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 of the Orange Free State
Type
Type	Unicameral
History
Established	1854
Disbanded	31 May 1902
Structure
Seats	57[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]
Gert Petrus Visser	1855[8]	?
Lodewyk Jacobus Papenfus	?-1857	1857-?	[9]
Esaias Reynier Snijman	?-1859	1859-?	[10]
J. N. Uijs	?-1860	1860-?	[11]
Gert Petrus Visser	?-1861[12]	1863-?[13]
Esaias Reynier Snijman	?-1864	1864-?	[13]
Gert Petrus Visser	?-1865	1865-?	[14]
Hendrik Oostewald Dreyer	?-1866	1866[2]
Gerhardus Johannes du Toit	1866	?	[15]
Gert Petrus Visser	?-1867	1875-?	[16]
Tobias de Villiers	?-1876	1876-?	[3]
Gert Petrus Visser	?-1877	1879[17]	[3]
Tobias de Villiers	1879[17]	1884[17]	[3]
John G. Fraser	1884[17]	1896	[18]
Christiaan Willem Hendrik Van Der Post	1896[19]	1897	[20]
Cornelius Hermanus Wessels	1897[21]	1899-?[3]
Johan Godfried Luyt	June 1900	June 1900	Last chairman[22]