transvaal area. The
W. du Plessis, "Regstellende aksie met betrekking tot grond", Tydskrif vir
Regswetenskap, 2, (1991), p. 143.
H. J. van Aswegen, Geskiedenis van Suid-Afrika tot 1854, (1989), pp. 69-70. G. van den Bergh, "Potchefstroom se eerste swartwoonbuurt: Machaviestat 1839-1888", Can tree, 34, (1993), p.11.
134 NEW CON TREE
Barolong's much appreciated aid to the Voortrekkers during two decisive battles caused A. H. Potgieter to decide to allow the Barolong to return to the far Western Transvaal. During Machavie's 1839 visit to Potgieter in Potchefstroom, the latter offered to settle them temporarily at Machaviestat, about 24 km to the west of Potchefstroom. Consequently, Machavie, Tawana and Gontse and their followers settled at Machaviestat (also known as Matlwang) in 1841.6 The people of Machaviestat lived in the area for a period
of 1207 years until some of the descendents of the former
Voortrekker allies were forcefully relocated in 1971 to Rooigrond in the former Republic of Bophuthatswana.
EFFORTSTO EVICTTHE BAROLONG BA GA MODIBOA, 1923-1961
Since their settlement, the people of Machaviestat and the munici-pality of Potchefstroom have been at loggerheads about the own-ership of the area. The Town Council of Potchefstroom took legal advice as early as 1923 and consequently served a notice on the Machavie villagers informing them that their occupation of munici-pal land was illegal, and that they will have to leave. In return, they would be relocated on land in the black township of Potchefstroom. Although 30 June 1923 was set as the eviction date, no further steps were taken for some reason or other. 8 It seems likely that
the Machavie villagers just refused to move.
In March of 1934 ar)d in the same month of 1945 the Town Council requested the Department of Native Affairs to remove the Barolong. In view of the fact that the Department could not find alternative land for the Barolong, and as a result of refusal of the people to move, the relocation plans were shelved once more.9
The Town Council, however, did not concede and requested the government "dat die naturelle so spoedig moontlik verwyder moet
Archive of the Potchefstroom Town Council (hereafter APTC) 16/6/8, file 461, G. N. van den Bergh, "Die geskiedenis van Machaviestat 1836-1889", pp. 3-8.
Matlaba (Machavie) and his followers were, without provocation, driven off the land in 1848 by Commandant Stephanus Schoeman who was of the opinion that blacks may not possess any land. They returned ten years later after a successful request to President M. W. Pretorius. See APTC 16/6/8, file 461, G. van den Bergh, "Die geskiedenis van Machaviestat", p. 10
APTC 6/6/8, file 461: "Memorandum van die Stadsraad van Potchefstroom insake naturelle te Machaviestat, Potchefstroom, 1948" in Memorandum "Adjunk-Stadsklerk - Voorsitter Nie-Blankekomitee", (n.d.), p.3.
NEWCONTREE 135
word, aangesien hulle teenwoordigheid op die dorpsgronde 'n las geword het". The reasons given were that the land had to be leased to white farmers in order to ensure better utilisation and increased rent; the possible development of gold mines; the absence of proper health services at Machaviestat with resultant unhygienic condi-tions, and the inability of the Town Council to provide the neces-sary services; the failure of the people to be a useful labour force for Potchefstroom, and the fact that the area was needed by the
Union Defence Force. At that stage there were approximately 140
Barolong families who owned 1200 large stock, and 1370 small
stock with several hectares of land being cultivated. 10
The commanding officer of 11 Armoured Brigadier Group and Troop
Commandant impressed upon the Town Council that it was "hoogs noodsaaklik om iets te doen om hierdie Naturelle verwyder te kry", in order to create adequate space to practice with live ammuni-tion. 11 As a result of further requests in this regard, the Machavie
villagers were informed at a meeting on 13 August 1952 that they
have to move in view of the fact that the area was needed urgently by the Department of Defence. 12
A few months later, the Chief Native Commissioner of Potchefstroom was informed "dat die Kabinet ook besluit het dat voortgegaan moet word met die verwydering van die Machaviestat se naturelle". The Town Council had to assist the Department of Native Affairs with the removal process "deur die Naturelle gaandeweg in sy nuwe lokasie op te neem, wat in Machaviestat woon, dog in Potchefstroom werk en wil bly werk liewer dan elders heen verplaas te word".13 After a dispute about responsibility for compensation to the Machavie people the Town Council of Potchefstroom at last agreed
to pay them an amount of £1200.14 In January 1955 the
Depart-APTC 6/6/8, file 461: Ibid., pp.2-6.
