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South Africa: Polity Style: 1910-2025
31 May 1910 the colonies of the Cape of Good Hope, Natal, the Transvaal, and the Orange River Colony constituted a legislative union under the name of the Union of South Africa on the date (31 May 1910) appointed by a royal proclamation of 2 Dec 1909 issued in accordance with the South Africa Act, 1909 | Zuid-Afrika Wet, 1909 passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom (House of Lords on 4 Aug 1909, House of Commons on 19 Aug 1909, received royal assent on 20 Sep 1909) (Public General Acts, 1909, pp. 42-77; The London Gazette, No. 28314, 3 Dec 1909, p. 9217; The Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette, No. 9253, Extra, 15 Jan 1910, pp. 146-188; p. 200) [1]
31 May 1910 - 30 May 1961 Union of South Africa :: Unie van Zuid-Afrika = (from 27 May 1925) Unie van Suid-Afrika
27 May 1925 Afrikaans is recognized to have been an official language of the Union of South Africa since 31 May 1910 in accordance with an act passed by the Parliament|Parlement of the Union of South Africa (joint sitting of the House of Assembly|Volksraad and the Senate|Senaat on 8 May 1925, received royal assent on 27 May 1925) (Government Gazette, No. 1477, Extra, 27 May 1925, p. ii) [2][3]
11 Dec 1931 the legislative independence of the Union of South Africa from the United Kingdom is achieved in accordance with the Statute of Westminster, 1931 passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom (House of Commons on 24 Nov 1931; House of Lords on 3 Dec 1931 with amendments; the amendments were agreed to by the House of Commons on 8 Dec 1931; received royal assent on 11 Dec 1931) (Public General Acts, 1931-1932, pp. 13-17) [4]
31 May 1961 the Republic of South Africa is constituted in accordance with an act passed by the Parliament|Parlement of the Union of South Africa (House of Assembly|Volksraad on 12 Apr 1961; Senate|Senaat on 21 Apr 1961, received royal assent on 24 Apr 1961, effective on 31 May 1961) (Government Gazette, No. 6671, 25 Apr 1961, pp. [1]-55) [5]
31 May 1961 - Republic of South Africa :: Republiek van Suid-Afrika
27 Apr 1994 Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, Sesotho sa Leboa, Sesotho, siSwati, Xitsonga, Setswana, Tshivenda, isiXhosa and isiZulu are recognized as the official languages at national level in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1993|Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika, 1993, adopted by the Parliament|Parlement of the Republic of South Africa (joint sitting of the House of Assembly|Volksraad, the House of Representataives|Raad van Verteenwoordigers and the House of Delegates|Raad van Afgevaardigdes on 22 Dec 1993, assented to on 25 Jan 1994, effective on 27 Apr 1994) (Government Gazette, No. 15466, 28 Jan 1994, pp. 1-226) [6][7]

[1] Full title (English): An Act to constitute the Union of South Africa (may be cited as the South Africa Act, 1909); full title (Dutch): Een Wet ter daarstelling van de Unie van Zuid-Afrika (may be cited as Zuid-Afrika Wet, 1909).
[2] Full title (English): Act to remove doubts as to the meaning of the word "Dutch" in Section one hundred and thirty-seven of the South Africa Act, 1909, and wheresoever else that word occurs in the said Act; short title (English): Official Languages of the Union Act, 1925; full title (Afrikaans): Wet om twijfel aangaande de betekenis van het woord "hollandse" in Artikel hondred zeven en dertig van de Zuid Afrika Wet 1909, en elders in die Wet waar dat woord voorkomt, weg te nemen; short title (Dutch): Wet op de Officiële Talen van de Unie, 1925.
[3] Dutch is gradually replaced with Afrikaans in official use following the enactment of the Official Languages of the Union Act, 1925|Wet op de Officiële Talen van de Unie, 1925.
[4] Full title: An Act to give effect to certain resolutions passed by Imperial Conferences held in the years 1926 and 1930 (may be cited as the Statute of Westminster, 1931).
[5] Full title (English): Act to constitute the Republic of South Africa and to provide for matters incidental thereto; short title (English): Republic of South Africa Constitution Act, 1961. Full title (Afrikaans): Wet om die Republiek van Suid-Afrika tot stand te bring en om vir aangeleenthede wat daarmee in verband staan, voorsiening te maak; short title (Afrikaans): Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika, 1961.
[6] Full title (English): Act to introduce a new Constitution for the Republic of South Africa and to provide for matters incidental thereto (shall be called the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1993); full title (Afrikaans): Wet om 'n nuwe Grondwet vir die Republiek van Suid-Afrika in te voer en om voorsiening te maak vir aangeleenthede in verband daarmee (shall be called Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika, 1993).
[7] Repabliki yaAfrika Borwa (Sesotho sa Leboa/Sepedi); Rephaboliki ya Afrika Borwa (Sesotho); Rephaboliki ya Aforika Borwa (Setswana); Riphabhulikhi yeNingizimu Afrika (siSwati); Riphabuliki ya Afurika Tshipembe (Tshivenda); Riphabliki ra Afrika Dzonga (Xitsonga); Riphabliki yeSewula Afrika (isiNdebele); Riphabliki yomZantsi Afrika (isiXhosa); Riphabhuliki yaseNingizimu Afrika (isiZulu).
Last update: 08 May 2025
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