Opinion / Columnist
Cecil John Rhodes said he would build UCT 'Out of the Kafirs' Stomach'
13 Apr 2015 at 08:32hrs | Views
UCT students are constantly reminded of the important part the money of the Rhodes Trust played in founding UCT: the statue on the steps, and, in the library, a bust and numerous photographs of Rhodes' face with his "toothbrush" Hitler moustache. To this day Rhodes Scholarships carry vast prestige among White South Africans.
Rhodes is usually regarded as a British imperialist. It would be more accurate to see him as a racist settler imperialist, who skillfully exploited British governments and British public opinion, sometimes against their will, into accepting and protecting the fait accompli of tiny settler immigrant minorities who invaded and conquered vast African territories and ruled over millions.
Indeed, Rhodes once brought Britain to the verge of war against Portugal on behalf of the settlers, events which brought him the criticism both of the humanitarian lobby and unidealistic businessmen, such as the "Investors' Review".
When British and the settlers' interests conflicted, Rhodes consistently backed the settlers against the British. He unrelentingly opposed the "Imperial factor" - British Parliamentary control on the settlers' racist and land alienating legislation.
Rhodes demanded the British annex Bechuanaland, the "Suez Canal to the North" - and give it to the British South Africa Company to be added to Rhodesia and alienated for white settler occupation.
Rhodes Furious
But the British Government, in response to the petitioning of the Bechuana chiefs, refused Rhodes' demands and ruled Bechuanaland directly. Infuriated, Rhodes telegraphed his agent: "It is humiliating to be utterly beaten by these niggers."
Though racist, Rhodes could be opportunistic when political tactics required it. His campaign slogan was "equal rights for all white men". In the 1898 Cape General election, however, Rhodes was challenged by Coloured voters. He then switched his slogan to "Equal rights for all civilised men". (Rhodes' Afrikaner Nationalist successors changed the electorate rather than their slogans.)
Rhodes' early wills directed that his money be used to "found a secret society ... of men . .. each of whom would have been especially mathematically - selected towards the Founders purpose". The "Founder's purpose" was for White settlers to colonise the world: "The entire continent of Africa, the Holy Land, the valley of the Euphrates, Cyprus, the whole of South America, islands of the Pacific, the Malay Archipalego and the seaboard of China and Japan."
And Rhodes anticipated science fiction imperialism: "I would annex the planets if I could." he said, if S. G. Millet is correct.
Megalomaniac
Rhodes' last will, somewhat less megalomaniac, diluted the "secret society" to the Rhodes Scholarship Association, to give scholarships to the "master race": British, Americans. Germans and White South Africans.
Rhodes wanted UCT to serve the function of uniting the "English" and "Dutch" races in South Africa-united against whom can be guessed! According to his lifelong friend Sir Herbert Baker. Rhodes used to boast that his vast profits (from which he gave money to build UCT) were obtained by underpaying the African miners who worked at the Kimberley De Beers Consolidated diamond mines.
He repeatedly told his colleagues: "I mean to build the university out of the kafirs' stomach." This revelation is in the "Cape Times", January 24, 1920.
Today, half a century after Rhodes' death the world and especially Africa have changed in ways which have irrevocably shattered Rhodes' grandiose ideas of White rule from "Cape to Cairo".
Majority
African states have attained independence under majority governments. "These niggers" in Botswana, and in Zambia and Malawi have peacefully made the transition to majority rule, their White citizens continuing to stay - and to make profits-after independence.
UCT, in the post-1945 era, led Southern African universities in the fight to preserve academic freedom and university autonomy: the right of universities to admit staff and students, regardless of their colour, political opinions or religious beliefs.
While this has been temporarily thwarted by Government legislation, ministerial threats, bannings, deportations, radio smears and press propaganda, the Rhodesian and South African Governments themselves are the besieged bastions of minority rule, the shrunken remnants of the vast colonial empires that dissolved in the 1950's.
