Volksrust

Province

Volksrust ( German as " people of peace " ) is a South African city in the province of Mpumalanga. It is located in Pixley Ka Seme of the municipality in the district of Gert Sibande. Volksrust is the largest city and administrative center of the municipality of Pixley Ka Seme.

Geography

Volksrust is located directly north of the border with the province of KwaZulu -Natal. 2011, the city had 24,281 inhabitants. and is located at about 1659 meters above sea level. To the east of the city lies the former Township Vukuzakhe. To the south is the town of Charlestown. North of town is the Tamatiesberg. In Volksrust of the Buffalo River, which flows southeastward to the Tugela springs.

History

The city was founded in 1888 near the site of the Battle of Majuba Hill, where the Boers in 1881 were unable to restore the independence of the Transvaal Republic by the British. The city was Volksrust called because had snapped the soldiers of the Transvaal army. 1894 signed Paul Kruger and Briton Sir Henry Loch at the convention bridge over the border river Grensspruit the third Swaziland Convention, which brought Swaziland shortly under the control of the Transvaal. The Convention Bridge was later destroyed; the remains were declared a national monument.

During the Second Boer War, the British built a concentration camp in Volksrust, where many Boer died. 1904 Volksrust became the (municipality ). 1913 Mahatma Gandhi organized a protest march for the rights of South Africans of Indian origin, who reached the then Transvaal in Volksrust.

Economy and Transport

The town is an agricultural center. From here, beef, dairy products, corn, sorghum, wool and sunflower oil are sold.

Volksrust is located on the N11, which results in north-south direction through Volksrust, and R23, which hits coming from Gauteng on the N11. Country roads lead to Vrede in the west and Wakkerstroom and Piet Retief in the east. The Volksrust railway station is on the route Johannesburg - Durban and is operated in passenger and freight transport. One served in the freight railway line leading from Volksrust north to Bethal.