Burgersdorp
Encyclopedia
Burgersdorp is a small town in the Ukhahlamba District Municipality
of the Eastern Cape
province of South Africa
.
The Afrikaner Bond
political party was founded in Burgersdorp in 1881.
provides passenger rail service to Burgersdorp on its Johannesburg
-Bloemfontein
-East London route.
and R391
.
can be found in Burgersdorp. They include the Christ Church, the Coetzee House, the De Bruin House, the Jubilee Fountain, the Old Goal, the Old Reformed Church Parsonage, the Old Reformed Church Theological Seminary as well as the three listed below in more detail.
blockhouse
overlooking the town, commonly known as the Sentinel was declared a National Monument in 1939.
, build in 1893 is located in the town. The monument depicts a woman pointing her finger at a book in her hands. This monument was declared a National Monument in 1937.
Although the main inscription on that monument refers to the Hollandse taal (Dutch language), it can be understood to mean Afrikaans
, because the Hollandse taal in South Africa was only split since 1925. But the monument is officially recognized as a monument to Dutch.
The monument was damaged during the Anglo-Boer War, and Lord Milner had it removed. It was replaced with a replica in 1907. The original was later discovered in King William in 1939, and moved back to stand next to the replica in Burgersdorp.
Some sources claim that Lord Milner had removed the original monument not because it was damaged, but because he was opposed to Dutch (and Afrikaans), and that the replica was built not by government but by a group of Afrikaners.
Ukhahlamba District Municipality
Joe Gqabi is one of the 7 districts of Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The seat of Joe Gqabi is Barkly East. The majority of its 341 337 people speak IsiXhosa . The district code is DC14...
of the Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
province of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
The Afrikaner Bond
Afrikaner Bond
The Afrikaner Bond was a political party in the Cape Colony. It was formed by the union in 1881 of the Genootskap vir Regte Afrikaners of Rev S.J...
political party was founded in Burgersdorp in 1881.
Rail
The first rail connection to Burgersdorp was opened on 19 March 1885. Today Shosholoza MeylShosholoza Meyl
Shosholoza Meyl is a division of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa that operates long-distance passenger rail services. It operates various train routes across South Africa, carrying approximately 4 million passengers annually...
provides passenger rail service to Burgersdorp on its Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
-Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
-East London route.
Road
Burgersdorp is located on the junction of the R58R58 (Eastern Cape)
The R58 is a Regional Route in South Africa that connects Colesberg with Elliot via Aliwal North and Barkly East.-External links:*...
and R391
R391 (Eastern Cape)
The R391 is a Regional Route in South Africa that connects Burgersdorp with Hofmeyr. It is co-signed with the R56 for nine kilometres.-External links:*...
.
Museums, momuments and memorials
Ten of South Africa's National MonumentsNational heritage sites (South Africa)
National heritage sites in South Africa are structures or defined areas of land declared to be of historic or cultural importance and granted certain legal protections...
can be found in Burgersdorp. They include the Christ Church, the Coetzee House, the De Bruin House, the Jubilee Fountain, the Old Goal, the Old Reformed Church Parsonage, the Old Reformed Church Theological Seminary as well as the three listed below in more detail.
Blockhouse
A Second Boer WarSecond Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
blockhouse
Blockhouse
In military science, a blockhouse is a small, isolated fort in the form of a single building. It serves as a defensive strong point against any enemy that does not possess siege equipment or, in modern times, artillery...
overlooking the town, commonly known as the Sentinel was declared a National Monument in 1939.
Dutch Language Monument
A monument to DutchDutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
, build in 1893 is located in the town. The monument depicts a woman pointing her finger at a book in her hands. This monument was declared a National Monument in 1937.
Although the main inscription on that monument refers to the Hollandse taal (Dutch language), it can be understood to mean Afrikaans
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
, because the Hollandse taal in South Africa was only split since 1925. But the monument is officially recognized as a monument to Dutch.
The monument was damaged during the Anglo-Boer War, and Lord Milner had it removed. It was replaced with a replica in 1907. The original was later discovered in King William in 1939, and moved back to stand next to the replica in Burgersdorp.
Some sources claim that Lord Milner had removed the original monument not because it was damaged, but because he was opposed to Dutch (and Afrikaans), and that the replica was built not by government but by a group of Afrikaners.