Government Printing Works 100 Years

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This cover is postmarked on 1 August 1988 in Pretoria. It marks the centenary of the Government Printing Works, established when the government of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek purchased the De Volkstem printing works from the poet Jan F Celliers in 1888. That original purchase cost £22 000 and came with a staff of just 15 people. A century later that same operation employed around 900 staff and produced between 14 and 20 million sheets of postage stamps every year, alongside passports, identity documents, maps and the Government Gazette itself. One detail worth noting is just how quickly the operation outgrew its first home. The original building between Church Street and Bureau Lane needed enlarging within two years and was already too small again by 1893, leading to a move to new premises on the corner of Koch and Vermeulen Streets in Pretoria the following year.

Description of the Cachet

The cachet is built around a detailed street map of Pretoria, with the Union Buildings, Voortrekker Monument and surrounding suburbs visible in fine line work. A single sheet of Staatskoerant, the Government Gazette, sits angled across the map like a document pulled straight from the printing press. A circular band curves around the design carrying the words Die Staatsdrukkery, The Government Printing Works and the years 1888 to 1988. Inside that circle sit nine small stamp reproductions from across the region, showing subjects as varied as a Venda waterfowl, a Ciskei mushroom, an SWA shipwreck and a Bophuthatswana athlete. That mix of stamps is the real point of the cachet. Rather than showing a single design, it represents the sheer range of postage stamps the Government Printing Works produced over its first century, spanning South Africa, South West Africa and the homeland states all at once.

Information Card

THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING WORKS (1888 — 1988) The Government Printing Works in Pretoria celebrates its centenary this year. It is one of the oldest government departments in the country. Its origins can be traced back to 1 August 1888 when the government of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (South African Republic) purchased the printing works of De Volkstem from the poet Jan F. Celliers. The purchase price of £22 000 (± R44 000) included the land, building and machines. The staff totalled 15 as against 900 today. The first building was situated between Church Street and Bureau Lane. By 1890 it already had to be enlarged but only three years later more space was needed and eight erven, including a building, situated on the corner of Koch Street (now Bosman) and Vermeulen Street, were purchased for £10 000 (± R20 000). Additional buildings were added in 1897, 1926 and 1954. The Government Printing Works is responsible for the printing requirements of departments of the central government only, but confidential and security printing are done for all government departments. All postage stamps, revenue stamps and postcards for the RSA, SWA and the TBVC countries are printed here. An average of 14 – 20 million sheets of postage stamps are produced annually. The Government Printing Works is also the printer and publisher of the Government Gazette. Thousands of reports, forms, books, passports, identity documents, maps and stationery are printed, bound and distributed. Orders for state publications are received from many overseas countries. Apart from the numerous services offered to state departments, the Government Gazette, state publications, reports, maps and books are also sold to the public. The factory, one of the largest in the country, has modern machines, equipment and computer systems. It is also an important training centre for apprentices. The annual consumption of paper averages 16 000 ton. The Government Printing Works is rich in history and tradition and many of its present staff are third-generation employees. The present Government Printer is only the eighth incumbent of this post. Lexinne DIE STAATSDRUKKERY (1888 — 1988) Die Staatsdrukkery in Pretoria vier vanjaar sy 100-jarige bestaan. Dit is een van die oudste staatsdepartemente in die land. Sy ontstaan kan teruggevoer word na 1 Augustus 1888 toe die regering van die Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek die drukkery van De Volkstem van die digter Jan F. Celliers gekoop het. Die koopsom van £22 000 (± R44 000) het die gebou, die terrein en die masjiene ingesluit. Die personeel het uit 15 persone bestaan teenoor sowat 900 tans. Die eerste gebou was tussen Kerkstraat en Bureaulaan geleë. Teen 1890 moes die gebou reeds vergroot word. Drie jaar later was dit al weer te klein en in September 1894 is agt erwe met 'n gebou daarop op die hoek van Koch- (vandag Bosman) en Vermeulenstraat vir £10 000 (± R20 000) aangekoop. Verdere aanbouings is in 1897, 1926 en 1954 gedoen. Die Staatsdrukkery is slegs verantwoordelik vir die drukwerk wat deur die departemente van die sentrale regering benodig word maar vertroulike en sekuriteitsdrukwerk word vir alle departemente onderneem. Alle pos- en inkomstesëels en poskaarte vir die RSA, SWA en die TBVC-lande word hier gedruk. Gemiddeld 14 – 20 miljoen velle posseëls word jaarliks geproduseer. Die Staatsdrukkery is ook die drukker en uitgewer van die Staatskoerant. Duisende verslae, vorms, boeke, paspoorte, identiteitsboekies, landkaarte en dokumente word gedruk, gebind en versprei. Bestellings vir staatspublikasies word van oral uit die buiteland ontvang. Buiten die talle dienste wat aan staatsdepartemente gelewer word, word die Staatskoerant, staatspublikasies, verslae, landkaarte en boeke ook aan die publiek verkoop. Die fabriek, een van die grootstes in die land, het moderne masjiene, toerusting en rekenaarstelsels. Dit is ook 'n belangrike opleidingsentrum vir vakleerlinge. Die jaarlikse papierverbruik beloop gemiddeld 16 000 ton. Die Staatsdrukkery is ryk aan geskiedenis en tradisie en baie van die huidige personeel is derdegeslag-werknemers. Die huidige Staatsdrukker is slegs die agtste amptenaar wat dié pos beklee. Lexinne

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