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The Southern Israelite
Page 6
A Strange Drama, Resembling The Exodus
Occured In South Africa 8 Years Ago
World at Large Knew Little About
It But Fact8 are Now Revealed and
Described in Interesting Novel; Off
shoot of American Negro Sect claimed
Jor Itself Israelitic Descent and
Caused Trouble to Local Government;
Beet is Now Extinct.
SOUTH AFRICAN NEWS LETTER
By Hilda Purwitsky
A gripping real-life story, recalling
in queer fashion, the tale of the Jews
in Egypt, their gathering on the first
Passover for the Exodus, before they
rossed the Red Sea to wander in the
Desert for forty years, prior to en
uring the Promised Land but instead
if the ancient Jews, dealing with a
guut of Blacks in South Africa, which
dopted the creed of an American
,'egro religious organization with
their faith consisting of a mixture of
ewish and Christian ritual, including
he celebration of the Passover is re
called by the tremendous vogue which
lias been won in America and all over
he English-speaking world by the
•reat novel “The Coming of the Lord”
by Sarah Gertrude Millin, a famous
ewish novelist living in South Africa.
It is a story which, too, deals with
he celebration of a Passover and a
5 rophet with the claims, though not
he stature of a Moses, and with the
oming of Government troops against
he celebrants, as Pharaoh’s army
ame against the Children of Israel,
mly in this case, the Government
roops prevailed, as they did not pre-
ail milleniums ago, against the Israe-
ites in the country of Egypt, in the
i T orth of the same Continent of Afri-
a. and unlike the celebrants of the
riginal Passover, whose descendants
lumber many millions, occupying im-
>ortant positions in South and North
frica, in America, in Europe and in
he Promised Land, Palestine itself,
hich they are now restoring, the
?ct of Black “Israelite” is now prac-
ically extinct. Only seven or eight
ears ago it happened, in 1921. Bul-
oek, where it happened, appears in
iertrude Millin’s novel as the Heights,
moch, the “Black Moses” has be-
ome Aaron, and the “Israelites” are
^evites. The historical facts have not
>een changed in the novel. They ap-
>ear there as they actually occurred,
^ut baldly, and as a statement of the
acts of this intensely interesting
vent, they are recorded below.
The “Israelites” were a native sect,
(inverted to an almost fanatical
Christianity, who congregated at Bul-
oek (Ntabalanga), a little place near
ueenstown in the Eastern Province
f the Union, to celebrate their re-
ipious festivals, by permission of the
uthorities, on the understanding that
o permanent structures were to be
rected, and that they would depart
fter the ceremony.
^ hen they remained settled there
linger than was anticipated, and later
efused to go from the land, which
h£> came to look upon as their own,
e white people in the district began
’ fear them as a possible menace,
nd the “Israelites” soon came into
onflict with the police.
On the llth of May, 1921, the Na-
u . e Affairs Commission, which com-
Senator Dr. Roberts, General
emmer, and Dr. Lorain, proceeded
to Bulhoek to interview the Israelite
leaders. When the Commission ar
rived the Israelites were celebrating
the Passover, but gave a promise that
the camp would disperse after the
festival. No escort accompanied the
Commission, as they desired to have
a quiet talk with the leaders.
The head of the sect was known as
Enoch, the “Prophet”. He was not
present at the meeting, being other
wise engaged, spiritually. His bro
ther, Charles Mgijima, a pensioner,
a quondam court interpreter and an
owner of property, interviewed the
Commission in the presence of large
numbers of the Israelites. The na
tives showed no hostility, but refused
the offer of the Government to trans
port them and their families back
to their own homes free of charge.
On Charles Mgijima the threat that he
would lose his pension and have his
property confiscated had no effect
either.
A few days later Mounted Police
began to arrive in the town. Then
two of Enoch’s men were charged with
contempt of court in connection with
a murder trial. Enoch refused to
deliver them up, saying, “If they are
wanted by the law, the law must
fetch them”. A deputation of well-
knowm natives also being unsuccess
ful with Enoch, the Chief Commis
sioner of the South African Police,
Colonel Truter, forwarded the follow
ing notification to the “Prophet”: “To
Enoch Mgijima and all associated with
him and styling themselves ‘Israelites’
at Ntabalanga (Bulhoek).
“You are hereby notified that upon
instruction from the Government I
have come to Queenstown and will
arrive at Ntabalanga on Monday, the*
23rd inst., with an adequate force to
carry out certain orders which are
detailed hereunder, namely: “(1) To
arrest certain men against whom war
rants have been issued in order that
they should be dealt with according
to law. (2) To see that all unau
thorized residents leave Ntabalanga
and go back to where they came from.
(3) To destroy all houses erected
without authority. (4) On comple
tion of these operations a force will
be left at Ntabalanga to prevent any
unauthorized person squatting there.
Everyone’s person and property will
be respected. You are warned, how
ever, that any resistance to lawful
authority will be drastically dealt
with”.
Enoch replied in a long religious
screed saying that “God had sent
him to his people,” and concluded with
“If you are coming out to make war
please inform me. I shall then write
and say my last word before you des
troy me.” The delegate who brought
this letter was handed another by Col
onel Truter saying that he had nothing
further to add to his previous letter.
At 7 a.m. on the 23rd of May, 1921
the force of 800 men moved out from
Queenstown en route to Ntabalanga.
It consisted of six squadrons, machine
gun detachment, quick-firing gun, and
ambulance, all under the command of
Colonel T. G. Truter.
The “Israelites” had been constant
ly drilling in squads and preparing
(Continued on page 20)
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