Bethanie, North West

Bethanie
Bethanie
 Bethanie shown within North West
Bethanie
Bethanie (South Africa)
Bethanie
Bethanie (Africa)
Coordinates: 25°33′14″S 27°36′22″E / 25.554°S 27.606°E / -25.554; 27.606Coordinates: 25°33′14″S 27°36′22″E / 25.554°S 27.606°E / -25.554; 27.606
Country South Africa
Province North West
District Bojanala
Municipality Rustenburg
Government
 • Councillor Chief Mamogale
Area[1]
 • Total 27.87 km2 (10.76 sq mi)
Population (2011)[1]
 • Total 8,429
 • Density 300/km2 (780/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[1]
 • Black African 99.1%
 • Coloured 0.1%
 • Indian/Asian 0.4%
 • White 0.1%
 • Other 0.3%
First languages (2011)[1]
 • Tswana 79.2%
 • Zulu 5.2%
 • English 4.8%
 • Tsonga 2.1%
 • Other 8.7%
Time zone UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street) 0260
PO box 0270
Area code 012

Bethanie is a town in Bojanala District Municipality in the North West province of South Africa.

The Bell tower in Bethanie is one of the oldest structures in the village. It was constructed in the late 1800s as part of the Mission.

tation of the Hermannsburg Mission 37 km north-east of Rustenburg, established in 1864. Of biblical origin (Matt. 26:6 and Mark 14:3; 11:1), the name is Hebrew for 'house of sorrow or misery'.[2]

Bethanie is the capital town of Bakwena Ba Mogopa, a SeTswana speaking traditional community. It is part of 15 villages that form part of the Bakwena Ba Mogopa nation. The village was previously a farm called Losperfontein, owned by Tjaart Kruger, President Paul Kruger's younger brother. The community with the assistance of the missionary, Wilhelm Behrens sen, purchased the farm around 1866, which led to it being renamed Bethanie.

A view of Bethanie, with the iconic Lutheran Church a centerpiece.
  1. 1 2 3 4 "Main Place Bethanie". Census 2011.
  2. ↑ Raper, Peter E. (1987). Dictionary of Southern African Place Names. Internet Archive. p. 76. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
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