FrontierS of Finance

The Frontiers of Finance is a research group that studies the financial and business history of Southern Africa (and beyond)

CaPITALism at the Cape



How did capitalism spread in southern Africa?

(with Lloyd Maphosa)

  • Digitised joint stock archive: 1892 - 1910.

  • With a total of 6877 unique shareholders.

  • Across 267 companies and 36 sectors.

  • Spread throughout Southern Africa.

Crony Capitalism


How corrupt was the colonial economy?

(with Munashe Chideya)

  • Transcribed colonial civil servants and politicians employment recorded from 1888 to 1902.

  • Linked them to the Joint Stock company data.

  • Study how political institutions shaped the early economy and society via political elites.

African Traders


Why are African traders not in history books?

(with Kereeditse Tsokodibane

  • We identify 19th century African trade and merchant networks.

  • Show how they were highly integrated, then decimated by colonial laws.

  • We tell the story about the lives of these traders and their families.

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