Sir Walter Ernest Mortimer Stanford KBE CB CMG (2 August 1850 – 9 September 1933) was a South African civil servant and politician.

At age 18 he joined the civil service and was stationed at Queenstown, East London and in 1876 was appointed magistrate to the Qwathi chief, Dalasile, and settled at Engcobo, in Thembuland.

In 1897 Stanford became under-secretary for native affairs in Cape Town, and subsequently the first chief magistrate of the newly formed Transkeian Territories.

Stanford entered the Cape Legislative Assembly in 1908 as an independent member for Thembuland and was selected to represent the views of the African people at the National Convention of 1909, which led to the Union of South Africa.

His mother 'was a small woman of indomitable courage who continued trading, farming and transport-riding, while still finding time to encourage her sons to read and write".

Walter was in "poor health" so was sent at the age of 7 to live with his uncle Joseph Cox Warner in the Queenstown district where the altitude might improve his strength, a strategy which seems to have been effective, judging by his long and strenuous career.

He received some schooling from a maiden aunt, Mary Warner, and for two years attended the Lovedale Missionary Institution, finishing his formal education just before he turned twelve.

He thus entered the service of the department of African affairs in which he was to remain for 45 years and through which "he was destined to exercise a profound influence on the development of South Africa".

In 1894 the paramount chief of the Pondo died, leaving a leadership vacuum which led to a decision by Cecil Rhodes to annexe Pondoland.

His popularity was such that when Cape Town's first African township was set up in 1901, on Crown land near Maitland, following recommendations by a commission chaired by Stanford, it was named Ndabeni in his honour at the residents' request.

The National Convention was set up to advise on the nature and constitution of the Union, and Stanford was appointed as one of the 30 members, reflecting the liberal view as well as the interests of the Transkei and other African communities.

[10] Following the Union Stanford was nominated to the Senate on the basis of his experience with the African people, and continued to champion their cause until the outbreak of the First World War when he took up recruiting work for the army, serving with the Cape Corps, of which he later became Hon Colonel.

His lifelong services were recognised in 1919 with his appointment as Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE)[11] After the war Stanford remained busy.

[13] Following his death Jan Smuts (Prime Minister 1919–1924, 1939–48)) wrote to Alice: "I counted Sir Walter Stanford among those of my friends on whom I could rely for wise counsel and support and it is a deep sorrow that he has passed away.