to the Court of Summary Jurisdiction, presided over by Lord Edward Cecil.
The Magistrate's clerks having taken up arms, Mr. Plaatje became
confidential clerk to Mr. C. G. H. Bell, who administered Native affairs
during the siege. Mr. Plaatje drew up weekly reports on the Native situation,
which were greatly valued by the military authorities,
and in a letter written to a friend asserted with some sense of humour
that "this arrangement was so satisfactory that Mr. Bell was created a C.M.G.
at the end of the siege."

Had it not been for the colour bar, Mr. Plaatje, in all probability,
would have been holding an important position in the Department
of Native Affairs; as it was, he entered the ranks of journalism
as Editor, in the first place, of `Koranta ea Becoana', a weekly paper
in English and Sechuana, which was financed by the Chief Silas Molema
and existed for seven years very successfully. At the present moment
Mr. Plaatje is Editor of the `Tsala ea Batho' (The People's Friend)
at Kimberley, which is owned by a native syndicate, having its headquarters
in the Free State. Mr. Plaatje has acted as interpreter
for many distinguished visitors to South Africa, and holds autograph letters
from the Duke of Connaught, Mr. Chamberlain, and other notabilities.
He visited Mr. Abraham Fischer quite lately and obtained from him
a promise to introduce a Bill into Parliament ameliorating the position
of the Natives of the Orange River Colony, who are debarred by law
from receiving titles to landed property. Mr. Plaatje's articles
on native affairs have been marked by the robust common sense and moderation
so characteristic of Mr. Booker Washington. He realizes
the great debt which the Natives owe to the men who brought
civilization to South Africa. He is no agitator or firebrand,
no stirrer-up of bad feeling between black and white. He accepts
the position which the Natives occupy to-day in the body politic