SCRAMBLE &PARTITION OF SOUTHERN AFRICA

Definition of key terms.

Imperialism is / refers to:

The seizure of a country or territory by another stronger country.

A process of acquiring, administering and exploiting colonies.
A process of exploiting foreign lands and foreign people for personal benefit.

Colonization refers to:

A process of taking direct political control of a smaller country by another bigger country which
is usually foreign e.g. colonization of Zimbabwe by Britain.
A process whereby a stronger country takes political and economic control of a relatively weaker
country.

Scramble:
Is a sudden rush for something haphazardly in order to grab the valuable or important things first
ahead of others.
European countries rushed, competing to grab colonies in Africa.

Partition is:
To divide a country or continent into more or less equal parts.
The systematic breakdown / division of territories.

Colony: is a territory that is controlled by another stronger country which is usually foreign.
A number of colonies make up an empire e.g. the British Empire.

The "Scramble for Africa" was the invasion, occupation, colonization and annexation of
African territory by European powers during the period of New Imperialism, between 1881 and
1914. It is also called the Partition of Africa and the Conquest of Africa. In 1870, only 10
percent of Africa was under European control; by 1914 it was 90 percent of the continent, with
only Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and Liberia still being independent.

BACKGROUND

 Industrialization stirred ambitions in many European nations.

 They desired more resources/raw materials to fuel their industrial production.
 They competed mainly for new markets for their goods because Europe had become
heavily saturated with almost the same type of goods and as such, profits started to
dwindle.
 Many European nations looked to and saw Africa as a source of raw materials as well as
a market for their goods. Consequentially, colonial powers seized vast areas of Africa
during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
 The seizure of a country or territory by another stronger country is called
IMPERIALISM.
SCRAMBLE &PARTITION OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
 As was the scenario throughout Africa, stronger countries dominated the social,
economic and political life of the weaker African countries.

Definition of Scramble for Africa

- It involves rushing for something probably in short supply.

- It was an intense competition for territory in Africa among European Powers.
- Six countries namely Britain, Germany, Portugal, Spain, France and Italy led the
scramble.
- European powers interested in Southern Africa were Britain, Germany, Portugal and
Boers.
- Southern Africa comprises of: Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia,
Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
- The kingdoms that were colonised in Southern Africa were: Ndebele state, Zulu state,
Gaza state, Sotho Kingdom, Swazi kingdom, Ngwato kingdom (Bechuanaland)and
Namibia

Reasons for Scramble

Economic Reasons

- Need for raw materials.

- Need to invest surplus capital.
- Need for markets.
- Fertile soil in Africa offered perfect opportunities for agricultural purposes
- Good climatic conditions in Southern Africa were suitable for both agriculture and
human settlement.
- availability of cheap labour in Africa
- Hope of finding more gold and diamonds after the discovery of these minerals in South
Africa.
- Protectionist tendencies in Europe caused European powers to grab African colonies
where they could trade freely.
- Availability of trading opportunities

Political Reasons

- Prestige (attractiveness and importance that is very obvious or enviable, associated with
wealthy or successful people.)
More colonies reflected the status of a country. For e.g. Italy wanted to prove the status
of her unification through acquisition of colonies.
Small countries like Portugal and Spain joined the race to grab colonies in order to be
regarded as great.
SCRAMBLE &PARTITION OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
- German unification of 1871 resulted in her demanding a place in the sun i.e. to acquire
more colonies to parallel Britain and France
- Rhodes’ Cape to Cairo dream (to establish British colonies from Southern Africa to
North Africa or to paint the whole of Africa red).
- France after her defeat by Germany in 1871 turned her attention to Africa so as to make
for lost territories in Europe
-
- British encirclement of the Transvaal
The Boers sought to extend their territory beyond the Limpopo River to avoid being
encircled by the British. The British who were determined to control the Boers tried to
stop the Boers from extending beyond Limpopo River. Britain controlled all the ports of
entry in South Africa. Therefore, Zimbabwe was colonised as a way of denying the
Boers access to Port Beira in Mozambique. Britain wanted the Boers to accept the union
of South Africa under British leadership.

