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1890 to 1900 Both Britain and the South African Republic (Boers) had guaranteed independance for Swaziland. However Britain's long term goal was confederation of all the territories in Southern Africa. Meanwhile, the Boers were still actively looking for a route to the sea, Swaziland was a good potential route. By this time the Independance of Swaziland was little more than a polite convention. Mbandzeni had long since sold leases on the land, the minerals and the revenue from them. This was the period of high colonialism worldwide, almost of industrialised processed colonialism set in place by European government departments thousands of miles away which specialised in the takeover of countries. In Africa, only Ethiopia was to remain independant by the close of the century. (It was also the only Christian country.) No matter what strategems were chosen, the outcome of takeover was inevitable. Some, like the Zulu decided to fight and continued their independance for a little longer. So did the American Indians, others like the Australian Aboriginies chose peace - the resulting defeat was inevitable - only the pace could be altered. This was a period of relative peace - no major gold reefs were found - Bhunu was a minor so there were no major festivals (like incwala) and the practice of "killing off" and "smelling out" where witches were identified and killed, had been forbidden by both the Boers and the British. Shepstone accepted the promise of money from the Boers if he could get the signature of the Swazi Nation on a document of annexation to the Boers. When he failed, the Boers went ahead anyway, with the tacit agreement of the British and established their authority in 1895. Krogh was appointed as commissioner. Bhunu, now 17, tried to exert his authority over some clans who were not showing respect, but during the ceremony to prepare the regiments for war, the ritual went disasterously wrong and the Queen Regent became seriously ill and went home to die. Bhunu became a frequent visitor to the liquor canteens. His mother, Gwamile, became increasingly important. There was severe drought and famine in 1896, in 1897 the rinderpest (a cattle disease) hit and destroyed 60% of the cattle which were the basis of Bhunu's wealth. Bhunu had no competant advisors, the Portuguese who controlled imports from Delagoa Bay decided to change their returnable bond system on goods destined for Swaziland. They demanded five times the 16% duty for Swaziland goods. Bhunu continued to visit the canteens and drank heavily - this caused tension with his mother, Gwamile. Bhunu was boxed in on all sides. In 1898 the indvuna of the Queen Mother was murdered - Bhunu admitted that the death had been at his command. Krogh asked for Bhunu's presence at a hearing, Bhunu refused to come and tension mounted. Bhunu held that the whites had no jurisdiction over an entirely Swazi matter - Krogh disagreed and summonsed him to a preliminary hearing. Bhunu fled the night before the hearing, but returned some months later and was stripped of his power pending judgement in a court case. The Boers fortified Bremersdorp (Manzini) in preparation for a rebellion by the Swazis. A compromise was reached however, and a few months later he was re-instated as Ngwenyama, fined and warned to stop drinking spirits. The Boer and British Governments moved towards war and Krogh ordered all whites out of Swaziland in October 1899. Generally, they obeyed, although the proposed neutrality of the territory was not respected. Bhunu became the titular ruler in the absence of the whites but died suddenly in December 1899. The country entered into a period of "killing off" and "eating up" under the regency of Gwamile. Britain won the war and became the effective if unenthusiastic ruler of the territory in 1902. With reluctance on both sides, Swaziland joined the Empire upon which "the sun never set" for want of a better option. |