Brackenfell

Brackenfell
Brackenfell
 Brackenfell shown within Western Cape
Location within Cape Town
Brackenfell
Brackenfell
Brackenfell (South Africa)
Brackenfell
Brackenfell (Africa)
Coordinates: 33°52′00″S 18°41′00″E / 33.86667°S 18.68333°E / -33.86667; 18.68333Coordinates: 33°52′00″S 18°41′00″E / 33.86667°S 18.68333°E / -33.86667; 18.68333
Country South Africa
Province Western Cape
Municipality City of Cape Town
Established 1913
Area[1]
 • Total 25.27 km2 (9.76 sq mi)
Population (2011)[1]
 • Total 44,842
 • Density 1,800/km2 (4,600/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[1]
 • Black African 9.8%
 • Coloured 9.0%
 • Indian/Asian 0.8%
 • White 79.0%
 • Other 1.4%
First languages (2011)[1]
 • Afrikaans 71.1%
 • English 20.8%
 • Xhosa 3.4%
 • Other 4.7%
Time zone UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street) 7560, 7561
PO box 7561
Area code 021

Brackenfell is a northern suburb of Cape Town situated within the Western Cape province of South Africa at the gateway to the winelands. The local government services are provided by the City of Cape Town Municipality. In Brackenfell a variety of property situated on the foothills of Cape Town can be found.

The Bracken Nature Reserve, situated in the Ruwari suburban area, was once a quarry site and was later declared a nature reserve after some negotiations between the Cape Town City Council and the Stellenbosch Divisional Council.

Brackenfell offers schools, shopping malls and medical services, and many different sporting facilities. Brackenfell has several major access roads including the N1, R300, Old Paarl Road and Bottelary Road.

The suburb is bordered by Kraaifontein in the east, Kuilsrivier in the south, Durbanville in the north and Bellville in the west

History

The earliest activity on what today is known as Brackenfell was when the “de Clapmuts” was a refreshment post. Brackenfell specifically form part of Klapmutsberg, better known as de Bottelarij. In 1712 the area known as “Kruispad” was transferred to Selie, J. Kruispad was owned by Brink, A. and in 1901 he sold it to a Scottish Immigrant Walton, G.H. The flora on this farm reminded him of the same in Scotland. He call it Brackenfell (Bracken means fern; Fell means hill). The richness of granite in the area let to the farm being sold to a Brick company in 1903 and a granite quarry was established. Activity here stopped in 1948. In 1904 a railway station was established. [2] [3] [4]

Brackenfell used to be a major road crossing during the earlier days of Cape Town, but today it is a well-known suburb located behind the 'boerewors gordyn’ which translates to sausage curtain, meaning; people living in this area, braai (barbecue) boerewors very often. “Gordyn” curtain is just by figure of speech. It’s all said tongue-in-the-cheek.

Schools

  • Bastion Primary School
  • Brackenfell High School
  • Brackenfell Primary School
  • Brooklands Primary School
  • Curro (private primary school)
  • Curro Castle (private nursery / pre-primary school)
  • Destinatus Private School
  • Northpine Primary School
  • Northpine Technical High School
  • Paarl School
  • Protea Heights Academy (high school)
  • Vredekloof Primary School

Suburban areas

  • Arauna (residential)
  • Bracken Heights (residential)
  • Brackenfell Industria (industrial)
  • Brackenfell North (residential)
  • Burgundy (residential)
  • Cape Gate (residential)
  • De Oude Spruit (residential)
  • De Tuin (residential)
  • Edenpark (residential)
  • Everite (industrial)
  • Ferndale (residential)
  • Morgenster (residential)
  • Morgenster Hoogtes (residential)
  • Normande (residential)
  • Northpine (residential)
  • Protea Heights (residential)
  • Protea Village (residential)
  • Ruwari (residential)
  • Sonkring (residential)
  • Springbokpark (residential)
  • Vredekloof (residential)
  • Vredekloof Heights (residential)
  • Vredekloof Rand (residential)
  • Welgeleë (residential)

Coat of arms

Brackenfell was a municipality from 1970 to 1996. In November 1971, the council registered a coat of arms at the Bureau of Heraldry.[5]

The arms, designed by Cornelis Pama, were Per chevron embowed Or and Vert, three shot balls counterchanged, i.e. a shield divided by a curved chevron-shaped line into gold and green, with two green balls at the top and a golden ball at the bottom. The crest was three ferns with the motto Tenax in fide.

Trivia

  • Currently, Brackenfell (together with Kuilsriver) uses the prefix "CFR-" in their registered motor vehicles (since approximately 2000 the prefix "CF-" which had formerly been allocated to Grahamstown has also been allocated to these suburbs).
  • Kanonkop (directly translated to cannon head) Brackenfell's highest point in Ruwari, was used as a signal point with its signal cannons in the 1700s. Cannons can be seen at Brackenfell High School and Bastion Primary School.
  • In Vredekloof Street in Vredekloof (a residential area of Brackenfell) the bird, the Cape Robin nest and is commonly known as Jan Frederik.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Main Place Brackenfell". Census 2011.
  2. ↑ "Brackenfell". Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  3. ↑ Raper, R.E. "Dictionary of Southern African Place Names". Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  4. ↑ Rossouw, E. "Brackenfell Geskiedenis van dorp en sy plase (Translated: Brackenfell, History of town and it farms)". Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  5. ↑ http://www.national.archsrch.gov.za%5Bpermanent+dead+link%5D
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