On May 31, 1902 fighting stopped. A piece treaty was signed by Lord kitchener, Chief of Staff, held out his hand to the Boer delegates. "We are all good friends now," he said. Of all the lies told during the conflict, this was the biggest! The British had lost 22 000, the Boers 24 000 of whom, 20 000......
Only a few Brits gained any repute from that conflict...Winston...after a daring escape from a Boer prison....Baden-Powell.....the Boy Scout guy....and a certain Lord Milner, the HC, determined to maintain British rule from Cape Town to Zambezi.
Perhaps the greatest truimphs were enjoyed by the Randlords, who retained their mines and their bank accounts and their friendships with the Crown. The gold and diamond mines reopened, and more of the profits flowed to the companies Cecil Rhodes (the Colossus) had founded.
From the Boer ranks only one man, a steely officer named Jan Smuts, emerged as a leader with a global reputation - mason links.
Much would be heard from him in the next decade. Fitting to name an airport after him.
Queen Victoria (not to confused with a certain Lady) and Cecil Rhodes had expired during that conflict, and with them had died the Cape-to-Cairo fantasy....exit Rhodes, enter Hoggenheimer!
You see CC, history lessons is one thing, but they should always be seen within the contexts.
No wonder the Bantu is so cross these days.....
