The indabas between the black community and the local authority in Bloemfontein, 1913-1914

Abstract

In 1913 an advisory body comprising elected black leaders from the various wards in the black townships, and functioning as an official municipal institution, was inaugurated in Bloemfontein. Thus Bloemfontein became one of the first cities to establish such an advisory body and in the process broke new ground in regard to this aspect of local government. In addition, the Mayor took a progressive step by announcing during the inaugural meeting of this body that he would be prepared to meet the black residents each month at a public meeting or INDABA to hear their grievances. This step gave a new and additional dimension to the manner in which the Council managed black affairs. As no study has to date been made of the subject, this article examines the events surrounding these indabas, the creation of which must be considered as an important aspect in the history of Bloemfontein. As these indabas played a significant role in the relationship between the black com-munity and the local authority, primarily during 1913 and 1914, the article focuses on this period.