John Charles Molteno, Jr.
| John Molteno | |
|---|---|
John Molteno, Jnr. in later life as an MP
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
4 March 1860 Beaufort West, South Africa |
| Died | 23 March 1924 (aged 64) Cape Town, South Africa |
| Nationality | South African |
| Political party | Independent |
| Occupation | Politician, farmer |
John Charles Molteno Jr. (4 March 1860 – 23 March 1924) M.L.A., was a South African exporter and Member of Parliament.
He was a prominent anti-imperialist of the Cape Colony, and a denouncer of British policies which led to the Boer War, chairing the South Africa Conciliation Committee in Cape Town. He was also a supporter of expanded civil rights for Black Africans, and recognised, very early on, the need for them to play a leading role in South Africa's political future.
Molteno was the son of the Cape's first Prime Minister, Sir John Charles Molteno (senior). From a very young age he served as his father’s private secretary, helping to manage his family's diverse political and business interests, and did not join his brothers in studying in Cambridge.
After his father’s death he took over much of the family’s businesses, and managed their enormous Karoo farming estates. He formed and ran an export syndicate with his brothers William and Percy, which undertook Southern Africa's first successful fruit export to Europe and dominated the industry for many years. However, later he handed his remaining operations over to his brother William, and retired from business. For the duration of his career, he served as the confidential agent of his brother, the shipping magnate Percy Molteno.
He was elected to the Cape Parliament in 1889 by a predominantly Black African constituency, partially on account of his history of blunt and outspoken support for greater Black political empowerment. He was most famous at the time for supporting a republican form of government for the Cape. His other principle political concern was the welfare of agricultural communities and he was widely considered the parliamentary expert on rural development. For over 20 years he served as representative for Thembuland and Jansenville.
He was initially a friend and business associate of Cecil Rhodes, but he publicly broke off ties, blaming Rhodes's discriminatory legislation against the Cape's Black African population and his policies regarding the Boer Republics. Molteno went on to become one of the most outspoken denouncers of Rhodes and other statesmen perceived at the time as strongly pro-imperialist, such as Chamberlain and Milner.
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