Volksraad

=South Africa=

The Volksraad (English: "People's Council") was the parliament of the former South African Republic (ZAR) (also sometimes referred to as the "Transvaal Republic"), which existed from 1857 to 1902 in part of what is now the Republic of South Africa. It was a unicameral body with 24 members.The body ceased to exist after the British victory in the Second Anglo-Boer War and the resulting formation of the Union of South Africa.

The Volksraad of the South African Republic was divided into two chambers in 1890 in order to keep Boer control over state matters while still giving "foreigners" - many of whom were temporarily employed in the mining industry - a say in local affairs. This was done in order to fend off British complaints in this regard.

This bicameral legislature consisted of a "Second Volksraad", with suffrage for all white males above 16 years, as well as a "First Volksraad" (which was the highest authority in charge of state policy), with suffrage limited to persons above 30 with permanent property and a longer history of settlement.

The Orange Free State Republic also had a Volksraad; it too ceased to exist in 1902 after the British victory in the Second Anglo-Boer War.

The "Volksraad" was also the Afrikaans name for the South African House of Assembly, which existed under various guises from 1910-1994.

Indonesia

The Dutch created a body called the Volksraad as a consultative council for the Netherlands East Indies in 1918. A similar body for Netherlands New Guinea existed between 1949 and 1969.