APTC 6/6/8, file 461: Letter, "Bevelvoerder 11 Pantserbrigadegroep en Troepkommandant - Stadsklerk Potchefstroom", 27 October 1948, in Memorandum, "Adjunk-Stadsklerk - Voorsitter Nie-Blankesakekomitee", (n.d.), p. 7.
APTC 6/6/8, file 461: Memorandum, "Adjunk-Stadsklerk - Voorsitter Nie-Blankesakekomitee", (n.d.), p. 7; Vrye Weekblad, 26 September 1993.
APTC 6/6/8, file 461: Letter, "Sekretaris van Naturellesake - Hoofnaturellekomissaris", 5 December 1952 in Memorandum, "Adjunk - Stadsklerk - Voorsitter Nie-Blankesakekomitee", (n.d.), p. 9: Potchefstroom Herald, 30 April 1971.
APTC 6/6/8, file 461: Letter, "Naturellekomissaris en Magistraat - Stadsklerk", 5 Feb-ruary 1953; Letter "Sekretaris van Naturellesake - Hoofnaturellekommissaris", 21 May 1953; Letter, "Stadsklerk - Magistraat", 30 June 1953; Letter, "Sekretaris van Naturellesake - Stadsklerk", 22 December 1953 in Memorandum, "Adjunk-Stadsklerk - Voorsitter Nie-Blankesakekomitee" (n.d.), pp. 10-15.
136 NEWCO rREE
ment of Native Affairs undertook to move the Machavie villagers, of whom the majority "preferred" to relocate to the new Potchefstroom location rather than being moved elsewhere15, at the expense of the Department. 16
To prevent future occupation of Machaviestat, the General Pur-poses Committee of the Town Council decided on 9 May 1955 "dat enige huise wat vrywilliglik ontruim word deur naturelle wat in die
nuwe Lokasie gehuisves word, onmiddellik gesloop word." 17
The Town Council decided in August 1955 to offer the inhabitants of Machaviestat either economic housing or sites-and-service fa-cilities in the new location. The Chief Native Commissioner of the Western Areas would provide accommodation to the rest of the people in a "Native Area". Legal steps would furthermore be taken to remove from the area all Machavie villagers who refused any of these options. 18
A dispute between the Town Council and the Department of Native Affairs about responsibility for costs of further removals and the serving of eviction notices on unwilling Machavie villagers, caused the actual evictions of the Machavie people to be postponed once again.19
As a result of inter alia the persistent demands of the Department
of Defence in resp~ct of Machaviestat, as well as the fact that the
Machavie people have not been paying any rent to the Town Coun-cil since 1 July 1959, one of their leaders, Morris Gorekoang, was arrested in 1959 and 1961 respectively, in terms of section 91 of Act 25/1945, and formally charged with illegal trespassing. The objective of the so-called test cases was the ultimate removal of
APTC 6/6/8, file 461: Letter "Sekretaris van Naturellesake - Stadsklerk;' 22
Decem-ber 1953 in Memorandum "Adjunk-Stadsklerk - Voorsitter Nie-Blankesakekomitee",
(n. d.), p. 15.
APTC 6/6/8, file 461: Letter Native Commissioner - Town Clerk, 26 January 1955 in
Memorandum "Adjunk-Stadsklerk -Voorsitter Nie-Blankesakekomitee", (n. d.), p. 19.
APTC 6/6/8, file 461: Memorandum "Adjunk-Stadsklerk - Voorsitter
Nie-Blankesakekomitee", (n. d)., p. 19.
