Conflict between the San and the Khoikhoi

The spread of the Khoikhoi herders into the Cape resulted in a conflict of interests with the San hunter-gatherer inhabitants of the area. A major source of conflict was competition for game, such as zebra, antelope, and wildebeest. Although the Khoikhoi were herders, they relied heavily on the spoils of the hunt for their daily food. The Khoikhoi usually slaughtered their cattle only on special ceremonial occasions even though they provided obvious source of protein. Also, milk from their herds was an important supplement to their diet. However, its production was often irregular and depended on the state of the pasture and the presence of new-horn calves in 10 the herds.

The khoikhoi

The San