Britain diamond mining and increasing labour control and

Britain, diamond mining and increasing labour control and land expansionism

Overview Increasing Migrant Closed control over indigenous workers: labour compounds

Britain, diamond mining and increasing labour control and land expansionism When gold and diamonds were discovered it changed South Africa Diamonds Gold in 1867 in 1886 South Africa changes from an agricultural/rural economy to an industrial one. This created wealth which lead to a number of challenges: Intensified oppression Conflict Immigration

Colonisation expanded as more and more people flocked to South Africa in search of riches. Africa was meant to be a half way station for passing ships. Britain governed the areas of the Natal and the Cape Their interest in the Boer republics of the Transvaal and Free state, as well as areas under the control of the African kingdoms, only changed with the discovery of diamonds in Griqualand South Africa became one of Britain's most valuable possessions.

Migrant labour = workers who travel from their homes to live and work somewhere else for long periods of time Before the discovery of diamonds in the Cape the had already been using the migrant labour system Indigenous people had been working in the Cape in order to get access to guns and money Workers would live in rural areas and travel long distances to work Workers would spend months away from home working.

Britain took over the diamond fields in South Africa The company that controlled these mines was De Beers Consolidated mines Limited The company wanted to use cheap labour in order to turn a higher profit

The largest diamond ever found is called the Cullinan diamond? It weighs a whopping 1. 33 pounds (0. 6 kilograms) which is 3, 106 carats. They are one of the hardest substances on earth 20% of diamonds are used for making jewellery. The other 80% are used as industrial diamonds. Diamond is the birthstone for people born in April? Blue and red coloured diamonds are extremely rare?

Diamond mining in South Africa meant that: Workers could earn money to buy guns, cattle, ploughs. To create a system of control, over workers, the pass system was introduced Workers could only gain access to towns once they had a contract with employers Workers No had to carry a pass = arrested

Closed compounds The closed compound system allowed the colonial powers complete control over the workers A closed compound was a number of buildings , used as living quarters, surrounded by high walls They were usually made of corrugated iron Mine owners used the compound system to monitor diamond theft When miners contracts were over, miners could not just leave and go home, miners had to stay an extra week in case they had swallowed any diamonds.