APTC 6/6/8, file 461: Letter "Stadsklerk - Naturellekommissaris, 10 Augustus 1995
in Memorandum "Adjunk-Stadsklerk - Voorsitter Nie-Blankesakekomitee;' (n. d.), p.
20.
APTC 6/6/8, file 461: Memorandum "Adjunk-Stadsklerk - Voorsitter
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of a meagre R2400,OO.25 The Town Council flatly refused, pointing out that the amount of R2400,OO was an ex gratia payment, made
merely on humanitarian grounds.26
Furthermore, a doubtful agreement was concluded on 26 April 1971 between Israel Mokate and other representatives of the Machaviestat people which states:
(a) "dat ons toegee en erken dat ons onwettiglik die gebied wat ons tans bewoon okkupeer en dat hierdie gebied die wettige eiendom is van die Stadsraad van Potchefstroom" and "(b) dat ons ingestem het tot die hervestiging van al die inwoners van Machaviestat op 'n plaas te Leeufontein naby Pilanesberg ... ". Ac-cording to the agreement, free transport would be provided and the Town Council undertook to pay each family an amount of R19,50 when the removal has been completed. The disputed document does contain the thumb prints of five and signatures of eleven Machaviestat leaders, but it was very clearly not initialled on the
first page.27 The signatories of the agreement, such as for example
Ismael Seroalo are quite adamant in their denial that they ever admitted to illegal occupation of Machaviestat or agreed to
relo-cate to Leeufontein.28
The true facts of the matter are that the Town Council decided to offer the Machaviestat people the farm Leeufontein in the Pilanesberg area. After the Machaviestat people had visited the farm and seen its inferior quality in comparison with Machaviestat, they summarily refused to move. Consequently, the impoundment of animals were stepped up, and the people working in
Potchefstroom were once again threatened with dismissal.29
25 APTC 16/6/8, file 1180: Letter Messrs Minty, Nanabhay and Partners - Town
Coun-cil, 13 February 1968 (Council meeting, 20 March 1968, Item 132); APTC 16/6/8, file 1180, (temporary): "Submissions to Advisory Land Commission Machaviestad, por-tion 97 of the Town and Town lands of Potchefstroom, no. 435-10, district of Potchefstroom, registered under title no. 4663/35, diagram sg no. A2615/34", pp. 4-5
Annexure to Letter Bell, Dewar and Hall - Advisory Commission on Land Allocation,
29 March 1993, pp. 4-5.
26 APTC 16/6/8, file 1180: LetterTown Clerk - Director, Non European Affairs, 28 March
1968.
27 APTC 16/6/8, file 768: "Ooreenkoms Stadsraad van Potchefstroom - Israel Mokate
en ander aangestelde of verkose verteenwoordigers van die Machaviestat Bantoes", 26 April 1971, p. 1 .
28 Interview, G. J. J. Oosthuizen/lshmael Seroalo (Machviestat), 11 June 1996.
29 Interview, G. J. J. Oosthuizen/lshmael Seroalo and Morris Gorekoang (Machaviestat),
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This negative attitude of the government made the Barolong Ac-tion Committee decide to pursue a different modus operandi, inter
alia peaceful occupation of the area. Members of the Barolong
Action Committee consequently requested permission from the Town Council in December 1990 to visit Machaviestat to attend to
the graveyards.42 Evidently, the pu rpose was to occupy
Machaviestat permanently.
Negligence by the Town Council promoted the intended purpose. Permission was granted to visit Machaviestat to attend to the graves
for the period 22 December 1990 to 26 December 1991.43 The latter
date was a typing error 44 but Ismael Seroalo and 24 other people
refused to accept a correcting letter from the Town Council. They also
refused to vacate Machaviestat on 26 December 1990.45
A charge of trespassing was laid with the pOlice and a group of 25
people were arrested on Wednesday night 2 January 1991.46 Die
South African Council of Churches granted the amount of more
than R3000 to pay the bail for the accused.47 Several organisations,
e.g. AZAPO supported the occupation to the ful1.48 After
negotia-tions, an agreement was reached between the Town Council and the Committee on 10 April, 1991. It was decided that the charge of trespassing would be withdrawn and that the Barolong Action Com-mittee in future had to obtain the necessary permission if for what-ever reason they wanted to visit Machaviestat. It was explicitly mentioned that the Town Council denies any claims of the Barolong Action Committee to Machaviestat and that the Committee in turn
