The Africanders

The narrative traces a long rivalry between Dutch-descended settlers and British authority in South Africa, beginning with the Dutch establishment at the Cape and continuing through recurring diplomatic and military encounters. It chronicles the settlers’ northward treks and the emergence of independent republics, and details contacts and conflicts across regions such as Natal, the Orange Free State, and the Transvaal. The author analyzes the causes and courses of two major wars of independence, debates over slavery and governance, and British imperial policy toward the republics. It closes with portraits of leaders and descriptions of the country’s geography and economy that shaped the struggle.