PRESIDENT PAUL KRUGER

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Die destydse staatspresident S J P  Kruger (oom Paul) het ‘n magdom van inligting en interessante legkaarte wat agter sy naam en geskiedkundige memoires ingevul kan word wat ons as Boere volk op trots kan wees.   Hy was nie net ‘n groot en sterk gelowige nie, maar sy Presidentskap is en word internasionaal gereken en erken as deel van die Boere Republieke en hul geskiedenis.  Sy naam, sowel as diegene wat saam hom was, is en behoort ons helde te wees en kan nie net vergeet word nie.   

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Daar moet in gedagte gehou word, dit was die Boere volk wat vryheid verlang het wat nie onder die Britte se bombastiese en eiesoortige moordadige onderdrukking wou staan nie.  Paul Kruger is deel van Boere republieke, erfenisse, kultuurskatte en nalatenskappe vir die Boere volksgenote.

Dit is en bly deel van ons kultuurskatte, geskiedenis en identiteit as Boere volk.   Al die leiers van al die Boere republieke, nie net oom Paul nie, is verewig in ons geskiedenis, kultuur en selfs as nakomelinge, moet ons dit met trots voortdra.  Dit geld vir elke Boere republiek.

Die Anglo-Boere oorloë, selfs kleiner veldslae in al die Boere republieke, is deur alle beskikbare Boere volksvegters aangedurf en was dus nie net die ZAR of Vrystaat alleen hierin nie.  Boere krygers was nie alleen nie, menige vroue en kinders het saamgeveg vir vryheid en oorlewing.

Brittanje en haar bondgenote het oor die Boere volk probeer loop om hul totaal en al uit te wis en te laat ondergaan op elke moontlike gebied.  Dit is een van die redes hoekom alle Boere volksgenote uit alle Boere republieke geveg het, selfs Rebelle en vrywilligers het meegedoen, wat nie net simpatiek teenoor die Boere volk was nie, maar omdat die Boere volk ‘n groot aanslag uit verskillende oorde moes afweer vir hul vryheid en hul Boere republieke.

Die ZAR soos die Vrystaat Boere republieke, was meer as twee Boere republiek wat die Boere volk as Republieke verklaar het nadat daar onderhandelinge was met plaaslike opperhoofde en stamkapteins.  Grondgebiede is nie gesteel van enige swart of ander bevolkingsgroepe nie, omrede swart leiers, dit ook nie aangekoop het nie en was gebiede wat nie bewoonbaar was nie.

Swartes het volgens verskeie artikels, in die tydperk ongeveer 1790-1800 uit die noorde in suidelike Afrika aangekom en sekere grondgebiede beset.   Dit is deur hulself en ook later deur die Engelse as Reservate, Lokasies of Kroongebiede gedoop.   Hulle het van die beste landbougrond gebiede beset en is deur niemand daarop ingedwing nie.   Geen grond is deur hulle aangekoop nie, want dit is eenvoudig beset.  Hul het ook hul eie tradisionele leiers gekies sonder enige inmenging.   Hulle maak aanspraak op alle gebiede, die hele land, terwyl hulle slegs in besette gebiede gebly het.

Na 1961 het al die Reservate en Lokasies ‘n tydperk binnegaan as Tuislande.   Swartes het amptelik na 1961 hul eie leiers gekies en daarvoor gestem.  Dit is op rekord dat hulle ook na onafhanklikheid gestreef het.  Die leuens wat verkondig word dat swartes nooit stemreg gehad het, is alles leuens, want in die tydperk was amptelike verkiesings uitgeroep.  Hulle het sedert 1815 ongeveer hul gebiede self beset en niemand, veral nie die Boere volk nie, het hulle daarin gedwing nie.

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Paul Kruger kan as een van die prominente grondeienaars in die Transvaal (ZAR) gedurende die negentiende eeu beskou word. Hy was as een van die vroeë setlaars geregtig op ‘n beperkte hoeveelheid grond sonder vergoeding. Hy het ook ‘n paar plase as kompensasie vir sy dienste as kommandant en kommandant-generaal in die vroeë jare van die nuwe Transvaalse Republiek (ZAR) ontvang.  

Die Transvaal of ZAR,  nes die Vrystaat, was ‘n paar Boere republieke wat saam gevorm het en later volle onafhanklikheid onder beperkte selfbeskikking van Brittanje, geniet het.

