George McCall Theal (1837–1919) was a prolific South African historian and civil servant. After working as a missionary between 1875–1880 he was appointed magistrate of Tamacha before taking a position as a clerk in the government and became Keeper of the Cape Colony Archives. He was appointed Colonial Historiographer in 1891. These volumes, first published in 1908, contain Theal's detailed history of South Africa between 1795–1894. Focusing on the political history of the country, Theal explores the British control of Cape Colony and the reactions of the Dutch setters to increasing British immigration, discussing the political consequences of the establishment of the various Boer Republics and the growth of Zulu power in South Africa. These volumes provide valuable details on the political history of South Africa, and reveal contemporary attitudes towards the history and ideas of colonisation. Volume 5 covers the colonies between 1854–1894.