Forms and Practices of Slave Trade in Swaziland in the 19th Century

Abstract

Trade in slaves was a response to market forces in the world. A culture that
developed from trade in slaves extended to future generations whose lives were
degraded. Cases of slaves who rose above their social stations in the slave trade era
are non-existent. In Swaziland Mswati II used his military to raid for captives
whom he sold as slaves to Boers of the Transvaal. When the demand for slaves
expanded his soldiers raided on his non-cooperative chiefdoms for captives to be
sold to slave traders as punishment for recalcitrance. Such trade was camouflaged
to avoid attacks from aggrieved communities.

LWATI: A Journal of Contemporary Research Vol. 5 2008: pp. 72-84