Brakpan 100: A dark day in Brakpan’s history

The most tragic part of the history of Brakpan will be remembered as the events which took place on March 10, 1922.

People were shot in cold blood and houses and shops were burnt down.

The culprits were normal, law-abiding citizens whose passions had been roused to the point of no return.

They were uncontrollable in their “cause” – to protect the position of the white miner from being taken over by a cheap black labour force.

Trade unions used all means to drum up support for “the cause”.

A hard line was taken by both sides.

Eventually, a small body of activists took control of the unions and the government was forced to declare martial law, to quell what would become a revolution.

During World War One, the unions had negotiated a status-quo agreement with the Chamber of Mines – the proportions of white and black labour on the mines would not be changed.

Thousands of miners stood to lose their jobs and the federation saw this as a means of using cheap black labour.

The trade unions grew in power, with miners quick to join.

The string of events which followed culminated in the miners stopping work in January 1922.

The strike started off quietly in Brakpan.

The lead from Johannesburg was followed, with miners being organised into a commando.

During the following weeks, many events took place, including picketing and threats.

On March 5, 1922, a meeting of the federation was held in Johannesburg.

Control of the strike, which was throughout the Reef, passed to the Committee of Action.

A general strike was immediately declared of all white workers in all fields of employment.

The striking miners demanded all work be stopped.

As in other towns, all shops were closed in Brakpan and the streets were deserted.

On March 9, strikers attacked the homes of three officials of Brakpan Mines, who escaped before their houses were burned down.

Similar events took place along the Witwatersrand.

At about 5am on March 10, a bomb exploded in Market Square (where the old Brakpan Plaza is situated).

A group of armed (anything could service as a weapon) miners marched to Apex Colliery, disarmed special police and assaulted officials.

Another group attacked the police station.

Hundreds of strikers marched on Brakpan Mines and demanded the official surrender of the mine, but were refused and the signal was given for shooting to start.

The miners had a big advantage and by 9.30am they were swarming all over the mine.

The mine manager was struck over the head with a rifle butt and officials were killed.

Special police were shot in cold blood.

The siege of the police station continued.

Two strikers were gunned down.

Despite the news of the declaration of martial law, the radicals – many of them drunk – had a last fling.

Houses and shops were burned.

Military intervention followed.

The strikers were eventually overcome, but “Black Friday” will always be a main feature in the history of Brakpan.

The eight white officials and members of the special police killed that day were buried in a special cemetery just off Main Reef Road.

They were H Martin, L Phillips, A Momsen, G Lowdon, and Lt V Brodigan and Consts F Smit, J Jordan and S Combrink.

Their tombstone were inscribed with the following: “Victims of a violent and internecine strike, they valued duty higher than life”.

This plot of ground was given to the Brakpan Town Council when Brakpan Mines closed down and they accepted responsibility for its upkeep.

Today, sadly, the monument is in ruins.

One black man, Carton Katene, was also killed in the fighting at the mine.

He has been forgotten and lies in an unknown and unmarked grave.

Information obtained from The Brakpan Story by Selby Webster.

Have a story?

Contact the newsroom by emailing: Thelma Koorts  (editor) brakpanherald@caxton.co.za

or Stacy Slatter (news editor) stacys@caxton.co.za

 or Miné Fourie (journalist) minev@caxton.co.za

Remember to visit the Brakpan Herald on the following social media platforms:

Follow us: