Victims of a merciless war Boereverraaier : Teregstellings tydens die Anglo-Boereoorlog, A. Blake : book review

Over 100 years after the South African War, the subject of the betrayal of the cause by the so-called hendsoppers and joiners remains an emotional one, as correspondence in the Afrikaans press indicates. Ultimately several thousand Boers took the oath of neutrality and withdrew from the conflict, while a smaller but not inconsiderable number took up arms against their countrymen. Albert Blake points out that until recently, however, the memoirs of participants gave no names and the archival files were closed until 2000. This extreme sensitivity is by no means unique to South Africa.