Willem Cornelis Janse van Rensburg
Encyclopedia
Willem Cornelis Janse van Rensburg (16 May 1818 – 13 August 1865) was the Second President
of the South African Republic
, from 1863 to 1864.
He was born near the town of Beaufort West
, the son of Hendrik Janse van Rensburg and his second wife, Martha Magdalena Oosthuizen. Van Rensburg married Elizabeth Maria Jacoba Du Plessis (31 October 1819 - 6 August 1895) in 1838.
Initially he travelled with a party of Voortrekkers
to Natal, and was one of the party of van Rensburgs who survived an attack by a group of Zulus at Rensburg koppie (Rensburg hill). He subsequently travelled to the Transvaal
and settled on a farm in the Rustenburg area in 1848.
Van Rensburg was elected as a member of the South African Republic
's (ZAR) Volksraad
(People's Assembly) in 1850, a post which he held until June 1855. During this period there was a major political conflict between the ZAR's First President and writer of its constitution
, Marthinus Wessel Pretorius
, and its Commandant-General
, Stephanus Schoeman
, who rejected the constitution. Van Rensburg supported Schoeman and in return the latter appointed van Rensburg as a provisional commandant
. Van Rensburg subsequently represented Schoeman in negotiations with Pretorius's faction. In 1858, when Schoeman fell ill, Van Rensburg was appointed as acting Commandant-General.
Van Rensburg went on to play an essential role in uniting the former Lydenburg Republic
with the ZAR and also supported Pretorius when he tried to unite the ZAR and the Orange Free State Republic
.
In February 1860, during Pretorius's absence, the Volksraad offered Van Rensburg the post of State President, which he refused. Following substantial political maneuvering, Van Rensburg was elected as the Second President of the ZAR in April 1863. However, Van Rensburg refused to be sworn in and a second election had to be held. During this election Van Rensburg received 1,106 votes and Pretorius 1,065; Van Rensburg accepted his election this time and he took his oath of office
on 23 October 1863.
Pretorius's supporters did not support the results of the election and what amounted to a civil war
broke out. When the fighting came to a halt in January 1864 another presidential election was held and Pretorius was re-elected; he was sworn in on 9 May 1864. Van Rensburg subsequently returned to his farm near Rustenburg, where he died and was buried shortly afterwards. However, in August 1974, Van Rensburg and his wife were disinterred and reburied at the Heroes Acre cemetery
in Pretoria.
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the South African Republic
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...
, from 1863 to 1864.
He was born near the town of Beaufort West
Beaufort West
Beaufort West is a town in the Western Cape province in South Africa. It is the largest town in the arid Great Karoo region, and forms part of the Beaufort West Local Municipality, with 37 000 inhabitants in 2001....
, the son of Hendrik Janse van Rensburg and his second wife, Martha Magdalena Oosthuizen. Van Rensburg married Elizabeth Maria Jacoba Du Plessis (31 October 1819 - 6 August 1895) in 1838.
Initially he travelled with a party of Voortrekkers
Voortrekkers
The Voortrekkers were emigrants during the 1830s and 1840s who left the Cape Colony moving into the interior of what is now South Africa...
to Natal, and was one of the party of van Rensburgs who survived an attack by a group of Zulus at Rensburg koppie (Rensburg hill). He subsequently travelled to the 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...
and settled on a farm in the Rustenburg area in 1848.
Van Rensburg was elected as a member of the South African Republic
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...
's (ZAR) Volksraad
Volksraad
The Volksraad was the parliament of the former South African Republic , which existed from 1857 to 1902 in part of what is now the South Africa. The body ceased to exist after the British victory in the Second Anglo-Boer War. The Volksraad sat in session in Ou Raadsaal in Church Square, Pretoria...
(People's Assembly) in 1850, a post which he held until June 1855. During this period there was a major political conflict between the ZAR's First President and writer of its constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
, Marthinus Wessel Pretorius
Marthinus Wessel Pretorius
The son of the famous Voortrekker leader Andries Pretorius, Marthinus Wessel Pretorius was the first president of the South African Republic, and also compiled the constitution of the Republic....
, and its Commandant-General
Commandant-General
Commandant-General is a rank in several counties and is generally equivalent to that of Commandant.-Italy:Comandante generale , in Fascist Italy's MVSN, was the title of the head of the Blackshirts, held by Benito Mussolini from 1922 to 1943.Nowadays, is the title held by the commander of the...
, Stephanus Schoeman
Stephanus Schoeman
Commandant-General Stephanus Schoeman was State President of the South African Republic , from 6 December, 1860 until 17 April 1862....
, who rejected the constitution. Van Rensburg supported Schoeman and in return the latter appointed van Rensburg as a provisional commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
. Van Rensburg subsequently represented Schoeman in negotiations with Pretorius's faction. In 1858, when Schoeman fell ill, Van Rensburg was appointed as acting Commandant-General.
Van Rensburg went on to play an essential role in uniting the former Lydenburg Republic
Lydenburg
Lydenburg is a town in Mpumalanga, South Africa. The town is slated to be renamed Mashishing, according to an announcement made on June 30, 2006 by the South African Minister of Arts and Culture, Pallo Jordan. Lydenburg is situated on the Sterkspruit/Dorps River tributary of the Olifants River at...
with the ZAR and also supported Pretorius when he tried to unite the ZAR and the Orange Free State Republic
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...
.
In February 1860, during Pretorius's absence, the Volksraad offered Van Rensburg the post of State President, which he refused. Following substantial political maneuvering, Van Rensburg was elected as the Second President of the ZAR in April 1863. However, Van Rensburg refused to be sworn in and a second election had to be held. During this election Van Rensburg received 1,106 votes and Pretorius 1,065; Van Rensburg accepted his election this time and he took his oath of office
Oath of office
An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before undertaking the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations...
on 23 October 1863.
Pretorius's supporters did not support the results of the election and what amounted to a civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
broke out. When the fighting came to a halt in January 1864 another presidential election was held and Pretorius was re-elected; he was sworn in on 9 May 1864. Van Rensburg subsequently returned to his farm near Rustenburg, where he died and was buried shortly afterwards. However, in August 1974, Van Rensburg and his wife were disinterred and reburied at the Heroes Acre cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
in Pretoria.