Boere republieke se grondgebiede en wat as sulks verklaar is,  was destyds met geld aangekoop of verruil en ooreengekom vir dienste gelewer het aan swart stamme.   Grond wat so bekom is, het swartes nog minder beset en was dit onbewoonbaar en niemandsland.   Daarmee is niks verkeerd om oor land en gebiede te onderhandel nie, dit gebeur vandag nog steeds regoor die wêreld.

Die Boere republieke se burgers het oral bekend gestaan as Boere en hulle was nie net landbouers van beroep nie.   Hulle het dorpe en stede, ontwikkel gestig en uitgeroep.   Daar word soms verwys dat Boere slegs landbouers is, maar hier is dit nie die geval nie.   In die Afrikaanse taal word boer beskryf as ‘n landbouer, maar die Boere van die Boere republieke is ‘n volwaardige volk net soos wat die Zoeloe, Xhosa, Griekwa, Italianers en Russiese volke bestaan.

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Wie was Paul Kruger regtig?

Oom Paul Kruger – die staatsman, was uniek en het vir elke Boere volksgenoot iets nagelaat om te herkou – hy was nederig en het na homself verwys as ‘n skaapwagter.   Hulle was deel van die Trek.

Terwyl hy nog in sy tienerjare was, het Kruger ‘n rol in die openbare lewe gespeel as ‘n plaaslike veldkornet, ‘n pos waarin burgerlike en militêre pligte gekombineer is. In Januarie 1852 was hy teenwoordig toe die Transvaalse leier, Andries Pretorius, die Sandrivier konvensie met verteenwoordigers van Groot-Brittanje gesluit het, waardeur die onafhanklikheid van die Boere, noord van die Vaalrivier erken is. Hy het in 1855–58 deelgeneem om die ZAR (Transvaal) grondwet op te stel.

Omdat die Boere republieke ‘n jong land was, kon hulle nie altyd leiers vergoed vir wat hulle doen nie.   Dus is daar grondgebiede en plase aan hierdie leiers toegeken.   Indien hy wel ‘n salaris sou ontvang het, sou hy waarskynlik ook grond aangekoop het, nes ander dit gedoen het.   Inteendeel het hy wel ook plase aangekoop.

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Paul Kruger se dienste en grondbesit

Paul Kruger het daarbenewens ‘n baie prominente koper van plase, sowel as erwe in sommige dorpe, geword.   Aanvanklik in die westelike helfte van die Transvaal, maar later ook in die oostelike en noordelike Transvaal.

Kruger het ‘n groot aantal van sy plase aan familielede verkoop, maar later van sy ander plase teen markpryse aan ander verkoop. Sy mees winsgewende transaksie was toe hy en sy skoonseun, F.C. Eloff, die plaas Geduld, oos van Johannesburg, in 1886 gekoop het.

Hoe lyk een van die bekende plase wat Paul Kruger gehad het?   Dit is ook ‘n erkende Boere museum, wat niks met Afrikaners of ander volke uit te make het nie, dit is en bly deel van Boere erfenisse.

https://shorturl.at/vZa3f

Paul Kruger se bekende huis in Pretoria, alhoewel ‘n staatshuis was dit ook privaat eiendom – ‘n Boere museum en deel van die Boere erfenisse.

https://t.ly/XMC_L

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LONDON KONVENSIES

Met die Britse anneksasie van Transvaal (ZAR) in 1877 het Kruger nie net bekendheid onder die Boere volksgenote gekry nie,  maar ook internasionale steun verkry om onafhanklikheid te herwin, want Brittanje het oral hul neuse ingedruk waar dit nie hoort nie.

Met daardie doel in gedagte het hy Engeland gedurende 1877 en 1878 besoek.   Later het hy nog meer gedoen om die Boere volk se steun te verkry om hierdie anneksasie ongedaan te probeer maak sodat die Boere volk hul vryheid kon terugkry.

Dit was duidelik dat Engeland en haar bondgenote vrye teuels gehad om te doen wat hulle gedoen het met Boere republieke asook reservate (besette swart stamme gebiede) en kroongebiede (Griekwa en Khoi san gebiede).  Hulle het probeer om soveel as moontlik grond en veral minerale rykdomme te bekom en selfs in te palm.    Hulle het eenvoudig oor die aparte stamme / volkies geloop om hulle te vernietig.

Die Boere het ook deurgeloop.   Die slag van Majuba was een van die grootste oorwinnings om vryheid vir die Boere volk terug te kry.

Majuba (SA) Amajuba

In 1883 is Paul Kruger verkies tot president van die herstelde republiek, en hy het daardie amp beklee tot 1902 waar hul alles verloor het.

