Orange Free State Province

Province of the Orange Free State Provinsie van die Oranje-Vrystaat
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Population
• 1991	2,193,062
History
• Origin	Orange River Colony
• Created	31 May 1910
• Abolished	27 April 1994
• Succeeded by	Free State
Status	Province of South Africa
Government	Orange Free State Provincial Council
• HQ	Bloemfontein

The Province of the Orange Free State (Afrikaans: Provinsie van die Oranje-Vrystaat), commonly referred to as the Orange Free State Province (Afrikaans: Oranje-Vrystaat Provinsie) was one of the four provinces of South Africa from 1910–1994. After 27 April 1994 it was dissolved following the first multiracial election in South Africa.

Its predecessor was the Orange River Colony.

Its (outside) borders were exactly the same as those of the modern Free State Province; except for the so-called bantustans ("homelands") of QwaQwa and one part of Bophuthatswana, which were contained on land inside of the provincial Orange Free State borders.

Districts in 1991

Districts of the province and population at the 1991 census.

• Zastron: 14,122
• Rouxville: 11,904
• Bethulie: 9,333
• Smithfield: 7,946
• Wepener: 12,964
• Dewetsdorp: 13,521
• Reddersburg: 6,070
• Edenburg: 6,968
• Trompsburg: 5,138
• Jagersfontein: 6,353
• Bloemfontein: 300,150
• Petrusburg: 11,071
• Brandfort: 23,521
• Botshabelo: 177,926
• Philippolis: 7,056
• Fauresmith: 8,916
• Koffiefontein: 10,778
• Jacobsdal: 9,748
• Boshof: 32,033
• Theunissen: 38,482
• Bultfontein: 28,556
• Hoopstad: 27,934
• Wesselsbron: 26,494
• Odendaalsrus: 97,603
• Welkom: 248,186
• Virginia: 81,780
• Hennenman: 25,165
• Ventersburg: 14,534
• Ladybrand: 30,532
• Excelsior: 18,051
• Clocolan: 18,542
• Marquard: 17,217
• Winburg: 17,765
• Senekal: 41,551
• Ficksburg: 36,810
• Fouriesburg: 16,932
• Bethlehem: 80,921
• Lindley: 37,664
• Reitz: 30,712
• Harrismith: 63,220
• Vrede: 37,324
• Kroonstad: 110,963
• Bothaville: 54,726
• Viljoenskroon: 59,279
• Vredefort: 13,518
• Koppies: 19,723
• Parys: 48,678
• Sasolburg: 89,079
• Heilbron: 40,987
• Frankfort: 44,617

Administrators of the Orange Free State Province (1910–1994)

Term	Incumbent	Notes
May 1910 to May 1915	Alfred Ernest William Ramsbottom
15 September 1914 to 20 October 1914	Christiaan Rudolf de Wet	In rebellion
May 1915 to 2 March 1924	Cornelius Hermanus Wessels	From 4 March 1920, Sir Cornelius Hermanus Wessels
11 March 1924 to March 1929	Esaias Reinier Grobler
March 1929 to 11 November 1936	Carl Theodorus Muller Wilcocks
November 1936 to December 1936	Johannes Buys	Acting
December 1936 to December 1940	Johannes Frederik Janse van Rensburg
December 1940 to December 1950	Stephanus Philippus Barnard
1 January 1951 to December 1959	Jacobus "Jim" Johannes Fouché
December 1959 to December 1969	Johannes Willem Jacobus Coetzee du Plessis
December 1969 to 13 December 1974	Gabriel François van Lingen Froneman
14 December 1974 to 1979	Abraham Cornelis van Wyk
1979 to 1980	Cornelius "Nak" van der Merwe
November 1980 to August 1991	Louis Johannes Botha
August 1991 to 7 May 1994	Louis van der Watt

See also

• Free State (South African province)