Cecil John Rhodes, Rhodesia and the Great Zimbabwe: privatising a country's mineral wealth

The history of mining in Zimbabwe goes back hundreds of years before the advent of inter-continental trade that became more dominant in the recent years. In the central parts of Africa, it is evident from archeological data that mining and beneficiation of iron and gold ores was taking place even before the arrival of Arab and Indian merchants (Kuhn 1987). Trade during this era was characterized by barter exchange between these merchants who wove rich fabric and exchanged it for the minerals of the State of Munhumutapa/Monomotapa/Mwenemutapa. On arrival in Africa in the early parts of the 1700s, the voyaging Portuguese noted the relative sophistication of the economic system of the Mutapa State and the way it conducted its social affairs and commerce, this was largely on equal terms with their partners who were Middle Eastern and or Oriental merchants (Kuhn 1987).

However, the arrival of Europeans coincided with the decline of the extant legislative and administrative authority which had began an gradual outward migration from the hinterland further North in search of the elusive and prized salt fields. Taking advantage of this apparent retreat, the recent arrivals asserted their own nationalistic intentions and subsequently either fully drove out or subjugated the remaining inhabitants of the land. Albeit initially on the back of negotiated and uneasy peace/truce/détente, and consequently more aggressively through the use of organized military firepower. Their relatively advanced weaponry took the battles and they began setting up local administrative systems modeled along the lines of their home countries. These nascent investments in political infrastructure did not escape the notice of marauding colonists in the mould of Cecil John Rhodes. With a Royal Charter in hand he earnestly set out on his Cape to Cairo mission where he intended to extend British influence across the length and breadth of Africa.

It is abundantly evident that on arrival Rhodes was preoccupied and obsessed with the mineral wealth and riches of the newly found colony state. From the first instance he began and executed a conceited plan to conceal the true mineral wealth of the new colony. As the accomplished politician that he was, he used the propaganda skills he acquired as Prime Minister of the Cape Colony to hoodwink not only the locals but the issuer of his Mining Charter, the British Monarch, into believing that the new colony was a barren wasteland not worth the ink on which the Charter was written. However, Rhodes on the other hand was privately enchanted by the extensive riches in this part of the world and he set in motion to christen the colony into his name. By secretly investing in the colony and at the same time discounting and underreporting its true value and wealth to the monarch, Rhodes went about setting up the country that what was to be later called by his own name, Rhodesia. So enchanted was Rhodes he also chose the country as his final resting place of choice, where he lies to date.

…………….to be continued