1883

President Kruger het weer in 1883 Engeland besoek en na uitgerekte onderhandelinge ‘n nuwe konvensie in Londen op 27 Februarie 1884 gesluit wat die westelike grens reggestel het en enige verwysing na Britse soewereiniteit oor Transvaal verwyder het.

Met sy terugkeer in die ZAR vind hy sy republiek gewikkel is met die Kaapse koloniale owerhede oor beheer van die gebied langs die westelike grens, wat deur Cecil Rhodes, die Kaapse staatsman, as die “Suez-kanaal” na die gebied noord van die Limpoporivier beskou is.

In 1885 Kruger was forced to accede to British demands to withdraw from the area in question and to agree to a British protectorate over Bechuanaland. Terselfdertyd is die weg oopgemaak vir die toekomstige uitbreiding van die Kaapkolonie na die noorde.

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Paul-Kruger#ref116545

Rhodes het nooit ophou droom nie en oral het hy, namens Brittanje hul neuse ingedruk in volke wat nie onder Britse beheer wou bly nie.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Cecil-Rhodes/Political-involvement-in-Africa#ref268442

Invalsplanne op Boere republieke

Die Vredesverdrag van 1902 spreek vanself, hoe Brittanje nie by hul eie ooreenkomste en voorwaardes gehou het om selfregering en onafhanklikheid terug te gee soos wat dit was nie.   Daar is ander voorwaardes wat deur Brittanje verbreek is soos die vervolging en ter dood veroordeelde Boere leiers en volkslede.   Van hierdie voorwaardes word vandag steeds verbreek deur die huidige regering, sowel deur die 1910 en 1948 regerings.  Brittanje is nie alleen hierin nie, haar statebond staan saam hierin, sowel liberale Afrikaner en organisasies wat bydra om die Boere volk te vernietig.

British horses during the Anglo-Boer wars

1900 Dertig sikkels silwer (30000 Britse pond) –  ABO

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There are information about the Wars of Independence, what it is about and the annexation of lands of gold, diamands and other mineral (annexation of minerals took place in 1902 after the ABWs.

Minerale en Apartheid tot datum -Brittanje

Invalsplanne op Boere republieke

Anglo Boere oorloë  –  Shepstone

Anglo-Boere oorloë  – Springfontein

Anglo-Boere Oorlog: Konsentrasiekampe

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VIDEO MATERIAL

Paul Kruger 1887

In time, Kruger emerged as a leader. He started as a field cornet in the commandos, eventually becoming Commandant-General of the South African Republic. He was appointed member of a commission of the Volksraad, the republican parliament that was to draw up a constitution. People began to take notice of the young man and he played a prominent part in ending the quarrel between the Transvaal leader, Stephanus Schoeman, and M.W. Pretorius. In 1873, Kruger resigned as Commandant-General, and for a time he held no office and retired to his farm, Boekenhoutfontein.

However, in 1874 he was elected to the Executive Council and shortly after that became Vice-President of the Transvaal. Following the annexation of the Transvaal by Britain in 1877, Kruger became the leader of the resistance movement. During the same year, he visited Britain for the first time as leader of a deputation. In 1878, he was part of a second deputation. A highlight of his visit to Europe was when he ascended in a hot air balloon and saw Paris from the air.

The First Boer War, also known as the “First War of Independence”, started in 1880, and the British forces were defeated in the decisive battle at Majuba in 1881. Once again, Kruger played an important role in the negotiations with the British, which led to the restoration of the Transvaal’s independence under British suzerainty.

On 30 December 1880, at the age of 55, Kruger was elected President of the Transvaal.

One of his first aims was the revision of the Pretoria Convention of 1881, the agreement between the Boers and the British that ended the First Boer War. Therefore, he again left for Britain in 1883, empowered to negotiate with Lord Derby. Kruger and his companions also visited the Continent and this visit became a triumph in countries such as Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Spain. In Germany, he attended an imperial banquet at which he was presented to the Emperor, Wilhelm I, and spoke at length with Bismarck.

At the end of 1895, the failed Jameson raid took place; Jameson was forced to surrender, taken to Pretoria and handed over to his British countrymen for punishment. Kruger believed that the Earth is flat; in 1897 he said to a sailor sailing round the world “You don’t mean round the world, it is impossible! You mean in the world. Impossible!”[1]. In 1898, Kruger was elected President for the fourth and last time.

