Causes of the Boer War

Countries involved

The Second Boer War was fought between the British Empire and the Boer Republic of South Africa. The British controlled parts of southern Africa while the Boers, who were the descendants of Dutch settlers to the region and usually farmers, controlled the Orange Free State and the Transvaal.

Causes of the war

• Strategic: the British were interested in expanding their empire in southern Africa as this region was of key strategic importance to them as a route to India and other parts of the British Empire. They did not want to see the Boers join their territories to German possessions nearby.
• Gold: Boer regions became more attractive to British miners and speculators such as Cecil Rhodes when gold was discovered there in 1886. The discovery of gold also worried the British as they felt that with this new wealth Boer areas would become too powerful.
• The Uitlanders: the British were annoyed that the so-called Uitlanders, the mainly British foreigners living in Boer lands, were denied the vote in the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. 

http://www1.somerset.gov.uk/archives/sli/boer.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/victorians/boer_wars_01.shtml