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South African RepublicZuid-Afrikaansche Republiek
1856–1902
Flag Coat of arms of South African Republic Coat of arms
Anthem: Transvaalse Volkslied
Location of the South African Republic, circa 1890.
Capital	Pretoria 25°43′S 28°14′E / 25.717°S 28.233°E / -25.717; 28.233
Common languages	Dutch
Religion	Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk
Government	Republic
President
• 1857–1863	Marthinus Wessel Pretorius
• 1883–1902	Paul Kruger
• 1900–1902	Schalk Willem Burger (acting)
History
• Established	27 June 1856
• British annexation	1877–1881
• Second Boer War	11 October 1899
• Treaty of Vereeniging	31 May 1902
Area
1870	191,789 km (74,050 sq mi)
Population
• 1870	120,000
Currency	South African Republic pond
Preceded by Succeeded by Klein Vrystaat Nieuwe Republiek Transvaal Colony
Today part of	South Africa

The South African Republic (Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek or ZAR), was an independent and Internationally recognized (United Kingdom, USA, Germany and other countries) country in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century and the early 20th century. It occupied an area around the present South African province of Gauteng. The ZAR was established in 1852, and was independent from 1856 to 1902. The country was attacked by the British in 1881, this is often referred to as the First Boer War. The country defeated the British and remained an independent country until the end of the Second Boer War, on 31 May 1902 when it was forced to surrender to the British.

Names of the country

Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR)

The burghers (citizens) of the country called the country the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (South African Republic or the ZAR) and in all country documentation, the name of the country was either the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek or The South African Republic. The Cape Afrikaner first started calling the country "Transvaal". (In reference to the area over (or trans) the Vaal River) and so did the British and many in Europe. In fact the name "Transvaal" was later so often used that later the British objected to the use of the real name (The South African Republic). The British pointed out that the Convention of Pretoria of 1881-08-03 referred to the 'Transvaal Territory' and that the Transvaal and the South African Republic did not have the same boundaries. However, in the London Convention dated 1884-02-27, a subsequent treaty between Britain and the ZAR, Britain acquiesced and reverted to the use of the true name, in the Queens English as the: "The South African Republic". The South African Republic is also known by the abbreviation: ZAR.

Transvaal

On 1 September 1900 the British declared by proclamation that the name of the South African Republic be changed from "South African Republic" to "The Transvaal" and that the entire territory shall henceforth and forever be known as "The Transvaal" This proclamation was issued during the second boer war and whilst the ZAR was still an independent country.

On the 31st of May 1902 The Vereeniging Peace Treaty was signed, with "The Transvaal" and the British Government. The treaty established a Municipal Government, Witwatersrand District court and the High Court of Transvaal. On the 20th of May 1903 and Inter Colonial Council was established, to manage the colonies of the British Government. The name "Transvaal" finally died in 1994, when the ANC Government broke up the area and renamed the core, to "Gauteng". The Gauteng ANC Government declared publicly on their website, in 2008, that Gauteng derives from Sotho and that "settlers from the Cape Colony took the land that Gauteng occupies today, from chief Mzilikazi and started "establishing villages" in the area". Factual evidence that a new re-write of Boere history had begun. In the 2008 Gauteng ANC Government "History of Gauteng" official publication, the country "South African Republic" as well as the British and Afrikaner territory of Transvaal, did not even exist and has never existed.

Early history

The Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek came into existence on 17 January 1852 when the United Kingdom signed the Sand River Convention treaty with about 40,000 boer people, recognising their independence in the region to the north of the Vaal River.

The first president of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek was Marthinus Wessel Pretorius, elected in 1857, son of Voortrekker leader Andries Pretorius, who commanded the Boers to victory at the Battle of Blood River. Here also, is a List of Presidents of the South African Republic.

The capital was established at Potchefstroom and later moved to Pretoria. The parliament as called the Volksraad and had 24 members.

Expansion

On the 23rd November 1859 the independent Republic of Lijdenburg merged with the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek. On 9 May 1887, burghers the territories of Stellaland and Goosen (sometimes incorrectly referred to as Goshen) were granted rights to the ZAR franchise. On the 25th of July 1895 the burghers that took part in the war at Zoutpansberg, were granted citizenship of the ZAR.

