Cecil John Rhodes and the British South Africa Company

Cecil John Rhodes 

Cecil John Rhodes was one of the main promoters of British rule in Southern Africa. Rhodes was a British imperialist who made his fortune with his mining company, De Beers, after the discovery of diamonds in South Africa.

Rhodes strongly believed in British imperialism, and therefore used his fortune to expand British’s empire in Africa.
However, his immediate aim was to occupy Mashonaland and Matabeleland in what is now Zimbabwe. He believed gold could be mined there.

The British South Africa (BSA) Company

Cecil John Rhodes used his influence to establish colonial control over the area that is now known as Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi.
He achieved this through a series of events that led to his new company, the British South Africa (BSA) Company, gaining over the area.

Occupation of Southern Rhodesia

Moffat Treaty (1888)

Cecil John Rhodes was concerned that the Portuguese in Mozambique, the Germans in German West Africa (now Namibia) and the Boers in the Transvaal would threaten his plans to start mining for gold in Mashonaland and Matabeleland in what is now Zimbabwe.

• He therefore used the missionary John Scott Moffat Treaty with the British on 11 February 1888.
• A treaty is a formal agreement between one or more countries. Lobengula also agreed not to sign any treaty with other parties without informing the British.
• Lobengula believed that the Moffat Treaty was a treaty of friendship between him and the British Queen Vitoria.
• The Matabele King faced threats from rivals who did not accept his rule.
• He therefore, thought the treaty would help him against his enemies. Only later did Lobengula and John Scott Moffat realise that the real aim was to bring the area under British control.

Rudd Concession (1888)

• To strengthen his position in Matabeleland, Rhodes sent a group of businessmen, led by Charles Rudd, to the area to obtain a gold concession.
• Lobengula believed that it gave Rhodes and his associates a limited mining concession. However, the concession was actually a gold concession for the entire Matabele Kingdom.

Charter for the British South Africa Company (1889)

• In 1889, the British government granted a royal charter to the British South Africa (BSA) Company, which had been set up by Cecil John Rhodes to exploit the mineral rights in Matabeleland.
• This meant that the British government recognised the Rudd Concession as a real agreement between Lobengula and the businessmen.

Occupation of Matabeleland and Mashonaland

• The BSA Company could now move into Matabeleland with the official approval of the government.
• However, Lobengula refused them entry into the areas under his control.
• In 1890, Lander Starr Jameson, who managed the BSA Company at the time, led an invading force against Lobengula’s kingdom.
• This led to the occupation of Matabeleland by the British under the BSA Company.

Northern Rhodesia under the BSA Company

Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) was occupied in two main ways:

1. North Western Rhodesia was occupied through signing of treaties with some chiefs, especially the Litunga of the Bulozi.
2. North Western Rhodesia was occupied through battles, defeating chiefs who resisted colonial rule. For example Chitimukulu of the Bemba, Mpezeni of the Ngoni and Mwata Kazembe of the Lunda.

Colonisation of North Western Rhodesia

British rule over the Barotseland, the area controlled by the Litunga of the Lozi, was established through a series of treaties. This area became North Western Rhodesia.

Ware Concession (1889)

• In 1885, Lubosi was restored as Litunga of the Lozi after tatila Akufana had overthrown him.
• He also faced threats from Ndebele raids and European hunters and concession seekers.
• In 1889, Lubosi therefore asked for British protectorate from Sidney shippard, the British administrator Bechuanaland (now Botswana).
• Before the British could respond, the Litunga signed the ware concession of 1889with Henry ware.
• Henry ware sold the concession of Cecil John Rhodes in 1890.

Lochner Treaty (1890)

• Cecil John Rhodes sent Frank Lochner to the Litungaas his personal representative. Lochner had the support of Khama, the king of Bechuanaland, as well as the missionary Francis Coillard.
• This led to the Lochner Treaty between the Litunga and the BSA Company.
• This treaty granted the BSA company mineral rights in areas that were not settled by the Lozi.
• This treaty granted the BSA Company mineral rights in areas that were not settled by the Lozi, but which the Litunga claimed as belonging to him. After seven years the British sent a representative, Robert Corydon, to the area.
• Corydon found it difficult to administer Bulozi since the treaty did not give them administrative powers.
• He then request Arthur Lawley to influence Litunga to grant him administrative powers

Lawley Treaty

The Lawley treaty of 1898 granted the BSA Company administrative powers in the area that Litunga claimed to be his.

Orders in Council

The responsibilities and involvement of BSA in the Orders in Council of 1899 were:

1. The area of the Lozi became known as North Western Rhodesia
2. Barotseland would fall under a representative of the BSA
3. The Litunga remained in control; over Bulozi between Sefula and Lealui

Corydom treaty (1900)

Confirmed the Lawley treat and set out the responsibilities of the British government in Barotseland:

1. The BSA Company would administer the area.
2. They had to provide schools, industries and transport services
3. They were allowed to make land grants to settler in Kalomo and Choma.

As a result of this treaty settlers began to come to the area.

Colonisation of North Eastern Rhodesia

• The occupation of North Eastern Rhodesia did not happen peacefully, as local tribes resisted the British
• However, the spears of the local tribes were no match for British weapons such as Gatling Machine gun.
• The Ngoni of Mpezeni were defeated in 1897 after a series of battles against the British.

The Bemba

In 1899, the British marched into the area of the Lunda chief Mwata Kazembe. His rule had been weakened by disagreement over who succeed him.

NOTE:

The administrative centre in North-Eastern Rhodesia was Fort Jameson, while in North-Western Rhodesia the capital at first, but was moved to Livingstone.

North-Western Rhodesia and North-Eastern Rhodesia were joined in 1911. Livingstone became the first capital city