Elias Kandowe

Johannesburg, South Africa on May 8, 1927

Interview by H.G. Falwasser

Subjects:
Mafunziro:

Statement in South African National Archives, Pretoria GNLB 417 81/21 ‘Employment of Tropical Natives on Mines: Part II: Individual Applications’ (1926-1930).

Elias Kandowe arrived in Johannesburg during 1914, masquerading as a Mozambican WNLA recruit. He worked as a miner and supervisory “boss boy” until 1925, when he entered private employment in Boksburg and Barberton, where he settled with his family. In mid-1927, he applied to return to the Johannesburg mines as a policeman.

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Elias Kandowe arrived in Johannesburg during 1914, masquerading as a Mozambican WNLA recruit. He worked as a miner and supervisory “boss boy” until 1925, when he entered private employment in Boksburg and Barberton, where he settled with his family. In mid-1927, he applied to return to the Johannesburg mines as a policeman.
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Elias Kandowe arrived in Johannesburg during 1914, masquerading as a Mozambican WNLA recruit. He worked as a miner and supervisory “boss boy” until 1925, when he entered private employment in Boksburg and Barberton, where he settled with his family. In mid-1927, he applied to return to the Johannesburg mines as a policeman.
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Director’s Auth No: 17/1927

I Elias Kandowe TP 71569 K Tax Identity No: 174/380/941 Tax receipt No: 7719 E Barberton, formerly of Nyasaland, now of Barberton, Transvaal, do hereby make statement and declare:-

That I originally came from British Nyasaland in 1914 and on arrival on the Rand, I worked for City Deep as a hammer boy underground for 3 years. I came to the Rand (as a recruited boy for mine work by the WNLA Portuguese East Africa) and was sent to City Deep from WNLA Compd here.

That from City Deep, I went to Springs Mines where I was employed underground as a hammer boy for 4 years. Thence I went to Witwatersrand G.M. Co. Ltd where I was employed as a boss boy shovel work underground for 3 years.

That in 1925 I worked for a private employer at Boksburg for only 1 year, and in 1926 I went to Barberton where I settled with my family. In all the mines I have been regarded as a Portuguese subject when registered and when called upon by the Portuguese authorities to pay their tax, I used to tell them that I was a Blantyre native of the Atonga tribe, part of which falls in Portuguese East Africa and other part in Nyasaland. I was therefore exempted form [the] Portuguese tax. I am now a taxpayer in the Transvaal.

I pray for permission to be employed on the gold mines for underground work. I am offered employment at the Nourse Mines as a police boy underground.

Elias Kandowe, his X mark

Witness: Wm Bell

Employment on mines approved Director’s Authority No: 17/1927 to be quoted on every subsequent pp issued to this native.

HGF

Director of Native Labour [stamped 8 May 1927]