TOPIC:

How can we assist this misguided notion of changing names for popular politics? Give me a name an address and I will write, to an address, email, text.........

SWB wrote:

Rory wrote: I'm with Adrian on this one - who cares whether or not it's Archie, Gladys, Victoria or Bessy Bunter - it's just a name.

I for one, although not in favour of the politics of the moment, try to desist from slating the country of my birth - it's not good press and creates a bad impression with potential overseas visitors, investors, MEDAL BUYERS, etc.

Regards

Rory

Couldn't agree more.

A council in England has removed apostrophes from it's road signs as it thinks people can't use them properly. That's a bigger crime.

.......anyway back to medals

Brett Hendey wrote: Hi Anthony

Congratulations on your latest acquisition.

On a much more mundane note, I wonder if you have come across 'Exemption Medals'? I discovered the existence of these medals while researching the Natal Native Scouts, which is the subject of another thread on this forum. I gather these medals were given to certain Christian Zulus in Natal to carry as proof they were exempt from traditional Zulu law.

Regards
Brett

Hello Brett
You are indeed correct, these little items of historical value that one finds, certainly gives one the opportunity to do research on the item, and this is the one aspect of collecting that I thoroughly enjoy. I enjoy collecting these medallions because they are Natal items and one has the Natal Archives in PMB at ones disposal for research material. The Native pass is indeed an interesting item, and they were issued only in silver and bronze. I have a copy of The Natal Government Gazette, dated Tuesday August 29, 1865 which clearly outlines the Law 28 of 1865. There are 38 points which make up this law and I will outline just a few important ones. The Law was for relieving certain persons from the operation of Native Law and by this meaning, to relieve certain persons being such Natives of the Colony, or of countries thereunto adjacent, now or hereafter resident in the Colony from the operation thereof by reason of their not now being either so ignorant or so unfitted by habit or otherwise as to render them incapable of exercising and understanding the ordinary duties of civilised life.
• Any male Native resident in the Colony may, by petition to the Lieutenant Governor, pray for a letter of exemption declaring the petitioner exempt from the operation of native Law.
• Any person to whom letters of exemption shall be granted under this Law, shall, from and after the date of delivery of such letters to him, and upon publication of the same in the Government Gazette, be deemed and reckoned as exempt from the provisions and operations of Native Law, and shall thereafter be deemed subject to the ordinary laws of the Colony.
• The ordinary Law of the Colony by which children born before wedlock become legitimate by legal marriage, subsequent to their birth, of their parents, is hereby extended to and made applicable to the children of any Native so exempt as aforesaid by a wife whom he has married according to any Christian rites.
• This law shall not extend to any Native living polygamy, except so far as regards his share in such intestate estates as aforesaid, nor shall any such Native be capable of obtaining any letter of exemption under this law.
• All letters of exemption granted as aforesaid shall be registered in the office of the Registrar of Deeds, and shall have endorsed thereon the date of such registration, which registration shall also contain the name of the wife of the holder thereof, the names of the children, if any, the sex, and as near as ma be the ages of such children, and the Registrar of Deeds shall transmit a duly certified copy of such letter of exemption and endorsement to the Secretary for Native Affairs to be by him filed in his office.

Brett, as stated, these are just some of the 38 points from the Gazette. From the Central Government of Natal publication under Native Franchise, 24 August 1865, this is what they had to say regarding NO 114 Law – Disqualifying certain Native from exercising Electoral Franchise. This is an extract................. every man above the age of twenty-one years, save and except certain persons disqualified by the provisions of the letter of Patent, who possesses an immovable property to the value of £50, or who rents any such property of the yearly value of £10, and who is duly registered, shall be entitled to vote at the election of a member for the said Legislative Council........... And whereas by Law No 11of 1864, entitled “For relieving certain persons from the operation of Native Law” provision is made whereby such natives as shall become fairly civilised shall be enabled.... to take out certain letters of exemption by which they become exempted from the operation of Native Laws, Customs and Usages, and in their persons and property become subject to the general laws of the Colony............ Any male native inhabitant of this colony who shall show to the satisfaction of the Lieutenant Governor that he has been resident in this Colony for a period of twelve years or that he has been occasionally resident therein equivalent to a twelve years residence and who shall possess the requisite property qualification and shall have been exempted from the operation of Native Law for a period of seven years, and who shall produce to the Lieutenant- Governor a certificate signed by three duly qualified electors of European origin

Ok, there is a lot of information and I just typed out what I could.

In closing this, this was found in the Natal Archives. A very ambitious letter written to the Chief Native Commissioner by Native Leonard Sifile Guma. The letter is attached as a JPG in this posting. Leonard Sifile Guma wanted to apply for a Exemption Medal to be struck in GOLD. He was prepared to pay 20/- for this. The response by the Chief Native Commissioner to him was that there are no Golden Medals available. The price of a silver medal is 12/6 and the bronze is 6/-

I do hope this sheds some light on the Native Exemption Medal.

Cheers
Anthony Govender

I quite agree, they are the government after all and I would have no problem with the odd fiddle, but, from what Adrian and Brett have said, it appears to be rather more than a just a fiddle.
The thought of Jan Smuts opening King Cetshwayo Highway does amuse me!

SWB wrote: [

No point in being in power if you can't fiddle with history.

When did Smuts ever open "Cetshwayo Drive" then?

Anthony

Thank you for a very comprehensive reply on the subject of exemption medals. From not even knowing of their existence a few months ago, I have become very interested in them. It seems that the Colonists were enthusiastic about their creation and, initially at least, in awarding them to the Zulus who qualified. The rise in the power and status of the Colony's Christian Zulus became a matter of concern after the turn of the century, so Exemption Medals were given less freely.

Leah Xaba's medal is a particularly fine one. I do not have a record of her in my files, but the Xaba's were amongst the elite of the Christian Zulus. The 1880 date suggests a connection with Solomon Xaba, who served in the Zulu War. He had also served with the expeditions against the Bushmen in 1866. Although too old for service in the Boer War, he actively encouraged men to join the Natal Native Scouts.

Other Xabas who served with the Scouts included Lazarus Xaba, who co-ordinated the activities of the Scouts from the Christian settlement of Driefontein, which was behind Boer lines during the Siege of Ladysmith. I have another eight Xabas on my list of Edendale/Driefontein Christians, who served as Scouts.

Thanks again for your helpful response.

Regards
Brett

In the case of Edwin Swales VC drive, I think this is very much about medals and indeed morals, to remove a number of apostrophes from road signs is really just silly and a waste of money, but to remove what is a memorial to a very brave man, who was not fighting in some nineteenth century colonial war, but, was involved in a awful global event, still within living memory, fighting on the side of civilization, a man who gave his life so his men would have the best possible chance to survive, is in my opinion, both DISRESPECTFUL and really quite DISGUSTING.

SWB wrote:

Rory wrote: I'm with Adrian on this one - who cares whether or not it's Archie, Gladys, Victoria or Bessy Bunter - it's just a name.

I for one, although not in favour of the politics of the moment, try to desist from slating the country of my birth - it's not good press and creates a bad impression with potential overseas visitors, investors, MEDAL BUYERS, etc.

Regards

Rory

Couldn't agree more.

A council in England has removed apostrophes from it's road signs as it thinks people can't use them properly. That's a bigger crime.

.......anyway back to medals

Medal News report that auction 64 is being prepared. No date given as yet.