Page 279 - The Diary of A. H. W. Behrens

134
1932 – 1939
In 1932, in March, we went to Elim and my dear wife had to undergo an operation but this went well. We were there for one month.
The government had advanced ₤ 13 000 to the tribe of the Bakwena ba Mogopa in order for them to pay the money that they had borrowed from private persons with interest and
to pay back debt that they had on two farms that they had bought, Nooitgedacht in the Rustenburg District and Klein Elandsfontein in the Brits District. The Bakwena asked me
to take the matter of the levy on the repayment of the ₤ 13
000 into my hands. I accepted with the consent of the Natives Affairs Department that gave me free hand but imposed a limit of ₤ 14 for every Mokwena over the age of 21 years which was much too much, I had suggested ₤ 10. I had actually suggested to sell three farms: the two and Olievenpoorts. But they first wanted to try a levy. I collected over ₤ 5 000 with my helpers, kept all books and put in much effort and work. But because the people of Hebron, Jericho and Olievenpoort were very unwilling to pay and annual interest was payable on ₤ 13 000, the whole matter made little progress over eight years and eventually the government