James Sivewright was born in 1848, in Fochabars, Scotland. He graduated from Aberdeen University and entered the Postal Service. He specialised in Telegraphy, co-writing an influential textbook on the subject. His expertise enabled him to gain a position in Cape Colony in 1877. He set up telegraphic networks for the Cape, Transvaal, Natal and the Orange Free State. In 1887 he was involved in politics, being elected Bond representative of Griqualand East in 1888. His influence increased when he became the agent of Cecil Rhodes, and when Rhodes became Prime Minister of the Cape, Sivewright was his right-hand man.
In 1891 he secured an agreement for the Cape Government Railways which gave them a monopoly on gold shipments from the Transvaal. For this he was rewarded with a knighthood. But his links to mining tycoons brought accusations of corruption. In 1892 he fixed up a 15-year catering contract for James Logan’s company to supply the government railway. This caused a notorious scandal and the fall of the Rhodes government. The Jameson Raid in January 1896 saw the end of his association with Rhodes and he gained a position in the Progressive Party with Gordon Sprigg, the prime minister of Rhodesia. But he was again accused of corruption and was deposed. He returned to Britain but retained his influence in South Africa. He died in 1916.
Sivewright was appointed commanding officer of the Cape Town Highlanders on 31 May 1892, not long after he was knighted. But the Logan Scandal damaged his reputation, and in May 1894 he was persuaded to resign by Cecil Rhodes who replaced him with Lieutenant-Colonel John Scott.
