The likelihood of some of the Native police (Government) taking part in the Rebellion was realized at the outset, consequently, at such places as Krantzkop and Mapumulo, men connected with the divisions were removed to another part of the Colony, their places being taken by others. Native police from such stations as Insuze, Kearsney, Glendale, Umhlali and Stanger rebelled. Sixteen were recognized, by their finger-prints, among the rebel prisoners, whilst at least four were killed. About eighty Durban Borough police are said to have taken up arms.
On the other hand, out of the whole of the Nongqai, whose members and ex-members numbered some thousands, only one man, who left the force some twenty years previously, is known to have joined the enemy. Full and careful inquiry was made in the matter by Chief Commissioner Mansel. This highly creditable state of affairs may be accounted for by the fact that, during the many years Mansel had control of the force, he never allowed any one to serve as 'substitute' for a regular member. An account of the Nongqai will be found in Appendix XI.
The part taken by Christian Natives in the Insurrection was a large and prominent one. The teaching of many Native preachers, generally belonging to Ethiopian denominations, was of a distinctly seditious character. Here, for instance, is a type of an address frequently repeated in 1906 in a location within the vicinity of Greytown: "The end of the age is at hand! On the black race did God originally bestow the right of governing. The race, however, failed to acquire the art. Now is the time drawing to a close. The right to govern is reverting to its original possessors. Authority will be conferred on the black race, and they will now be exalted to a position above the whites. You shall enjoy complete ascendancy over Europeans, for the power has at length been restored to you by the Almighty. Even were actual conflicts to occur between you and the whites, you will surely put them to flight, for God is standing by you." The services were usually held in out-of-the-way places, and always out of hearing of Europeans or their Native agents. It was found exceedingly difficult to obtain sufficient evidence to prosecute, even though sedition was known to be constantly preached. When hostilities actually broke out, many of these men determined to practise what they had preached; they accordingly broke away from mission stations, notably in Mapumulo, Ndwedwe and Umsinga divisions, and joined the rebels.
In July, 1907, it was found that of the Native prisoners then in Natal gaols, 418 were Christians. Of this number, 204 were ordinary criminals, whilst 214 had been convicted of rebellion.[308] Of the latter figure, seven were preachers. The foregoing totals, which are below the actual numbers, owing to the difficulty of ascertaining who were converts, were obtained subsequent to the release of about 500 rebels, among whom other so-called Christians would probably have been found.
In addition to the above, several preachers and many members of different denominations were shot during the operations. Hunt and Armstrong, it will be remembered, were murdered by a band of mission Natives.
It is but fair to add that many of the Christian Natives who rebelled were not attached to any recognized missionary body at the time they did so.
A number of other matters, which might have been noticed here, have already been sufficiently dealt with in preceding chapters. The Native Affairs Commission drew attention to various reforms in administration, many of which have already been introduced, such as the appointment of a Council for Native Affairs and Commissioners,[309] limitation of interest on loans, various problems connected with labour, and compulsory service on public works.
The fact that none of the Magistrates of such districts as Mahlabatini (H.M. Stainbank, later J.Y. Gibson), Nongoma (G.W. Armstrong), and Nkandhla (B. Colenbrander), in Zululand, and Umsinga (A.E. Harrington) and Mapumulo (T. Maxwell), in Natal, were withdrawn, but continued to discharge the duties of their office throughout the Rebellion, tended to influence and reassure many European farmers, storekeepers and others, preventing them from getting into a panic, and, by flying off to other parts for protection, making matters considerably worse than they were. With the troops often operating at a distance, there is no doubt considerable danger was run of any of these magistracies being attacked and the officials murdered. As very little protection was immediately available, sometimes even with the Native police disaffected, it would have been comparatively easy for any band of determined rebels to have brought about one or more of such results before assistance could have been rendered.
Much credit is due to Magistrates generally for the admirable manner in which they retained a hold on the Natives of their districts throughout the period of unrest. Occasionally, however, scares among Europeans could not be prevented. Those at Greytown and Nqutu have already been noticed; another occurred at Pietermaritzburg.