disagrees with the views of the Town Council.49 The charges of
trespassing were consequently withdrawn in the Potchefstroom
42 APTC 16/6/8, file 461: Sworn statement by A. Viljoen, 30 January 1991, p. 1.
43 APTC 16/6/8, file 461: Letter Acting Town Clerk - N. J. Ntsimane, 18 December 1990;
Potchefstroom Herald, 8 January 1991.
44 APTC 16/6/8, file 461: Letter Acting Town Clerk - N. J. Ntsimane, 27 December 1990;
Die Transvaler, 4 January 1991; The Star, 9 January 1991.
45 APTC 16/6/8, file 461: Sworn statement by B. H. J. Groenewald, 30 January 1991.
46 APTC 16/6/8, file 461: Sworn statement by A. Viljoen, 30 January 1991, p. 3; City
Press, 14 April 1991; Beeld, 4 January 1991; Potchefstroom Herald, 4 January 1991.
47 The Citizen, 3 January 1991; New Nation, 11 January 1991; The Star, 5 January
1991; The New Nation, 24 January 1991.
48 Sowetan, 7 January 1991.
49 APTC 16/6/8, file 461: "Ooreenkoms tussen Stadsraad van Potchefstroom en die
Komitee van die Machaviestat Barolong stam (Barolong Action Committee)", 10 April
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In the meantime, the attorneys Bell, Dewar en Hall submitted pre-sentations on 29 March 1993, in terms of The Abolition of Racially Based Land Measures Act 108 of 1991 in respect of the Barolong claim to Machaviestat, to the Advisory Commission for Land Allo-cation. 61 Probably pending the outcome of the negotiations be-tween the Machavie villagers and the Town Council, the Advisory Commission did not respond immediately.
Several discussions took place between the interested parties and government representatives during 1994. No agreement could be reached and the Machavie people indicated that they were not pre-pared to wait longer than 30 October, 1994 - after which date they would occupy Machaviestat once agair'l.62
On request of the Town Council negotiations were resumed on 9 November 1994. At this meeting, no agreement could be reached either, and the Machavie villagers threatened to occupy Machaviestat on 15 November 1994.63 The Town Council conse-quently obtained a Supreme Court interdict in an effort to prevent the planned occupation.64 The interdict notwithstanding, a group of approximately 200 Barolong arrived at the gates of Machaviestat in three buses, one truck and several smaller vehicles on 15 No-vember 1994 to occupy the village. The people were prevented by the police to enter Machaviestat. A team of negotiators of the Tran-sitional Local Council and A. MOiler, an attorney, succeeded in persuading them n0t to go ahead with the occupation. The two parties resolved to resume negotiations and at 22:00 the people dispersed peacefully.65
Shortly after the attempted occupation the Minister of Land Affairs, Derek Hanekom, held discussions with the Executive Committee
61 APTC 16/6/8, file 1180 (temporary): "Submissions to Advisory Land
Commission Machaviestad .. :'; Business Day, 2 May 1995.
62 APTC 16/6/8, file 1589: Fax Bell, Dewar and Hall- A. Wright, 29 September 1994;
J. J. Pretorius, "Tussentydse verslag oor die geskil tussen die Stadsraad van
Potchefstroom en die Barolongs", 17 October 1994, Annexure to letter J. J. Pretorius
- A. L. MOiler, 17 October 1994.
63 APTC 6/6/8, file 1933: Sworn statement by A. Viljoen in Supreme Court of South
Africa (Transvaal Provincial section), Case no. 23596/94, "Stadsraad van Potchefstroom vs Barolongstam en vyf ander ", 14 November 1994, pp. 7-8.
