Griekwastad
Province
Griekwastad (originally Klaarwater, then Griquastad, English also Griquatown ) is a place in South Africa's Northern Cape Province. It is located in the town of Pixley ka Seme Siyancuma in the district. He is the first European-founded settlement in South Africa north of the Orange.
Geography
Griekwastad has 6,428 inhabitants ( 2011). About 60 percent of the population counted in 2011 to the Coloureds, 95.3 percent indicated Afrikaans as the main language used to. The place is located in a relatively flat area with an arid climate.
History
The town was founded around 1812 and is the oldest European-founded city of southern Africa north of the Orange. Founders were two missionaries of the London Missionary Society (LMS). The first mission station in the region, Leeuwenkuil, they had founded in 1801; but the area proved to be too dry. She then founded upriver Klaarwater the place they called 1813 Griquastad. Locally mainly lived Griqua, including the two leaders Andries Waterboer and Adam Kok II, who administered the area. From 1813 to 1871, the area was referred to the city as Waterboer 's Land. 1826 drew Adam Kok II and his followers after Philippolis to another mission station of the LMS.
From 1871 to 1880 was Griquatown capital of the British colony of Griqualand West, in 1880 part of the Cape Colony. 1878 there was a rebellion of the Griqua against the British, which was bloodily suppressed after a few days. Around 100 Griqua were killed.
Economy and Transport
The acquisition branches include sheep farming and the promotion of semi-precious stones, especially tiger's eye and jasper.
Griekwastad is located on the N8, which runs from Groblershoop in the west to Kimberley in the East, as well as on the R386, which connects to the north with Postmasburg Prieska in the south.
Attractions
A museum deals with Mary Moffat, the wife of the African explorer David Livingstone, who was born 1821 in Griquastad. In the village there is a tree in which Andries Waterboer let enforce death sentences by hanging.