Racism was already an issue before the Dutch East India Company's settlement at the Cape Colony became a reality. Previous prejudicious learned from racism overseas back in Europe was already embedded into the minds of the white settlers before they ever reached Africa. When they encountered tribesmen of the Khoi their initial instincts told them that they were superior to these Africans. They were white, and these African tribesmen were black, so in the European's minds they were inferior. On the other hand, the Khoi had never encountered a racist environment before

There were limited attempts by the Dutch East India Company to relieve racial tensions in the settlements stemming from pressure from missionaries and the outside world. Between the years 1785 and 1795 a magistrate named H.C.D. Maynier was placed in power in the eastern frontier. He tried to ease the tensions between the white masters and their black servants by opening his court to the Khoi servants who felt they were being mistreated by their masters. The leading officials also had negotiations with the Xhosa to prevent conflict they knew they would not win. By now the racial prejudices within the colony were so strong that the white settlers could not live with the arrangements their rules had made for the Khoi servants and the Xhosa neighboring tribes. So much in fact that they rose in rebellion of their leadership and proclaimed themselves an independent colony.

The British next moved their attention to establishing peace with the Xhosa tribe on the frontier. In order to accomplish this they made a deal with the San natives on the frontier who had for years been raiding the white settlers. According to this deal the settlers would give the starving San cattle in order to bring about peace. This idea did not sit well with the settlers who had long held beliefs in racial prejudices. In their mind they felt they should rule these people and have them as servants. It was not understood why they should now be content with giving their scarce cattle to black people just to make peace. These differing views on racial beliefs between the British government and the white settlers on the frontier gave way to conflict between the two parties. In response the settlers again rebelled and had to be put down by the British. Quoting Omer-Cooper, "Khoi servants of the white farmers, seeing the British troops accompanied by a Khoi contingent, believed that the British were at war with their masters. Many of them deserted their employers, taking guns and ammunition, and formed three armed bands. (Pg. 37)" A snowball effect started to gain ground as the conflict increased in the areas. The Khoi and Xhosa raided the white settlements viciously, increasing the racial tension that was already heightened in the area. The British were able to relieve some of the conflict through negotiations with the Khoi and Xhosa. The Khoi were convinced by the British that if they returned to their masters they would be treated fairly and no longer suffer the injustices that they had previously been subjected to. However, racial prejudices still were thriving in the back of the white settlers minds.

In the mid-1820's the emancipation of slaves movement had gained strong ground in Britain and the rest of the world. Missionaries amongst others could now appeal to powerful political people within the government for help. The General Superintendent of the London Missionary Society published, in 1828, "his Researches in South Africa in which he roundly condemned the legal position of the Khoi in the colony. (Pg. 48, Omer-Cooper)" The continued pressure applied by the missionaries to take action finally payed off with Ordinance no. 50. This new law declared that the Khoi slaves and all other mixed races were equal to whites in all respects of the law.

Pressure to relieve all the Khoi and blacks from servitude continued to increase from the European missionaries. They notified the British government about the injustices being handed upon the Khoi. The Circuit Court was ordered to review all wrongdoings and complaints against the employers of the Khoi. This again increased racial tensions in the area since it undermined the power white

Some common words found in the essay are:
Southern Africa, Omer-Cooper Three-quarters, South Africa, Act August, HCD Maynier, Cape Colony, Khoi Cattle, Wrote Omer-Cooper, Europeans Khoi, Graaff- Reinet, white settlers, racial prejudices, dutch east, rest world, south africa, khoi servants, british government, dutch east india, east india, mixed races, east india company, rights privileges,
Approximate Word count = 2467
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)