64 APTC 6/6/8, file 1933: Supreme Court of South Africa (Transvaal Provincial section),
Case no. 23596/94, "Stadsraad van Potchefstroom vs Barolongstam en vyf ander", 14
November 1994.
65 The Citizen, 16 November 1991; Potchefstroom Hera/d, 18 November 1994 and 22
NEW CON TREE
of the Town Council. It was agreed to clarify the exact location and beacons of the area and determine its size. The Minister, after the meeting, would again communicate with the representatives of the Barolong tribe.64
As a result of the delay, during February 1995, the impatient Machavie villagers once again threatened, in spite of the court in-terdict, to make an attempt to occupy the land.67
On 24 February 1995 a delegation of the Town Council, consisting of Messrs Peter Mokele, Chris Hattingh and Professor Ben van den Bergh was given a hearing on the issue by Minister Derek Hanekom in Cape Town. It was then agreed that "The Department of Land Affairs accepts and commits itself to acquire the land from the Council in order to restore it to the Barolong community". In return, the Town Council undertook to provide the land on condi-tion that they receive reasonable compensacondi-tion from central gov-ernment. The particular piece of land was to be identified and surveyed within a fortnight. 68 This suggestion of Derek Hanekom was accepted by the Town Council on 28 February after a long
debate. It was furthermore decided that 1330 hectares of land
would be surrendered to the Machavie people.69
A delighted chief Simon Makodi indicated that he will accept the deal but that he will start negotiating immediately for more land.70 During his visit to Machaviestat with land surveyor H. Kroep he pointed out an area of 3,489 hectare of land.71 In reaction to this, the Town Council decided on 29 March 1995, "That Council will
only consider the sale of the extended area (exceeding 1,330 ha)
at a market related price:'72 The Department of Land Affairs,
how-66 APTC 6/6/8, file 1933: "Verslag van 'n spesiale vergadering van die Uitvoerende
Komitee gehou op 10 Januarie 1995", Item 1A, pp. 3-4.
67 Potchefstroom Hera/d, 24 February 1995.
68 APTC 6/6/8, file 1933A: Letter D. Hanekom - Chief Makodi, 24 February 1995;
Potchefstroom Hera/d, 28 February 1995; The Citizen, 2 March 1995; Bee/d, 2
March 1995.
69 APTC 6/6/8, file, 1933A: Extracts from the minutes of the City Council of Potchefstroom
held on 28 February 1995; Circular City Secretary - City Engineer et ai, 9 March 1995.
70 Potchefstroom Hera/d, 3 March 1995; City Press, 5 March 1995.
71 APTC 6/6/8, file 1933A: Uitvoerende Komitee/Executive Committee: 22 March 1995,
pp. 406(a) - 406(b).
72 APTC 6/6/8, file 1933A: Circular City Secretary - City Engineer et ai, 30 March
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m ~",146 NEW CON TREE
mittee to occupy Machaviestat. Makodi accused the Barolong Ac-tion Committee of efforts to undermine and isolate him from his tribe, and of failure to inform him about the plans to occupy Machaviestat. The Committee members, however, was of the opin-ion that the chief refused their requests to involve them in the ne-gotiations.81
At present the community is divided between the followers of Cap-tain Makodi and those of the so-called Machaviestat Head Com-mittee. The latter has assumed control of Machaviestat at a meet-ing on 28 May 1995. Although he was elected as chairman, an embittered Captain Makodi refuses to participate in the activities of the Head Committee or to resign as chief.82 Discord of this na-ture prevents the development of Machaviestat and handicaps ne .. gotiations with the government about essential development aid.83
Visits to the area has brought home to me the extent of injustice and pain caused by the removal policy of the apartheid govern-ment. However, these people should be supported by the new government with advice and aid in order to develop Machaviestat. At the moment this is happening in a disturbingly haphazard way.
81 City Press, 13 January 1991.
82 Interview G. J. J. Oosthuizen/M. Gorekoang (Machaviestat), 11 June 1996;
Potchefstroom Herald, 28 July 1995; City Press, 3 March 1996 and 13 August 1995.
