The slave Katie Jacobs, photographed with two of her great-great-grandchildren.
Only one full interview with a Cape slave has been recorded. It was conducted with Katie Jacobs in 1910 when she was 96 years old and living in appalling circumstances in District Six, Cape Town. She was born six years after the slave trade had been stopped. Slave owners were entirely dependent on the domestic slave trade for obtaining legal slaves. The separation of slave families, as Katie’s story illustrates, was commonplace during this period, as was the incorporation of the slave into the slave owner’s intimate family life.
Katie was a wet-nurse, housemaid, farmhand and shepherd to the Mostert family, descendants of the first free burghers, who had migrated to the Swartland. Apart from being forced to wear a man’s clothes, her experience was entirely typical of slave women at the Cape.
‘I was born on Mr M[ostert]’s farm, near Kalabas Kraal,’ she recalled. ‘I don’t know the exact day, but I was between nineteen and twenty years when we were freed. My father was a Malagasy, and my mother a Cape woman. I began to work when still very young. When my baas, through old age, was unable to continue farming, he
distributed most of his chattels among his sons, whom he had set up as farmers in the neighbourhood. I and some cattle and horses were given to baas Kootje; my mother and some more cattle were presented to another son in Frenchhoek. From that day I never saw my mother, nor do I know what became of her. Though I did not know how long it would take to perform the journey to Frenchhoek, I often desired to see my mother. The baas, however, always refused my request. I think he was afraid that I would not return.’
She continued: ‘I had a husband though we were not legally married. My first child died in infancy. I was a healthy woman, and as my missus was in rather delicate health, I became foster mother to her first-born son and heir. During this time I was well looked after, and became one of the family; that is, I was made to sleep on the floor of the dining-room near the bedroom door to be at hand when the young baas wanted another drink [of milk]. One evening we were ordered to appear next morning in our best clothes and await further instructions. During the day we were marched into the dining-room, and without any previous warning we were told by a magistrate that in four years we would be free.
‘My master offered to take Jacob [Katie’s husband] and me into his service at £1 10s. and 10s. a month respectively, and food and house. Jacob at first appeared determined to leave the district where he had suffered so much. My missus wept at the idea of my leaving her. “No; you must stay!” she cried. “Think of my son, whom you have suckled and nursed, and who has now grown so fond of you. What will become of him? No; you must stay; you cannot go!” ‘Finally, my husband gave way, and we remained at the farm for three or four years.’
