The 1857 Peace Accord

As previously noted, by the beginning of 1857, the Boers of the South African Republic (SAR) had been able to at least temporarily secure their occupation of most of the Transvaal through their successful military campaign against the Balaka and Baletwaba in the north. To the west, however, continued tension with Sechele had left the Madikwe region insecure.

Relations began to thaw in early 1857 when Sechele, through Jan Viljoen, presented a new peace proposal to the SAR President Martinus Pretorius.