Available to all
Cecil John Rhodes' dreams have crumbled - but they have been superseded by a greater vision: that of a society where political rights, social justice and education, including higher education, are available to all, and not restricted to members of the ruling immigrant minority.
Varsity 30 August 1967
Rhodes is usually regarded as a British imperialist. It would be more accurate to see him as a racist settler imperialist, who skillfully exploited British governments and British public opinion, sometimes against their will, into accepting and protecting the fait accompli of tiny settler immigrant minorities who invaded and conquered vast African territories and ruled over millions.
Indeed, Rhodes once brought Britain to the verge of war against Portugal on behalf of the settlers, events which brought him the criticism both of the humanitarian lobby and unidealistic businessmen, such as the "Investors' Review".
When British and the settlers' interests conflicted, Rhodes consistently backed the settlers against the British. He unrelentingly opposed the "Imperial factor" - British Parliamentary control on the settlers' racist and land alienating legislation.
Rhodes demanded the British annex Bechuanaland, the "Suez Canal to the North" - and give it to the British South Africa Company to be added to Rhodesia and alienated for white settler occupation.
Rhodes Furious
But the British Government, in response to the petitioning of the Bechuana chiefs, refused Rhodes' demands and ruled Bechuanaland directly. Infuriated, Rhodes telegraphed his agent: "It is humiliating to be utterly beaten by these niggers."
Though racist, Rhodes could be opportunistic when political tactics required it. His campaign slogan was "equal rights for all white men". In the 1898 Cape General election, however, Rhodes was challenged by Coloured voters. He then switched his slogan to "Equal rights for all civilised men". (Rhodes' Afrikaner Nationalist successors changed the electorate rather than their slogans.)
Rhodes' early wills directed that his money be used to "found a secret society ... of men . .. each of whom would have been especially mathematically - selected towards the Founders purpose". The "Founder's purpose" was for White settlers to colonise the world: "The entire continent of Africa, the Holy Land, the valley of the Euphrates, Cyprus, the whole of South America, islands of the Pacific, the Malay Archipalego and the seaboard of China and Japan."
And Rhodes anticipated science fiction imperialism: "I would annex the planets if I could." he said, if S. G. Millet is correct.
Megalomaniac
Rhodes' last will, somewhat less megalomaniac, diluted the "secret society" to the Rhodes Scholarship Association, to give scholarships to the "master race": British, Americans. Germans and White South Africans.
Rhodes wanted UCT to serve the function of uniting the "English" and "Dutch" races in South Africa-united against whom can be guessed! According to his lifelong friend Sir Herbert Baker. Rhodes used to boast that his vast profits (from which he gave money to build UCT) were obtained by underpaying the African miners who worked at the Kimberley De Beers Consolidated diamond mines.
He repeatedly told his colleagues: "I mean to build the university out of the kafirs' stomach." This revelation is in the "Cape Times", January 24, 1920.
Today, half a century after Rhodes' death the world and especially Africa have changed in ways which have irrevocably shattered Rhodes' grandiose ideas of White rule from "Cape to Cairo".
Majority
African states have attained independence under majority governments. "These niggers" in Botswana, and in Zambia and Malawi have peacefully made the transition to majority rule, their White citizens continuing to stay - and to make profits-after independence.
UCT, in the post-1945 era, led Southern African universities in the fight to preserve academic freedom and university autonomy: the right of universities to admit staff and students, regardless of their colour, political opinions or religious beliefs.
While this has been temporarily thwarted by Government legislation, ministerial threats, bannings, deportations, radio smears and press propaganda, the Rhodesian and South African Governments themselves are the besieged bastions of minority rule, the shrunken remnants of the vast colonial empires that dissolved in the 1950's.
Available to all
Cecil John Rhodes' dreams have crumbled - but they have been superseded by a greater vision: that of a society where political rights, social justice and education, including higher education, are available to all, and not restricted to members of the ruling immigrant minority.
Varsity 30 August 1967
Source - www.sahistory.org.za
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