Constitution and Laws

The constitution of the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek has been referred to as one of the leading and most interesting documents of its time. It contained provisions for the division between the political leadership and office bearers in Government administration. The legal system consisted of higher and lower courts and had adopted a jury system. The constitution provided only for the citizens of the country, the majority of the population consisted of white skinned Dutch speaking males. In the country constitution, slavery was illegal.

Language and Culture

The discovery of gold in 1885 led to a major influx of uitlanders and although the language of Government and citizens remained Dutch, in many market places and shops the English language was spoken. There was also additional pressure to adopt the Afrikaners language in the ZAR and this combined with the increased use of English resulted in a new language law. On the 30 July 1888 the Dutch Language was declared as the only language to be used in the country (not only in Government but also in trade and general use) and all other languages was declared as "foreign" (art 1017/1025 dd. 13 Juli 1888 en artt 1026/1027, dd. 14 Juli 1888 en art 1030, dd. 16 Juli 1888). These changes to the ZAR laws made the use of the Afrikaner language and the English language Afrikaans illegal in the ZAR and subject to criminal penalty and fine of 20 ZAR Pond for each offense.

Boer Wars

The Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek had many enemies. The most dangerous enemy was the Afrikaner, this is also the enemy that eventually led to the final demise of the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek. In 1883, near Smithfield, Free State, President Johannes Brand, of the independent country, The Orange Free State publicly warned the citizens of both Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek and the Vrystaat, that the most dangerous threat to the two nations was the Afrikaner inkruiper. Other Enemies were the British, other African tribes, as well as other unaffiliated boer groups. With some of these groups there existed a love hate relationship.

First Boer War

On 12 April 1877, Britain issued a proclamation called: "ANNEXATION OF THE S.A. REPUBLIC TO THE BRITISH EMPIRE" In the proclamation, the British claim that the country is unstable, ungovernable and facing civil war. The proclamation also, incorrectly, claimed that the country was bankrupt and then went on the refer to the country as the country of "Transvaal" clearly reflecting the influence of the Cape Afrikaner on the British Commissioner of the Cape Colony, Sir Sheptone.

The Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek viewed this proclamation as an act of aggression, and resisted. Instead of declaring war, the country decided to send a delegation to United Kingdom and the USA, to protest. This did not have any effect and the First Boer War formally broke out on 20 December 1880. The First Boer War was the first conflict since the American Revolution in which the British had been decisively defeated and forced to sign a peace treaty under unfavourable terms. It would see the introduction of the khaki uniform, marking the beginning of the end of the famous Redcoat. The Battle of Laing's Nek would be the last occasion where a British regiment carried its official regimental colours into battle. The Pretoria Convention of 1881 was signed on 3 August 1881 and ratified on 25 October 1881 by the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek (where the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek is referred to by the name "Transvaal Territory"). The Pretoria Convention of 1881 was superseded in 1884 by the London Convention, and in which the British suzerainty over the South African Republic, was relinquished. The British Government, in the London Convention, accepted the name of the country as The South African Republic. The convention was signed in duplicate, in London on 27 February 1884 by Hercules Robinson, S.JP. Kruger, S.J. Du Toit and N.J. Smit and later ratified by the South African Republic (Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek) Volksraad.

In 1885 extremely rich Gold reefs were discovered in the ZAR. The South African Republic burghers were farmers and not miners and much of the mining fell to illegal immigrants. The illegal immigrants were also referred to as "outlanders" (uitlanders).

Second Boer War

Britain first attacked the independent South Africa in December 1895, the Jameson Raid. The British started building up massive amounts of troops and resources at the borders of the ZAR. Then they demanded voting rights for the 50,000 British nationals and the 10, 000 other nationals in South Africa, even though none of these nationals were South African citizens. Kruger rejected the British demand and called for the withdrawal of British troops from the ZAR's borders. When the British refused, Kruger declared war against Britain.

