This is the story of the uprising of a group of enslaved and Khoisan labourers on farms in the valley below the Skurweberg mountain in the Koue Bokkeveld. The uprising in question happened in 1825 and is the second of two significant uprisings that occurred in the Cape Colony during British rule.

The people involved in the uprising were enslaved and Khoisan labourers working on different farms in the valley below the Skurweberg. The group of rebels was led by an enslaved man called Galant, with his second-in-command being an enslaved man called Abel from a neighbouring farm. They were joined by five other enslaved labourers (Klaas, Achilles, Antony, Adonis and Pamela) and five Khoisan labourers (Isaac Thys, Isaac Rooy, Hendrik, Valentyn and Vlak).

The uprising began when the rebels met up and attempted to murder a farmer in the Koue Bokkeveld. They went on to a second farm where they joined up with more rebels and shot and killed three white men. The group of rebels did so because they believed that they should be free and that the white farmers were a barrier to them attaining this freedom. They intended to kill their masters and then make their way to Cape Town, freeing other slaves along the way. In the event that they could not do so safely, they planned to withdraw to north of the Orange River where they might have lived as free people outside of the colony. The rebels were captured by a commando, assembled by the field cornet of the area, and taken to Cape Town where they were put on trial and almost all were found guilty. The leaders of the group were executed whilst the other members received punishments ranging from beatings, to forced labour in Worcester.

In the document, Anthony is referred to as “Ontong”, his name seems to change depending on the source we look at. It could be that Anthony is an English version of the name Ontong.

DETAIL: D’Oyly, Charles. (1833). Khoe Traders [Painting]. William Fehr Collection, Iziko Museums of South Africa.

Of the enslaved labourers accused of participating in the uprising, Galant, Abel, Klaas, Adonis and Pamela were born into enslavement in the Cape and Achilles and Antony were enslaved in their homelands (Mozambique and Madagascar) and brought to the Cape Colony. The Khoisan labourers would all have been born in the Cape. It is important to note that they were not the ‘property’ of the farm owners in the way their enslaved colleagues were. Khoisan labourers received pay in the form of clothing, livestock, tobacco and sometimes money. However, the conditions they lived in were similar to enslavement and they had little power to leave and find work somewhere else because they were dependent on the farm owners for shelter and food.

DETAIL: Daniell, Samuel. (1800). Farmers returning from hunting [Painting]. William Fehr Collection, Iziko Museums of South Africa.

The word “enslaved” draws our attention to the fact that slavery was something done to one person by another and not just something that happened naturally. What this shows us is that words can hold clues to who has power and who doesn’t and that words can be changed to give power back to people who have had it taken from them. This doesn’t mean that the term “slave” is a word that can never be used again, but maybe this will encourage you to think about how and when you use specific words and what the meaning behind a word is.

Daniell, Samuel. (1800). Farmers returning from hunting [Painting]. William Fehr Collection, Iziko Museums of South Africa.

The rebels travelled from Barend’s farm back to Hou den bek, now also with the enslaved man Klaas. They arrived at Hou den bek in the middle of the night and went to Galant’s hut, at this point joined by Achilles, Antony, Valentyn and Vlak.

DETAIL: Historical illustration showing the community and rebels involved in the uprising. Detail from: Bell, Charles Davidson. (1839). The Outspan [Painting]. William Fehr Collection, Iziko Museums of South Africa.

As the rebels tried to break into the front of the house, Hannes fled out the back. The rebels spotted him and chased him down. Willem attempted to negotiate with the rebels but they weren’t interested in talking. Galant shot and killed Willem when he opened the front door to speak to them. Now clearly besieged, Elsje and Hannes took cover with the household’s other visitors, the schoolmaster Verlee, his wife Martha, and their baby. Hannes and Verlee fled to the kitchen along with Elsje, who attempted to hide inside the oven. Martha, all the children, and the women servants and enslaved labourers of the house hid in the loft.

The rebels tried to break open the oven and fired shots at it from the outside until Elsje fell out of the oven covered in dust and rubbish. As Hannes attempted to help Elsje to her feet, the rebels broke into the house through the kitchen door. Hannes pleaded with the rebels hoping they would spare his life. The court documents claim that Abel responded “that no Christian should have pardon, for that the report had been that the slaves were to have been free at the New Year, but that it not having been done they would make themselves free” after which he shot Hannes in the chest, killing him immediately. Following this, the rebels moved further into the house where Abel shot Verlee, who fell to the ground and appeared to be dead. They searched the house and found two pistols and more ammunition. They then realised that Verlee was not in fact dead. Abel shot Verlee in the head, but he continued to make noises and so was shot in the chest by Isaac Rooy. There is debate in the court documents as to whether or not Rooy did it because he was being threatened by Galant.

