Social conditions of slaves at the Cape: other restrictions administered by VOC offcials and/or enforced by 'free burghers'
- At funerals of white slave owners, no slave is permitted into the inner sanctum of the cemetery;
- When a slave is to be buried, only 6, 8 or at most 10 pairs of other slaves are permitted to be in attendance of a family member or an acquintances’ funeral;
- Nothing except eatables or perishable foods are to be sold by slave vendors from door to door or at street corners – in order to prevent dealings in stolen goods;
- Under no circumstances are slaves allowed to purchase alcohol for their slave masters;
- Slaves were not allowed to wear leather shoes or stockings;
- Slaves were not permitted to wear a cap, unless they are conversant with speaking Dutch;
- Company slaves at the Slave Lodge were not allow to sell or swop their clothes [1771]
- Slaves who were sent on errants by their masters were required to carry a pass issued by the slave owner [1709];
- It was a misdemeanor to purchase anything from a slave if they were not granted permission to sell goods[1700];
- Free movement of slaves on Sundays were prohibited [1766]
Van ASWEGEN, H J [1989] : GESKIEDENIS VAN SUID AFRIKA TOT 1854 : Academica, Kaapstad/PretoriaBack to the main page