IsiXhosa Intellectual Traditions (IsiXIT) Digital Archive

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 28, 1885. PALPABLE INJUSTICE. A FTER passing through all the forms and requirements of red tape,' the case of MBOVANE MABANDLA, the only recognized Chief of the large section of the Fingoes who go under the designation of Amabhele, has ended in his deposition by Mr. DE WET From a Native point of view this decision is most important; and we should be faithless to our trust, as the professed organ in which Native opinion at present finds its sole articulate expression, did we attempt either to ignore or to minimize the gravity of the step. We will, therefore, impartially recapitulate the facts which have led up to this regrettable result. That in our humble opinion they are at once weak and contemptible we make no disguise ; and they must appear so to every wellbalanced and unbiassed Early in the present year, when the whole country was in the highest pitch of excitement consequent on the arrival of Sir CHARLES WARREN'S expedition to uphold the honour and the dignity of the British Crown which were fast becoming a bye-word throughout South Africa, meetings were held by those who saw, in this act of the parent Government, our salvation, and resolutions thanking the English Government, were passed. It struck some of the Natives that it was their duty to have a similar expression of opinion from them conveyed to Her Majesty's Government Our people however went a step further. They embodied among their resolutions one which showed that they had not ceased to yearn for the Egyptian fleshpots of direct Imperial rule. MABANDLA attended these loyal meetings, and this was against the instincts of the present Colonial Ministry. An excuse was therefore sought to encompass his deposition and degradation. Happening to be drawing from Government the usual small allowance—of £12 per annum in his case—which Native Chiefs used to receive in the early days of the extension of British authority in Kaflraria, and which was given as a honorarium in recognition of their positions, MABANDLA was, for the end in view, proceeded against on the strength of a Civil Service regulation, which precludes Government servants from mingling in current politics. This regulation had never been applied to Native Chiefs and Headmen before ; on the contrary Headmen have been chosen for their ability to discuss political questions. Nor had any instructions been issued on the subject. Without even allowing him the benefit of another section of these regulations, to have the charges submitted to him in order that he might, if possible, disprove them, the unfortunate man was summarily deposed. The press of the Colony unanimously protested against this shameful abnegation of the precious principles of English fairness and English justice by Mr DE WET, who very cleverly and promptly set forth as the reason of MABANDLA'S dismissal that he was preventing the people from paying their taxes to Government. Meanwhile other charges were raked up. It was alleged that he had been letting Government lands in order to enrich himself, that he had been thwarting the efforts of the doctor in the suppression of small-pox in his location— all of which offences, if true, would have shut him outside the circle of the sympathy of anyone but a fiend. We, however, tenaciously held, as we still do, to the belief that MABANDLA was not as black as he was represented, and we courted an inquiry. Natives having been excited by the news of his treatment, sent petitions to Mr. DE WET with the same end. Immediately after the reassembling of the late session, Mr. DYER, one of the members for this Division, called for the papers and succeeded in obtaining an inquiry. Mr. DICK, than whom there is no official more conversant with Natives, and who had by sheer scrupulosity and devotion to duty worked his way up to a responsible post in the Native Department, was commissioned to investigate the case. According to Native accounts circulated at the time MABANDLA triumphantly exonerated him¬self, and these accounts were, to a certain extent, corroborated by Mr. DE WET'S reply to Mr. Advocate ROSE-INNES. The Secretary for Native Affairs added that MABANDLA would be reinstated. And we were thankful that the matter had ended so satisfactorily. The scene, how¬ever, was soon changed. There sub¬sequently appeared a letter in the Cape Times, reflecting on the con¬duct of the inquiry, strongly aspers¬ing Mr. DICK, and from the acerbity and scurrility of which we thought no one would concern himself with its contents. It would, however, ap-pear that Mr. DE WET was moved by the letter in question to execute a change. Mr. CHARLES A. KING, clerk-in-charge at Middle Drift, an inveterate enemy of MABANDLA and of the Natives, who had ap¬peared at the inquiry before Mr. DICK as the accuser, was— mirabile dictu—appointed to super¬sede that gentleman as commis¬sioner. After taking down certain affidavits by WILLIAM KAMA, MASINGATA, and others, as a corres¬pondent informed us at the time, and not even calling upon MABA¬NDLA to bring rebuttal evidence, sent his report to Cape Town, with the result that MABANDLA has been finally dismissed! Such are the facts, which we believe official cor¬respondence would, in the main, confirm. We appeal to the English public whether this is the British justice we hear so much of ? Are Natives to go with the idea that this is the way English justice is dispensed ? We must defer lengthy comments upon the effect of this step to some future occasion. Those who, among our English readers, are thoroughly conversant with Native character must ba aware of the veneration, esteem, and respect in which Natives hold their Chiefs—in this term we exclude mere nominees of the Gov-ernment—and how much they are attached to them. Having been born Chiefs they must die Chiefs, and will ever be men of influence among the Natives, more so if they are unnecessarily harassed. And we put it to the Secretary for Native Affairs whether it is in any sense politic to alienate such men from the Government, and on such colour¬less and unjust pretexts? Mr. De WET must surely know the result of MQIKELA'S deposition by the late Sir BARTLE FRERE which is not worth the paper it is written on, and which has had the effect of rally¬ing the people all the more around that sable potentate. We feel sure this one step will considerably damage whatever reputation for fairness and judgment with which the Native people may have been led to credit Mr. DE WET ; for, as w'e have before now observed, Natives are very keenly sensitive of justice and of injustice ; but it is not too late to mend. We suppose the wretched principle of treating Natives u firmly ' will be once more made use of to cover such barefaced injustice; we do not how¬ever deny its salutariness if it is made to follow justice. Justice! justice! justice! is our demand, and nothing less will satisfy the Native people.