The Whenwes of Rhodesia 1978
The British South Africa Police (BSAP) was formed in 1889 by Cecil Rhodes' British South Africa Company as the British South Africa Company Police; the "company" was dropped from the title in 1896 when they started operating independently. They had a policing and paramilitary role. In 1980 they were renamed the Zimbabwe Republic Police and senior white officers were rapidly replaced with black officers.
Many white Rhodesians, by the late 1970s, were fed up with the guerrilla war, and sanctions against them by the international community. Whilst there was a majority determined to "tough it out" come what may, there was also a significant number who had had enough and, correctly guessing that things were not going to end well, emigrated, creating a Rhodesian diaspora.
Naturally, those determined to stay looked unfavourably on those who, in their words, had "gapped it". This was derived from the fact that Salisbury (Harare) was about 500 miles from the border crossing point with South Africa at Beitbridge, also known as the Beitbridge Gap. Thus, those who left the country were said to have "done the Beitbridge 500", or "gapped it".
Some of the cartoons display a racist streak.
This book of satirical cartoons was designed to gently mock these "deserters" and remind them of their heritage and what they were leaving behind. Some cartoons also take swipes at America and Britain and other organisations on whom Rhodesians blamed their woes.
In 1980 it all came crashing down following Mugabe's landslide election after the British Commonwealth Ceasefire & Elections Monitoring Operation, known as Operation Agila. "Gapping it" was to become much more popular.
The Whenwes of Rhodesia 1978
The British South Africa Police (BSAP) was formed in 1889 by Cecil Rhodes' British South Africa Company as the British South Africa Company Police; the "company" was dropped from the title in 1896 when they started operating independently. They had a policing and paramilitary role. In 1980 they were renamed the Zimbabwe Republic Police and senior white officers were rapidly replaced with black officers.
Many white Rhodesians, by the late 1970s, were fed up with the guerrilla war, and sanctions against them by the international community. Whilst there was a majority determined to "tough it out" come what may, there was also a significant number who had had enough and, correctly guessing that things were not going to end well, emigrated, creating a Rhodesian diaspora.
Naturally, those determined to stay looked unfavourably on those who, in their words, had "gapped it". This was derived from the fact that Salisbury (Harare) was about 500 miles from the border crossing point with South Africa at Beitbridge, also known as the Beitbridge Gap. Thus, those who left the country were said to have "done the Beitbridge 500", or "gapped it".
Some of the cartoons display a racist streak.
This book of satirical cartoons was designed to gently mock these "deserters" and remind them of their heritage and what they were leaving behind. Some cartoons also take swipes at America and Britain and other organisations on whom Rhodesians blamed their woes.
In 1980 it all came crashing down following Mugabe's landslide election after the British Commonwealth Ceasefire & Elections Monitoring Operation, known as Operation Agila. "Gapping it" was to become much more popular.