Editing Transvaal Colony (section)

== Progression to Union ==
[[File:Spelterini Transvaal.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Aerial photography]] of gold mines, taken by [[Eduard Spelterini]] in July 1911]]
In May 1908, Jan Smuts, Transvaal [[Chief Secretary (British Empire)|Colonial Secretary]] proposed a gathering of representatives from all four colonies and decide on a customs and railways agreement and also included a proposal that the colonies appoint delegates to discuss a constitution for a united country in the form of a National Convention.<ref name="Thompson">{{cite book |last=Thompson |first=Leonard Monteath |title=A History of South Africa |year=2001 |publisher=Yale University Press |location=USA |isbn=9780300087765 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofsouthaf00thom_0 }}</ref>{{rp|149}} The objective of the convention was to find a solution to the political, racial and economic problems encountered by these colonies and find common ground between the Boers and the English.<ref name=Readers/>{{rp|271}} On 12 October 1908, the thirty delegates of the four colonies met in [[Durban]] under the Chairmanship of Sir [[John de Villiers, 1st Baron de Villiers|Henry de Villiers]].<ref name=Readers/>{{rp|271}} Twelve delegates came from the [[Cape Colony]], eight from the Transvaal and five each from the Orange River and Natal Colonies representing a gathering of sixteen from an English background with the remaining fourteen of Boer origin.<ref name=Readers/>{{rp|271}}

The main issues discussed were whether the four colonies would become a country made up of a [[political union|union]] or a [[federation]], who would be allowed to vote, and the number of voters who would make up a constituency in rural and urban seats. All three objectives were eventually finalised with South Africa to become a union which was the wish of both the Liberal British government and Jan Smuts.<ref name=Readers/>{{rp|271}} On the question of black enfranchisement, the British government was prepared to accept the final wishes of the National Convention.<ref name=Readers/>{{rp|271}} The colonies of the Transvaal, [[Orange River Colony|Orange River]] and Natal wanted no black enfranchisement while the Cape Colony wished to keep what limited enfranchisement it had for all other races.<ref name=Readers/>{{rp|271}} A compromise was reached and all the colonies' wishes concerning their racial make-up for enfranchisement were accepted, though subject to a repeal by a two-thirds majority in both houses of parliament.<ref name=Readers/>{{rp|271}} As to the objective of rural and urban constituencies, it was decided to allow fifteen percent fewer constituents for a rural seat while an urban seat would have fifteen percent more constituents.<ref name=Readers/>{{rp|271}} This system for the constituencies would ensure that the Afrikaner would dominate politics in years to come and would be one of the many reasons why Jan Smuts would lose the [[1948 South African general election]], sweeping [[D.F. Malan]] to power and the beginning of [[Apartheid]].<ref name=Readers/>{{rp|370}} The results of the negotiations at the Convention became the draft [[South Africa Act 1909|South Africa Act]] which was released for viewing on 9 February 1909.<ref name=Readers/>{{rp|281}} By 19 August 1909, the South Africa Act passed through the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|British Parliament]] and into law.<ref name=Readers/>{{rp|284}}

As to the question of black enfranchisement, Milner saw this is a serious issue when it came to a peace treaty:<blockquote>"If I did not have some conscience about the treatment of blacks I personally could win over the Dutch in the Colony and indeed all the South African dominion without offending the English. You have only to sacrifice ‘the nigger’ and the game is easy. Any attempt to secure fair play for them makes the Dutch fractious and almost unmanageable."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Thompson |first=J. Lee |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yFakCgAAQBAJ&dq=%22Any+attempt+to+secure+fair+play%22+%22milner%22&pg=PA72 |title=A Wider Patriotism: Alfred Milner and the British Empire |date=2015-09-30 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-317-31516-2 |pages=72 |language=en}}</ref></blockquote>