History
FOUNDER
Clive Danster born in Reiger Park in Boksburg under apartheid. His father Johannes Danster born 27 March 1932 on the farm Uitkyk and was buried at the cemetery at Rondebuld 1 February 1989. Gert Danster his grandfather was born 1890 and died on his farm Uitkyk Middelburg (now Mpumalanga). Rondebuld cemetery was not supposed to be the final resting place for Johannes Danster were supposed to be buried on the farm Uitkyk where his parents and siblings were buried. For this reason, in 2000, I started to research the history of the Dansters and I won’t rest until the Xau-sakwa is restored and the tribal ground given back or compensated for. I became paramount chief in 2010 alongside other chiefs. I also traveled to many communities observing their situations and conditions they are living in. I believe that people who do not know where they came from cannot develop to its full potential. I also notice that much that happened in South Africa is due to misconception and misrepretation. The trouble is to understand we have to know and in order to know we have to be informed. For this reason, the Xau-sakwa Traditional Royal House was established.
HISTORY
THE HISTORY OF THE XAU-SAKWA
This is the people of David Danster (Danzie) He was a Bushman Koraner by birth. The bushman was the Xau-sakwa who later emerged as the people of David Danster or Doe- xueb.
THE HISTORY OF THE XAU-SAKWA: are known by many names
The black tribes from the east called them Abatwa
The blacks of the west called them Ovatwa
Harry called them Vismans or Soaqua
White men called them Bosjesmans
The black from the interior Baroa
THE HISTORY OF THE XAU-SAKWA: are known by many names
They called themselves Soaqua
The Khoi called them Sana
A Sana by any other name
Will always remain a
SOAQUA / XAU-SAKWA
THE XAU-SAKWA PEOPLE
The history of the Xau-sakwa started its journey right in the western cape. This was confirmed by a European writer by the name of Dapper in 1668. The name of the book is African regions and their people where he mentions the Sonqua people as indigenous people to that area. It was at the arrival of the first Europeans in the seventeenth century that the survival of the San was seriously threatened as the land hungry colonist consolidate their hold over the Cape driving the Sonqua out. At Peers Cave Evidence of the precolonial life on the Cape Peninsula. In 1963 the remains of 9 people presumably ancestral San have been recovered from this site. Some of these remains date back to 12000 years ago making them the oldest remains found within a 100 meters of Cape Town. John Wright University of Natal Pietermaritzburg Introduction (Wrote: The Bushman or San as a number of writers now called them constitute a population group which was clearly distinct from the Hottentots and that of the Bantu. They were widely regarded as being different both ethnically. They were seen as distinct people with distinct culture and separate organizations.
OUR PROPLE AND THEIR ORIGINS
POPULATION GROUP OF THE FREE STATE
The different population groups inhabiting the Free State in the 1800’s are listed in a report prepared for Geog Cathcard, British High Commissioner in 1852. The Bushmen: The original inhabitant of the Sovereignty have left proof of their occupation upon almost every hill in the country in the shape of rough stone enclosures
THE KORANNAS
A tribe apparently close allied to the Hottentot and most nomadic in their habits of any in South Africa have been for years wondering over a portion on the continent. The people of Jan Bloem Waterboer, Gert Links, Gert Taaibosch, Chief David Danster, Golaid and Gosap are principally of this race and all claim territory within the sovereignty. Gert Taaibosch has land allotted to him adjoining to him the Winburg District to the east; that of David Danster, Golaid and Gosap lived on the sovereigncy side of the Vaal to the west and south west of Bloemfontein. David Danster was identify as a Koranna Bushmen by birth. Piet Del La Ray in 1841 during a trip north of the Vaal River found Chief Danster and his people there and trade with them. Tongoop, David Danster’s father were the first to occupy the Middle veld no definite date is mentioned by Danster the following can assist to determine the arrival year. The Griqua’s was not yet in the Middle veld thus their arrival was before 1800. David Danster died 1859 as an old man. David Danster is repoted to be a Koranner by bith. D.S. Fourie who claimed to bought the land from David Danster refered to him as a “Corander Boesman” through birth. According to David’s testimony Tontgoop was the first Paramount Chief in the Middel veld who placed the other chiefs in their areas. Assuming 30 years as the time of a generation he was born in 1719. Assuming that he became Paramount chief when he married and had a son the calculated arrival of the Xau-sakwa in the Middle veld happened approximately 1749. In 1839 David Danster was identified as a Koranna Bushman. Destruction of the Taaibosch, Links and Xau-sakwa during the 1870, tension existed between the British and ZAR government regarding the western border of the ZAR. In 1872 ZAR and the Korannas entered an agreement which included territorial cession of the Korana to the Transvaal and the right of the Koranner to govern themselves and not to pay taxes.
