cial ▁Cape ▁Qual ified ▁Fran ch ise , ▁where by ▁suff rage ▁qual ifications ▁applied ▁univers ally , ▁regardless ▁of ▁race . ▁After ▁a ▁long ▁political ▁struggle , ▁this ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁responsible ▁government ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 2 , ▁when ▁the ▁Cape ▁won ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁elect ▁its ▁own ▁locally - account able ▁executive ▁and ▁Prime ▁Minister . ▁A ▁period ▁of ▁strong ▁economic ▁growth ▁and ▁social ▁development ▁en su ed , ▁with ▁a ▁rapid ▁expansion ▁of ▁the ▁Cape ▁Government ▁Rail ways ▁and ▁other ▁infrastr ucture , ▁connecting ▁Cape ▁Town ▁to ▁the ▁Cape ' s ▁vast ▁interior . ▁ ▁The ▁discovery ▁and ▁subsequent ▁explo itation ▁of ▁diam onds ▁and ▁gold ▁in ▁the ▁former ▁Trans va al ▁region ▁in ▁the ▁central ▁high vel d ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 8 8 0 s ▁led ▁to ▁rapid ▁change ▁in ▁Cape ▁Town , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁in ▁Cape ▁Col ony ▁as ▁a ▁whole . ▁In ▁particular , ▁the ▁rise ▁to ▁power ▁of ▁the ▁am bit ious ▁colonial ist ▁Cec il ▁Rh odes , ▁fue led ▁by ▁the ▁new ▁diam ond ▁industry , ▁led ▁to ▁great ▁inst ability . ▁On ▁becoming ▁the ▁Cape ' s ▁new ▁Prime ▁Minister , ▁he ▁restricted ▁the ▁multi ra cial ▁Cape ▁franch ise , ▁and ▁inst ig ated ▁a ▁rapid ▁expansion ▁of ▁British ▁influence ▁into ▁the ▁hinter land . ▁A ▁rise ▁in ▁inter - eth nic ▁t ensions ▁en su ed , ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁Ang lo - Bo er ▁War . ▁ ▁As ▁the