- 7676 -

Dr. Milne

After all , It la only sixpence par month.

Ho, I mean bringing in out aide doctors ?- I 8uppose

they look at it from the human nature point of view, that is ,

i f they are not sick, vshy should they have to pay, and if

they are sick, the feee charged by private practitioners

are not extraoralnarly high. They do not oall in a doctor

antJ1 they are actually ^retty aiok.

Prom the point of view of taotica, is It neoeaaary

to a ay that this particular amount ia for medical servioe?

You oan have your rent and provide for it out of that. I f

that were done, you would be able to avoid all friction ?-

Yea, that would be a way out of the difficulty .

Your present aystem aeema to be very unaatisfaotory ?-

(No answer)t

MR. GRAHAM BALIBND N , Manager of the Municipal NativeAffairs Department, City of Johan- neaburg,

called and examined:

CHAITMAN* Could you give the Commls* on a des­

cription of the work that has already been done by the

Municipality of Johanneaburg in regard to housing under the

Native Urban Areas Act ?- May I suggest that I should read

that part of my report to you which I have here. I may say,

in regard to your questionnaire, whioh was addressed to the

Town Clerk of Johannesburg, dated at Cape Town 29th April

1931, that I have to advise you that I have been authorised

by the Native Affairs Committee of the City Council of

Johanneaburg, to reply thereto on its behalf, in so far as

matters of fact ase oonoemed, but where the questions la-

volve an expression of opinion, it is to be clearly und<?rstooi

Mr. Ballenden I z z x M U m

that any opinion expressed by me la a personal one and In

no way commits the Gounoll. I shall be glad, therefore,

I f my replies to questions be reoeived on that understanding.

Now, in regard to the Native population in the whole

of our area, the last official census of Natives within

the Municipal area of JoJaknnesburg was taken by the Council

in 1910, and the following are the figures given

Native Males 91 .522 Native females 4 ,000 .(including Mines)

In February 1928, I estimated the Native population

to be 136,000, of this number 53,238 were working on the

gold mines operating within the Municipal boundary. 22 ,814

were women and children, unemployed or casually employed,

26 .000 domestic servants, and 33 ,948 employed in factories,

offices, garages, stores, shops, flats , hotels, bars, daily

lstbourers, police boys, watoh boys or on works, etc.

Of this latter number — 33 ,948 - the City Counoil

employed 5,000 and 10,000 by employers of over 25 Natives.

This matter is referred to in Schedule "A” . Sinoe that

date, there has been a considerable increase. The number

of Natives in the employ of the City Council alone has

increased by 1,473*

Assuming that the increase per annum is and I

think that is a reasonable estimate, the Native population

in Johannesburg, excluding mines, would be approximately

96.000 today.

In regard to the population in urban Native villages

and hostels, the Council has so far established three Native

villages, viz:-

(1) Klipspruit, (2) Western Native Township), (3) Eastern

Native Township, and has recently aoquired a further three

thousand aores of land on whioh it is preparing to establish

a fourth Native village oapable of accommodating 40,000

people. In addition to th i* , it has three Native hostels,

(1) The Wemmer Native Men*s Hostel, (2) Salisbury and

Jubilee Native M#n*s Hostel, (3) A Native Women*s Hostel near

the Eastern Native Township, and has just ooncluded the

purchase of land for a fourth hostel for Native men.

The policy is to house Native men and women not

living under conditions of family life in hostels, and those

who have their families with them In villages. This

matter is referred to in Sohedule " 3 " , for population figure*

for 1927 and 1931,

The City Council employs 6 ,473 Natives as labourers,

night soil boys, drivers, leaders, intake tip boya, fire boys,

engine boys, training and loading boys, charge boya, plumber*

boys, blaoksmith strikers, cleaners, grave diggers, cooks,

messengers, scavengers, hospital servants, survey boys,

police boys, olerks and nurses, eto.