The Second Boer War was a watershed for the British Army in particular and for the British Empire as a whole. It was here that the British used concentration camps where small babies, young children and women were held in camps without adequate food or medical care. The abhorrent conditions in these camps caused the death of 4 177 women, 22 074 children under sixteen. The vast number of deaths, when compared with the total amount of boers, amounted to tribal genocide. Great Britain has never apologized. The Afrikaner claimed the history of the Boer people, as their own and proclaimed one single ethnic Afrikaner grouping. They then also absorbed the events of both Boer Wars and concentration camps as part their own history. The modern day Afrikaner is not even aware that the Boer nation and the Afrikaner nation were two separate people with different ideals or that an independent non Afrikaans and anti-afrikaner country, the ZAR, even existed. Before, during and after the Anglo Boer War, all three of the versions of the Afrikaner Broederbond (a secret society) worked with Great Britain to play a major role in the complete destruction of the South African Republic and absorbing the legacy of its boers. The once secret Afrikaner Broederbond declared itself after Nelson Mandela became president of South Africa only revealing its early 20th century version. In this version the Afrikaner Broederbond added to the decimation of the ZAR nation by changing history The ZAR is falsely reflected as an Afrikaner state, President Kruger and many others are named as historical Afrikaners and emotive events like the Boer Wars, British concentration camps and others were used to grow the ideals of Afrikaner Nationalism. Boers remaining in Southern Africa where absorbed into that new Afrikaner nation. Descendants of citizens of the ZAR and are now citizens of the new South Africa, where ironically, the ANC set them free and enabled them to start to correct their own history and the history of their country and people. Current South African History, as supported by the SA Government, still falsely reflects that Paul Kruger is the "Father of the Afrikaner Nation" and therefore the founder of Apartheid in Southern Africa. There are many people and organisations that claim to speak on behalf of one or more of the extinct boer nations but non of these organisations have any legitimate or legal standing. There is Media related to Second Boer War concentration camps at Wikimedia Commons

Political Structure of the ZAR

Officials

• President of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek
• State Secretary of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek
• State Attorney of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek

Divisions

The country was divided into 17 districts:

1. Pretoria district: Pretoria
2. Potchefstroom district: Potchefstroom, Ventersdorp, Klerksdorp, Venterskroon, Wolmaranstad
3. Rustenburg district: Rustenburg
4. Waterberg district: Nylstroom, Hartingsburg
5. Zoutpansberg district: Pietersburg, Haenertsburg, Woodbush, Eersteling, Marabastad, Smitsdorp
6. Lydenburg district: Lydenburg, Pilgrim's Rest, Barberton, Eureka City, FairView, Moodies, Jamestown
7. Middelburg district: Middelburg, Roossenekal
8. Heidelberg district: Heidelberg, Johannesburg, Elsburg, Boksburg, Krugersdorp
9. Wakkerstroom district: Wakkerstroom, Amersfoort
10. Piet Retief district: Piet Retief
11. Utrecht district: Utrecht, Luneburg
12. Bloemhof district: Christiania, Bloemhof, Schweizer-Reneke
13. Marico district: Zeerust, Jacobsdal, Ottoshoop
14. Lichtenburg district: Lichtenburg
15. Standerton district: Standerton, Bethal
16. Ermelo district: Ermelo, Amsterdam, Carolina
17. Vryheid district: Vryheid

Flag

The national flag of the ZAR featured three horizontal stripes of red, white, and blue (mirroring the Dutch national flag), with a vertical green stripe at the hoist, and was known as the Vierkleur (lit. four colours). The former national flag of South Africa (from 1927 to 1994) had, as part of a feature contained within its central white bar, a horizontal flag of the Transvaal Republic (ZAR).

