Leeu-Gamka
Encyclopedia
Leeu-Gamka is a small town in the Western Cape
province of South Africa
, located 355 kilometres (220.6 mi) north-east of Cape Town
in the Karoo
. it had a population of 2134.
The Cape Government Railways
western main line, from Cape Town towards the diamond fields at Kimberley
, reached the meeting-point of the Leeu and Gamka rivers in 1879, and on 11 August of that year a station was opened on that location. It was initially named "Fraserburg Road", because it was the closest station to the town of Fraserburg
, 115 kilometres (71.5 mi) to the north-west over the Nuweveld Mountains. A small town grew around this station, with a church and school opening in 1896, and a hotel in 1898. In 1950 the station and town were renamed to "Leeu-Gamka".
Leeu-Gamka is located where the Leeu River enters the Gamka River
; both rivers are intermittent in this region. "Leeu" and "Gamka" both mean "Lion", in Afrikaans and ǀXam respectively. It lies at an elevation of around 550 metre, in the southern Karoo
; to the north are the Nuweveld Mountains, and to the south the Swartberg
e. It is situated on the N1 national road and the Cape Town–Kimberley railway, between Laingsburg
and Beaufort West
; the travel distance from Cape Town is 387 kilometres (240.5 mi) by road and 465 kilometres (288.9 mi) by rail. From Leeu-Gamka the R353 road runs north-west to Fraserburg and Williston
.
The 2001 Census
reported that, of the population of 2134, 98% described themselves as Coloured
and 99% spoke Afrikaans.
Leeu-Gamka falls within the Prince Albert Local Municipality
, which is part of the Central Karoo District Municipality
. It has a primary school and a police station, and is served by a mobile clinic.
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...
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...
, located 355 kilometres (220.6 mi) north-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...
in the Karoo
Karoo
The Karoo is a semi-desert region of South Africa. It has two main sub-regions - the Great Karoo in the north and the Little Karoo in the south. The 'High' Karoo is one of the distinct physiographic provinces of the larger South African Platform division.-Great Karoo:The Great Karoo has an area of...
. it had a population of 2134.
The Cape Government Railways
Cape Government Railways
The Cape Government Railways was the government-owned railway operator in the Cape Colony from 1874 until the creation of the South African Railways in 1910.-Private railways:...
western main line, from Cape Town towards the diamond fields at 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...
, reached the meeting-point of the Leeu and Gamka rivers in 1879, and on 11 August of that year a station was opened on that location. It was initially named "Fraserburg Road", because it was the closest station to the town of Fraserburg
Fraserburg
Fraserburg is a town in the Karoo region of South Africa's Northern Cape province.It was established in 1851 on the farm Rietfontein, and named after the Scottish immigrant Reverend Colin Fraser, and a church elder G.J. Meyburgh. Prior to the town establishment the earliest known inhabitants of the...
, 115 kilometres (71.5 mi) to the north-west over the Nuweveld Mountains. A small town grew around this station, with a church and school opening in 1896, and a hotel in 1898. In 1950 the station and town were renamed to "Leeu-Gamka".
Leeu-Gamka is located where the Leeu River enters the Gamka River
Gamka River
Gamka River, located in Western Cape, South Africa, the name 'Gamka' means 'Lion' and was probably named this by the San . The river originates north of Beaufort West, generally flowing southwest towards the Gamkapoort Dam....
; both rivers are intermittent in this region. "Leeu" and "Gamka" both mean "Lion", in Afrikaans and ǀXam respectively. It lies at an elevation of around 550 metre, in the southern Karoo
Karoo
The Karoo is a semi-desert region of South Africa. It has two main sub-regions - the Great Karoo in the north and the Little Karoo in the south. The 'High' Karoo is one of the distinct physiographic provinces of the larger South African Platform division.-Great Karoo:The Great Karoo has an area of...
; to the north are the Nuweveld Mountains, and to the south the Swartberg
Swartberg
The Swartberg mountains make up a mountain range that runs roughly east-west along the northern edge of the semi-arid Little Karoo in the Western Cape province of South Africa...
e. It is situated on the N1 national road and the Cape Town–Kimberley railway, between Laingsburg
Laingsburg, Western Cape
- History :Laingsburg was first established in the 1870s by Stephanus Greeff. He bought the farm Vischkuil-aan-de-Buffelsrivier . The town only started developing when the railway line to it was completed...
and Beaufort West
Beaufort West
Beaufort West is a town in the Western Cape province in South Africa. It is the largest town in the arid Great Karoo region, and forms part of the Beaufort West Local Municipality, with 37 000 inhabitants in 2001....
; the travel distance from Cape Town is 387 kilometres (240.5 mi) by road and 465 kilometres (288.9 mi) by rail. From Leeu-Gamka the R353 road runs north-west to Fraserburg and Williston
Williston, Northern Cape
Williston is a town in Northern Cape, South Africa. Originally settled by people from Germany, the town was renamed in honor of Hampden Willis in 1883.-References:...
.
The 2001 Census
South 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...
reported that, of the population of 2134, 98% 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,...
and 99% spoke Afrikaans.
Leeu-Gamka falls within the Prince Albert Local Municipality
Prince Albert Local Municipality
Prince Albert Municipality is a municipality located in the Western Cape Province of South Africa.-References:...
, which is part of the Central Karoo District Municipality
Central Karoo District Municipality
The Central Karoo District Municipality is a district municipality located in the Western Cape Province of South Africa...
. It has a primary school and a police station, and is served by a mobile clinic.