Social Reasons

- Settlement
European Powers wanted to resettle their excess population in Southern Africa.
- Colonies would absorb the unemployed by giving these people opportunities to embark
on mining, farming, and hunting.
- To create living space for the future generation.
- Racism (Europeans believed in the superiority of the whites to dominate the Africans).
- Humanitarians or Philanthropists wanted to :
- (a) spread Christianity
- (b) bring Western civilisation
- (c) discourage evil practices like Slavery
(d) spread 3 Rs (reading, writing, & arithmetic)

Strategic Reasons

- Some areas were occupied because of their strategic importance economically and
politically e.g.(a) Britain occupied Egypt in order to protect the Suez Canal which is an
important route to India.
(b) Control of the Cape of Good Hope. The Cape is strategically located along trade
routes i.e. from Europe to Asia.(c) Rhodes wanted to keep the missionary road open
(d) The Portuguese wanted to link Portuguese East Africa with Angola.(e) The
Germans wanted to link South West Africa (Namibia) with Tanzania (Tanganyika).
(f) The desire to control major rivers like Congo and Zambezi

Other factors
SCRAMBLE &PARTITION OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
- European groups in Africa (men on the spot)
Groups like explorers, traders, missionaries and businessmen put pressure on their
governments to colonise Africa.
- Africa was economically and politically weak. Therefore, she was not in a position to
resist the more powerful invaders.
- Lack of unity among African states and communities.
- Selfishness on the part of African chiefs who entered into agreements with the whites for
personal gains.
- Illiteracy of Africans
Europeans took advantage of Africans’ illiteracy and cheated them into signing the
treaties which they did not understand their actual implications on the ground or in
reality.

Methods used to colonise Southern Africa

- Signing of treaties e.g. Grobler Treaty, Moffat Treaty, Rudd Concession and Lippert
Concession
- Use of missionaries as colonial agents e.g. Charles Helm, J. S. Moffat
- Use of warfare e.g. Anglo-Ndebele war and Anglo-Zulu war etc.
- Tricked African chiefs into signing treaties e.g. Lobengula was tricked into signing the
Rudd Concession.
- They used Protectorates. Some African chiefs became British protectorates willingly e.g.
Bechuanaland.
- Used companies like the B.S.A.C.
- Used explorers, hunters and traders.
- Colonial agents also used bribery for e.g. Lotshe was bribed to convince Lobengula to
sign the Rudd Concession.
- Use of warfare with Africans e.g. Anglo Ndebele War
- The signing of bogus treaties and agreements. e.g. Moffat Treaty and Rudd Concession.
- These assisted European to establish colonial rule in Africa the most famous treaty was
signed by Dr Karl Peters and Chief Mangungo.
- Bribery e.g. Lotshe was bribed by Charles Helm
- Bought treaties
- The use of explorer or adventures. Explorers and adventures used like Speke and Stanley
gave exaggerated reports to their home governments based on lakes, minerals climate and
mountain which later attracted colonialists.
- Used chartered companies such as the BSAC
- Used traders e.g. Frederick Courtney Selous
- Used missionaries e.g. J.S. Moffat , Charles Helm e.t.c
- Missionaries paved the ways for colonization by preaching the message of love and
brotherhood which convinced the African that it was a sin to fight against the Europeans
SCRAMBLE &PARTITION OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
- Conferences such as the Berlin Conference were used to the maximum to justify the
legality and validity of colonialism.
- Used rich tycoons such as Rhodes
- The method of divide and rule e.g. by introducing different religions such as Catholic
Protestants and Moslems. This created disunity among the enemy.

EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE METHODS

 Wars resulted in Africans being defeated and hence coming under colonial rule.
 Treaties placed African areas under European control.
 Africans were successfully bribed.
 Protectorate system placed Africans under European rule
 HOWEVER, treaties were later rejected by Europeans.
 Wars resulted in Europeans also dying.
 Use of missionaries jeopardised missionary relations with Africans.

Whites who helped in the colonisation of Southern Africa

 Cecil John Rhodes,

 Paul Kruger,
 J. S. Moffat,
 Piet Grobler,
 Charles Helm,
 Queen Victoria,
 Lord Salisbury,
 F. C. Selous,
 Leander Star Jameson,
 Colonel Pennefather,
 Prince Otto Von Bismarck,
 Duke of Fife,
 Charles Rudd,
 Francis Thompson,
 Duke of Abercorn

Competition for the colonisation of Southern Africa

Britain and Boers

- When the British took over Cape colony the Boers trekked into the interior and created
Boer states of: Orange Free State, Transvaal, and Natal.
- The competition between the two countries intensified after the discovery of diamonds in
1867 in Orange Free State and gold in 1873 in Transvaal.
- Anglo- Boer wars were fought over mineral wealth.
SCRAMBLE &PARTITION OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
- Britain and Boers competed for the control of the diamond wealth in Kimberley. This led
to British annexation of Orange Free State.
- British desire to access Nguni labour force and to encircle the Boers led to annexation of
Natal and to declare a protectorate over Bechuanaland so as to preserve the “missionary
road” and thwart Boer expansion westwards.
- The Boers abandoned Swaziland during the South African War, 1889-1903.
- Swaziland eventually became a British protectorate.
- Boers had declared two Republics of Stellaland and Goshen.
- The two countries also competed for the colonisation of Ndebele state as shown by the
signing of Grobler Treaty and Moffat Treaty.
- The British ended up as winners after signing the Rudd Concession

Britain and Portugal

- The two competed for the control of Mashonaland which Lobengula claimed to control.
- Portuguese intended to join Portuguese East Africa (P.E.A) with Angola whilst Rhodes
had Cape to Cairo dream.
- Anglo- Portuguese Treaty of 1891 resolved conflicts between Rhodesia and P.E.A.

