Burgersdorp

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For the town in Limpopo, see Burgersdorp, Limpopo.
Burgersdorp
Burghersdorp
Burgersdorp viewed from The Sentinel blockhouse
Burgersdorp
 Burgersdorp shown within South Africa
Coordinates: 30°59′32″S 26°19′29″E / 30.99222°S 26.32472°E / -30.99222; 26.32472Coordinates: 30°59′32″S 26°19′29″E / 30.99222°S 26.32472°E / -30.99222; 26.32472
Country South Africa
Province Eastern Cape
District Joe Gqabi
Municipality Gariep
Established 1846[1]
Government
 • Type Local Municipality
 • Mayor Ncedo Ngoqo (ANC)
Area[2]
 • Total 30.9 km2 (11.9 sq mi)
Population (2011)[2]
 • Total 15,991
 • Density 520/km2 (1,300/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[2]
 • Black African 78.1%
 • Coloured 12.0%
 • Indian/Asian 0.3%
 • White 9.4%
 • Other 0.2%
First languages (2011)[2]
 • Xhosa 71.6%
 • Afrikaans 20.8%
 • Sotho 3.4%
 • English 1.4%
 • Other 2.8%
Postal code (street) 9744
PO box 9744
Area code 051

Burgersdorp is a medium-sized town in Gariep in the Joe Gqabi District Municipality of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.

In 1869 a Theological Seminary was established here by the Gereformeerde Kerk, but in 1905 it was moved to Potchefstroom, acting as an instrument in the formation of the PUK in 1919, becoming the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education in 1951.

The Afrikaner Bond political party was founded in Burgersdorp in 1881.[3]

Demographics

According to the 2011 census, the town of Burgersdorp proper has a population of 5,240,[4] while the adjacent townships of Mzamomhle and Tembisa have populations of 4,656 and 6,094 respectively,[5][6] giving the urban area a population of 15,990. Of this population 78.1% described themselves as Black African, 11.98% as Coloured and 9.4% as White. 69.2% spoke Xhosa as their home language, 20.1% spoke Afrikaans, 3.3% spoke Sotho, 1.4% spoke English as their home language and 6.0% spoke some other language.

Transport

Rail

The first rail connection to Burgersdorp was opened on 19 March 1885.[7] Today Shosholoza Meyl provides passenger rail service to Burgersdorp on its Johannesburg-Bloemfontein-East London route.[8]

Road

Burgersdorp is located on the junction of the R58 between Aliwal North and Venterstad; and the R391 leading to Hofmeyr, Molteno and Steynsburg.

Society and culture

Sport

Match 18 of the 1910 British Lions tour to South Africa was played in Burgersdorp.

Museums, momuments and memorials

Ten of the Eastern Cape's provincial heritage sites can be found in Burgersdorp. They include the Christ Church,[9] the Coetzee House,[10] the De Bruin House,[11] the Jubilee Fountain,[12] the Old Goal,[13] the Old Reformed Church Parsonage,[14] the Old Reformed Church Theological Seminary[15] as well as the three listed below in more detail.

Dutch Reformed Church

This church was declared a provincial heritage site in 1996.[16]

Blockhouse

A Second Boer War blockhouse overlooking the town, commonly known as the Sentinel was declared a provincial heritage site in 1939.[17]

Dutch Language Monument

See also: Afrikaans Language Monument

A monument to Dutch, build in 1893 is located in the town. The monument depicts a woman pointing her finger at a book in her hands. This monument was declared a provincial heritage site in 1937.[18]

Although the main inscription on that monument refers to the Hollandse taal (Dutch language), it can be understood to mean Afrikaans, because the Hollandse taal in South Africa was only split since 1925. But the monument is officially recognised as a monument to Dutch.

The monument was damaged during the Anglo-Boer War, and Lord Milner had it removed. It was replaced with a replica in 1907. The original was later discovered in King William's Town in 1939, and moved back to stand next to the replica in Burgersdorp.[19]

Some sources claim that Lord Milner had removed the original monument not because it was damaged, but because he was opposed to Dutch (and Afrikaans), and that the replica was built not by government but by a group of Afrikaners.[20]

  • The replica (left) and original (right) Dutch Language Monuments

  • The Sentinel Blockhouse

  • The Dutch Reformed Church

References

  1. ↑ "Chronological order of town establishment in South Africa based on Floyd (1960:20–26)". pp. xlv–lii. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Sum of the Main Places Burgersdorp, Mzamomhle and Tembisa from Census 2011.
  3. ↑ Steevens, George Warrington; Blackburn, Vernon (1900). From Capetown to Ladysmith; an unfinished record of the South African war. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company. p. 25. Retrieved 2009-11-24. 
  4. ↑ "Main Place 'Burgersdorp'". Census 2011. 
  5. ↑ "Main Place 'Mzamomhle'". Census 2011. 
  6. ↑ "Main Place 'Tembisa'". Census 2011. 
  7. ↑ Theal, George McCall (1919). History of South Africa, from 1873 to 1884, twelve eventful years, with continuation of the history of Galekaland, Tembuland, Pondoland, and Bethshuanaland until the annexation of those territories to the Cape Colony, and of Zululand until its annexation to Natal. London: Allen. pp. 194, 287. Retrieved 2009-11-24. 
  8. ↑ "Johannesburg-Bloemfontein-East London". Shosholoza Meyl. Retrieved 24 November 2009. 
  9. ↑ "Christ Church Church Street Burgersdorp". South African Heritage Resources Agency. Retrieved 24 November 2009. 
  10. ↑ "Coetzee House 51 Piet Retief Street Burgersdorp". South African Heritage Resources Agency. Retrieved 24 November 2009. 
  11. ↑ "De Bruin House 66 Van der Walt Street Burgersdorp". South African Heritage Resources Agency. Retrieved 24 November 2009. 
  12. ↑ "Jubilee Fountain Burger Square Burgersdorp". South African Heritage Resources Agency. Retrieved 24 November 2009. 
  13. ↑ "Old Gaol Van der Walt Street Burgersdorp". South African Heritage Resources Agency. Retrieved 24 November 2009. 
  14. ↑ "Old Reformed Church Parsonage Piet Retief Street Burgersdorp". South African Heritage Resources Agency. Retrieved 24 November 2009. 
  15. ↑ "Old Reformed Church Theological Seminary Burgersdorp". South African Heritage Resources Agency. Retrieved 24 November 2009. 
  16. ↑ "Dutch Reformed Church Coetzee Street". South African Heritage Resources Agency. Retrieved 24 November 2009. 
  17. ↑ "Anglo-Boer War Blockhouse No. 1 Burgersdorp". South African Heritage Resources Agency. Retrieved 24 November 2009. 
  18. ↑ "Taal Monument Burger Square Burgersdorp". South African Heritage Resources Agency. Retrieved 24 November 2009. 
  19. ↑ Burgersdorp
  20. ↑ http://www.dieafrikaansepatriot.co.za/phpbb/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=56&sid=3370195c4f8c4de374ca82619d6f2083[]

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Burgersdorp.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dutch language monument.
Bethulie
Gariep Dam		 Aliwal North 58 km Lady Grey 109 km
Venterstad 65 km Jamestown 58 km
   Burgersdorp  
Steynsburg 64 km Molteno 53 km Queenstown 134 km
Municipalities and communities of Joe Gqabi District Municipality, Eastern Cape
District seat: Barkly East
Elundini
Senqu
Maletswai
Gariep
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