South African Republic: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

The South African Republic (Dutch: Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek), not to be confused with the Republic of South Africa, occupied the area later known as the province of Transvaal, first from 1857 to 1877, and again, after a successful Afrikaner rebellion against British rule, from 1881 until its annexation by the United Kingdom in 1900 during the Boer War. The first president of the South African Republic was Marthinus Wessel Pretorius. He was first elected in 1857.

The capital was established at Pretoria (founded 1855), though for a brief period Nelspruit served as the seat of government. The parliament, the Volksraad, had 24 members.

Geography and Location

Aerial map

Presidents of the South African Republic

The presidents of the South African Republic were:

• Marthinus Wessel Pretorius: 1857-1863
• Willem Cornelis Janse van Rensburg: Oct 1863-May 1864
• Marthinus Wessel Pretorius: May 1864-1871
• 1871-1877
• British Rule: 1877-1881
• Troika (Pretorius, Kruger and Petrus Jacobus Joubert): 1881-1883
• Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger: 1883-1902