Closed compounds on the Kimberley mines
Outcomes
After completing this assignment, you will be able to show that you can:
1.Explain what closed compounds were and why they came into being.
2.Evaluate different views on a matter and reach a conclusion based on available evidence.
3.Assess the advantages and disadvantages of the closed compound system for employers and employees.
4.Select relevant information from a variety of sources and use it to support an opinion or conclusion
5.Interpret a visual source document and draw information from it.
6.Compare and evaluate strategies based on an assessment of a situation.
7.Use tables and written prose to communicate historical ideas.
Inputs
1.https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/grade-8-term-2-mineral-revolution-south-africa (2019-05-09)
2.Bottaro, J., Cohen, S., Dilley, L., Versfeld, R., and R. Visser (2013) Successful Social Sciences Grade 8 Learner’s Book. Oxford University Press. CapeTown. pp. 72-74
3.https://www.miningweekly.com/article/the-introduction-of-the-closed-compound-system-2011-07-22
4.Annexure Descriptions of closed compounds.
Background
Working the diamond mines was very labour-intensive (it required many workers). The mine owners quickly discovered that black workers were usually willing to work for lower wages than white workers, but to prevent workers leaving them suddenly (as often happened because of the unpleasant conditions and the dangerous work) and to reduce the risk of diamonds being stolen they decided to force workers to stay in compounds which they could not leave without being searched. The compounds were crowded, unhygienic and little better than prisons. They were walled and strictly guarded. Some people at the time described them in very positive terms because that was how the mining companies wanted the world to view them, but other people on visiting the compounds were very critical of the conditions there. The compound system was later used in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe and Zambia) and in the ZAR on the goldfields).
1. Study the sources provided carefully and make any notes you need to help you understand.
2. Answer the following questions in writing in your workbooks:
2.1 Explain what a mining compound was, using your own words as far as possible. (2)
2.2 Why were the closed compounds started and used? (2)
2.3 In a table using two columns compare the advantages of closed compounds for the mining companies and for the black mine workers (4)
2.4 Why were compounds securely fenced and guarded? (2)
Source documents – Descriptions of closed compounds
DESCRIPTIONS AND REPORTS ABOUT CLOSED COMPOUNDS
3. Compare the extracts in the sources provided and answer these questions:
3.1 What is Van Zyl’s view of the compounds? (2)
3.2 What view does Parsons hold of the compounds? (2)
3.3 Does the quotation in the Mining Weekly article tend to support Parson’s or Van Zyl’s view more? Explain
4. Study the pictures below and answer the questions about it.
https://c8.alamy.com/comp/EHM345/de-beers-compound-at-kimberley-diamond-mines-south-africa-circa-1898-EHM345.jpg
4.1 What can you determine about the living conditions in the compound from the photographs? (2)
4.2 In what way is this sort of evidence useful to historians? (2)
4.3 What precautions should historians take when using this sort of evidence? (2)
4.4 Which of the extracts in question 3 above are best supported by these photographs and why? (2)
5. Explain which human rights were adversely affected by the compound system? (4)
6. Consider the following three possible ways in which people tried to share the message of the gospel with miners in the compound:
(a) Mining companies would hire ministers from churches to hold compulsory Sunday services for the compound dwellers and act as chaplains to them.
(b) Missionaries from outside would persuade mining bosses to allow them to visit workers in the compound and hold bible classes or small services with those who were interested.
(c) Miners who were believers would organize informal bible classes among their fellow miners and share the message informally.
Which of these strategies would you think would bear the most fruit and be most effective in bringing miners to belief in Jesus and why? What does that suggest about how we can share truth and win over people? (5)
(2)