WHAT WERE THE EARLY YEARS KNOWN AT KIMBERLY AS THE DIGGERS DEMOCRACY
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The early years in Kimberley, South Africa were known as the "Diggers' Democracy" during the diamond rush of the late 1800s. It was a period of great social mobility and opportunity for the thousands of individuals who flocked to the region in search of wealth and fortune.
The term "Diggers" referred to the small-scale independent miners who worked in the diamond fields, often with primitive tools and equipment. These miners were typically lower-class individuals who had traveled from other parts of South Africa, as well as from Europe and other countries, in the hope of striking it rich.
In the early years of the diamond rush, there was little regulation or control over who could mine in the fields. This led to a relatively egalitarian society, where individual talent and hard work were the primary determinants of success.
However, as the diamond industry became more established and organized, the larger mining companies began to assert greater control over the diamond fields, leading to the decline of the Diggers' Democracy.
The early years known as the "Diggers Democracy" refer to a historical event that took place in the mid-1870s in the town of Kimberly, South Africa. Here are the steps that led to the establishment of the Diggers Democracy:
1. Diamond Discovery: In 1866, a local farmer named Erasmus Jacobs discovered a shiny stone on his farm, which turned out to be a diamond. This discovery sparked a diamond rush, as prospectors and fortune seekers flocked to the region.
2. Formation of Kimberly: Over time, more diamond deposits were found in the area, leading to the establishment of a mining town known as Kimberly. The town grew rapidly, attracting people from different backgrounds, such as miners, traders, and speculators.
3. "Claimholders" System: To regulate the diamond mining industry, the Cape Colony government introduced a system called "claimholders." Under this system, individuals could apply for licenses to mine specific diamond claims.
4. Grievances: As the diamond rush intensified, tensions arose between the large mining companies and individual miners who felt disadvantaged by the claimholders system. Small-scale miners, also called "diggers," believed that the system favored the wealthy and restricted their access to mineral resources.
5. The Rise of Diggers Committee: In 1871, the diggers formed a committee known as the "Diggers Committee" to address their grievances and advocate for their interests. The committee included representatives elected by the diggers to negotiate their demands with the diamond mine owners and the colonial government.
6. Demands for Reform: The Diggers Committee demanded reform of the claimholders system, proposing that all diggers be granted equal access to diamond-bearing land. They also called for reduced licensing fees and the establishment of an elected diggers' government to oversee mining operations.
7. Negotiations and Agreements: The Diggers Committee engaged in negotiations with the mine owners, but these talks initially proved unsuccessful. However, in 1872, a compromise was reached when the government revised the claimholders system to address some of the diggers' concerns.
8. Diggers Democracy: The revised system allowed diggers to vote for their own representatives to serve on the Diamond Fields Parliament, a governing body specifically for the mining community. This marked a significant step toward democratizing the diamond mining industry, leading to this period being known as the "Diggers Democracy."
Overall, the early years known as the "Diggers Democracy" in Kimberly were characterized by the formation of the Diggers Committee, negotiations with mine owners and the government, and the establishment of the Diamond Fields Parliament to represent the interests of the diggers.