On 11 October 1899, the Second Boer War broke out. On 7 May the following year, Kruger attended the last session of the Volksraad, and left Pretoria on 29 May as Lord Roberts was advancing on the town. For weeks he either stayed in a house at Waterval Onder or in his railway carriage at Machadodorp in the then Eastern Transvaal, now Mpumalanga. In October, he left South Africa on the Dutch warship De Gelderland, sent by the Queen of the Netherlands Wilhelmina, which had simply ignored the British naval blockade of South Africa. His wife was too ill to travel and remained in South Africa; she died on 20 July 1901. Kruger went to Marseille and stayed for a while in The Netherlands, before moving to Clarens, Switzerland, where he died on 14 July 1904. He was buried on 16 December 1904 in the Church Street cemetery, Pretoria.

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President Paul Kruger

State President S.J.P. (Paul) Kruger may be regarded as one of the leading landowners in the Transvaal during the nineteenth century. His historical background in landownership is an interesting one.

His father, Casper Kruger, did not own any land in the Cape Colony before he and his family, including the young Paul, migrated to the Transvaal in the late 1830s. Casper was largely dependent on the lands of family and friends in the colony for the necessary grazing for his flock of sheep.1 This was possibly one of the incentives for the young Kruger’s intensive and systematic efforts to acquire land in the Transvaal after he settled there. Chief Justice J.G. Kotzé, who knew Kruger quite well as state president and had weekly appointments with him,2 made an interesting observation on the importance that Kruger attached to landownership:

However, these farms, together with the other farms that he bought in the 1850s and 1860s, created a financial problem for Kruger.

In the early years of the South African Republic, officials such as Kruger were largely remunerated with land instead of salaries because of the poor state of the economy. Kruger nevertheless had to pay transfer duties etc. for the land he acquired in this manner, as well as the full purchase price for land that he bought from other persons.

In the matter of banking, however much he may have trusted the deposit of state funds in the bank, the President kept no personal banking account, preferring to cash the Treasury draft received of his monthly salary and having the money in his possession, investing it in land.

The earliest land registers for the Transvaal contain at least two entries for the young Kruger – one for “Paul” Kruger and the other one for “Stephanus Johan Paulus” Kruger for, respectively, 1849 (Rietvalei [sic] “on the Magalies berg”) and 1842 (“on the Hexrivier”).   The latter entry refers to the farm Waterkloof  which, according to Kruger’s memoirs, he obtained in that period – evidently on the strength of the practice of allocating two farms to new farmers in the initial years of white settlement in the Transvaal (ZAR).     This farm was initially allocated to J. Cronjé but he does not appear to have utilised it; either way, he did not pay the inspection fees.

Rietvalei (sic) 824 is located to the southwest of Rustenburg. The government awarded this farm to Kruger.   During his short stay in the Eastern Transvaal in 1845 the farm Swartkop on the Steelpoort River was also allocated to Kruger. However, since he returned to the western Magaliesberg area a few months later, this was not really of any significance.

In the period up to 1877 Kruger acquired possession of at least 27 farms or portions of farms in the Rustenburg district in addition to the farm allocated to him on the Steelpoort River (see above). Nine of these farms were awarded to him for services rendered to the state.

The farms were Rietvalei 824 (sic) ; Doornpoort 251; Saulspoort 269; Welgevonden 351; Rhenosterkraal 563; Middelkuil 564; Modderkuil 565; Koedoesspruit 572; and Roodekraalspruit 592.

Apart from the nine farms that Kruger obtained from the government in the District of Rustenburg for his services, he also bought a number of other farms or portions of farms in this district in the period preceding the 1880s, inter alia Losperfontein 119; Boschfontein 193; Klein Doornspruit 255; Baviaanskrans 288; Beestkraal 296; Turffontein 297; Boekenhoutfontein 336; Kookfontein 337; Zwartkop 355; Zoutpansdrift 359; Rietspruit 419; Beerfontein 432; Klipfontein 538; Waterval 544; Bierkraal 545; and Palmietfontein 551. At a later stage, Kruger bought the farms Driefontein 696 (later No. 83, in the Warmbaths district) and Albion 376 in the Rustenburg district. He possibly also acquired other farms as well.

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Now it was earlier laid down that nobody could register a farm located at a native village; people, however, did not heed this and various burghers and speculators registered farms on which natives lived, or near to where they lived. This was, however, against the law. They received transfer for those farms and then it would have meant that the Government had no land left and that the natives would have to be driven away.

Therefore the Volksraad resolved to give such burghers this land on a proportional basis and a Commission was appointed to see from the returns made on the land whether burghers had received more than the value of such farms. As far as the granting of locations was concerned, the Government had always been careful …

ZAR President Paul Kruger

Paul Kruger in Switzerland

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