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The ambition and fortitude of African traders : a study of early local traders in the Transkeian territories, 1880-1910
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867614005823012864 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Tsokodibane, Kereeditse Optima |
| author2 | Kerby, Edward |
| author_browse | Kerby, Edward Tsokodibane, Kereeditse Optima |
| author_facet | Kerby, Edward Tsokodibane, Kereeditse Optima |
| author_sort | Tsokodibane, Kereeditse Optima |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132392 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:45:09.986Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132392 The ambition and fortitude of African traders : a study of early local traders in the Transkeian territories, 1880-1910 Tsokodibane, Kereeditse Optima Kerby, Edward Fourie, Johan Fourie, Johan, 1982- Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of History. Indigenous peoples -- Trade -- Transkei (South Africa) -- History -- 19th century Transkei (South Africa) -- Commerce -- History -- 19th century Merchants -- South Africa -- Transkei -- History -- 19th century Trading posts -- Transkei (South Africa) -- History -- 19th century Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) -- Colonial influence UCTD Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Tsokodibane, K. O. 2025. The ambition and fortitude of African traders: A study of early local traders in the Transkeian territories, 1880-1910. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/ad8a38dc-f779-4c23-993a-4c0282433b86 ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Proclamation no. 140 of 1855 and Proclamation no. 103 of 1900 contained the regulations needed for a trader to be granted a trading site in the borders of the Cape Colony. Both declarations made it permissible for an individual of any race to occupy a trading site in various districts of the Transkeian Territories. Trade was pivotal in accumulating revenue and contributed to the development of the colonial market economy on this eastern frontier. Rural trading stations were of great economic and social importance. However, the contribution of black African traders has not been sufficiently documented. This research project reveals the presence of a small cohort of black African traders in districts situated in Griqualand East, Pondoland, and Thembuland. By accessing several trading site applications sent to the Resident Magistrate’s office – which were subjected to the approval of the Secretary of the Native Affairs Department - and trading directories this dissertation aims to answer questions about the factors that would explain the meagre number of black traders in Transkei and the overall lack of black enterprises. It attempts to answer these questions by (1) discussing the importance and structure of trade in Transkei; (2) giving an outline of historical data from the Report of the Controller and Auditor-General in the Cape of Good Hope Bluebooks for the financial years 1880– 1910; (3) and by analyzing several case studies of individual traders. The structure of trade offers a window into the economy of the territories and how it was molded by the encroachment of colonialism from 1830 onwards. The historical data provides insight into how disenfranchisement affected African traders by analyzing expenditure and revenue patterns following the introduction of Hut Tax and the Glen Grey Act of 1894. Finally, the case studies convey who the traders were, their locations, job titles, and contribution to society. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Proklamasie nr. 140 van 1855 en Proklamasie nr. 103 van 1900 het regulasies bevat wat nodig was vir ‘n handelaar om ‘n standplaas om handel te dryf toegestaan te word. Beide verklarings het dit vir enige individu toelaatbaar gemaak om in verskeie distrikte in die Transkei `n standplaas te bekom en handel te dryf. Handel was deurslaggewend in die generering van inkomste en het bygedra to die ontwikkeling van die koloniale markekonomie in die Oosgrens (“Eastern Frontier”). Landelike handelstasies was van groot ekonomiese en sosiale belang. Die bydrae van die swart (African) handelaars is egter nog nie breedvoerig gedokumenteer nie. Hierdie navorsingsprojek identifiseer die teenwoordigheid van ‘n klein groep swart (African) handelaars in distrikte in Griekwaland-Oos, Pondoland, en Thembuland. Deur gebruik te maak van aansoeke vir standplase om handel te dryf wat aan die Resident Magistraat gestuur is (en deur die Sekretaris van Naturellesake goedgekeur moes word) - asook Handelsgidse poog die tesis om die faktore verantwoordelik vir die klein aantal swart handelaars en gebrek aan swart ondernemings in die Transkei te identifiseer. In die proses fokus die studie op: 1) die belangrikheid en struktuur van handel in Transkei; 2) ’n uiteensetting van die historiese data onttrek uit die Verslae van die Kontroleur en Ouditeur-Generaal in die Kaap de Goeie Hoop asook Blouboeke tussen die jare 1880–1910;3) die handelaars aan die hand van ‘n paar gevallestudies te bespreek. Die struktuur van handel bied ‘n breë perspektief oor die ekonomie van die gebiede en hoe hulle deur die uibreiding van kolonialisme vanaf 1830 gevorm is. Die historiese data verskaf insig oor hoe die beperkings op stemreg die swart (African) handelaars beïnvloed het deur uitgawe en inkomstepatrone te ontleed met die bekendstelling van Hut Belasting (“Hut Tax”) en die Glen Grey-wetgewing van 1894. Laastens gee die gevallestudies ‘n oorsig van wie hierdie handelaars was, hul geografiese ligging, werkstitels, en bydrae to die samelewing. Masters 2025-06-05T14:11:06Z 2025-06-05T14:11:06Z 2025-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132392 en Stellenbosch University 133 pages : illustrations, includes annexures application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Indigenous peoples -- Trade -- Transkei (South Africa) -- History -- 19th century Transkei (South Africa) -- Commerce -- History -- 19th century Merchants -- South Africa -- Transkei -- History -- 19th century Trading posts -- Transkei (South Africa) -- History -- 19th century Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) -- Colonial influence UCTD Tsokodibane, Kereeditse Optima The ambition and fortitude of African traders : a study of early local traders in the Transkeian territories, 1880-1910 |
| title | The ambition and fortitude of African traders : a study of early local traders in the Transkeian territories, 1880-1910 |
| title_full | The ambition and fortitude of African traders : a study of early local traders in the Transkeian territories, 1880-1910 |
| title_fullStr | The ambition and fortitude of African traders : a study of early local traders in the Transkeian territories, 1880-1910 |
| title_full_unstemmed | The ambition and fortitude of African traders : a study of early local traders in the Transkeian territories, 1880-1910 |
| title_short | The ambition and fortitude of African traders : a study of early local traders in the Transkeian territories, 1880-1910 |
| title_sort | ambition and fortitude of african traders a study of early local traders in the transkeian territories 1880 1910 |
| topic | Indigenous peoples -- Trade -- Transkei (South Africa) -- History -- 19th century Transkei (South Africa) -- Commerce -- History -- 19th century Merchants -- South Africa -- Transkei -- History -- 19th century Trading posts -- Transkei (South Africa) -- History -- 19th century Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) -- Colonial influence UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132392 |
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