DEEP-LEVEL GOLD MINING ON THE WITWATERSRAND 1886

ONWARDS (pages 152 & 156 - 161)

1. The Randlords and the formation of the Chamber of Mines

1.1 Randlords (mine owners)

It was too expensive to operate a gold mine. Machinery was needed and new
technologies had to be developed. Leadership was provided by a small of men
including Cecil John Rhodes, Barney Barnato and Alfred Beit, who had already
made their fortunes on the diamond mines.

These men became partners and created mining companies, and these owners became
known as the ‘Randlords’. They provided the money that was needed to start a gold
mine, and planned carefully to make good decisions so that their companies made a
profit.

Look at Source I on pg. 152!

1.2 The formation of the Chamber of Mines

In 1899, the mine owners joined together to form a mine owners’ association called
the Chamber of Mines. It became very powerful and used its power to benefit the
owners.

They worked together to agree on how to deal with common problems:

 how to find workers?
 how to keep wages as low as possible?
 how to force the government to pass laws in their interests?

The profits from the mines were taxed and the tax was paid to the Transvaal
government.

2. Impact of migrant labour on families

2.1 The burden on women in the reserves

The rural areas were black communities lived became known as ‘labour reserves.’
They were a source of labour supply for the mines and the factories.

More men left home to become migrant workers, and life changed for those who
stayed at home. Women, children and old people had to look after themselves.
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 Women had to take over men’s work, it did not seem to matter how hard they worked
– the rural areas became poorer and poorer. Family erosion slowly broke down rural
African communities.

2.2 The reserves become poorer

There was less and less land to farm as white settlers took over more and more land.
Industrialization caused soil erosion, and thus the soil produced less and less food.

Families were forced to buy food, tools and clothes. As a result, people needed more
and more money. The mines and factories got richer and the migrant workers and
their families got poorer.

Look at Source N on pg. 156!

2.3 Erosion of families

Fathers and young men left their homes for long periods of time and adapted to
different ways of life in the city. Women, children, the old and sick stayed in the
rural areas. This led to the breakdown and erosion of family life.

Look at Source Q on pg. 157!

3. Skilled and unskilled white workers

3.1 Racial segregation

During the Mineral Revolution in South Africa, separate white and black working
classes emerged. White workers were protected by the law and only white workers
were allowed to do skilled jobs. White miners were paid higher wages than black
unskilled miners.

This segregation system was built on racism, which is the false belief that some
people are better than others. Racists divided people into different ‘race’ groups and
believed that it is okay for whites to dominate the blacks on the grounds of their
colour. The Mineral Revolution laid the foundation for the system of racial
segregation in South Africa.

Look at Source T, U & V on pg. 158!

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4. Anti-Indian legislation

4.1 Laws that discriminated against the Indians in the Transvaal

Indians arrived in Natal from 1860 onwards, like many people, many Indians moved
to the Witwatersrand after the discovery of gold. They were not welcomed by the
Transvaal government, and laws were passed which discriminated against Indians.
This was to discourage Indians from settling in the Transvaal.

Indians:
 could not obtain citizen rights or vote
 had to live in areas set aside for Indians
 had to have a license to trade
 had to carry passes
 were prohibited from marrying whites
 were placed in the same category as blacks (labourers)
 were prohibited from walking on the pavements

Look at Source W on pg. 159!

5. Forms of labour resistance

5.1 How did workers resist?

 The most common form of labour resistance on the mines was for workers to break
their contracts because of low pay and poor living conditions. They were not
allowed to strike, so they would leave to fins other jobs or return home.

 Drinking too much alcohol on weekends meant workers were too hung-over to
work on Monday, this slowed down production.

 Many workers deliberately did their jobs badly, broke their tools and acted ‘stupid’
by pretending not to understand orders.

Trade unionism

Black workers were introduced to unions by the early struggles of white workers who
had begun to form trade unions from 1880. Black workers learnt that in order to win
their demands they had to organize large groups of resistance.

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6. The city of Johannesburg

Johannesburg is the biggest city in South Africa today, it is a result of gold

mining. Today Johannesburg is situated in the province of Gauteng.

At the time of gold discovery in 1886, Johannesburg was in the Boer Republic
called Transvaal. In 1910, the Transvaal became a province of the white
controlled Union of South Africa.

In 1994, South Africa became a democratic country and the names of the
provinces were changed. Transvaal was divided up, and Johannesburg became
part of the new province of Gauteng.

Gauteng is South Africa’s economic hub and it is the most populated of the
provinces, although it is far the smallest geographically.

Look at Source Y & Z on pg. 161!