▁in ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁the ▁A frika ans - spe aking ▁Af rik an ers , ▁whatever ▁that ▁might ▁mean ▁for ▁the ▁large ▁black ▁and ▁mixed - race ▁population . ▁To ▁the ▁old ▁th irst ▁for ▁so vere ig nt y ▁that ▁had ▁prompt ed ▁the ▁Great ▁Tre k ▁into ▁the ▁interior ▁from ▁ 1 8 3 8 ▁on , ▁would ▁be ▁added ▁a ▁new ▁th irst ▁for ▁total ▁independence ▁and ▁National ism . ▁These ▁two ▁threads ▁merged ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁" Christ ian ▁National " ▁civil ▁religion ▁that ▁would ▁domin ate ▁South ▁African ▁life ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁ ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁historical ▁context ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁Bro ederb ond ▁emer ged . ▁The ▁sc orch ed ▁earth ▁policy ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁during ▁the ▁second ▁Bo er ▁War ▁dev ast ated ▁Bo er ▁( that ▁is , ▁rural ▁Af rik an er ▁far mer ) ▁lands . ▁In ▁British ▁concentration ▁cam ps , ▁ 2 7 ▁ 0 0 0 ▁Bo er ▁women ▁and ▁children ▁had ▁died . ▁The ▁Bo er ▁surrender ▁at ▁Vere enig ing , ▁though ▁p rag m atic , ▁was ▁deeply ▁hum ili ating . ▁Lord ▁Mil ner ' s ▁infl am mat ory ▁policy ▁of ▁Ang lic isation ▁simply ▁rub bed ▁salt ▁into ▁Af rik an er ▁w ounds , ▁and ▁a ▁back l ash ▁was ▁in ev itable . ▁The ▁National ▁Party ▁and ▁ultimately ▁the ▁Bro ederb ond ▁were ▁the ▁long - term ▁and ▁powerful ▁results .