The first problem is that when talking about the history , all the facts , and nothing but the facts, should be put on the table. (Not propaganda. Not half truths. Only facts!)
The core objection to the 1913 law is about the divided land between blacks and whites, with only 13 % of land given to black people . This is valid criticism of past injustices . But it is based on today ‘s facts and not on the facts of 1913 .

All the maps from 1913 indicate the Union of South Africa as part of British South Africa. (See maps) British South Africa in 1913 , consists of South Africa and three former protectorates , today Botswana , Lesotho and Swaziland . In 1913 there was no question that this protectorates will be independent states one day .

 

Botswana till 1965, were still manage from Mahikeng in South Africa. It was generally accepted that the protectorates in the long run would be incorporated by the Union of South Africa. Therefore , the South Africa Act of 1909 , approved by the British Parliament , provided that the three areas could be incorporated into the Union later .

In the minds of many , the total of these areas were added to the 1913 land . Then you get a 40 % – 60 % land distribution and even 50-50 depending on how you calculate it . Until after the 1936 law , there were still efforts to incorporate these protectorates into South Africa.

I do not see it as the VF+’s responsibility to defend the 1913 act . What I do believe is that it is only fair that our criticism of all the arguments is to try to understand the thinking of 1913 .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why did this incorporation fail?

Because there were other opinions and thoughts too . The Tribal Chiefs of these protectorates vehemently objected to the British in London about these incorporations. Eventually they succeeded and became independent in 1966 and ’68 , these areas created by the current set of facts .

The second problem : It is not wrong to hold debates on history . But such a debate only makes sense if there is something learned from the past, for the future.

The past can not be changed by a lot of talking, and then expecting improvement from all the talks. Therefore the FF Plus don’t believe in a better past , but in a better future . There is little said about what we learn from the past and how our land reform in 2013 can succeed without causing starvation . Nothing is said about how we will provide 52 million South African citizens with food, of which 70 % live in the cities soon, while we only  have 13 % of good agricultural land to produce this food on. Little is said about how we can use the thousands of hectares of communal land better .

This is the future and the debate that will determine if South Africa will be a better place for everyone to live in.

Note: Propaganda usually by individuals or political parties want to blame the Afrikaners for the native land act of 1913. History recap as the colourful map of the time will also show. The facts are Afrikaners were subordinates of the British Empire like everyone else during 1913. The British disenfranchised black areas, while South Africa was a British colony and instituted the 1913 lands act. Not the Afrikaners, as they did not rule South Africa during 1913. Afrikaners inherited this law made by the British empire and thus sat with a very difficult problem, while Britain washed it’s hands in “innocence”.  The Afrikaner is not known to point fingers, and as true Calvinist’s, took responsibility and showed once again why they are survivors and not victims like the rest of the other tribes in South Africa. Afrikaners are, and should be, a great example to other tribes of the difference between a survivor and a victim. Victimhood still reigns not in Africa, but also in South Africa. The day Africa lifts itself out of the ashes, the chains of victim-slavery will be broken and the continent will grow like never before. – Henri Le Riche

http://www.henrileriche.com/south-africa-facts-on-native-land-act-of-1913/