Die Burger (English: The Citizen) is a daily Afrikaans-language newspaper, published by Naspers. By 2008, it had a circulation of 91,665 in the Western and Eastern Cape Provinces of South Africa. Along with Beeld and Volksblad, it is one of three broadsheet dailies in the Media24 stable.

Die Burger
TypeDaily newspaper
FormatBroadsheet
Owner(s)Naspers
PublisherNaspers
EditorWillem Jordaan
Founded1915
LanguageAfrikaans
HeadquartersCape Town
Circulation27,757 (Q2 2022)
Websitedieburger.com

History

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On 18 December 1914, sixteen prominent Afrikaners gathered in Stellenbosch to discuss the establishment of a national newspaper.[1]: 290  With considerable financial support from local philanthropists Jannie and Christiaan Marais, purchased a quarter of 20,000 £1 shares in the new holding company, the project soon got off the ground, with the founding of De Nasionale Pers ("the National Press") and the selection of Dr. D. F. Malan as editor of its daily paper, De Burger (Dutch for "The Citizen").[1]: 290  The first issue was published on 26 July 1915.

Language

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Die Burger is published at the Media24 Centre on Cape Town's Foreshore
 
Library stack of Die Burger, 2012.

Die Burger was originally published in Dutch. In 1916, the first Afrikaans-language articles were published. In 1921, the newspaper's Dutch title (De Burger) was translated into Afrikaans (Die Burger).

Supplements

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  • Sake24 (Mon-Fri)[2]
  • Buite (Tues)[2]
  • Jip (Mon)[2]
  • Leefstyl (Wed)[2]
  • Motors (Thur)[2]
  • Vrydag! (Fri)[2]
  • Landbou (Fri)[2]

Political affiliation

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Die Burger was a newspaper that supported the nationalist cause and apartheid, and used to be the mouthpiece of the National Party. This only began to change after 1985, when then editor Piet Cillié, a staunch supporter of the government under B. J. Vorster and P. W. Botha, retired. In 1990, the National Party was officially informed by editor Ebbe Dommisse that it no longer served as a political mouthpiece. This disaffiliation was continued in 1999 with the appointment of a more progressive editor, Arrie Rossouw. In 2006, Henry Jeffreys became the first Cape Coloured editor of the paper.

List of editors

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  • D. F. Malan (1915-24)
  • Albertus Geyer (1924-45)
  • Phil Weber (1945-54)
  • Piet Cillié (1954-77)
  • Wiets Beukes (1977-90)
  • Ebbe Dommisse (1990-2000)
  • Arrie Rossouw (2000-06)
  • Henry Jeffreys (2006-10)
  • Bun Booyens (2010-2016)
  • Willem Jordaan (2016-)

Distribution areas

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Distribution[2]
2008 2013
Eastern Cape Y Y
Free State
Gauteng
Kwa-Zulu Natal
Limpopo
Mpumalanga
North West
Northern Cape Y Y
Western Cape Y Y

Distribution figures

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Circulation[3]
Net Sales
Jan - Mar 2015 56 146[4]
Jan - Mar 2014 59 895[4]
Oct - Dec 2012 61 484
Jul - Sep 2012 61 817
Apr - Jun 2012 60 354
Jan - Mar 2012 61 980

Readership figures

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Estimated Readership[5][6]
AIR
January – December 2012 497 000
July 2011 – June 2012 471 000

See also

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Sources

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References

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  1. ^ a b Pretorius, Fransjohan (2014). A History of South Africa: From the Distant Past to the Present Day. Hatsfield, Pretoria: Protea Book House. ISBN 978-1-86919-908-1.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Die Burger Website". Archived from the original on 13 June 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
  3. ^ Audit Bureau of Circulations (S.A)
  4. ^ a b "ABC Analysis Q1 2015: The biggest-circulating newspapers in South Africa •". 8 May 2015.
  5. ^ SAARF AMPS (Previous Presentations)
  6. ^ SAARF AMPS (Industry Presentations)
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