Andries Botha (soldier)

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Andries Botha was a Khoi leader and soldier in the Cape Colony during the 19th century. He led Khoi fighters at Kat River and fought in the Xhosa Wars, earning a reputation for bravery and skill with a rifle. Botha and his men helped defend Kat River settlements and played a notable role in the Amatola campaigns in 1846.

He built a large farming estate in the Kat River area and became one of the region’s wealthiest landowners. In 1850–51, widespread grievances against Khoi people led many to rebel. Although the rebellion caused great damage, Botha remained loyal to the Cape authorities and defended Fort Armstrong. His sons joined the rebels, and he even negotiated with the Khoi rebel leader Willem Uithaalder, a move that would be used against him later.

After the rebellion was crushed, Botha was charged with high treason and faced two trials. The first trial, held in Cape Town in 1851, was thrown out for lack of evidence. The second trial in 1852 ended in a conviction and a death sentence, which was quickly changed to life imprisonment. Public outcry and political pressure helped, and in 1855 he received royal amnesty along with 38 other convicts.

Despite the amnesty, he did not immediately get his Kat River lands back, and his position never returned to its former strength. In time, he did receive compensation, and in 1865 he was allowed to return to Kat River. The Kat River region’s status had been permanently changed, and Much of its land had been redistributed.

In his old age, Botha turned to politics. He spoke in the Cape Parliament in favor of Responsible Government and criticized the Eastern Cape Separatist League, calling its leaders "the Colesberg foxes." His final years were spent on the wool farm of his friend Robert Hart.