Dewetsdorp

Dewetsdorp
Dewetsdorp
 Dewetsdorp shown within Free State
Dewetsdorp
Dewetsdorp (South Africa)
Dewetsdorp
Dewetsdorp (Africa)
Coordinates: 29°35′S 26°40′E / 29.583°S 26.667°E / -29.583; 26.667Coordinates: 29°35′S 26°40′E / 29.583°S 26.667°E / -29.583; 26.667
Country South Africa
Province Free State
District Xhariep
Municipality Naledi
Established 1880[1]
Government
 • Type Municipality
 • Mayor Rose Mompati [2] (ANC)
Area[3]
 • Total 25.77 km2 (9.95 sq mi)
Population (2011)[3]
 • Total 9,498
 • Density 370/km2 (950/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[3]
 • Black African 91.9%
 • Coloured 1.1%
 • Indian/Asian 0.3%
 • White 6.4%
 • Other 0.4%
First languages (2011)[3]
 • Sotho 84.6%
 • Afrikaans 7.5%
 • Xhosa 3.1%
 • English 1.5%
 • Other 3.3%
Time zone UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street) 9940
PO box 9940
Area code 051

Dewetsdorp is a small town in the Free State province of South Africa. The town was set up, without approval of the Volksraad, by field-cornet Jacobus de Wet, father of the Boer War general Christiaan de Wet. Eventually recognized officially, the town became a municipality and named De Wet in 1890. General Christian de Wet successfully attacked English forces stationed there in November 1900.

Town 68 km south-east of Bloemfontein, on the road to Aliwal North. It was laid out on the farm Kareefontein in 1876 and at first bore this name. Applications to the Volksraad in 1876 for the establishment of a village failed, but another request in 1879 led to recognition in 1880 under the name Dewetsdorp, after Field-Cornet Jacobus Ignatius de Wet, father of General C R de Wet, who took the initiative in its establishment. Municipal status was attained in 1890. Dewetsdorp was the scene of heavy fighting in the Second Anglo-Boer War. In 1927 three officials died when the town hall was blown up by one Huibrecht Jacob de Leeuw in an attempt to cover up evidence of his embezzlement of town funds.[4][5] The new Town Hall built in 1928 was declared a South African Heritage Site in 1995.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Chronological order of town establishment in South Africa based on Floyd (1960:20-26)" (PDF). pp. xlv–lii.
  2. ↑ Free State Tourism.org
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Main Place Dewetsdorp". Census 2011.
  4. ↑ "Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Public Domain)". Human Science Research Council. p. 137.
  5. ↑ "Blew Up Town Hall". The Sunday Mail, Brisbane. 4 November 1934.
  6. ↑ "Town Hall, Voortrekker Street, Dewetsdorp". South African Heritage Resources Agency.
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