Vergelegen (2) – Greed and Downfall

Vergelegen (2) – Greed and Downfall

Willem Adriaan van der Stel developed Vergelegen into more than just a farm—it became a space where power and slave labor were deeply intertwined. He was criticized for expanding the estate by using resources and labor controlled by the Dutch East India Company, which led to growing conflict with free burghers. Ultimately, these accusations of abuse of power resulted in his dismissal and recall to the Netherlands.

 

The development of Vergelegen relied heavily on slave labor. This made it possible, within a relatively short period of about four years, to plant large numbers of trees and construct irrigation systems. Archaeological findings suggest that around 200 slaves lived in slave Lodge—an exceptionally large number for a privately owned workforce at the time. The living conditions were extremely cramped, with poor ventilation and limited natural light, and likely lacked basic sanitation. Combined with long working hours, these conditions indicate that the lives of the enslaved people were marked by severe hardship.

 

In contrast, his father, Simon van der Stel, though also a colonial ruler who upheld the system of slavery, left records of granting freedom to some slaves and bequeathing property to them in his will. It is sometimes suggested that this comparatively lenient stance may have been influenced by his mixed heritage, as he was born to an Indian mother who had been enslaved.

 

Van der Stel, father and son. ↓