Willem Eduard Bok

Willem Eduard Bok, also known as W. Eduard Bok (Den Burg, Texel, Netherlands, 28 June 1846 – Johannesburg, Transvaal Colony, 1 November 1904) was a Dutch-born South African Boer politician, civil servant and statesman, who served as first State Secretary of the South African Republic (Transvaal) from 1880 to 1889.

Biography Career Bok started his career as sales-agent in Zaandam, Netherlands. In 1876 he moved to Pretoria, where he gained the confidence of Paul Kruger and Piet Joubert and acted as their secretary during negotiations about the position of the Transvaal in 1877–1878. At the declaration of independence he became the first State Secretary of the South African Republic, a position he would hold for almost a decade. Afterwards he was appointed Government Commissioner in Johannesburg. The town of Boksburg outside Johannesburg was named after him. Bok Street in the Johannesburg CBD is named after him.