1 8 8 7 ▁S ive w right ▁became ▁involved ▁in ▁politics , ▁after ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁Af rik an er ▁Bond ▁in ▁Cape ▁Town , ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁the ▁Bond ▁representative ▁of ▁G ri qu aland ▁East ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 8 . ▁▁ ▁Sub sequently , ▁he ▁became ▁imm ens ely ▁influ ential ▁as ▁an ▁agent ▁of ▁the ▁rising ▁Imperial ist ▁politician ▁Cec il ▁Rh odes , ▁within ▁the ▁Af rik an er ▁Bond . ▁He ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁act ▁as ▁an ▁intermediate ▁between ▁Rh odes , ▁and ▁the ▁Bond ▁leader ▁" On ze ▁Jan " ▁Hof me yr . ▁As ▁Rh odes ' s ▁right - hand ▁man , ▁he ▁secured ▁the ▁Bond ' s ▁support ▁for ▁Rh odes ▁to ▁take ▁power ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 0 ▁and ▁become ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁of ▁the ▁Cape . ▁▁ ▁Through out ▁his ▁career , ▁S ive w right ▁habit ually ▁mixed ▁business ▁and ▁politics . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 1 ▁he ▁secured ▁an ▁agreement ▁for ▁the ▁Cape ▁Government ▁Rail ways , ▁that ▁gave ▁them ▁a ▁ 2 - year ▁mon opol y ▁on ▁traffic ▁to ▁and ▁from ▁the ▁new ▁gold fields ▁of ▁the ▁Trans va al . ▁As ▁a ▁reward , ▁S ive w right ▁received ▁a ▁kn ighth ood . ▁▁▁ ▁He ▁also ▁built ▁increasing ly ▁powerful ▁links ▁with ▁the ▁principal ▁min ing ▁ty co ons ▁of ▁southern ▁Africa , ▁such ▁as ▁Bar ney ▁Bar n ato . ▁S ive w right ' s ▁business ▁links ▁gained