See also

• Orange Free State

References

1. Alexander Mackay (1870). Manual of modern geography, mathematical, physical, and political. p. 484.
2. Tamarkin (1996). Cecil Rhodes and the Cape Afrikaners. pp. 249–250.
3. Eybers (1917). Select_constitutional_documents_illustrating_South_African_history_1795-1910. pp. 455–463.
4. Irish University Press Series: British Parliamentary Papers Colonies Africa, (BPPCA Transvaal Vol 37 (1971) No 41 at 267)
5. Eybers (1917). Select_constitutional_documents_illustrating_South_African_history_1795-1910. pp. 469–474.
6. Eybers (1917). Select_constitutional_documents_illustrating_South_African_history_1795-1910. pp. 514–514.
7. Eybers (1917). Select_constitutional_documents_illustrating_South_African_history_1795-1910. pp. 515–515.
8. Eybers (1917). Select_constitutional_documents_illustrating_South_African_history_1795-1910. pp. 516–516.
9. Eybers (1917). Select_constitutional_documents_illustrating_South_African_history_1795-1910. pp. 420–422.
10. Eybers (1917). Select_constitutional_documents_illustrating_South_African_history_1795-1910. pp. 479–479.
11. Eybers (1917). Select_constitutional_documents_illustrating_South_African_history_1795-1910. pp. 505–505.
12. Entry: South African Law Review1954. Butterworth's South African Law Review, 1954
13. ^ De Villiers, John (1896). The Transvaal. London: Chatto & Windus. p. 14. Cite error: The named reference "devilliers" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
14. ^ "Origin of the Anglo-Boer War Revealed – C. H. Thomas (originally published in 1899 by Hodder & Stoughton)".
15. Eybers (1917). Select_constitutional_documents_illustrating_South_African_history_1795-1910. pp. 481–482.
16. Eybers (1917). Select_constitutional_documents_illustrating_South_African_history_1795-1910. p. 483–483.
17. "Coetzee 2013 - Afrikaner geheime die waarskuwing - Boere.coza".
18. "The Boer War - John M Robertson - Philadelphia, G H Buchanan and company".
19. Eybers (1917). Select_constitutional_documents_illustrating_South_African_history_1795-1910. pp. 448–449.
20. Eybers (1917). Select_constitutional_documents_illustrating_South_African_history_1795-1910. pp. 454–455.
21. Eybers (1917). Select_constitutional_documents_illustrating_South_African_history_1795-1910. pp. 456–457.
22. Eybers (1917). Select_constitutional_documents_illustrating_South_African_history_1795-1910. pp. 469–470.
23. ^ "HOBHOUSE E - THE BRUNT OF THE WAR - METHUEN & CO (1902)".
24. Totten, Samuel; Bartrop, Paul R. (2008). "Concentration Camps, South African War". Dictionary of Genocide. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. pp. 84–85. ISBN 9780313346415.
25. "Queen regrets but no apology".
26. "Australian Interview with the British Queen".
27. "Wheres our apology".
28. "afrikaners-hold-out-for-full-boer-war-apology".
29. Giliomee, Herman (2003). The Afrikaners:Biography of a People. Tafelberg. ISBN 062403884X.
30. Giliomee, Herman (2003). The Afrikaners:Biography of a People. Tafelberg. ISBN 062403884X.
31. Eybers (1917). Select_constitutional_documents_illustrating_South_African_history_1795-1910. p. 483–483.
32. Giliomee, Herman (2003). The Afrikaners:Biography of a People. Tafelberg. ISBN 062403884X.
33. Bunting, B. (1969). "The Rise of the South African Reich". Archived from the original on 18 May 2007. Retrieved 12 June 2007. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
34. "new-boss-new-role-for-afrikanerbond".
35. "The Rise of the South African Reich".
36. Giliomee, Herman (2003). The Afrikaners:Biography of a People. Tafelberg. ISBN 062403884X.
37. Giliomee, Herman (2003). The Afrikaners:Biography of a People. Tafelberg. pp. 250–268. ISBN 062403884X.
38. Bunting, B. (1969). "The Rise of the South African Reich". Archived from the original on 18 May 2007. Retrieved 12 June 2007. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
39. "Paul Kruger".
40. "SA History and Official SA Government website links".
41. "SA Government meeting with Boer-Afrikaner Volksraad".

External links

• American Library of Congress
• Documents Illustrating South African History 1795-1910

