This book investigates the pervasive and often overlooked history of slavery in South Africa, challenging the notion that it was a minor or absent institution. Elizabeth A. Eldredge's research demonstrates that slavery was a widespread practice in South Africa until the late nineteenth century, significantly shaping relations within and between Boer and African societies. The book details how Dutch-speaking farmers increasingly relied on slave raids and the fomenting of conflict among African communities to meet their labor demands, supplementing and eventually replacing imported slave labor. It highlights that captives were utilized in various roles, from domestic servants to agricultural laborers and artisans, and that the legalized system of 'inboekstelsel' often masked lifelong bondage, with at least 60 percent of slaves being female.

Elizabeth A. Eldredge's "Slavery in South Africa" is recognized for its comprehensive demonstration that slavery was a widespread and integral part of South African society until the late nineteenth century. The book is noted for detailing the specific mechanisms of enslavement, including raids and the exploitation of inter-African conflicts, and for analyzing the varied roles of captives and the deceptive nature of the 'inboekstelsel' system. Its findings underscore the profound influence of slavery on the social and relational dynamics between Boer and African communities.