All get free hospital and medioal attention as

well • • food and quarters. Police boys, nurses and clerk*

get two free uniform* a year in addition.

Reoreation suoh as football, and athletio sports

are encouraged and free bioscope entertainments are given

in the compounds.

The rates of pay are naturally affected by th#

faot that these employee* are given free food and quarters

and free medioal and hospital eervloe, in addition to their

pay, I estimate the value of these servioes at 2l/- per

month. The rates of pay are referred to in Sohedule MC*.

There is a continuous influx of Natives into

Johannesburg, estimated at per annum, but In addition to

this, there Is a periodio extra Influx of men seeking work.

This periodio influx Is seasonal. A distinction must be

drawn, however, between the influx of men seeking work and

the influx of women and children. The latter is a steady

process, but I f anything, the flow is steadily increasing

each year. This Is due to the faot that, (1) There is

I an increasing tendency among Natives to take their wives

and families to the plaoe where they seek and obtain work;

(2) The greater attraction of town life ; (3) Better

eduoationa1 facilities obtainable; (4) Better wages; ( 5)

Better housing conditions; (6 ) Their desire to escape from

tribal l i fe ; (7) Dissatisfaction \tith farm condition*;

(8) Poverty, (9) Lack of land. I must say, however, that

I have not yet oome aoross a Native who, when asked what

influenced him to oome, gave that as his reason.

Nearly all those eduoated Natives whom I have asked

to give me the reason for the influx of Natives into the

j towns, have immediately given the primary oause as laok of

land. No Investigation hae been made by the City Counoll

I Into this subjeot.

With few exceptions, domestio servants in Johannes­

burg are Natives. i'here are about 21 ,000 male Natives and

5,000 female Native* employed in this oapacity. The prin­

cipal re a sons why males are employed in larger numbers than

females are, (1) until comparatively recently, Natives did

not permit their daughter* or wives to go out to service;

There is a very valid objection on the part of parents even

today to their daughter* having to sleep in the employer*s

back yard. (2) Men in the past have proved more reliable

and women have proved mo st unreli able. (3) The registra­

tion of contract of servioe and pass laws affecting men only

helped to oreate in the mind of the employer a greater sense

of security, (4) Men are more amenable to discipline

than women and (5) They give more servioe.

Very stringent measures are taken by the Counoil to

house their servants properly. Adequate sanitary conven­

iences are always provided and there Is a oonstant effort

by the Counoll to bring about Improved conditions In this

respeot.

Now I come to the subjeot of Native visitors.

Native visitors passing through or visiting Johannesburg oan

get accommodation In the Council's hostels in the case of

men, and 6d per night for women. The Counoll is starting

two Native boarding houses as an experiment to meet the

nesds of educated olvillsed Native visitors. These will

be on a small soale and will be run almost In every respeot

like a cheap boarding house for Europeans* Native caterers

will be employed, The majority of Native visitors ooming

to Johannesburg at present put up with Native friends either

(a) In Munloipal townships, (b) Open townships, i . e .

Sophiatown and Newolare, and (o) In unproolalmed areas.

Householders and other landlords hire accommodation to Native^

rents ranging from 15/- to £2 per room per month* The

average ^ative family living in a slum yard pays 25/- per

month for a room.

In regard to your question about the observance of

law and order, the urban Native population In the Counoll1 a

townships is very law-abiding, and in the rest of the urban

area, remarkably well behaved, particularly when one oonsiders

- 7681

she environment*

On the aibjaot of Indlgenoy, there are a number of

Indigent natives in Johanne sburg, There la a home ,known a a

the "Bantu Refuge" at Driehoek, on the outaklrts of Johannea*»

