BRAND, JOHANNES HENRICUS

Johannes Henricus Brand (December 6, 1823-July 14, 1888) was third president of the Orange Free State, and his name became synonymous with that government for nearly 40 years.

PHOTO CAPTION: Johannes Henricus Brand SOURCE: EA Library

He was born in Cape Town, the only son of a well known Cape family. His father, C.J. Brand, practised as an advocate. Brand received his first education at the Cape, but went to the Netherlands and England for his university education. In 1849, he was admitted to the bar at the Inner Temple in London.

On returning to Cape Town, Brand practised as an advocate for a short while, but soon followed in the footsteps of his father by entering politics. Though he was not an outstanding campaigner, he was elected as a member of the newly created Cape Legislative Assembly. In 1862 he turned down a call to the Orange Free State bench, believing that internal disorder and an unsound financial situation boded ill for the future of that republic.

Two years later it became clear that the Orange Free State was heading for certain disaster. Internal disorder, rivalry between factions, and the threat posed by the neighbouring kingdom of Lesotho, called for wise and undaunted leadership. The Volksraad (parliament) of the Free State called upon Brand to accept nomination as candidate for the presidency.

At first he was hesitant to accept the offer, but eventually his father persuaded him to agree to offer his services. He was almost unanimously elected as third president of the Free State in 1864. At that stage the young Brand most certainly had no idea that he was to play an important role in the history of 19th century South Africa. He was to be re-elected as president for five terms of office, and a month before his death in 1888, he was again to be nominated for the office of president.

Brand’s first and foremost task as president was to save the republic from financial ruin and to restore good relations between the Dutch Afrikaners and the English population. To aggravate matters the kingdom of Lesotho refused to recognise border arrangements made by the previous Free State government. Brand decided first to resolve the border dispute with Lesotho and then turn his attention to internal state affairs.

By 1865 all Brand’s attempts at a peaceful settlement with Lesotho had failed and he was forced to declare war upon the Sotho. But the first campaign proved ineffective. A lasting settlement with Lesotho was only achieved after two more campaigns had been fought and after, in 1868, Great Britain, at Lesotho’s request, had annexed its territory. For Brand and the Orange Free State the British annexation of Lesotho was a blessing in disguise. Not only was the Sotho problem resolved, but also the task of peace-keeping became the responsibility of the British. In consequence years later, in 1886, Brand felt able to declare, with some justification, that the Free State had no “African problem.”

The peace that followed after the annexation of Lesotho brought more stability to the Free State and the economy slowly recovered. Amidst growing prosperity the Dutch Afrikaners and English appeared to be reconciled, but this was only on the surface. This was because the Afrikaners for the most part resented their president’s pro-British attitude.

In spite of the fact that Brand with his successful policy towards Lesotho helped to create a spirit of republicanism among the Afrikaners, he himself was no keen republican. He held himself aloof from all schemes to form closer ties with the neighbouring South African Republic (the Transvaal). Instead he favoured closer cooperation with the British Cape Colony and showed a keen interest in the proposed British confederation of South African colonies and republics. But the Free State population was averse to confederation and Brand had to give up his dream of closer union.

Earlier, in 1867, the discovery of diamonds had posed another threat to the Orange Free State. It soon became evident that Britain had a major interest in the diamond fields, which for the most part were in Free State territory. In spite of all Brand’s efforts to retain the diamond fields Britain annexed the territory and eventually, to obtain Brand’s cooperation for confederation, paid the Free State an indemnity of 90,000 sterling.

During the first Anglo-Boer War (1881) between Britain and the Transvaal, Brand kept the Free State neutral. He could not, however, prevent many Free Staters from joining hands with the Transvaal in its battle for independence. Brand acted as mediator between the Transvaal and Britain, and when peace was again restored in 1881 the British awarded him the G.C.M.G. (Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George).

During the last years of Brand’s long presidency his people became more and more out of touch with him. This was due to growing Afrikaner nationalism. As Brand realised he could not always stay aloof from his people’s national aspirations, he permitted closer ties with the Transvaal in 1887. When he died at Bloemfontein in 1888, he was honored as the “father of the nation.” It was also generally recognised that, in the Orange Free State, he had created a “model republic.”

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