Today in Kimberley's History
July 24th
"Every day has a story about Kimberley's past."
On this day...
The twenty-fourth of July recalls two very different chapters of Northern Cape history. In 1878, the Battle of Dithakong marked one of the decisive engagements of the Batlhaping uprising against colonial expansion, while 47 years later, in 1925, the Prince of Wales left Kimberley to visit the battlefields of the South African War. Although separated by nearly half a century, both events reflect the region's rich and often contested past.
1878 – The Battle of Dithakong
On 24 July 1878, colonial forces attacked the Batlhaping stronghold at Dithakong (also recorded as Takoon, Litakoor Lattakoo), approximately 60 kilometres north-east of Kuruman. The battle became one of the decisive engagements of the 1878–1879 Batlhaping uprising.
The conflict centred on Kgosi Luka Jantjie, a remarkable leader who had been born in Kimberley in 1835. A cousin of Kgosi Galeshewe, Luka Jantjie became a hunter, trader, farmer and diamond prospector before emerging as chief of the Batlhaping ba Manyeding.
Following the discovery of diamonds in 1871, thousands of prospectors flooded onto Batlhaping land. Luka Jantjie protested the occupation of his people's ancestral territory and campaigned for African communities to receive the same rights to purchase diamond mining licences as white diggers. When these appeals were rejected, tensions escalated into armed resistance.
Only weeks before Dithakong, Batlhaping forces had defeated Commandant Ford's Barkly Rangers at the Battle of Kho on 2 July 1878. During that engagement, Luka Jantjie was wounded in the leg and was therefore unable to take part directly in the fighting at Dithakong, although he assisted in strengthening the settlement's impressive defensive walls before the attack.
On the morning of 24 July, a force commanded by Colonel Owen Lanyon, reinforced by Colonel Charles Warren's experienced troops and artillery, launched a determined assault. After three hours of bombardment, colonial infantry attacked from two directions, gradually capturing the extensive network of stone defences.
Although many Batlhaping defenders escaped, the battle proved costly. Thirty-nine Batlhaping men were killed, and many others were wounded. Colonial casualties amounted to five killed and at least twelve wounded. The victory effectively broke organised Batlhaping resistance in the region. Weeks later, livestock, wagons, rifles and other property seized during the campaign were auctioned in Kimberley, illustrating how warfare and economic expansion were closely linked during the early diamond era.
Did You Know?
The extensive stone defensive walls at Dithakong contained more than 500 interconnected fighting compartments, making them one of the most formidable defensive positions encountered by colonial forces in the Northern Cape.
Kgosi (Chief) Luka Jantjie. (Photo Public Domain)
1925 – The Prince of Wales Tours the Battlefields
The morning after his memorable visit to Kimberley, Edward, Prince of Wales, continued his royal tour by exploring some of the most significant battlefields of the South African War (1899–1902).
Travelling by motor car, the Prince first visited Paardeberg, where General Piet Cronjé surrendered to Lord Roberts after one of the war's decisive battles. During the journey, the Prince surprised those accompanying him by taking over the driving of his dark blue Crossley motor car along the rough gravel roads of the Northern Cape. From Paardeberg he travelled to Magersfontein, where he laid a wreath at the Highland Brigade Memorial, honouring the Scottish soldiers who had fallen during the battle of December 1899. He was welcomed there by D. B. Blacklaws, President of the Diamond Fields Scottish Association.
The royal party continued to Modder River, Graspan, Enslin and Belmont, visiting memorials and battlefields that had become places of remembrance for both British and Boer veterans. Late that afternoon, the Prince rejoined his royal train at Belmont before beginning the long journey south towards Cape Town. Along the route, he stopped at several towns, including De Aar, where more than a thousand schoolchildren gathered to welcome him on what newspapers described as a perfect Karoo winter's day. At Hutchinson, he received a traditional jackal kaross, while at Nelspoort, he toured the recently established sanatorium founded through the generosity of businessman John Garlick.
These battlefield visits reflected one of the principal aims of the 1925 royal tour: promoting reconciliation between former enemies while acknowledging the sacrifices made by all who had fought during the South African War. Historian Robert Hart's meticulous research has preserved the remarkable detail of this journey, showing how the Prince's visit extended far beyond official ceremonies to include places that had shaped South African history.
Did You Know?
The Prince's visit to Magersfontein came just one day after he had visited Kimberley's Honoured Dead Memorial, linking two of the Northern Cape's most significant sites associated with the South African War.
Can't find a Kimberley connection for a particular date? Our Today in Kimberley's History collection is continually expanding as we research Kimberley's rich history. If you know of a notable local event that occurred on a specific date, we'd love to hear from you using the Contact Us page.
Kimberley's Story Continues
The events remembered on 24 July demonstrate how closely Kimberley's history is connected with the wider story of the Northern Cape. From the struggles over land and mineral wealth during the Batlhaping uprising to the battlefields of the South African War, the region preserves stories of conflict, courage and reconciliation that continue to shape its identity.
Many of these historic sites, including Magersfontein, Modder River and the Honoured Dead Memorial, can still be visited today and provide a fascinating insight into the events that transformed Kimberley and the surrounding region.
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