1899-1902 war remembered

PRETORIA -- The end of the second Anglo-Boer War, the bloodiest war ever fought on South Africa's soil, will be commemorated a century later here today.

The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Vereeniging on May 31, 1902, at Melrose House in Pretoria.

Renowned Boer War historian Janice Farquharson will speak at Melrose House about the historical significance of the treaty, and a prestige stamp booklet will be launched to commemorate the day.

The Australian army will be represented. Aus-tralia sent 16000 troops to fight in the war.

The SA National Defence Force will also be represented at a senior level at the function.

History books say a major cause of the three-year long war was that the British High Commissioner for South Africa, Alfred Milner, wanted to secure the economic power of the gold mines in the Boer republic of the Transvaal for Britain.

The treaty was signed when the Boer forces were low on morale and resources. The British used a scorched earth policy to destroy Boer farms, and Boer women and children died in their thousands in British concentration camps. Early in April 1902, Boer leaders decided to hold discussions with the British.

The British government in London flatly rejected the Boers' conditions for peace and presented their own conditions.

The commandos had to choose representatives to meet at Vereeniging on May 15, 1902 to discuss the conditions for peace.

A commission of five members was chosen at Vereeniging to negotiate in Pretoria, and on May 27 that year the commission returned to Vereeniging with the negotiated conditions for peace as well as a request by the British that they reply before midnight on May 31, 1902.

On this date, the Boer delegates voted by 54 to six in favour of accepting the peace conditions, including loss of independence.

Ten Boer leaders were sent to Pretoria for the signing of the peace treaty at Melrose House at on May 31, 1902.

The two former Boer republics, the Orange Free State and the Transvaal, were incorporated into the British empire as crown colonies. -- Sapa