The State President of the Orange Free State had the executive authority in the Orange Free State. By the constitution of 1854, the president was elected by the Burghers, from a list of candidates nominated by the Volksraad for a term of five years. There were no term-limits.[1]
State President of the Orange Free State | |
---|---|
Staatspresident van de Oranje Vrijstaat | |
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Style | His Excellency |
Residence | Old Presidency, Bloemfontein |
Term length | 5 years |
Formation | 13 September 1854 |
First holder | Josias Philip Hoffman |
Final holder | Martinus Theunis Steyn |
Abolished | 31 May 1902 |
![](http://178.128.105.246/cars-http-upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/The_Presidency%2C_Bloemfontein_-_page_321_of_%22Battles_of_the_nineteenth_century%22_%281901%29.jpg/220px-The_Presidency%2C_Bloemfontein_-_page_321_of_%22Battles_of_the_nineteenth_century%22_%281901%29.jpg)
List of officeholders
editNo. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||
1 | Josias Philip Hoffman (1807–1879)[a] |
24 February 1854 | 10 February 1855 | 351 days | |
– | Jacobus Johannes Venter (1814–1889)[b] |
10 February 1855 | 27 August 1855 | 198 days | |
2 | Jacobus Nicolaas Boshoff (1808–1881) |
27 August 1855 | 6 September 1859 | 4 years, 10 days | |
– | Esaias Reynier Snijman (1822–1884) Acting |
6 September 1859 | 8 February 1860 | 155 days | |
3 | Marthinus Wessel Pretorius (1819–1901) |
8 February 1860 | 17 June 1863 | 3 years, 159 days | |
– | Joseph Allison Acting for absent Pretorius |
18 March 1863 | 17 June 1863 | 91 days | |
Vacant (17 June – 20 June 1863)[c] | |||||
– | Jacobus Johannes Venter (1814–1889) Acting |
20 June 1863 | 2 February 1864 | 227 days | |
4 | Sir Johannes Henricus Brand, GCMG (1823–1888) |
2 February 1864 | 14 July 1888 † | 24 years, 163 days | |
– | Pieter Jeremias Blignaut (1841–1909)[d] |
14 July 1888 | 10 January 1889 | 180 days | |
5 | Francis William Reitz (1844–1934) |
10 January 1889 | 11 December 1895 | 6 years, 335 days | |
– | Pieter Jeremias Blignaut (1841–1909) Acting |
11 December 1895 | 4 March 1896 | 84 days | |
6 | Martinus Theunis Steyn (1857–1916) |
4 March 1896 | 31 May 1902 | 6 years, 88 days | |
Second Boer War (11 October 1899 – 31 May 1902) | |||||
– | Christiaan Rudolf de Wet (1854–1922) Acting for Steyn |
29 May 1902 | 31 May 1902 | 2 days | |
Post abolished with the Treaty of Vereeniging British annexation (Orange River Colony) |
Last election
editCandidate | Votes | % |
---|---|---|
Martinus Theunis Steyn | 6,877 | 83.42 |
John G. Fraser | 1,367 | 16.58 |
Total | 8,244 | 100.00 |
Source: South African History Online |
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ Styled as President of the Provisional Government (until 29 March 1854), President of the Volksraad (until 15 April 1854), Acting State President (until 13 September 1854) and State President (from 13 September 1854).
- ^ Styled as Provisional State President (until 15 February 1855) and Chairman of the Executive Committee (from 15 February 1855).
- ^ The office of State President was vacant between 17 June 1863 when the Volksraad accepted the resignation of Pretorius and 20 June 1863 when Venter was sworn in.
- ^ Styled as Chairman of the Executive Council (until 21 August 1888) and Acting State President (from 21 August 1888).
References
edit- ^ McCall Theal, George (1908). History of South Africa Since September 1795 (PDF). SWAN SONNENSCHEIN & CO.
External links
editWikimedia Commons has media related to Presidents of the Orange Free State.