burg, near Germiaton, to whloh these natlvea can be aent if

they will go* The City Counoil oontributes £300 per annum

to thia lnatitution and la repreaented on the governing body*

I now oome to the queatlon of EDUCATBOB. Educational

facilitlea arer with one exoeption at Kllpapruit, provided

by the various Ml at on Bodlea. There are three aohoola in

the Weatern Native Township, four in Kllpapruit and one i n ^

the Eastern Native Township, and a large number In varioua

plaoea In the urban area outMlde the native vlllagea. They

are all denominational. 3**eral night sohools are conducted

by mi saionarles. Most of the sohools are subsidized by

the Frovinoial Council, out of the share of the Native dev­

elopment fund allotted to it*

The existing schools are not able to provide faci­

lities for all the children of school-going age, and in many

oases, because of the laok of funds, the accommodation Is

hopelessly inadequate, hundreds of children In various stand­

ards being packed into one small room. In addition, the

teaoners are often not up to standard.

In regard to the question of reoreation whioh

appears in your questionnaire, I have oreated a sports organ-

izing seotion of my department and, for this purpose, the

Council employes a Native sports organizer.

The Counoil has provided seven football-orioket

grounds and six tennis courts for Natives and has reoently

purchased another 11 aore s of land in a central position

7682 -

which are being laid out as a aporte ground.

Through my department native footbaal and tennia

have been organised into properly constituted unions. The

City Counoil and my Department and several City firms have

denoted trophies to be oompsted for. There are 44 foot­

ball olubs affiliated to the Johannesburg Bantu Football

Association and 12 olubs to the Johannesburg Bantu

Lawn Tennis Association.

Twenty-two league football*matohes areplayed every

week-end at present and the tennis oourts are fulty occu­

pied especially on Sundays. Cricket ia being organised on

the same lines.

Once a year ay Department promotes a Bant* Athletio

Sporta Meeting for adults and eaoh Christmas sports for

the ohildren a be hsld in the Hative Townships* Every membi

of my Staff takee an interest in this work.

In addition to the forgeoing there has recently been

establiahed a Bantu Sports Club. This has oome into

being through the generous donation ny Moasra. Pirn k Hardy

of nine aorea of land at a central spot. The City Counoil

has contributed £2,000 towards the cost of pitting this

ground in order. It is desired to oater for Native aport

for the whole of theReef.

On the si bjeot of Health services, the City Counoll

provides a medical service for its t enanta in ite Native

Villages. The aervioea of a redloal praotitioner are em­

ployed by the Counoil for thia purpose and he visits each of

the native villages three times a week, and whenever called

upon to do so.

Thsre are two trained native female narses resident

in eaoh village.

7693 .

Any registered resident in one of the Counoil's Native

villages is entitled to the full benefit of this service for

himself, his wife and any member of his family residing with

him by paying 6d per month. For thia aim the whole family

la entitled to free medioal advioe at the oonsulting rooms,

medicine at 1/- per prescription, free nursing i f ordered

Hy the Dootor, and free ambulanoe if ordered to hospital.

The wife is entitled to the free attendance of the Dr* and

nurses at confinement and also to free drugs and dressings*

Otherwise than for confi/nement l/~ is charged for the first

v is it , i f the I>r* is called to the house, any subsequent

visits to the sane illness are free*

In addition to this a free olinio for mothers and

children is held in each clinic*

In the early part of this year I had a statement

taken from moat of the women residing in the Counoil’ s

Native villages concerning the number of ohildren she had

borne and what had become of them; the results of this invest!'

gation is reflected in my Schedule *Dn«

I now come to my Soedbule "A ” which reflects the estii

mated Native p opulation within the Munioipal Area of Johannes^

burg for 1928, and its approximate distribution aooording

to employment. First of all I give the total estimated

population at 136,000* The distribution according to

Wemployment shows that on the Vines within J hannedsurg

there are employed 53,238 natives; housing, food, medi­

oal servioe and recreation are provided by the employers*

1^ the Municipal servioe there are employed 5,000 natives;

Minimum daily wage is given at 2/-; housing, food, medioal

service and reoreation are provided by the enployers*

I n B2> MESTIC StfSVIGH for that year I give 26 ,000 natives

as being employed at an average monthly wage of £3. Hou*. ng,

food and often olothe* are provided by employer*. About

6,000 were oot houses by employer*.