Germany and Britain

- British influence was spreading from the South to the North whilst Germany was
expanding eastwards from South West Africa.
- Britain declared a protectorate in Bechuanaland in 1885 to thwart German expansion and
preserve the missionary road.

Part played by Cecil John Rhodes in the colonisation of Southern Africa.

 Rhodes spearheaded the British thrust to acquire territory in Southern Africa.

 He used his wealthy from his mining business in South Africa. Rhodes made a quick
fortune from mining gold and diamonds in South Africa in the 1870s.
 In 1881, Rhodes entered the Cape Parliament and utilise his time there to call for British
expansion northwards.
 After failing to get ready co-operation from the Boer states, he led a campaign to
establish British influence in Bechuanaland. The motive was to stop the Boers from
expanding northwards.
 In 1886, the Bechuanaland Protectorate was established by Britain with Rhodes help. .
 Rhodes also advanced his Cape to Cairo dream and campaigned for British expansion
north of the Limpopo.
 He sent envoys to make negotiations with Africans who lived north of the Limpopo. In
1888, he obtained the Moffat Treaty and Rudd Concession from Lobengula, king of the
Ndebele.
SCRAMBLE &PARTITION OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
 In 1889, he obtained the Royal Charter from the British Queen giving him the legal right
to occupy Zimbabwe.
 In 1890, the Pioneer Column was sent from Bechuanaland and the area was occupied in
September 1890.
 From 1890 to 1900, the British increased their intention to control all South Africa with
some push from Rhodes whose British South Africa Company was now controlling
Rhodesia.

HOW SUCCESSFUL WAS RHODES IN GAINING TERRITORY IN THIS REGION?

 He increased the British territorial interest in Southern Africa.

 He managed to acquire Bechuanaland ahead of the Boers and the Germans.
 Secured Rhodesia ahead of the Germans, Boers and Portuguese.
 He used tactics to out – manoeuvre rivals i.e. tricked local leaders and undermined
representatives of other nationalities.
 The strategy of enclosing the Boers worked when later they were dispossessed.
 Rhodes’ efforts led to the expansion of British territory further north of the Zambezi.
 Germany ended up gaining Germany South West Africa (Namibia) only.
 The Portuguese managed to gain two large territories in Southern Africa.
 These successes were an indirect result of Rhodes’ campaigns on behalf of the British.

Impact of the partition of Southern Africa

Benefits / Merits

- Development of transport system e.g. roads, ports and railway lines.

- Communication improved e.g. telegraph lines.
- Improvement in agriculture facilities, e.g. irrigation, new crops and new farming
methods.
- Africans became literate.
- Africans were taught practical skills like carpentry, woodwork, metal work and building.
- Abolition of bad practices like killing of twins and slave trade.
- Well defined borders up to now in the whole of Africa.
- International languages such as English were introduced for better communication.
- There was infrastructure development e.g. railways, tarred roads and communication
networks.
- Tribal and civil wars came to an end.
- Formal education was brought to Africa.
- Protection of formerly endangered minorities e.g. the Lozi who used to suffer constant
attacks from the Ndebele.
- Foreign goods were introduced to Africa e.g. crops, tools.
- Medicines were introduced to cure diseases e.g. Quinine for malarial cure and prevention.
SCRAMBLE &PARTITION OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
Non benefits// Demerits

 Africans lost their land.

 Africans lost their cattle.
 Africans lost their independence.
 Forced labour.
 Exploitation of resources.
 Education system was designed to benefit the Europeans more than the Africans. African
education was meant to create cheap labour for Europeans.
 African traditional religion was undermined.
 People of similar cultures and languages were divided.
 African chiefs and kings lost their status and power.
 Wars of occupation resulted in severe deaths especially of Africans.
 There was enhanced exploitation of African resources by Europeans.
 Minerals were heavily looted e.g. uranium in the Congo.
 Human rights were seriously violated.
 Precipitated conflict among Europeans resulting in World War One e.g. French and
Germany rivalry over Morocco leading to the Moroccan crisis which was one of the
causes of the Great War.
 Resulted in the impoverishment of Africans e.g. loss of land, loss of cattle and dignity.
 European diseases were spread to Africa e.g. influenza
 African culture was spoiled e.g. dress code, vulgar language, drinking and smoking.
 Africans suffered the consequences of European Industrialisation, something which they
had no knowledge of and worse off, nothing to benefit from it.