Coerced labour patterns in the Cape Colony, c. 1806–1826

Abstract Multiple forms of coerced labour co‐existed in the early 19th‐century Cape Colony. This study examines changes in coerced labour force composition. Using annual taxation and census records, we examine district‐ and household‐level changes in reported enslaved, Recaptured African and indigenous Khoesan labour. In a novel contribution, we show the increasing importance of Khoe labour in the Cape District both as an increasing proportion of the coerced labour force and in the number of households reporting Khoesan labourers. We find no equivalent shift to Khoe labour in Stellenbosch District. This contributes to understanding the role of indigenous labour in colonial contexts.