Documents: Africans Acting Alone

DOCUMENT 49a-3. Petition to the Prince of Wales, from the Transvaal Native Mine Clerks' Association, June 23, 1925 (Typewritten, 1 page)

The Transvaal Native Mine Clerics' Association.

To His Royal Highness Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David, Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester, Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles and Great Steward of Scotland, High Steward of Windsor, K.C., P.C., K.T., G.C.S.I., G.M.M.G., G.C.I.E., G.C.V.O., G.M.B.E., l.S.O., M.C., F.R.S.

May it please Your Royal Highness,

We His Majesty's most respectful and loyal Native working subjects employed in the Gold Mining Industry, the President, General Sec­retary, Members of the Transvaal Native Mine Clerks' Association and Mine Natives generally respectfully beg to extend to Your Royal Highness a hearty welcome on the occasion of this your first visit to the gold fields of the Rand.

We wish that your visit to us as Native Labourers will impress you with our back­wardness more than being impressed by us as good singers and war dancers. The deplorable events at Bloemfontein of few weeks ago and the subsequent resolutions of the African Native Congress in Johannesburg are symp­tomatic of a widespread discontent among the Natives which is due to many causes, political, economic, social and industrial. The Natives have many just grievances, which have become aggravated since the Union owing to Par­liament's disregard of the Natives' legitimate claims. The Natives are to-day becoming more and more out of touch with the Government and feel friendless and neglected. They resent the arbitrary restrictions on their earning capacity which are embodied in the Colour Bar Laws, while Pass Laws pinpricks create a feeling of irritation especially when they are applied even to women folk.

We respectfully beg to assure Your Royal Highness of our continued loyalty and devo­tion to the Throne and person of His Most Gracious Majesty, the King, your Royal father and our indelible good memory to Your Royal Great Grand Mother, the late Queen Victoria.

On behalf of all the Native Labourers of the Witwatersrand gold fields, we beg to be
Your Royal Highness's Most respectful and
loyal subjects, Allison W. G. Champion, President.

23rd. June 1925, Village Deep Sports Ground.

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