v t e Political history of South Africa
Defunct polities	Kingdom of Mapungubwe (c. 1075–c. 1220) Dutch Cape Colony (1652–1806) Mthethwa Paramountcy (c. 1780–1817) Ndwandwe Kingdom (c. 1780–1819) Cape Colony (1795–1910) Zulu Kingdom (1816–1897) Natalia Republic (1839–1843) Natal Colony (1843–1910) Orange Free State (1854–1902) South African Republic (1856–1902) Griqualand East (1861–1879) Griqualand West (1870–1873) Goshen (1882–1883) Stellaland (1882–1885) Nieuwe Republiek (1884–1888) Upingtonia (1885–1887) Klein Vrystaat (1886–1891) Orange River Colony (1902–1910) Transvaal Colony (1902–1910) Union of South Africa (1910–1961) Transkei (1976–1994) Bophuthatswana (1977–1994) Venda (1979–1994) Ciskei (1981–1994)
Events	Pre-colonial Bantu migrations Battle of Salt River 1652–1815 Dutch settlement French Huguenot settlement Khoikhoi–Dutch Wars Xhosa Wars Battle of Muizenberg Battle of Blaauwberg Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814 1815–1910 Mfecane 1820 Settlers Great Trek Boer Republics Transvaal Civil War Mineral Revolution Witwatersrand Gold Rush South African Wars South Africa Act 1909 (National Convention) 1910–1948 South West Africa campaign Maritz rebellion Rand Rebellion Great Depression 1946 African Mine Workers' Union strike Bantustans Apartheid 1948 general election Apartheid legislation Pass laws Internal resistance Coloured-vote constitutional crisis Defiance Campaign Congress of the People Freedom Charter Women's March 1956 1957 Alexandra bus boycott Sharpeville massacre 1960 republic referendum International isolation UN Resolution 1761 UNSC Resolution 591 Academic boycott Disinvestment Constructive engagement Tar Baby Option Sporting boycott Olympics Rugby union Rivonia Trial Durban Moment Border War Israeli alliance Israel–South Africa Agreement Mafeje affair Soweto Uprising Weapons of mass destruction Project Coast Church Street bombing 1983 constitutional referendum Langa massacre Rubicon speech Operation Vula Dakar Conference Transkei coup d'état Ciskei coup d'état Venda coup d'état Third Force CODESA Storming of the Kempton Park World Trade Centre Bisho massacre 1992 apartheid referendum Saint James Church massacre Bophuthatswana crisis Shell House massacre Post- apartheid 1994 general election Government of National Unity Reconstruction and Development Programme Truth and Reconciliation Commission Arms Deal Floor crossing Soweto bombings African Renaissance Travelgate Xenophobia Attack on Kennedy Road Blikkiesdorp Marikana massacre 2012 Western Cape farm workers' strike Nkandlagate Racism 2014 platinum strike #RhodesMustFall protests #FeesMustFall student protests Tshwane riots 2019 service delivery protests 2019 Johannesburg riots COVID-19 pandemic 2020 Phala Phala Robbery 2021 unrest Lady R incident
Political culture	African nationalism Afrikaner Calvinism Afrikaner nationalism Anarchism Azania Baasskap Boerehaat Black Consciousness Movement Cape Independence Day of the Vow Greater South Africa Honorary whites Rooi gevaar Slavery Swart gevaar Uitlander Volkstaat
Defunct organisations	Civic and political organisations Afrikaner Bond Afrikaner Broederbond Afrikaner Party AITUP APO AVF BPC Black Sash Boerestaat Party CDA CNIP CTEG COD Congress Alliance COSG CP DLF Dominion Party DP (1973–1977) DP (1989–2000) DPP DSM ECC FA FD Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners GNP Het Volk HNP (Herenigde) HNP (Herstigte) IDASA ID IP ISL Jeugkrag Johannesburg Reform Committee Labour Party (1910–1958) Labour Party (1969–1994) Liberal Party (1953–1968) NA NCP Natal Indian Congress NLP NNP NP NPP NRP NUSAS Occupy Orangia Unie Oranjewerkers Orde Boerevolk PAVN PFP Progressive Party (Cape Colony) Progressive Party PRP Radio Freedom Reform Party SABP SADECO SAIC SASO SAYCO SAYRCO South African Party (Cape Colony) South African Party (1911–1934) South African Party (1977–1980) TNIP Torch Commando UFP United Party Unionist Party National Party of Venda Volksparty Workers Party WOSA Trade unions and social movements APF BCM BLATU CNETU CTSWU FCWU FNETU FOSATU ICU IWW MUSA NEUM NURHS PAWE SAAPAWU SACTU SAIF SARHU SATUC Die Spoorbund UDF Umkosi Wezintaba Paramilitary and terrorist organisations APLA ARM AWB BBB Boeremag Greyshirts MK Ossewabrandwag Orde van die Dood PAGAD SANF
Histories of political parties	African National Congress Democratic Alliance Pan Africanist Congress of Azania
Category

• Use dmy dates from April 2012
• 19th century in South Africa
• South African Republic
• States and territories established in 1856
• States and territories disestablished in 1902