IsiXhosa Intellectual Traditions (IsiXIT) Digital Archive

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 1885, NABOTH'S VINEYARD. MR. DU PLESSIS, member for Queen's Town in the House of Assembly, has given notice to ask whether it has been brought to the knowledge of the Government that many of the Natives of GlenGrey District have abandoned their destroyed their huts, and places removed to other parts of the country; and what steps the Government intend to take with regard to the resumption and occupation of the land so vacated. That some natives have removed from Glen Grey no one can deny; indeed, Natives, pinched by circumstances, have been moving for the last few, years from districts other than Glen Grey, in quest of fresh fields and pastures new, and our observation goes to show that no sooner have natives moved than others were on the spot to go into their shoes. Mr. Du PLESSIS'S question is, however, significant. It is notorious that for, years the Dutch constituents of this gentleman have been agitating for I the removal of the Tembus, whohave been, some say, since 1820 Of course the object has been to have it surveyed into farms, and sold to them. In other words, as NABOTH'S vineyard was to King AHAB, SO is Glen Grey to the Queen's Town farmers. At times the alleged stock-stealing propensities of the people of the Tembu Location have been turned into levers to have them evicted. Up to the present time Government does not seem to have come to any resolution about these people, who have all along believed that fortified by the plighted promises of Government in early days, they had nothing to fear. A few years back certain portions of that district were cleared by Government with the view, the people themselves say, of making way for the construction of a railway by a coal company, which project was afterwards abandoned ; but the people have never been allowed to re-occupy the lands from which they were removed. Their earnest entreaties have, so far, proved of no avail with the Government, and uncertainty has consequently filled their minds, checked progress, and resulted in that disorder which begets stealing. We dare say our rulers have no conception of the evils which the vague conditions under which these natives occupy this land are producing. The report in the Native Blue Book on this district by a Mr. W J. HUGHES, field-cornet, a gen- tleman who, judged by the opinions he has expressed, is by no means biased towards the natives, may be cited on this point. He says that in consequence of the absence of fixity of tenure, ' the people are ' reckless in their habits, and de graded, hardly caring what they do or what becomes of them.' And this in regard to an excellent race of people— the Tembus—who rightly handled are easy to reclaim and improve ! indecision lasts acres of land remain unimproved, a large section of a tribe is being demoralized, and ultimately the inevitable reaction will be felt by the community at large. While imploring Government to attend to the prayers of the Tembus on this matter would not forget that there tracts and tracts of land within Colony solemnly given to, or served for the Natives by the Governors of the day, though no title-deeds may have been granted which are now being treated by the PHARAOHS who know not JOSEPH, as ordinary Crown Lands held by these people on sufferance. Peddie is such a reserve, but is now honeycombed with farmers who possess titles in it. As the cats in the fable the Natives now cry out to Government: 'Hold! hold!' they say, ' it is enough. We were not before aware that your word went fox' nothing when unsupported by survey expenses and a bit of parchment. Confirm us now in what remains, and we shall be content. Of course, renew the covenant in the manner that will I be binding on your mind. What was agreed upon at public meetings was to us binding. We have lived to find that to you it was not.' The statesman who would boldly face this matter would be the true friend of the Colony. Natives are great worshippers of JUPITER TERMINALIS, the god of boundaries, and if they were warned to maintain order within their boundaries, they would understand, and would no doubt observe the stipulations. The Tembu people have a strong case, supported by long occupation, and by the pledged word of Govern- ment to this district, and we trust the answer of the Government to Mr. Du PLESSIS'S question, and to any similar questions, will show that they are determined to uphold right by the might of their majority, and not convert might into right.