The Colonial Secretary was the most important government official at the Cape during the Second British Occupation. Initially, the majority of the governmental administrative powers were vested in him. The constitutional changes during the latter half of the nineteenth century resulted in an increase in the number of government departments and a decentralisation of functions.
After the capitulation of the Colony to the British authorities in 1806 a Secretary to Government was nominated, but only in May 1807 was a permanent Secretary and Register of Records appointed, who was to be assisted by a deputy.
All acts done and order issued in the name of the Governor were to be by the Secretary and Register of Records, and fees, which would be audited and paid to His Majesty’s Receiver General quarterly, were to be received in his office. As administrative head all letters and memorials from departments and individuals on colonial and civil matters were to be sent to the Colonial Secretary’s Office.
The Colonial Secretary often officiated as head of government during the Governor’s absence, although he was not officially empowered to do so.
The Colonial Secretary was, by virtue of his position, to be a member of the Executive and Legislative Councils which were established in 1834. After the introduction of representative government in 1854, the Colonial Secretary was permitted to take part in discussions in both the House of Assembly and Legislative Council, but could not vote.
In 1872 the Cape Colony received responsible government which resulted in the establishment of the ministerial divisions of the Colonial Secretary, the Secretary for Native Affairs, the Commissioner of Crown Lands and Public Works and the Attorney-General. Each ministerial head was responsible for the duties connected with the administration and accounting of various government departments. The Colonial Secretary’s portfolio included the departments of his own office, agriculture, divisional courts and police, education, post office, and medicine (hospitals), and these departments therefore correspond with and reported to him.
For practical purposes the ministerial portfolios were altered from time to time. In 1892 the duties connected with the various agriculture departments and in 1893 those connected with the post office, agent-general and auditor-general were transferred from the Colonial Secretary to the Treasurer, in in 1894 those of the divisional courts and police to the Attorney-General. Certain departments, formerly attached to the divisions of other ministers, were again assigned to that of the Colonial Secretary, for example the departments of printing and stationary in 1882, of convicts, prisons, industries and the Porter Reformatory in 1894, defence and the Cape Mounted Police in 1904, and the newly established Department of Public Health in 1907.
Within the Colonial Secretary’s department itself the volume of correspondence and administrative duties resulted in the creation of branches of the office. In 1891 a chief clerk was appointed to head the local government and public health branch. On the establishment of a separate public health department in 1907 the title of the branch was altered to the Local Government and Hospitals Branch.
In 1902 the administrative and convict branches were amalgamated under a chief clerk. The title of the Defence and Police Branch, which resulted after the transfer of the administration of the respective departments in 1904, was changed to the Defence Branch on the assigning of the administration of the Cape Mounted Police to the Attorney-General’s portfolio in 1908. The Defence Branch of the Colonial Secretary’s Office continued to handle matters relating to defence such as medals, arms and ammunition and explosives.
From 1905 an officer was placed in charge of the Immigration and Labour Branch of the Colonial Secretary’s Office to exercise the duties of the Chinese Exclusion Act (1904) and the Immigration Act (1902) formerly performed by the Medical Officer of Health.
The Colonial Secretary’s department was also responsible for performing the duties in connection with specific acts. From 1883 all applications for naturalisation papers were to be made to him whereas such applications had formerly been in the form of memorials addressed to the Governor. From 1891 the management of the Life Assurance Act (1891) was assigned to the Colonial Secretary’s department. In 1899 the sale of arms and ammunition was limited with permits obtainable from the Colonial Secretary.
On the creation of the Union of South Africa in 1910 the office of the Colonial Secretary was abolished, and the duties assigned to the Minister of the Interior.
