Who was Cecil John Rhodes

Article by: Mlungisi Zwelihle Gumede

Cecil John Rhodes had been viewed by historinas as the businessman, Brilliant Politician, capitalist, imperialist and as the mining magnant. By looking at his actions or his doings during his time it can be argued and say that all these terms correctly define Cecil John Rhodes. In this short article Rhodes will be proven as the Politician, mining magnat, Businessman and as an imperialist.

Before we further go on let us first know who was that man. Cecil John Rhodes was born in England on 05 July 1853 and he died in South Africa on 26 March 1902. He was wellknown as Businessman, mining magnat and Brilliant politician in the cape. In 1895 Rhodesia and South Africa's Rhoses university was named after him. He also set up the provission of Rhodes Scholarship, which is funded by his State. In 1890 Rhodes became the prime minister of the cape colony and implemented laws that would benefit mine and industry owners. His policies were intrumental in the development of British imperial policies in South Africa.

Rhodes also built his career in politics. He was elected to the cape parliament in 1880, the governing body of South Africa. In parliament Rhodes succeeded in the expansion of Transvaal and German. So as to secure British control of Benchuanaland. In 1888 Rhodes secured mining grants from Lobengula king of Ndebele. Rhodes persuaded the British government to gramt a charter to form British South Africa Company BSAC which placed British settlers into Lobengulas Territories and found Salisbury and other towns. This caused conflict with the Ndebele king but they were crushed by British forces. By rhis time Rhodes controlled the politics of the cape colony. In July 1890 he became the premier of the cape colony with the support of English speaking whites and non white voters. Rhodes won their support by creating a "Bond" where 25 000 shares of British South Africa Company were distributed amonb them. His aim was to create a South African Federation under British Flag.

Before Rhodes came into mining industry he was a businessman, who owned a farm at Umkhomazi valley in Natal where he sold cotton. However because farming was not his passion he left the farm and went to his brother to the Diamond fields of Kimberley. In 1880 gold was discovered in witswatersrand, Rhodes then decided to join gold mining in the area. Because of his idea of capitalism, he considered the South African law as unsupportive to mine owners. The conflict between mining companies and Transvaal government brokeout. For the sollution to this problem Rhodes had to overthrow Transvaal govwrnment.

British high commisioner by the name of Lock developed a plan to use British force based in Benchuanaland to backup uitlanders rising on the Rand. This plan was rejected by British government but it was taken into mordified form by Rhodes. He first discussed his plan with the British secretary of state for colonial and gained his approval. The plan was to prepare an armed rising by uitlanders population on the Rand. At the first time British South African Police was to be assembled in Benchuanaland. Rhodes had hoped to gain control of the entire terrirory.

The first step that Rhode took to occupy zimbabwe was to gain right to use land from the Ndebele king Lobengula. Lobengula feared the British power and that became an advantage to Rhodes. Rhodes sent John Moffat who was trusted by Lobengula to persuade him to sign a treaty of Friendship with the British and to look favourible to Rhodes proporsal. Rhodes obtained concession from Lobengula granting him a right to minerals in the eastern area of Zimbabwe ( Mashonaland ) . Rhodes assured Lobengula that no more than ten men would mine the area, however this limitation was a leftout in the document tha Lonengula signed. Lobengula tried to renounce the treaty friendship but the British government ignored him. Soon after the British flag was placed all over zimbabwe. And that was how Rhodes stole the land from lobengula.