Whilst events unfolded at Hou den bek, Barend rode to Sandrivier, the farm of Jan Dalree, where he raised the alarm. A visitor at Sandrivier, William Pearson, then rode to the Field Cornet and reported on the events. The Field Cornet dispatched a commando to apprehend the rebels. The last of the group of rebels, Galant, Abel, Isaac Rooy, Isaac Thys, Hendrik and Klaas rode to Sandrivier, then to Rietrivier (Barend’s farm) and finally to a grazing post belonging to Piet van der Merwe, where the group encountered the commando. Hendrik and Klaas were captured there, whilst the rest fled into the mountains. Eventually all the rebels were captured and taken to Cape Town where they were tried for the crimes committed during their uprising. An enslaved man named Adonis was tried alongside them for allegedly providing the moulds used to make ammunition as well as a free man named Petrus Josephus Campher who was thought to have helped the rebels form their plan.

We are able to know the events of the uprising because there are court records that state what occurred. These court records are important to historians because most enslaved and Khoisan people could not read or write and so we have very little written material that allows us to know more about their lives and thoughts from their own point of view. The rebels involved in this uprising were brought to Cape Town after they were captured and were put on trial. The records of their trial are a vital historical resource as they provide some insight into the perspectives of enslaved and Khoisan labourers.

All of the accused provided statements about their involvement in the uprising, and many added to their statements when appearing before the Council of Justice. What they said in their defence or as an explanation for their actions gives us clues into what their lives were like and what they thought about this. When studying these documents, we always remember that although the statements of the accused are framed as being made freely, prisoners on trial were often tortured or otherwise manipulated into saying things that would ensure that the court found them guilty.

from the manuscript documents in the Public Record Office, London, by Theal, George McCall, 1837-1919; Cape of Good Hope (South Africa)

Explore the original court records from the 1825 Koue Bokkeveld Uprising trial. These documents provide firsthand accounts and testimonies from the rebels themselves. The trial records start from page 188.

These newspaper articles appear in the only printed newspaper in the Cape Colony at the time The Cape Town Gazette and Commercial Advertiser. Newspapers are vital historical sources as they capture contemporary accounts of events, showing how news was reported and received by the public at that time.

Slave registers were official documents used to record ownership and details of enslaved people in the Cape Colony. Here are two slave registers that show the enslaved labourers of both Willem and Barend van der Merwe. In Willem van der Merwe’s register there is a person called “Philis” who might actually be Achilles, one of the rebels, as this person’s age, gender and country of origin all match Achilles who is not mentioned in the register even. In Barend van der Merwe’s we can see both Abel and Klaas.

The Landdrost was a local colonial official responsible for administration and justice in a district. This entry in the landdrost’s day book documents an instance when Galant complained of his treatment to the authorities, showing the administrative channels through which enslaved people could theoretically seek redress for mistreatment.

In 2023, members of the Koue Bokkeveld community formed the 1825 Uprising Committee to coordinate the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the 1825 Uprising in February 2025. They wanted to ensure that the commemoration reflected the sensitivity and historical significance of the uprising. They chose the words “To remember, to heal and to grow” as their guiding principle. As part of their commemoration, they plan to erect a memorial to the event near Koppieshoogte. In creating this memorial site, they will transform Koppieshoogte from a place of punishment into a place of learning that remembers the efforts of enslaved and Khoisan people to achieve their freedom.

This exhibit was created by Alice Parkington in collaboration with Grant Parker as part of the Archive to Narrative initiative. Stephen Symons designed the website. We would like to thank the following persons and institutions:

Dr Laura Mitchell from the University of California, Irvine who assisted greatly in building our understanding of this event and has worked to bring attention to its significance.

The steering committee for the commemoration of the Koue Bokkeveld Uprising have guided us with their insight into the event and area.
Bertdene Laubscher of the Togryers Museum in Ceres served as a vital contact in the local community.

Helen Joannides for her advice regarding educational materials and working with the archive.

The Western Cape Archives and Records Service for providing images of historical documents.

Esther Esmyol at Iziko Museum of South Africa for providing us with copies of paintings from the William Fehr Collection.