Native Life in South Africa | Page 6

XIII
Mr. Tengo-Jabavu, the Pioneer Native Pressman
Chapter XIV
The Native Congress and the Union Government
Chapter XV
The Kimberley Congress / The Kimberley Conference
Chapter XVI
The Appeal for Imperial Protection
Chapter XVII
The London Press and the Natives' Land Act
Chapter XVIII
The P.S.A. and Brotherhoods
Chapter XIX
Armed Natives in the South African War
Chapter XX
The South African Races and the European War
Chapter XXI
Coloured People's Help Rejected / The Offer of Assistance by the
South African Coloured Races Rejected

Chapter XXII

The South African Boers and the European War
Chapter XXIII
The Boer Rebellion
Chapter XXIV
Piet Grobler Epilogue Report of the Lands Commission

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Native Life in South Africa
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(A) Who is the Author?

After wondering for some time how best to answer this question, we
decided to reply to it by using one of several personal references in our
possession. The next puzzle was: "Which one?" We carefully examined
each, but could not strike a happy decision until some one who entered
the room happened to make use of the familiar phrase: "The long and
the short of it". That phrase solved the difficulty for us, and we at once
made up our mind to use two of these references, namely, the shortest
and the longest. The first one is from His Royal Highness the Duke of
Connaught, and the second takes the form of a leading article in the
`Pretoria News'.
== Central South African Railways, High Commissioner's Train.
On February 1, 1906, Mr. Sol Plaatje acted as Interpreter when I visited
the Barolong Native Stadt at Mafeking, and performed his duty to my
entire satisfaction.
(Signed) Arthur. Mafeking, February 1, 1906. ==
== We commence to-day an experiment which will prove a success if
only we can persuade the more rabid negrophobes to adopt a moderate
and sensible attitude. We publish the first of a series of letters from a
native correspondent of considerable education and ability, his name is
Solomon Tshekisho Plaatje. Mr. Plaatje was born in the district of
Boshof, his parents being Barolongs, coming originally from Thaba
Ncho, and trekking eventually to Mafeking. He attended the Lutheran
Mission School at the Pniel Mission Station, near Barkly West, as a
boy, under the Rev. G. E. Westphal; and at thirteen years he passed the

fourth standard, which was as far as the school could take him. For the
next three years he acted as pupil-teacher, receiving private lessons
from the Rev. and Mrs. Westphal. At the age of sixteen he joined the
Cape Government service as letter-carrier in the Kimberley Post Office.
There he studied languages in his spare time, and passed the Cape Civil
Service examination in typewriting, Dutch and native languages,
heading the list of successful candidates in each subject. Shortly before
the war he was transferred to Mafeking as interpreter, and during the
siege was appointed Dutch interpreter to the Court of Summary
Jurisdiction, presided over by Lord Edward Cecil. The Magistrate's
clerks having taken up arms, Mr. Plaatje became confidential clerk to
Mr. C. G. H. Bell, who administered Native affairs during the siege. Mr.
Plaatje drew up weekly reports on the Native situation, which were
greatly valued by the military authorities, and in a letter written to a
friend asserted with some sense of humour that "this arrangement was
so satisfactory that Mr. Bell was created a C.M.G. at the end of the
siege."
Had it not been for the colour bar, Mr. Plaatje, in all probability, would
have been holding an important position in the Department of Native
Affairs; as it was, he entered the ranks of journalism as Editor, in the
first place, of `Koranta ea Becoana', a weekly paper in English and
Sechuana, which was financed by the Chief Silas Molema and existed
for seven years very successfully. At the present moment Mr. Plaatje is
Editor of the `Tsala ea Batho' (The People's Friend) at Kimberley,
which is owned by a native syndicate, having its headquarters in the
Free State. Mr. Plaatje has acted as interpreter for many distinguished
visitors to South Africa, and holds autograph letters from the Duke of
Connaught, Mr. Chamberlain, and other notabilities. He visited Mr.
Abraham Fischer quite lately and obtained from him a promise to
introduce a Bill into Parliament ameliorating the position of the Natives
of the Orange River Colony, who are debarred by law from receiving
titles to landed property. Mr. Plaatje's articles on native affairs have
been marked by the robust common sense and moderation so
characteristic of Mr. Booker Washington. He realizes the great debt
which the Natives owe to the men who brought civilization to South
Africa. He is no agitator or firebrand, no stirrer-up of bad feeling
between black and white. He accepts the position which