The Land Wars: The Dispossession of the Khoisan and AmaXhosa in the Cape Colony

by John Laband

Perhaps the most explosive issue in South Africa today is the question of land ownership. The central theme in this country’s colonial history is the dispossession of indigenous African societies by white settlers, and current calls for land restitution are based on this loss. Yet popular knowledge of the actual process by which Africans were deprived of their land is remarkably sketchy.

This book recounts an important part of this history, describing how the Khoisan and Xhosa people were dispossessed and subjugated from the time that Europeans first arrived until the end of the Cape Frontier Wars (1779–1878). The Land Wars traces the unfolding hostilities involving Dutch and British colonial authorities, trekboers and settlers, and the San, Khoikhoin, Xhosa, Mfengu and Thembu people – as well as conflicts within these groups. In the process it describes the loss of land by Africans to successive waves of white settlers as the colonial frontier inexorably advanced.

The book does not shy away from controversial issues such as war atrocities committed by both sides, or the expedient decision of some of the indigenous peoples to fight alongside the colonisers rather than against them.

The Land Wars is an epic story, featuring well-known figures such as Ngqika, Lord Charles Somerset and his son, Henry, Andries Stockenström, Hintsa, Harry Smith, Sandile, Maqoma, Bartle Frere and Sarhili, and events such as the arrival of the 1820 Settlers and the Xhosa cattle-killing. It is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand South Africa’s past and present.

Genres: Nonfiction, South Africa, History

458 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 15, 2020

About the author

John Laband is a South African historian and writer, specialising in Anglo-Zulu and Boers wars. He is Professor Emeritus and Chair of History at Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada, and is a Life Member of Clare Hall, Cambridge University, England.

Reviews

[Ed Stoddard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This excellent book provides crucial historical context to South Africa's emotive and thorny issue of land reform. The title says it all: the nine wars detailed here were about land, and ultimately dispossessed the Khoisan and AmaXhosa. Laband is a fine narrative historian, and the stage he has erected with his sharp pen contains a colourful cast of characters from all sides. Fascinating episodes such as the mass killing of cattle under the instructions of the 15-year-old prophet Nongqawuse are explored, and Laband lays bare the roots of the exploitative system of migrant labour that gave rise to Africa's most industrialised economy. This reviewer leaned a lot from this book and looks forward to making use of Laband's extensive bibliography for future reading.

[Durian Jaykin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good concise book on the Xhosa especially for a complete foreigner/beginner to South African History. Even someone like me who know nothing of South Africa got interested as John Laband was able to make every character interesting.

The use of humor to poke fun at historical figures is pretty funny with all the foresight we have in the modern world.

[Magnus Godvik]

Once again John Laband show us why he is one of the most popular historians of 19th century South Africa. The book is probably the most concise and acessible account of the Frontier Wars to date, and will appeal both to serious scholars as well as the general reader. Warmly recomended.

[Tortortomir Pluck · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really great book for people interested in the Xhosa frontier wars or the Cape colony (be it British or Dutch). The book goes into detail on the cause and effect of each war and other things that that were notable during this period. While other books on the subject are extremely dryly written, this one is enthralling in its writing. The book also gives new conclusions and criticises old sources and proposes new theories. Even though I do read quite often about nineteenth century South African history I discovered several new things while reading this book. These were things such as the Mfengu actually being Xhosa westernised Christians rather than Nguni refugees. It also goes into the Bantu migration and precolonial South African history. With the arrival of the Bantus in South Africa it talks about the relationship between them, the San and the Khoikhoi.

In summary I cannot recommend this book enough for anyone remotely interested in South African history. It is a great book for beginners and experts alike, I assume given I’m not an expert.