Then I have a column for native* " •O E EMPLOYED

BY EMPLOYERS OP OVER 25 NATIVES", giving a total of 10 ,000 .

The average minimum wage in the oase of these I give at

about 16/*• per week; these are mo*tly hou*ed by their

employer*.

Under the column of ALL OTHER EMPLOYERS, I give

a total of 18 ,948 , with an average minimum wage of about

16 /* P** week, A few are housed by their employer*; some are

living in Municipal hostels or v illage*, or find acoommoda*

tion for themselves in back yard*, slum* etc. etc.

In regard to WOMEN AND (HILDREN UNEMPLOYED OR

ONLY CASUALLY EMPLOYED, I give a figure of 2 2 ,8 1 4 ; living in

back yards, slum* or Native township* or v illa g e* .

The total ^of the mmber of Native* in thi* *chedula,

exclouding the Mine*, I give at 8 3 ,4 5 7 ,

Then ray SCHEDULE f,B” shews a total Native population

in the Municipal villages and hostels in 1927 and on the

31st March 1931. First of all , the KLIPSi'HUIT LOCATION,

in 1927 had a population of 6507 and on the 31st March 1931,

a population of 8 ,9 07 . The number of families in Klipapruit

on the 31st March 1931, was 2,000#

The WESTERN NATIVE TOWNSHIP, in 1927 had a population

of 5296, and on the 31st March 1931, 1 ,4^83 . The number of

families on the 31st March 1931, was 1 ,973 .

The EASTERN NAHVE TOWSHLP, in 1927, had a population

of 1 ,144 and on the 31st Maroh 1931 of 3 ,309 , with 585 fam­

il ie s .

tel forThe Wemmer Hosj6ikx± Men in 1927 had a a population of

1 ,653 , and on the 31st March 1931, 2 ,162 .

The Jubilee and Salisbury Hostel for men in 1927 had

- 7685 -

710 men, whioh on the 31st Maroh 1931 had gone down to 314.

The Native Women* 3 Hostel was not established in

1927 and, on the 31st Maroh 1931, had 11 residents.

These figures give the grand total of 15,310 for

1927 and 29 ,086 for the 31st Maroh 1931, while the total

number of families as at the 31st Maroh 1931 for the three

villages numbered 4 ,558 .

My next Schedule "C" gives the rates of pay for

Munioipal Native servants. The minimum rate laid down by

the Counoil is 2/- per day, plus food and quarters and the

total number employed is 6 ,383 . I attaoh the number of

men under the various rates of pay as follows f-

6197 @ 2/-J 368 6 2/2d J 321 @ 2/4d ) 236 @ 2/6d J

35 @ 2/8d J 17 @ 2 /lOd ; 55 @ 3/- j 1 @ 3 /2d i 5 @ 3 /4d j

12 @ 3/6d J 1 @ 3/lOdj 11 & 60/- per month? 35 <§ 67/6d

per month; 50 @ 70/- per monthj 18 @ 80/- per month;

6 @ 90/- per month; 8 & £5 per month} 5 @ £7 per month;

1 & £8 p r month and 1 @ £10 per month. All these include

free hospital and medioal attention and free food and

quarters, and in the oase of polioe boys, olerks and nurses,

two free uniforms per year.

Then my SCHEDULE nD" gives the mortality rate among

children of Native women now residing in the Counoil’ s

townships. I shall first of all give the Klipspruit

Location. There, 827 women had 3567 children born, viz*-

1759 males and 1808 females, of whioh 1175 had died, viz:-

605 males and 570 females. The infants up to 12 months

that had died numbered 621J the number that had died up

to and including five years numbered 847, the number that

had died up to and inoluding 10 years totalled 896. The

number that had died in the location totalled 459, whilst

716 had died elsewhere, Tne Klipspruit infantile mortality

per thousand births was 174,096 and the mortality for

ohildren of all ages per 1,000 births who dijd , gave a rat#

of 329*123.

