Were concentration camps used in the Boer War?
During the Second Anglo-Boer War which lasted from 1899–1902, the British operated concentration camps in South Africa: the term “concentration camp” grew in prominence during that period. It was the clearance of civilians—uprooting a whole nation—that would come to dominate the last phase of the war.
How many South Africans died in concentration camps?
It’s well established that 28 000 white people and 20 000 black people died in various camps in South Africa. Between July 1901 and February 1902 the rate was, on average, 247 per 1000 per annum in the white camps.
Did the British have concentration camps in South Africa?
British Concentration Camps of the South African War 1900-1902. The camps were formed by the British army to house the residents of the two Boer republics of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State. They were established towards the end of 1900, after Britain had invaded the Boer republics.
How many concentration camps were there in South Africa?
At least 40 concentration camps were constructed, holding in all some 150,000 Boer refugees. Some, such as Merebank near Durban, which housed more than 9000 internees, resembled small towns. Another 60 camps were constructed to house the 115,000 native Africans who had worked as servants for the Boers.
How many Boers were killed in the Boer War?
At least 25,000 Afrikaners died in the war, most of them in concentration camps. The war also claimed 22,000 British and 12,000 African lives.
How many Boers live in South Africa?
Afrikaners
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| c. 2.8–3.5 million | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| South Africa | 2,710,461 (2011) |
| Namibia | 92,400 (2003) |
What happened to the Boers after the war?
In Pretoria, representatives of Great Britain and the Boer states sign the Treaty of Vereeniging, officially ending the three-and-a-half-year South African Boer War. The Boers, also known as Afrikaners, were the descendants of the original Dutch settlers of southern Africa.
What did the British do to the Boers?
British troops were ordered to destroy farms and slaughter livestock to deny them to Boer guerillas, and thousands of Boer civilians (mostly women and children) were forced into concentration camps, where 26,000 died of various causes, mostly disease and starvation.