The Anglo-Boer War (also the South African War, 1899–1902) was one of the most devastating conflicts in South African history, with dire consequences for both combatants and civilians. The British scorched earth policy, implemented to weaken Boer resistance, led to the destruction of thousands of farms, leaving women and children destitute and dependent on British-run concentration camps. These camps were notorious for their overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, leading to malnutrition, disease outbreaks, and an alarming mortality rate. Many of the victims were children whose parents succumbed to illness, starvation, or violence during the war.
By the end of the war, many children had been orphaned. The British colonial administration, faced with the challenge of housing and educating these displaced youth, established orphanages throughout the Cape, Orange River and Transvaal colonies. In the former Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek, three orphanages were established in Irene (today part of Centurion), (then) Pietersburg (today Polokwane), and Potchefstroom for Afrikaans children. These institutions were meant to provide shelter, education and vocational training for children who had no surviving family or whose relatives were unable to care for them in the aftermath of the war. While ostensibly humanitarian in intent, these orphanages also played a significant role in the broader colonial strategy of anglicisation, which sought to diminish the Boer cultural identity and assimilate the children into British imperial society. This article explores the histories of the Irene and Pietersburg orphanages, shedding light on their conditions, education policies, and long-term impact.
The Establishment of the Orphanages
The Irene...
