Johannesburg Reform Committee

The Transvaal gold rush had brought in a considerable foreign population, which was chiefly British although there were substantial minorities from other nations.

The immigrants, who were by far the wealthiest part of the community,[1]: 293  formed a Reform Committee headed by Lionel Phillips, Charles Leonard, Colonel Frank Rhodes (brother of Cecil), John Hays Hammond, Chief mining engineer from California Victor Clement, and a few others.

Upon Jameson's capture and surrender to the forces of the South African Republic (the Transvaal) in December 1895, the Committee took charge of the peace and security of Johannesburg before it conceded control back to the Boer authorities some days later.

For conspiring with Jameson, the members of the Reform Committee were charged, confined in deplorable conditions and finally found guilty of high treason against the Transvaal.

When a second trial of the Reform Committee was called in late April, the leaders were condemned to death by hanging, but punishments were commuted to fines and imprisonment the next day as a gesture of magnanimity on the part of President Kruger and his government.