South African Native Labour Corps

South African Native Labour Corps
Men, probably of the South African Native Labour Corps, cooking on a Soyer stove in a hutted camp on the Western Front, c1917
Active	1916 - January 1918
Country	South Africa
Allegiance	South Africa
Commanders
Notable commanders	Colonel S.A.M. Pritchard

The South African Native Labour Corps (SANLC) was a force of workers formed in 1916 in response to a British request for workers at French ports. About 25,000 South Africans joined the Corps. The SANLC was utilized in various menial noncombat tasks. The SANLC was disbanded by the South African government in January 1918.

The South African Native Labour Corps or Contingent has its origins in a plan by the British Imperial War Council to use black labour from South Africa and other countries and colonies to relieve the shortage of labour at the front and at French ports as ship shortages required that ships be unloaded and returned to transport duties as quickly as possible. About 25,000 black South Africans were to be recruited, of whom 21,000 left the country. The first two companies arrived in France on 20 November 1916 and the last group of men left France on 5 January 1918. Prime Minister Louis Botha, also Minister of Native Affairs, was involved in the negotiations with the British and ensured that the recruits would have no combat role, with work behind the front lines at ports, through railway, quarrying work and forestry. The government wanted to ensure that no black man fought together with a white man on equal terms as this would break down the colour bar between the races leading to the contamination of social and political relations. This had implications for the working class in South Africa as a labour division was required between the two races.

The South African parliament did not have to approve the formation of the SANLC as all costs were paid by the British government. Recruitment began during September 1916 with a plan to recruit 10,000 black recruits to form five battalions of 2,000 men with 63 officers and NCO's. There contract would be for one year with the possibility of renewal with a monthly payment of £3 which was said to be about ten percent more than normal labour payments. The initial recruitment plans labour requirement was met by January 1917. The recruitment process was carried out via Native Commissioners, magistrates, recruitment meetings and the clergy and later using members of the educated black elite in South Africa who believed this would demonstrate loyalty to the King and this effort could be used to negotiate political rights at a later date.Solomon Plaatje of the South African Native National Congress would assist in the recruitment process during late 1917. By mid-1917, recruitment had slowed and the use of payments to black chiefs and recruiting agents were used to increase the recruitment targets.