Then the Western Township rates — number of women

1733, total ohildren born 6564, viz:- 3197 males and

3367 females. • Of those 1159 died; 810 males and 749 females.

Of these, 914 were infants up to 12 months of age, 1217 up

to and including five years, and 1253 up to and including

ten years. 354 died in the location and 1205 elsewhere.

The Infantile mortality rate per thousand births was 139,244

and the rate of ohildren.of all ages per thousand births

2^7 ,493 .

Then the Bastern Native Township — number of

women 577, total number of children born 2299; 1086 males

and 1213 females, of whom 608 died, viz:- 323 male* and

285 females. Of these, 231 were infants up to 12 months,

347 were ohildren up to and including five years of age,

and 352 up to and including ten years. 85 died in the

location and 523 died elsewhere* The infantile mortality

per thousand births for the Eastern Native Township was

100,478 and children of all ages per thousand births, 264^463.

DR. • ROBERTS Are you really oorrect in saying in

your statement that they get free medioal services i f it is

taken off thfeir pay -- that isx in your statement in regard

to Munioipal employees ?- Well, it is hrrdly oorreot. Now

that takes us up to page 3 of your Questionnaire. The next

question which you ask is whether we have any urban Native

looations. I have already said that there are three Native

townships created by the Counoil and a fourth one is in the

course of oreation now. You ask what is the area of lots

and stands, the area of stands in the various villages. I

shall give you those figures, they are all In Cape feet.

In the Eastern Native Township 50 x 50 feet ; In the Western

Native Township 50 x 40 feet and 50 x 50 feet. In Kllpapruit,

single stands, 50 x 50 and double stands 50 x 60. In the

new township, the Council has decided that the size o f the

stands shall be 50 x 75 feet. The nature of tenure is

leasehold and monthly tenancy.

Now, in regard to housing. In the Eastern and Western

Native townsidps, all the dwelling houses are built and owned

by the Counoll. In the Kllpapruit Location, the majority

are owned and built by the Natives themselves, without any

subsidy from the Council.

Now in regard to the types of houses. In the Western

Native Township, there are 1954 2-roomed houses, 200 3-roomed

houses, 36 single rooms and 96 Nissen steel huts.

In the Eastern Township there are 562 2-roomed houses

and 25 3-roomed houses and a further 25 are being ereoted now

whioh will make it in all 50 3-foomed houses altogether.

In the Klipsprult Looation, there are 155 houses

whioh are condemned by the Counoil and whioh will be demolished

as soon aa provision is made elsewhere for the inhabitants.

There are 98 tanks and 30 other munloipal buildings whioh

have been taken over at various times by the Municipality

for debt, eto.

In the Wemmer Native Hostel, there is provision for

2,700 beds for single male Natives and in the Jubilee and

Salisbury Compound, there are 650 beds.

The Council has agreed to the demolition of the Jubilei

and Salisbury Compound and to the rebuilding of it on modern

lines*

Then we have the Native Women’ s Hostel, at which there

ia provision for 100 bads.

You ask a question here as to the numbe * of rooms

available, — single rooms ?- At the Western N a t i v e Township

there are 56 rooms and 76 at the Klipapruit Location.

The houses at the Western and Eastern Native Townships

and at the Wemmer Native Men's Hostel are constructed of

burnt brick. The buildings at the Jubilee and Salisbury

Compound and at the Native Women's Hostel are wood and iron

and brick lined and at the V/omen's Hostel all the sleeping

quarters are briok.

