Die Pietersburgse konsentrasiekamp

Abstract

THE PIETERSBURG CONCENTRATION CAMP, MAY 1901-FEBRUARY 1902. At the outbreak of the Anglo-Boer War, the Zoutpansberg Commando was ordered to defend the northern border of the Transvaal. Their efforts were only half-hearted and virtually nothing happened in the Northern Transvaal for six months. On September 1900, General C. F. Beyers was appointed as assistant commandant-general over the commandos of Zoutpansberg and Waterberg. This handful! of burghers were to play a significant role in the war until May 1902. The steps taken by Lord Roberts and Kitchener against civilians were to have a marked effect on the lives of woman and children; for most of them it meant going to a concentration camp. The Pietersburg Concentration Camp was established on 11 May 1901 with Mr. J. E. Tucker as its superintendent. It was sited on the western side of Pietersburg and accommodated an average of 3378 persons per month. Deprived of all other means of existence the inhabitants lived in tents for more than a year, on rations consisting of maize meal, coffee, salt, sugar and meat; an effort was made to supplement this diet by provisions obtained from the camp's shop. Religious services became an important part of camp life. Dominee D.J. Kriel was the first pastor, but from October 1901 the church services were conducted by laymen. A school under the principalship of D. Fairhurst was established and by February 1902 there were 750 pupils - almost thrice the number of children who had attended all Zoutpansberg schools prior to the outbreak of war. The British authorities also realized the value of camp labour, and encouraged it. A vegetable garden was started and various trades were carried on in the camp . Many people were already suffering from fevers and malaria when they arrived at the camp. The most common diseases and the diseases which claimed the most lives, were malaria, malaria with complications, diarrhoea, pneumonia, bronchitis, measles and measles with complications. There were just one doctor, one pharmacist, a matron, a nurse, five student-nurses, a camp matron and her twelve assistants available to care for the hundreds of sick daily, 657 persons died in the camp. The entire camp was moved to Colen so in Natal after General C. F. Beyers attact it on 23 January 1902. There the suffering and deprivation simply continued. There were two other camps at Pietersburg, viz. one for the Buys people from Mara and another for the Scouts and their families. The Buys people, under commandant Conrad Buys, remained in the camp from May 1901 until 30 June 1902, because of their loyalty to the Republic. There were 113 Scouts under commandant J. G. Cilliers and veldkornet A. Z. A. Briel at Pietersburg. The families of the National Scouts lived in houses in Pietersbu rg and it was only in April of 1902 that mention was made of a seperate camp for the Scouts. From July to August 1902 the people were returned to the Pietersburg camp and from there to their homes.