The history of South Africa is complicated, and this is not really a history post. In the early days of stamps, the area was overrun with colonial powers making stakes for various reasons. The prominent players were the Dutch and British, but the Germans, Portuguese and French all played some part in the area. Early in that era were the Boer Wars, specifically the Second Boer War, that shaped the political and postal jurisdictions of the area. The end of World War I played its part as well. And in modern times, both the end of British colonial rule and the apartheid era (1948-1994), followed by the transition to democracy in 1994, shaped the landscape we know today.
This list is my structure for how I organize my South African stamp collection. It is by no means a good outline for understanding the complete history of the region. For example, I've labeled the area once known as the South African Republic as Transvaal (the British colonial name), not because I'm favoring the British claim to the area, but because that's how the stamp catalog labels this area.
Prior to the formation of South Africa in 1910, there were four British colonies that issued stamps, which would later be combined to make up South Africa.
Pre South Africa Colonies - The Big 4
Cape of Good Hope 1853-1910
Natal 1857-1910
Orange River Colony 1868-1910
Transvaal 1869-1910
The Orange River Colony was the Orange Free State prior to 1900.
The British colony of Transvaal, originally the independent South African Republic, went through a number of political changes during and around the Second Boer War.
Transvaal Postal History
South African Republic 1869-1877 (as Z Afr Republiek)
Transvaal (British) 1877-1880
South African Republic 1880-1900 (as Z Afr Rebubliek)
Pietersburg Relocated SAR Government 1900
VRI Overprints (British) 1900 (Victorian period of occupation)
ERI Overprints (British) 1900-1902 (Edwardian period of occupation)
Transvaal (British) 1902-1910
Other Associated Colonies
Griqualand West 1877-1878 (to Cape of Good Hope)
Zululand 1888-1896 (to Natal)
Stellaland 1884-1885 (to Bechuanaland)
Bechuanaland 1885-1897 (to Cape of Good Hope)
New Republic 1886-1887 (to Transvaal as South African Republic)
Swaziland 1889-1894 (to Transvaal admin. as South African Republic,
then Natal)
Note that the area known as the Bechuanaland Protectorate is different than the British Bechuanaland shown above. The protectorate would also issue stamps and is now modern day Botswana.
During the Second Boer War, there are a number of local stamps known. This was also a period of intense interest in stamp collecting, and the evidence for the official sanction of these issues is weak, with most known uses dubious or philatelically contrived. It is possible that none of these were officially issued or ever postally valid. The notes give some help identifying these stamps.
Second Boer War Local Stamp Issuing Areas
Lydenburg 1900 (VRI on Transvaal)
Mafeking 1900 (Mafeking besieged OP & blue designs)
Pietersburg 1901 (Square in Square, signed/see Transvaal)
Rustenburg 1900 (Purple VR OP)
Schweizer Renecke 1900 (Besieged)
Volksrust 1902 (VRI)
Vryburg 1899-1900 (VRI)
Volmaransstad 1900 (Cancelled V-R-I)
The costal region north west of South Africa in what is today independent Namibia, was colonized by Germany. After World War I, South Africa was given administration over this area by a league of nations mandate. I mention these here both because of that administration and because the name, South West Africa, makes me think to look in this album for these stamps. Otherwise, I have chosen not to collect these stamps with South Africa.
South African Administration
German South West Africa 1887-1919
South West Africa 1923-1990
Namibia 1990-present
During the colonial period, the British authorized the British South Africa Company to have control of the area north of South Africa. That area is modern day Zimbabwe and Zambia, but was variously known as Rhodesia, North and South Rhodesia. That area would later be included in Rhodesia and Nyasaland, which pulled in other neighboring areas. Some of the stamps of this area are South African stamps overprinted SWA.
This area has South African in its name, although none of it was contained in or administered by South Africa. So far I have decided to note this in my album but not add these regions to the album. I may change that later.
South Africa in Name but not Part of Modern South Africa
British South Africa Company 1889-1924
Zimbabwe (Southern Rhodesia)
Zambia (Northern Rhodesia
In 1910, following the Second Boer War, Great Britain unified the big four colonies of the Cape of Good Hope, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange River Colony into the area we know as South Africa. South Africa would gain independence from Great Britain in 1961.
South Africa 1910-present
Colonial Period 1910-1961
Independent Republic (RSA) 1961-1994
Democratic Government 1994-present
Toward the end of the apartheid era, areas were created as homeland areas for non-white South Africans. Four of these areas were declared independent by South Africa but were not recognized internationally. These areas issued their own stamps. These were reunited with the larger South Africa with advent of the post-apartheid democratic government in 1994.
Independent Homelands
Transkei 1976-1994
Bophuthatswana 1977-1994
Venda 1979-1994
Ciskei 1981-1994
Looking at the map of South Africa, there are two notable holes. Those are the present day, independent countries of Lesotho and Swaziland. While they are independent countries, they were variously influenced by South African and contained in the colonies before it.
Autonomous Regions
Lesotho (Basutoland) 1966-present
Cape of Good Hope 1880
Basutoland (British) 1884 (Cape of Good Hope stamps)
South Africa stamps 1910
Basutoland (British) stamps 1933
Lesotho ind. 1966
Eswatini (Swaziland) 1933-present
Transvaal as South African Republic Overprints 1889
Transvaal as South African Republic Protectorate 1894
British Protectorate 1902
South Africa stamps 1910
Swaziland (British) stamps 1933
Swaziland 1967 (ind. 1968)
Eswatini 2018