All the buildings exoept those in the Klipapruiti

Looatlon have been built by European labour, but at the

Kllpspruit looatlon the Council's buildings have been built

by European labour and the Natives have employed their own

Native labour in the erection of their own houses. These

are points in reply to your questionnaire,

MAJOR ANDERSCH s The Klipapruit buildings, have

they been built aooording to plan ?- According to modified

specifications. They have to submit a ground plan to the

Superintendent before they are allowed to build and he has

to approve of that ground plan. They are allowed to build

under certain elementary regulations suoh as provision of

light, ventilation, e tc ,, height of walls. The capital

expenditure, so far, has been in round figures, B650,000,■

in providing these living fa c il it ie s , and further voting

powers, for a further £500,000 , have Just been approved of

now,

DR. ROBERTS: That would make it a little over one

million ?- Yes, roughly £ 1 ,150 ,000 . The estimated cost

of building, I do not know exaotly what the particular

figure Is whfeoh you want to get at. Is it the total sum

for buildings or Is it the coat of individual buildings that

jon *>snt?

CHAlJ$*AN; Indiviaual bui ldiags ?- The 2-rooraed

cottages ibitn the latrine run up approximately to £85 apieoe.

Is that including fences ?- No, that is excluding

fencing. another £7.10.- can be added for tne fence. That,

of course, excludes the cost of tne land. Then, so far aa

the 3-roomed cottages ere concerned, the new type that we

had designed and put up, they averaged £110 apieoe, which

goes up to £117.10.- , Including fence. The barracks of

the t>pb of the Weitwer- Compound coat us roughly £10^,000

to house 2,700 single men,

MR. liOCiiS: Hy reooll? ction la that Langa was esti­

mated to cos I, only i-15 per head for the single Native ?- I

would rot like to accept that without' further inveatigation.

That is the figure which U r . Adams, rho ia a builder

and a member of tne Tov?n Council, craoted to Ud ?- I would

accept it after further investigation. Ours run out at

roughly £33 eeoh p«*r head, and trio mines are as las- as £9

per head. Our Is including the cost of land. Now, your

question H o .10, under the heading of housing, "The attitude

of the local authority in regard to the erection of suoh

dwellings by Natives". Is that question applicable to

houses hullt and owned by the Coaacil, or is it applicable

to Natives building and owning their own house a?

Gh/j R&A& * It is applicable to both ?- With regard

to tha hoJ.srs built aud o.snad by the Council, unless the

uourcil builds? departmeutelly, it is required under the

Ordinanoe governing the town to call for tenders. Tendera

are called for and no stipulation is mads as to the olaas

of labour used.

7690 -

UR. LUCAS: Yes, but the contractor then would be

bound by the Industrial Council Agreement for the building

trade ?- Yes. Whoever the contractor was would be bound

by that. But the Council is in no way responsible for the

labour whioh he employs. with regard to dwellings built

by Natives, up to the present, the Council has allowed any

Native wishing to do so and having the money to build his

own dwelling in the Klipspruit looation, but it has not

subsidized or financed him in any way whatever.

Has anything like that been done in any of the

locations nearer the oentre of the town ?- No. One of the

reasons for that is the faot that the Native villages whioh

comd within the Municipal boundary of Johannesburg art

governed entirely by the bye-laws applicable to the whole

of Johannesburg, and any Native who would have wished to

build there, would have been required to oomply with

these building bye-laws and he would have had to use the

same materials and the same class of construction as the

Counoil itself would have to use, whereas, at Klipspruit,

they have been able to use Kimberley Briok or they have

been able to make their own bricks, or they have been able

to use wood and iron or any other material they please.

I just want to raise these points that are incidental

but I do not just now want to go into any details ?- Now,

in your questionnaire you ask whether there are families

living in the single rooms. Let me say that *e have very

few single rooms and, in some of them, there are families

but I tnink you oan say tuat in practioally all oases they

ars just a man and wife/dnd, at the utmost, two ohildren.

Many of them are oocupied just by a raan and his wife and

Collection Number: AD1438

NATIVE ECONOMIC COMMISSION 1930-1932, Evidence and Memoranda

PUBLISHER: Collection funder:- Atlantic Philanthropies Foundation

Publisher:- Historical Papers Research Archive

Location:- Johannesburg

©2013

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