Koffiefontein

Province

Koffiefontein is a city in the South African province of the Free State. It is located in the municipality in the district Letsemeng Xhariep.

Geography

Koffiefontein 2011 had 10,402 inhabitants. To the north is the township Ditlhako. The Kalkfontein Dam on the Riet River southeast of Koffiefontein provides the city with drinking water.

History

In the second half of the 19th century, the place became a place where diamonds and gold prospectors engaged, for example, from Kimberley. They drank coffee regularly supposedly ( Koffiefontein ( Afrikaans ) means " coffee source "). 1870 were found near Koffiefontein diamonds, after which the settlement grew and received city rights in 1892. De Beers operation there intermittently a diamond mine, which was acquired by Petra Diamonds in 2007.

In the Second Boer War Koffiefontein served as the base of the British troops. During the Second World War there was a large internment camp in Koffiefontein. There, around 2,000 Italians and German as well as some 800 Boers were detained, including the future president of South Africa, Balthazar Johannes Vorster, who belonged to the Ossewabrandwag. On August 11, 1967 held in Vorster Koffiefontein a nationally acclaimed speech in which he explained his policy.

The Afrikaner writer Etienne Leroux (1922-1989), who belonged to the avant-garde, writing in Afrikaans group of Sestigers, lived on the farm Yes -Nee at Koffiefontein and was buried there.

Economy and Transport

The diamond mine is the Koffiefontein kimberlite mine with the world's highest value per carat diamond funded. In addition, agriculture plays an important role. Sheep farming and the cultivation of alfalfa, potatoes and peanuts dominate.

Koffiefontein is located on the highway R48, in the east to De Aar leads from Bloemfontein in the southwest. In Koffiefontein the R704 turns off, which leads to the southeast by Tromp castle. The airfield Koffiefontein Mine Airport, the ICAO abbreviation FAKV. Koffiefontein is the terminus of a branch line from Springfontein in the south, but this is out of service.