Reports of the Native Affairs Commission for the years 1921-1926

The Native Affairs Act no. 23 of 1920 made provision for the establishment of a Native Affairs Commission. The purpose of the Commission was to advise the Government on all issues regarding the “Native policy”. The issues which the Commission dealt with were the taxation of Africans, pass laws, separation of land rights, and the issue of Africans residing in residential areas. The Commission set up tribal councils for the administration of the Native reserves, and advisory councils for Africans in urban areas. This was done under the aegis of the Native Affairs Department and under the ultimate authority of the Prime Minister. The Commission saw itself as the friend of the African people and claimed that it attended to their needs and aspirations as sympathetically as possible. The Commission was required to furnish an annual report to the Governor General. This document contains the Commission’s annual reports from 1921-1926