Today in Kimberley's History
January 6th
"Every day has a story about Kimberley's past."
On this day...
The sixth day of January marks one of the most significant political turning points in Kimberley's history. Cecil John Rhodes, whose wealth and influence had been built on the city's diamond mines, was forced to resign as Prime Minister of the Cape Colony. Four years later, Kimberley's residents continued to endure the hardships of the Siege, while, nearly a century later, South Africa lost one of the architects of its peaceful democratic transition.
1896 – Cecil Rhodes Resigns as Prime Minister
On this day in 1896, Cecil John Rhodes resigned as Prime Minister of the Cape Colony following his involvement in the failed Jameson Raid.
The resignation came just days after Dr Leander Starr Jameson surrendered at Doornkop, ending the ill-fated attempt to trigger an uprising against the government of the South African Republic (Transvaal). The raid had been planned with the expectation that Johannesburg's Uitlander population would rise in support of Jameson's invasion. When that uprising failed to materialise, the raiders were quickly surrounded and forced to surrender.
Although Rhodes had not accompanied the expedition, investigations soon revealed that he had played a central role in planning and financing the operation. His involvement caused outrage in Britain and throughout southern Africa. Under intense pressure from the British Government, Rhodes resigned as Prime Minister on 6 January 1896.
For Kimberley, the resignation was particularly significant. Rhodes remained chairman of De Beers Consolidated Mines, the company that dominated the city's economy, but his political reputation suffered lasting damage. The Jameson Raid also intensified distrust between Britain and the Boer republics, contributing directly to the tensions that erupted into the Anglo-Boer War three years later.
Despite this setback, Rhodes continued to influence Kimberley's development until his death in 1902, leaving behind a legacy that remains both influential and deeply controversial.
Did You Know?
Cecil Rhodes served as Prime Minister of the Cape Colony for just over five years, from 1890 until his resignation following the Jameson Raid in January 1896.
1900 – Influenza and Water Restrictions
83 days into the Siege of Kimberley
On 6 January 1900, Kimberley's residents faced another setback as authorities cancelled permission to water household gardens after excessive water use threatened the town's limited supplies.
In The Diary of a Doctor's Wife – During the Siege of Kimberley, October 1899 to February 1900, Winifred Heberden recorded that some residents had selfishly left their taps running throughout the night, using an astonishing 38,000 gallons of water in a single evening. As a result, permission to irrigate vegetable gardens—seen as an important way of supplementing dwindling food supplies—was immediately withdrawn.
Health concerns were also growing. An outbreak of influenza at the Mounted Camp added significantly to the number of sick soldiers. Although troops continued receiving larger meat rations than civilians, Winifred observed that these were still insufficient to maintain the men's health during the long siege.
Meanwhile, a messenger named Hans Badenhorst, described as a Coloured youth from Barkly West, succeeded in entering Kimberley carrying private letters. His news was sobering: shortages of meat and flour were affecting Barkly West as well, showing that the impact of the war extended far beyond the besieged town.
Like many residents, Winifred sent a letter to relatives, although military censorship prohibited any mention of the situation inside Kimberley.
Did You Know?
Every letter leaving besieged Kimberley was carefully censored. Residents were forbidden from revealing military information that might assist the Boer forces.
1995 – Joe Slovo Dies
On this day in 1995, Joe Slovo, one of the principal architects of South Africa's negotiated transition to democracy, died after a long battle with cancer.
A founding leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, National Chairperson of the South African Communist Party, and later Minister of Housing in South Africa's first democratic government, Slovo played a crucial role during the negotiations that ended apartheid.
Although often portrayed as a revolutionary during the struggle years, Slovo became one of the strongest advocates for compromise during the constitutional negotiations of the early 1990s. He was instrumental in promoting the idea of a Government of National Unity, helping build trust between former adversaries and easing concerns about South Africa's political transition.
His death came less than a year after South Africa's first democratic elections, at a time when the country was beginning the difficult task of national reconciliation.
For Kimberley, as for communities across South Africa, the negotiations in which Slovo played a leading role helped shape the peaceful transition that transformed local government, citizenship and public life.
Did You Know?
Joe Slovo was among the first senior leaders to publicly argue that negotiation and compromise—not military victory—offered South Africa the best chance of a peaceful future.
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Kimberley's Story Continues
These are just two of the many events that helped shape Kimberley. Every date on the calendar reveals another chapter in the city's remarkable history.
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