Saturday Post
The Saturday Post was a regional, English language, weekly newspaper, and is regarded as South Africa's first newspaper to address and report on the affairs of all South Africans, not just the white community. Its target area lay inland, roughly between Port Elizabeth and East London. It was founded and published by a public company, the Saturday Post Ltd (founded 1946) at their Head Office in Port Elizabeth with a capital of £12,000.00. John G Sutherland was the founding Editor. Lal Harraway and James Neil Boss were members of the company. The paper was initially launched on February 8, 1947 as a free specimen edition, and was initially based in the offices of Our Land and printed by Unie-Volkspers Beperk at 13 Britannia Street, but the printers found it impossible to meet the demands of the rapidly expanding circulation. After starting as a 16-page publication it was increased to 20 pages seven months later, on Octoer 11, 1947. In May, 1948, John Watt, the chairman of Eastern Province Newspapers notified the Saturday Post that they would no longer be able to print their paper after the year's end. Saturday Post Ltd then obtained two loans; £30,000.00 from Forum and £20,000.00 from Anglo-Vaal on condition this was matched by Port Elizabeth backers. This was done and a second-hand Goss printing press, capable of printing 16 pages, was bought in the United States and set up in the CNA building at the corner of Mount Road and what is now Govan Mbeki Ave in North End. By December 1948, the Saturday Post was finally printing their own newspaper.
The paper was planned to not only provide information on international, national and everyday affairs but also to meet the need for relaxation and entertainment in the leisure hours of the weekend.
"The Saturday Post will stand above party politics and try to uphold an independent attitude, . . . will encourage inquiry into and free discussion of all matters of public interest, . . . will not suppress criticism of its actions, or opinions that differ from its own and . . . all are invited to contribute to the letters columns within the limits imposed by the law, good taste and space."
Vol 1 No 1 went on sale on March 15, 1947. The Daily Advertiser newspaper was purchased and merged with the Saturday Post in 1950. The two papers were relaunched as the Evening Post and the Weekend Post with the name Saturday Post retained as the magazine section for the weekend edition. The new newspaper was initialled printed by a new company, the Alliance Printing & Litho Company, at the Daily Advertiser's old facilities in Hancock Street, North End, but this proved to be unsuitable.
The printing operation was moved the the Eastern Province Newspapers Ltd's premises in Victoria Quay.
Over the years the newspaper has undergone numerous name changes and is currently (2021) published as the Weekend Post.
Sources
Saturday Post, February 8, 1947.
Saturday Post, March 15, 1947.
Saturday Post, August 30, 1947.
Saturday Post, October 4, 1947.
Minutes of Eastern Province Newspapers board meetings, Feb 14, 1950, February 27, 1950, February 28, 1950, April 28, 1950.
The Memoirs of John Sutherland, Editor of the Evening Post and the Weekend Post, 1947 - 1977, by Margaret Geldenhuys.
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