Distrustful of Rhodes's motives, the Transvaal refused to consider a proposed Southern Africa customs union and strongly resisted further development of rail links to the Cape.
Transvaal var mistænksomme for Rhodes' motiver, nægtede at vurdere en foreslået toldunion for det sydlige Afrika og modsatte sig stærkt videre udvikling af jernbaneforbindelser til Kap.