History of South Africa podcast · Desmond Latham

Episode 244 - Twitters' Transvaal Annexation, Rider Haggard’s Role and Railways

October 12, 2025·17 min·1 clip

Cape Town's 1877 world fair, a symbol of colonial optimism, burned down twice, over a century apart.

This episode explores the 1877 British annexation of the Transvaal Republic, focusing on the political machinations in London and South Africa, the secret mission led by Theophilus Shepstone, and the surprising role of young adventure author H. Ryder Haggard. It also covers parallel developments in South African railway expansion and the symbolic 1877 Cape Town exhibition.

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