Volksblad
Encyclopedia
The Volksblad is an Afrikaans language daily newspaper published in Bloemfontein
, South Africa
, and distributed in the Free State and Northern Cape provinces, where it is the largest Afrikaans daily. It is South Africa's oldest Afrikaans newspaper. The paper is owned by Media24
.
printer Hendrik de Graaf founded the Dutch weekly magazine, Het Westen, in Potchefstroom
. The paper devoted itself to the interests and development of the Afrikaner people of the former independent Orange Free State
and Transvaal
Republics in the aftermath of the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902). The name of this overtly nationalist paper was changed to Het Volksblad in March 1915 and its headquarters were moved to Bloemfontein
the following year. In 1917 it underwent a further name adjustment to Die Volksblad, henceforth publishing in Afrikaans rather than Dutch.
In 1925 Die Volksblad became a daily newspaper.
Within the Northern Cape the Volksblad distributes a free weekly supplement called Noordkaap. Since the 1990s the paper has actively courted a larger readership beyond its traditional white Afrikaner following, as is suggested by its new slogan, in three languages: "Saam kan ons - Together we can - Hammoho re ka kgona" (Afrikaans, English
and Sesotho
).
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, and distributed in the Free State and Northern Cape provinces, where it is the largest Afrikaans daily. It is South Africa's oldest Afrikaans newspaper. The paper is owned by Media24
Media24
Media24 is the print media arm of the South African media company Naspers. It controls Naspers' newspaper and magazine Southern African publishing as well as printing activities but also includes the internet activities of the 24.com collection of web portals...
.
History
The history of the Volksblad can be traced to 18 November 1904 when the DutchDutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
printer Hendrik de Graaf founded the Dutch weekly magazine, Het Westen, in Potchefstroom
Potchefstroom, North West
Potchefstroom is an academic city in the North West Province of South Africa. It hosts the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University...
. The paper devoted itself to the interests and development of the Afrikaner people of the former independent Orange Free State
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province...
and Transvaal
South African Republic
The South African Republic , often informally known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer-ruled country in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century. Not to be confused with the present-day Republic of South Africa, it occupied the area later known as the South African...
Republics in the aftermath of the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902). The name of this overtly nationalist paper was changed to Het Volksblad in March 1915 and its headquarters were moved to Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
the following year. In 1917 it underwent a further name adjustment to Die Volksblad, henceforth publishing in Afrikaans rather than Dutch.
In 1925 Die Volksblad became a daily newspaper.
Within the Northern Cape the Volksblad distributes a free weekly supplement called Noordkaap. Since the 1990s the paper has actively courted a larger readership beyond its traditional white Afrikaner following, as is suggested by its new slogan, in three languages: "Saam kan ons - Together we can - Hammoho re ka kgona" (Afrikaans, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Sesotho
Sesotho language
The Sotho language, also known as Sesotho, Southern Sotho, or Southern Sesotho, is a Bantu language spoken primarily in South Africa, where it is one of the 11 official languages, and in Lesotho, where it is the national language...
).