Bredasdorp
Encyclopedia
Bredasdorp is a town in the Southern Overberg
region of the Western Cape
, South Africa, and the main economic and service hub of that region. It lies on the northern edge of the Agulhas Plain, about 160 kilometre south-east of Cape Town
and 35 kilometres (21.7 mi) north of Cape Agulhas
, the southernmost tip of Africa.
in 1838 on the farm Langefontein. The town was named after Michiel van Breda, the first Mayor of Cape Town
, who was also known as the father of South Africa's merino
sheep industry. Van Breda and Pieter Voltelyn van der Byl could not agree on a location for the church; as a result two churches were built, and two towns, Bredasdorp and Napier
, were established.
; as the largest town in the municipality, Bredasdorp is divided between its second, third and fourth wards. The local municipality in turn forms part of the Overberg District Municipality
; Bredasdorp is the location of the head offices of both municipalities.
Bredasdorp shares in the Mediterranean climate
experienced in most of the Western Cape. Its proximity to the ocean, which is less than 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) away at Arniston
, moderates the variation of temperature. Bredasdorp is mostly surrounded by farmland, chiefly grain, cattle and sheep farming; on the south-west side of the town the Heuningberg Nature Reserve protects the indigenous fynbos
vegetation.
, the population of Bredasdorp consisted of 12,749 people living in 3,558 households. 68% of the people described themselves as "Coloured
", 26% as "White" and 6% as "Black African". 92% spoke Afrikaans as their first language
, 5% spoke Xhosa
, and 3% spoke English
.
Besides the sheep farming, the town also boasts other agricultural activities, including wheat, canola, milk, and indigenous
fynbos
cultivation. The town is also the location of the offices of Kapula Candles, an international candle company that exports hand-painted candles to Europe and the United States. The population of the town got a boost during the middle 1980's with the establishment of both the Test Flight & Development Centre (South African Air Force) as well as the Overbreg Test Range (Denel) near the small coastal village of Arniston
. Development in the town is very rapid, with a number of prominent South African business franchises opening their doors during 2009 and 2010.
Overberg
Overberg is a district in South Africa to the east of Cape Town beyond the Hottentots-Holland mountains. It lies along the Cape Province's south coast between the Cape Peninsula and the region known as the Garden Route in the east...
region of the Western Cape
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
, South Africa, and the main economic and service hub of that region. It lies on the northern edge of the Agulhas Plain, about 160 kilometre south-east of Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
and 35 kilometres (21.7 mi) north of Cape Agulhas
Cape Agulhas
Cape Agulhas is a rocky headland in the Western Cape, South Africa. It is the geographic southern tip of Africa and the official dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, the southernmost tip of Africa.
History
The town of Bredasdorp was founded with the building of a Dutch Reformed ChurchDutch Reformed Church
The Dutch Reformed Church was a Reformed Christian denomination in the Netherlands. It existed from the 1570s to 2004, the year it merged with the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands to form the Protestant Church in the...
in 1838 on the farm Langefontein. The town was named after Michiel van Breda, the first Mayor of Cape Town
Mayor of Cape Town
The Mayor of Cape Town is the head of the local government of Cape Town, South Africa; currently that government takes the form of the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality. In the past, the position of Mayor has varied between that of an executive mayor actively governing the city and that...
, who was also known as the father of South Africa's merino
Merino
The Merino is an economically influential breed of sheep prized for its wool. Merinos are regarded as having some of the finest and softest wool of any sheep...
sheep industry. Van Breda and Pieter Voltelyn van der Byl could not agree on a location for the church; as a result two churches were built, and two towns, Bredasdorp and Napier
Napier, Western Cape
Through rolling hills of Canola, wheat and barley, you’ll find the charming village of Napier at the foot of the Soetmuisberg, between Caledon and Bredasdorp...
, were established.
Government
Bredasdorp is located in the Cape Agulhas Local MunicipalityCape Agulhas Local Municipality
Cape Agulhas Municipality is a municipality located in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. As of 2001, the population was 26,182. Its municipality code is WC033.- Government :...
; as the largest town in the municipality, Bredasdorp is divided between its second, third and fourth wards. The local municipality in turn forms part of the Overberg District Municipality
Overberg District Municipality
The Overberg District Municipality is a district municipality located in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Its municipality code is DC3.- Adjacent municipalities :*Cape Winelands District Municipality *Eden District Municipality...
; Bredasdorp is the location of the head offices of both municipalities.
Geography
Bredasdorp is situated at an elevation of between 40 and 120 m (131.2 and 393.7 ft) on the slopes of the Heuningberg (Afrikaans for "Honey Mountain"). There is no significant watercourse flowing through the town, although the Kars Rivier flows past a few kilometres to the east.Bredasdorp shares in the Mediterranean climate
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
experienced in most of the Western Cape. Its proximity to the ocean, which is less than 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) away at Arniston
Arniston, Western Cape
Arniston is a small seaside settlement in the Overberg region on the Cape South coast, close to Cape Agulhas, the southern-most tip of Africa. Prior to the loss of the Arniston, it was known as Waenhuiskrans, an Afrikaans name meaning literally "Wagon house cliff", after a local sea cave large...
