Proposal made to stop sending Black troops to assist in WW1

Updated: 30 Sep 2019

C.W. Malan put forth a motion in parliament on this day: “That this House strongly disapproves of sending coloured men and natives from South Africa to Europe for any service in connection with the war or otherwise.” This motion was against the backdrop of the South African government recruiting Black people for the South African Native Labour Contingent to assist Britain in World War 1. Nationalists in SA did not approve of sending Black men overseas, because they did not want these men to think that they were equal to white people. This motion was defeated but does offer a view into some of the perspectives of the time. Nonetheless, the SA government agreed to recruit more men, after the 10 000 troops that had already been sent overseas.

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How we know this

01Clothier, Norman. Black Valour. Pietermaritzburg: University of Natal Press, 1987.
02“World War 1”, South African History Online, Accessed 19 February 2017.

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2018, September 18). Proposal made to stop sending Black troops to assist in WW1. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0125366

South African History Online (2018) 'Proposal made to stop sending Black troops to assist in WW1', South African History Online, 18 September. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0125366 (Accessed: 4 October 2026).

South African History Online, Proposal made to stop sending Black troops to assist in WW1 [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0125366, (accessed 4 October 2026).

"Proposal made to stop sending Black troops to assist in WW1." South African History Online, 18 Sept. 2018, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0125366. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

South African History Online. "Proposal made to stop sending Black troops to assist in WW1." South African History Online. September 18, 2018. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0125366.