The cookie is a popular dessert in South Africa where it is often eaten with a cup of English tea.

[1] It is often baked at home as part of a dessert-baking cottage industry in the country and sold alongside other popular South African desserts such as koeksisters.

The tartlet is named after the early 20th century South African politician, Prime Minister (1924–1939) and Boer War General J.

After fulfilling the first promise to give women the vote in 1930, but not the second, the community began baking the cookies with a brown and pink icing called "twee gevreetjie" (Afrikaans for "hypocrite"), showing their dissatisfaction with him.

[4][3] Another possible source of the dessert's origin is the Afrikaans practice following the Second Anglo-Boer War to name confections after national heroes.