Volksraad (Orange Free State)

The Volksraad of the Orange Free State (Afrikaans: Volksraad van die Oranje-Vrystaat) was the unicameral parliament of the Orange Free State. It was the supreme authority of Orange Free State.[2]

Volksraad van die Oranje-Vrystaat
Coat of arms or logo
Coat of arms of the Orange Free State
Type
Type
History
Established1854
Disbanded31 May 1902
Structure
Seats57[1]
Length of term
4 years
Meeting place
Bloemfontein

Volksraad had 52-57 members representing major town and districts in the republic.[3] The members had to be of European blood, over twenty-five years old, resident in the republic for at least one year, possessed real estate of the value of £200, and never convicted of crime.[2][3] The districts represented by members of Volksraad were Bloemfontein, Fauresmith, Caledon River, Winburg, Harrismith, Kroonstad, Boshof, Bethulie, Philippolis and Jacobsdal.[4]

The members were elected for four years, half of them retiring every second year.[2] Burghers were able to vote.

The Volksraad met once a year in ordinary session[2] in Bloemfontein. During Second Boer War, Volksraad met in Kroonstad in 1900.[3]

Parliament House of the Orange Free State

Chairmen

The chairman of the Volksraad (Voorzitter van den Volksraad) was elected annually.[5]

Chairman Took office Left office Notes
Josias Philip Hoffman March 1854 June 1854 [6]
Henry Halse June 1854 ? [7]
Lodewyk Jacobus Papenfus ?-1857 1857-? [8]
Esaias Reynier Snijman ?-1859 1859-? [9]
J. N. Uijs ?-1860 1860-? [10]
Gert Petrus Visser ?-1861[11] 1863-?[12]
Esaias Reynier Snijman ?-1864 1864-? [12]
Gert Petrus Visser ?-1865 1865-? [13]
Hendrik Oostewald Dreyer ?-1866 1866[2]
Gerhardus Johannes du Toit 1866-? ? [14]
Gert Petrus Visser ?-1867 1875-? [15]
T. J. de Villiers ?-1876 1876-? [3]
Gert Petrus Visser ?-1877 1879 [3]
T. J. de Villiers ?-1880 1883-? [3]
John G. Fraser 1884 1896 [16]
Christiaan Willem Hendrik Van Der Post 1896[17] 1897 [18]
Cornelius Hermanus Wessels 1897[19] 1899-?[3]
? 1899 1902

References
  1. Martin, Frederick; Keltie, Sir John Scott; Renwick, Isaac Parker Anderson; Epstein, Mortimer; Steinberg, Sigfrid Henry; Paxton, John; Hunter (Librarian), Brian; Turner, Barry (1894). "The Statesman's Year-book 1894". Palgrave.
  2. McCall Theal, George (1908). History of South Africa Since September 1795 (PDF). Swan Sonnenschein & Co.
  3. Eales, Marjory. An Annotated Guide to the Pre-Union Government Publications of the Orange Free State 1854-1910 (PDF).
  4. "Notulen der verrichtingen van de Hoog-Edelen Volksraad" (in Dutch). 1866.
  5. "Select Constitutional Documents Illustrating South African History 1795 – 1910 – Boererate". boere.co.za.
  6. "Orange Free State: Heads of State: 1854-1902 - Archontology.org". www.archontology.org.
  7. Collins, W. W. (1907). "Free Statia" or Reminiscences of a Lifetime in the Orange Free State. Bloemfontein, O.R.C.
  8. Muller, Hendrik Pieter Nicolaas (1907). "Oude tijden in den Oranje-Vrijstaat" (in Dutch). Brill Archive.
  9. "Notulen der verrichtingen van de Hoog-Edelen Volksraad" (in Dutch). 1859.
  10. "Notulen der verrichtingen van de Hoog-Edelen Volksraad" (in Dutch). 1871.
  11. "Notulen der verrichtingen van de Hoog-Edelen Volksraad" (in Dutch). 1861.
  12. "Notulen der verrichtingen van de Hoog-Edelen Volksraad" (in Dutch). 1864.
  13. "Notulen der verrichtingen van de Hoog-Edelen Volksraad" (in Dutch). 1865.
  14. "Notulen der verrichtingen van de Hoog-Edelen Volksraad" (in Dutch). 1866.
  15. "Notulen der verrichtingen van de Hoog-Edelen Volksraad" (in Dutch). 1867.
  16. Parliament of South Africa (1911). "Who's who in the Union of Parliament: Portraits and Biographies of the Members of the Two Houses of the First Parliament of the Union of South Africa". Cape Times Limited.
  17. Oordt, Johan Frederik Van (1899). "Onder de vierkleur: Een verhaal uit den tijd van den Jameson-inval" (in Dutch). Hollandsch-afrikaansche uitgevers-maatschappij v/h. J. Dusseau.
  18. Scholtz, Gert Daniel (1936). "Die konstitusie en die staatsinstellings van die Oranje-vry-staat, 1854-1902 ..." (in Afrikaans). N. v. Swets & Zeitlinger.
  19. Beaufort, Willem H. de (1993). "Dagboeken en aantekeningen van Willem Hendrik de Beaufort, 1874-1918" (in Dutch). Instituut voor Nederlandse Geschiedenis.
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