At the begging of May 1900, the British Army, under Field Marshal Lord Roberts, launched an attack on the Orange Free State. President M T Steyn and General C R de Wet of the Orange Free State (Boer Republic) failed to defend their capital town Bloemfontein. The British advancement from the Free State capital was delayed for six weeks to enable Roberts to rest his troops and horses. Shortly after his entry into Bloemfontein, Roberts announced the annexation of the Orange Free State. He also promised burghers who surrendered voluntarily that they would be allowed to return to their farms. The new colony was known as the Orange River Colony.
eventREF E-0011209Revised
28 May 1900
Annexation of the Orange Free State is announced
- Updated
- 30 Sep 2019
How we know this
- 01 Goldstein, E.,(2005), Wars and Peace Treaties: 1816-1991,(New York),pp 145-146
- 02Dupont, J., (2001), The Common Law Abroad : Constitutional and Legal Legacy of the British Empire,(United State of America), pp 1032-1034
Last updated · 30 Sep 2019
South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Annexation of the Orange Free State is announced. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011209
South African History Online (2011) 'Annexation of the Orange Free State is announced', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011209 (Accessed: 8 October 2026).
South African History Online, Annexation of the Orange Free State is announced [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011209, (accessed 8 October 2026).
"Annexation of the Orange Free State is announced." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011209. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.
South African History Online. "Annexation of the Orange Free State is announced." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011209.
Also on 28 May
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- 1980The schools boycott spreads to the Black townships
- 1984Educationist Ernest Moloto dies
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