, moderates the variation of temperature. Bredasdorp is mostly surrounded by farmland, chiefly grain, cattle and sheep farming; on the south-west side of the town the Heuningberg Nature Reserve protects the indigenous fynbos
Fynbos
Fynbos is the natural shrubland or heathland vegetation occurring in a small belt of the Western Cape of South Africa, mainly in winter rainfall coastal and mountainous areas with a Mediterranean climate...
vegetation.
Demography
In the census of 2001South African National Census of 2001
The South African National Census of 2001 is the most recent national census of South Africa.The census was undertaken by Statistics South Africa and undertook to enumerate every person present in South Africa on the census night, 9–10 October 2001. The enumeration primarily took place from 10 to...
, the population of Bredasdorp consisted of 12,749 people living in 3,558 households. 68% of the people described themselves as "Coloured
Coloured
In the South African, Namibian, Zambian, Botswana and Zimbabwean context, the term Coloured refers to an heterogenous ethnic group who possess ancestry from Europe, various Khoisan and Bantu tribes of Southern Africa, West Africa, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaya, India, Mozambique,...
", 26% as "White" and 6% as "Black African". 92% spoke Afrikaans as their first language
First language
A first language is the language a person has learned from birth or within the critical period, or that a person speaks the best and so is often the basis for sociolinguistic identity...
, 5% spoke Xhosa
Xhosa language
Xhosa is one of the official languages of South Africa. Xhosa is spoken by approximately 7.9 million people, or about 18% of the South African population. Like most Bantu languages, Xhosa is a tonal language, that is, the same sequence of consonants and vowels can have different meanings when said...
, and 3% spoke English
South African English
The term South African English is applied to the first-language dialects of English spoken by South Africans, with the L1 English variety spoken by Zimbabweans, Zambians and Namibians, being recognised as offshoots.There is some social and regional variation within South African English...
.
Economy
Indigenous (ecology)
In biogeography, a species is defined as native to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention. Every natural organism has its own natural range of distribution in which it is regarded as native...
fynbos
Fynbos
Fynbos is the natural shrubland or heathland vegetation occurring in a small belt of the Western Cape of South Africa, mainly in winter rainfall coastal and mountainous areas with a Mediterranean climate...
cultivation. The town is also the location of the offices of Kapula Candles, an international candle company that exports hand-painted candles to Europe and the United States. The population of the town got a boost during the middle 1980's with the establishment of both the Test Flight & Development Centre (South African Air Force) as well as the Overbreg Test Range (Denel) near the small coastal village of Arniston
Arniston, Western Cape
Arniston is a small seaside settlement in the Overberg region on the Cape South coast, close to Cape Agulhas, the southern-most tip of Africa. Prior to the loss of the Arniston, it was known as Waenhuiskrans, an Afrikaans name meaning literally "Wagon house cliff", after a local sea cave large...
. Development in the town is very rapid, with a number of prominent South African business franchises opening their doors during 2009 and 2010.
Surrounding towns in the Overberg region
- Arniston, South Africa, 24 km
- L'Agulhas, 34 km (Southernmost Town in AfricaAfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
) - NapierNapier, Western CapeThrough rolling hills of Canola, wheat and barley, you’ll find the charming village of Napier at the foot of the Soetmuisberg, between Caledon and Bredasdorp...
, 14 km - CaledonCaledon, Western CapeCaledon is a town in the Overberg region in the Western Cape province of South Africa, located about east of Cape Town. it had a population of 10,650. It is located in, and the seat of, the Theewaterskloof Local Municipality....
, 74 km - SwellendamSwellendamSwellendam is the third oldest town in the Republic of South Africa, a town with 28,072 inhabitants situated in the Western Cape province. The town has over 50 National monuments most of them buildings of Cape Dutch architecture....
, 69 km
Culture
- The Foot of Africa Marathon is (in)famous for being the toughest marathon in South Africa. The event takes place every year in early October.
- The town has a museum dedicated to the shipwreck of the ArnistonArniston (ship)The Arniston was an East Indiaman ship that was wrecked on 30 May 1815 during a storm at Waenhuiskrans, near Cape Agulhas, South Africa with the loss of 372 lives and only 6 survivors...
, which is well worth a visit. - The Merino Statue, located at the entrance to the Bredasdorp/Napier Co-operative, was erected in honour of the merinoMerinoThe Merino is an economically influential breed of sheep prized for its wool. Merinos are regarded as having some of the finest and softest wool of any sheep...
sheep which brought fame to this area, due to careful breeding by Michiel van Breda on his historic farm, Zoetendals Vallei, early in the 1900s. - Audrey Blignault Room: Furnished in honour of Audrey Blignault who was born in Bredasdorp and who enjoys national recognition as a writer.
- The Heuningberg Nature Reserve is open to the public and views can be enjoyed of this rich fauna and flora area.