Petrus Steyn

Mamafubedu (Petrus Steyn)

Petrus Steyn Church
Mamafubedu (Petrus Steyn)
Mamafubedu (Petrus Steyn)
Mamafubedu (Petrus Steyn)

 Mamafubedu (Petrus Steyn) shown within Free State

Coordinates: 27°39′00″S 28°08′00″E / 27.65000°S 28.13333°E / -27.65000; 28.13333Coordinates: 27°39′00″S 28°08′00″E / 27.65000°S 28.13333°E / -27.65000; 28.13333
Country South Africa
Province Free State
District Thabo Mofutsanyane
Municipality Nketoana
Established 1912
Area[1]
  Total 11.0 km2 (4.2 sq mi)
Elevation 1,700 m (5,600 ft)
Population (2011)[1]
  Total 12,893
  Density 1,200/km2 (3,000/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[1]
  Black African 95.7%
  Coloured 0.3%
  Indian/Asian 0.5%
  White 3.4%
  Other 0.1%
First languages (2011)[1]
  Sotho 83.2%
  Zulu 7.4%
  Afrikaans 4.6%
  Sign language 2.0%
  Other 2.8%
Postal code (street) 9640
Area code 058

Petrus Steyn is a small farming town between Tweeling and Kroonstad, 35km north-east of Lindley in the Free State province of South Africa. It is at the centre of an agricultural area known for wheat, maize, sunflower, potato, cattle,sheep production and forms part of the breadbasket[2] in the Free State.


History of the town

The town was supposed to be called Concordia, but the widow of the late Mr Petrus Paulus Steyn sold it on condition that the new town be named after her husband.[3] The farm Sterkfontein was then sold out of the will of the Mr Steyn for the price of 4 pounds & 5 shillings per acre, which was bought on 11 October 1912, the official date that Petrus Steyn, the town, was established.The Renoster River[4] has its origin on erf 502, just next to the Petrus Steyn family grave yard.

Monuments

Afrikaans Taal Monument

An Afrikaans Language Monument was created out of stones stacked by visitors on 14 August 1975, in celebration of the centenary of the Afrikaans Language.[5]

Ox Wagon Wheel Monument

The Ox Wagon Wheel monument was erected in 1938, during the centenary celebrations of the Great Trek.[6] Here, ox wagon tracks are preserved on a concrete slab. The above two monuments are found at the town civic centre at Dirkie Uys square, named after Dirkie Uys, the son of Piet Uys who led a punitive expedition against the Zulus after they killed Piet Retief and his 70 men at Dingane’s kraal (settlement).

Hooggelegen Monuments

On the R707 towards Frankfort, at a farm called Hooggelegen, three monuments of historical significance are found. These commemorate the 1938 centenary of the Great Trek and the rebels who died during the Maritz rebellion of 1914.[7]

Dutch Reformed Church Sandstone parsonage

The sandstone parsonage of the local Dutch Reformed Church was declared a national monument in 1988 and is on Reitz street.[8]

Heritage Sites

Petrus Steyn grave yard


The family grave yard of Petrus Steyn was laid out in 1898 under the oak tree.

CH Olivier

CH Olivier Grave

General CH Olivier was one of the delegates sent to sign the Peace Treaty of Vereeniging[9] to end the Second Anglo Boer War in May 1902. He was a Boer General and lived in the Lindley district where he had a farm. He lies buried at the old Petrus Steyn cemetery.

Elandskop Hill

Elandskophill

Elandskop Hill is located west of the town and during the Second Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902[10] was an excellent observation post for the Boer and British. For the Boer forces it was a particularly important heliograph station, especially because the headquarters of General De Wet and also the Orange Free State Government were located there for a long time near the present-day town.

Petrus Steyn train station

Lastly is the train station, which was first opened in 1925, was through a rail link to Heilbron. Later in the 1930's the line was extended further to Lindley and to a connection with the main line at Arlington. The 92-year-old building has now recently been declared a heritage site and will soon become home to Elandskop Museum.

Farming

Petrus Steyn is also one of the biggest producers of potatoes which is supplied to Lays and Simba.

Attractions

Historic Church Building

The Crossroads Church building was a private home before the Anglo-Boer War. In time, it became the mission church of the Dutch Reformed Church. The christening font in the church was fashioned from a petrified tree trunk and the exterior was painted in different colours to represent different facets associated with the Christian faith (e.g. the blood of Christ, sin and spiritual growth).

Dutch Reformed Church

The building of the Dutch Reformed Church[11] can be found in Reitz Street. The sandstone parsonage of the same church was declared a national monument in 1988.

Middelpunt Dam

Middelpunt Dam, 10 km west of the town, is a popular watersport and angling venue for both local inhabitants and visitors.

Geology and Nature

An example of a fossilised tree can be observed at the Crossroads Mission Church, about 20km outside Petrus Steyn on the Frankfort road. A wide variety of wild flowers and plants are found in Petrus Steyn. The area is also a bird-lovers haven with many indigenous species to be viewed. Petrus Steyn is also home to the endangered Sungazer[12] (Hooded Lizzard) and can be spotted on some farms in the area.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Sum of the Main Places Petrus Steyn and Mamafubedu from Census 2011.
  2. "The Riemland Route, North Eastern Free State". ShowMe™ - South Africa.
  3. "Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Public Domain)". Human Science Research Council. p. 364.
  4. "RHENOSTER RIVER". www.ewater.co.za.
  5. http://www.taalmuseum.co.za/taalmonument-geskiedenis/
  6. Anonymous (16 March 2011). "Great Trek Centenary Celebrations commence". www.sahistory.org.za.
  7. Leander (24 February 2014). "Responses in South Africa to the outbreak of WWI: The Afrikaner Response and the 1914 Rebellion". www.sahistory.org.za.
  8. "Towns included in the Grasslands Meander". Grasslands Meander. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  9. tinashe (16 January 2012). "Peace Treaty of Vereeniging - transcript". www.sahistory.org.za.
  10. Anonymous (31 March 2011). "The War". www.sahistory.org.za.
  11. www.barecreative.com, Bare Creative -. "NG Kerk in Afrika » NGKA". www.ngka.co.za.
  12. "Giant girdled lizard - SANBI". www.sanbi.org.


See also

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