Christiana, North West
Encyclopedia
Christiana is an agricultural town with 15.322 inhabitants on the banks of the Vaal River
in North West Province of South Africa
The town is located on the N12 between Bloemhof
and Warrenton
, on the way to Kimberley
(Northern Cape
). It is the administrative centre of Lekwa-Teemane Local Municipality
.
in the 1870s the former Transvaal
Government established a settlement on the banks of the river in 1870, in an attempt to control and alleviate land disputes over diamond discoveries further down the Vaal River
. This town was established on the farm Zoutpansdrift (salt pan drift) and named Christiana, after the only daughter of President Pretorius
of the old Transvaal. The first residential stands were sold in 1870.
Two years later diamonds were discovered in the gravel of the Vaal River close by and the inevitable manic rush followed. As usual the initial rush petered with the diamonds. In 1997, diamonds were rediscovered along the banks of a farm on the Free State side of Christiana. This led to a new diamond rush and diggings that continue to this day.
Christiana is one of the corners of the "Maize Rectangle", with the mainstay of the economy being the production of maize, potatoes, onions, sorghum, groundnuts and beef. The main farmers in the area are the de Beer's and Callender-Easby's. One of South Africa's top horse studs, Callaho Warmblood Sport Horses, can be found near Christiana.
Christiana is well known for its water sports along the Vaal River, as well as the Diamond Diggers Festival (Delwers Fees) that occurs annually. Other tourist attractions include the Diggers' Diamond Museum (authentic digging equipment and old photographs pay tribute to the town's diamond industry) and San Bushman
rock art (excellent examples can be viewed 6 km out of town on the Farm Stowlands) and Stows Kopje (prehistoric rock engravings which have been declared a national monument).
Vaal River
The Vaal River is the largest tributary of the Orange River in South Africa. The river has its source in the Drakensberg mountains in Mpumalanga, east of Johannesburg and about 30 km north of Ermelo and only about 240 km from the Indian Ocean. It then flows westwards to its conjunction...
in North West 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 town is located on the N12 between Bloemhof
Bloemhof, North West
Bloemhof is an agricultural town with 14,972 inhabitants situated on the banks of the Vaal River in North West Province of South Africa.It was founded in 1864 when diamonds were discovered in the area. The town was established on the farm owned by John Barclay, who survived the HMS Birkenhead...
and Warrenton
Warrenton, Northern Cape
Warrenton is an agricultural town with a population of 25,100 situated in the Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme on the banks of the Vaal River in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa....
, on the way to Kimberley
Kimberley, Northern Cape
Kimberley is a city in South Africa, and the capital of the Northern Cape. It is located near the confluence of the Vaal and Orange Rivers. The town has considerable historical significance due its diamond mining past and siege during the Second Boer War...
(Northern Cape
Northern Cape
The Northern Cape is the largest and most sparsely populated province of South Africa. It was created in 1994 when the Cape Province was split up. Its capital is Kimberley. It includes the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, part of an international park shared with Botswana...
). It is the administrative centre of Lekwa-Teemane Local Municipality
Lekwa-Teemane Local Municipality
Lekwa-Teemane Local Municipality is a local municipality in Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality, North West Province, South Africa. The Seat of local municipality is Christiana....
.
History
When diamonds were discovered in the Vaal RiverVaal River
The Vaal River is the largest tributary of the Orange River in South Africa. The river has its source in the Drakensberg mountains in Mpumalanga, east of Johannesburg and about 30 km north of Ermelo and only about 240 km from the Indian Ocean. It then flows westwards to its conjunction...
in the 1870s the former Transvaal
South African Republic
The South African Republic , often informally known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer-ruled country in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century. Not to be confused with the present-day Republic of South Africa, it occupied the area later known as the South African...
Government established a settlement on the banks of the river in 1870, in an attempt to control and alleviate land disputes over diamond discoveries further down the Vaal River
Vaal River
The Vaal River is the largest tributary of the Orange River in South Africa. The river has its source in the Drakensberg mountains in Mpumalanga, east of Johannesburg and about 30 km north of Ermelo and only about 240 km from the Indian Ocean. It then flows westwards to its conjunction...
. This town was established on the farm Zoutpansdrift (salt pan drift) and named Christiana, after the only daughter of President Pretorius
Marthinus Wessel Pretorius
The son of the famous Voortrekker leader Andries Pretorius, Marthinus Wessel Pretorius was the first president of the South African Republic, and also compiled the constitution of the Republic....
of the old Transvaal. The first residential stands were sold in 1870.
Two years later diamonds were discovered in the gravel of the Vaal River close by and the inevitable manic rush followed. As usual the initial rush petered with the diamonds. In 1997, diamonds were rediscovered along the banks of a farm on the Free State side of Christiana. This led to a new diamond rush and diggings that continue to this day.
Economy
The town contains one of the biggest diggers' bells ever to exist in the world. The bell is currently under water in the Vaal River as it once sank and ended in the drowning of several diggers. There were a few attempts to get the diggers' bell out, as it is said that there are diamonds still in it, but it was in vain as it is surrounded by too much mudChristiana is one of the corners of the "Maize Rectangle", with the mainstay of the economy being the production of maize, potatoes, onions, sorghum, groundnuts and beef. The main farmers in the area are the de Beer's and Callender-Easby's. One of South Africa's top horse studs, Callaho Warmblood Sport Horses, can be found near Christiana.
Christiana is well known for its water sports along the Vaal River, as well as the Diamond Diggers Festival (Delwers Fees) that occurs annually. Other tourist attractions include the Diggers' Diamond Museum (authentic digging equipment and old photographs pay tribute to the town's diamond industry) and San Bushman
Bushmen
The indigenous people of Southern Africa, whose territory spans most areas of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola, are variously referred to as Bushmen, San, Sho, Barwa, Kung, or Khwe...
rock art (excellent examples can be viewed 6 km out of town on the Farm Stowlands) and Stows Kopje (prehistoric rock engravings which have been declared a national monument).