Jan Pienaar explanation in 1871 “The Bergenaars afterwards chose Dam Kok as their chief, who became the division of Philipolis” this was the commencement of chieftainship. The Bushmen inhabited the country about Philipolis. We exterminated them and DR.Philip gave the country . We exterminated the Bushman and Korannas between the Harts and Vaal River and occupied the country. In 1830 Abel Pienaar explained “A Peaceful Bushman kraal on Riet River was attack without provocation under Abel Pienaar ”In responds to the question why you did it he replied the Bushman steal our cattle we are detrainment to exterminate them, so that our cattle may graze unmolested day and night, children are killed because they grow up to mischief and the woman breed them. The Bushman law in 1846: The Griquas attitude to the SAN WAS FINALLY SHOWN BY THE Bushman law passed by the raad on 8 October 1846 whereby Kok would only allow into his territory those San who were either under mission influence or under contract with a Boer or Griqua and registered as such with the British Resident or with Kok.
NB: This history was not intending to divide us or cause us to develop a hate towards the Griqua. They are now part of us due to inter marriages over the years under apartheid. We should work together to reach common goal to be free in our own mother land and to enjoy the benefits of our beloved country and our birth right as the first nation.
The last group that had server impact on the Xau-sakwa were the Griquas: The Griquas are childen of European man and Khoekhoe woman. The Griqua “Basters” benefitted from the spoils of the trekboers but even this did little to control their quest for land. Not only was the Xau-sakwa dispossessed by the Griquas of their land but exterminated whenever the opportunity present itself. The Griqua is a tribe created by the British missionaries and supported by the British government. The Griquas chiefs were all approved before they could assume office. They left the Cape colony with a pass from the British government and received a staff of office from the British. THE GRIQUA ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE SAN were barbaric especially before the arrival of the missionaries. The information below clearly illustrates the attitude towards SAN.
NB: This history was not intending to divide us or cause us to develop a hate towards the Griqua. They are now part of us due to inter marriages over the years under apartheid. We should work together to reach common goal to be free in our own mother land and to enjoy the benefits of our beloved country and our birth right as the first nation.
THE BATTLE OF MAMUSA
2-3 DECEMBER 1885
While the San Korannas was still living on their land it was sold from under them or allocated to the British Resident Green. Green sold the land to Burgers who immigrate from the clan William arear when the new owners wanted to occupied their new property they found it was already occupied. The new owners requested the Free State government to instruct the Korannas San to move away and if they refuse to force them to move. The Korannas informed the Free State government that they were occupying the land for many years and that they did not wish to move
IN THE MIDIST OF THE WAR
They expressed the believe that there is no open inhabitable space for them to occupy further westward. They requested to remain on the land they occupied for a long time. In 1856 the Volksraad accepted the following resolution that the Korannas under Gert Links and David Danster have no land right on the farms they occupy as the title deeds were already issued to white farmers during the British government of the Free State. There is no open land in Windburg arear and the Korannas must be instructed to find a place to live by themselves. They were allowed until May 1856 to move to a new location, and if they refuse that they would be forced of the land. That it was not in the interest of the state to allocate land within the borders of the state as they always attract large population from every side whenever they are given a strip of land. Joseph M. Open reported regarding the removal of the people in the junction of the Vet and Vaal River as follow: Arrived at the Kraal of David Danter and found that the other Bosjesman Kapteinje were preparing to move to Oude Platberg. David Danster send messenger to Gert Links and Copela. Links and Copela arrived the same evening and were informed that the Landros came to evict them and that they should have moved already. If they refused to move military force will be used against them. Gert Links said that he would move the following morning to the north side of the Vaal River. Gert Links complained that he is forced into a dangerous position. 11 November 1885 the Korannas was unhappy with the Volunteers and refuse to co-operate with Van Vrede to beacon of the Koranna territory and insist that General Joubert must do it himself. Shortly before the battle of Mamusa a letter to Massouw explained how the ZAR failed to fulfill their obligations and then added trumps up complaints that would lead to the battle.
Part of this history was prepared by our national researcher T.J. Kotze The rest by Paramount Chief Clive Danster
23 November 1885 a letter addressed to general Joubert by A.P. Van Zyl, the unhappiness of the Korannas was mentioned again and the general was asked for clarity about the Stellaland land title. 23 November 1885 before the battle Massouw send a request to the British – they refused any assistance and advise him to submit to Transvaal government make peace at once or you and your people will be totally destroyed. None of your people or cattle will be allowed to cross into British Bechunaland. Pay taxes to the government. After the battle of Mamusa 2-3 December 1885 the ZAR government declared that the Korannas tribes ceased to exists the leaders jailed, the remaining people scatted across the ZAR as indentured families. The culprit of the revolt together with their wives and children was send to Visagie Street jail awaiting trial. Alter the final decision on whom will be prosecuted an instruction was issued that families must be indentured as a unit. The families of those charged were indentured in Pretoria (now Tswane). Esau Danster falling in the group that were not prosecuted would be indentured outside the city of Pretoria (paving the way for the rebirth of the Xau-sakwa Korannas). According to the superintendent of natives P.J. Joubert the indentured Korannas disappeared one by one from the Burgers where they were indentured. The authorities suspect that they returned to their original arears. This is only part of the history of the Xau-sakwa.
