Amos Phiri

Johannesburg, South Africa on May 2, 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).

Born in Chinteche, Amos Phiri arrived in Johannesburg during 1915, and found work underground as a miner and supervisory “boss boy” posing as a Mozambican. In 1926, he relocated to Barberton where he worked as a blacksmith at the New Amianthus mine. In mid-1927, he applied to re-employed on the Johannesburg mines.

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Born in Chinteche, Amos Phiri arrived in Johannesburg during 1915, and found work underground as a miner and supervisory “boss boy” posing as a Mozambican. In 1926, he relocated to Barberton where he worked as a blacksmith at the New Amianthus mine. In mid-1927, he applied to re-employed on the Johannesburg mines.
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I Amos Phiri TP 71180 K Barberton of Barberton (formerly of Chintechi, BNP) do hereby make statement and declare:-

That I came to Johannesburg in 1915 and was employed on Witwatersrand G.M. Co as a shovel boy underground for 3 years. Thereafter, I was employed at City Deep as a hammer boy underground for 2 years. I was again re-employed on the same mine as a boss boy shovelling work for 4 years.

That about the beginning of 1926, I went to the New Amianthus Mine, Barberton, where I was employed at the blacksmith’s shop till 19th March 1927. On the 22nd March 1927, I took out a Travelling Pass to Johannesburg (Witbank & Brakpan visited). I have been regarded as a Portuguese subject, hence my reason of being registered to the above mines without first obtaining the authority of the Director of Native Labour for employment on the mines.

Amos Phiri his X mark

Witness: Wm Bell

Employment on mines approved Director’s Authority No 16/1927 to be quoted on every subsequent pp issued to this native.

HGF

Director of Native Labour [stamped 2 May 1927]