South Africa Postal Order Catalogue.

[Guest Aidan Work]

Name; Unie van Zuid Afrika (Dutch).

Union of South Africa. (1910-25).

 

Unie van Suid-Afrika (Afrikaans).

Union of South Africa. (1925-61).

 

Republiek van Suid-Afrika (Afrikaans).

Republic of South Africa.

 

Region; British Africa.

 

Capitals; Cape Town (legislative),Pretoria (administrative),& Bloemfontein (judicial). (Note; South Africa is the only country in the British Commonawealth (& the world) to have 3 national capital cities).

 

Date of Independence; 31st of May 1910.

 

Constitutional status at time of issue; British Dominion from 31st May 1910 until 31st May 1961,when the Union of South Africa was declared the Republic of South Africa,an independent republic outside the British Commonwealth.In 1984,a new Constitution was adopted abolishing the post of Prime Minister, establishing the State President as an executive post,& creating a tri-cameral Parliament.In 1994,

South Africa's constitutional arrangement was changed again,with the title of 'President ' replacing that of 'State President',& a bicameral Parliament established on a non-racial basis.A federal system of 9 provinces,each with their own Parliaments was also instituted.South Africa returned to the British Commonwealth on the 1st of June 1994.South Africa's republican period can be divided into 3 eras - 1st Republic (1961-84),2nd Republic (1984-94),& 3rd Republic

(1994-).

 

British Postal Orders were issued in South Africa until the mid 1960's.

South African postal orders will be catalogued by the province of issue.(Note; There were 4 provinces prior to 1994.Now there are 9 provinces.).