Onafhanklike

Onafhanklike is an Afrikaans adjective meaning independent or autonomous. It describes people, groups, or processes that operate without external control or influence. The term is commonly used in political, organizational, and social contexts to denote self-governing or non-affiliated status. Related noun form is onafhanklikheid, meaning independence.

In politics, onafnhanklike is widely applied to individuals who run for office without formal party affiliation, as well as to councillors or MPs who are not members of any party. The qualifier emphasizes lack of party discipline or external direction and is used in media reporting, candidate biographies, and election materials. Beyond elections, the word appears in discussions of independent investigations, decisions, or commissions, underscoring a perceived absence of bias or external oversight.

Grammatically, onafnhanklike functions as a standard attributive adjective in Afrikaans and typically precedes the noun it describes, as in onafnhanklike kandidaat (independent candidate) or onafnhanklike besluitneming (independent decision-making). The related adverbial or nominal forms, such as onafhanklikheid, convey the broader concept of independence rather than a specific description.

Translations into English give the primary sense of “independent” or “independents” depending on context. The term also appears in other Afrikaans-speaking domains, such as journalism, law, and culture, to characterize autonomy or non-affiliation.

See also: independence, independent candidate, independent councillor, independent film.