Fort Beaufort
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(March 2023) |
Fort Beaufort
iBhofolo | |
|---|---|
| KwaMaqoma | |
 Themartello towerat Fort Beaufort | |
  Fort Beaufort  Fort Beaufort  Fort Beaufort | |
| Coordinates:32°46′44″S26°38′07″E/ 32.77889°S 26.63528°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Eastern Cape |
| District | Amathole |
| Municipality | Raymond Mhlaba |
| Established | 1822[1] |
| Area | |
| • Total | 82.81 km2(31.97 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[2] | |
| • Total | 25,668 |
| • Density | 310/km2(800/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| •Black African | 83.6% |
| •Coloured | 12.9% |
| •Indian/Asian | 0.4% |
| •White | 2.6% |
| • Other | 0.5% |
| First languages(2011) | |
| •Xhosa | 76.9% |
| •Afrikaans | 15.4% |
| •English | 4.7% |
| • Other | 3.0% |
| Time zone | UTC+2(SAST) |
| Postal code(street) | 5720 |
| PO box | 5720 |
| Area code | 046 |
Fort Beaufort(Xhosa:iBhofolo), officially renamedKwaMaqomain March 2023,[3]is a town in theAmatole Districtof South Africa'sEastern Cape Province,and had a population of 25,668 in 2011. The town was established in 1837 and became a municipality in 1883. The town lies at the confluence of theKat RiverandBrak Riverbetween theKeiskammaandGreat Fish Rivers.KwaMaqoma serves as a mini-'dormitory' for academic staff and students ofFort Hare University,based in the nearby town ofAlice,and is also close to Sulphur Springs.
It is also the birthplace of South African politician and anti-apartheidactivist who is also the firstPremier of the Eastern CapeRaymond Mhlabaand his former first wifeJoyce Meke.
History
[edit]The roots of Fort Beaufort is a mission station that the Reverend Joseph Williams of theLondon Missionary Societyestablished in 1816. In 1822, Colonel Maurice Scott of theRoyal Warwickshire Regimentconstructed a blockhouse about three miles from the mission station as a military frontier post and stronghold against raids by theXhosaunder their chief,Maqoma.The British named it Fort Beaufort to honour theDuke of Beaufort,father ofLord Charles Henry Somerset,first British governor of theCape Colony(1814 to 1826). After the6th Xhosa War(1834–1835), Governor SirBenjamin d'Urbanauthorised construction of a fort at the site of the original blockhouse. The new buildings included a military hospital, guard houses, infantry barracks, and officers' quarters.
In 1839, theBritishcommenced work on what is probably the world's only inlandMartello tower,a small, circularNapoleonic eradesign hitherto used only in coastal defences. The tower was completed in 1846. Today, the original howitzer remains mounted on the roof on a traversing carriage that gives it a 360-degree field of fire. The tower has been restored after having served for some time as a public latrine.
In 1840 Fort Beaufort became a town. Around this timeAndrew Geddes Bainbuilt the first road, including theEcca Pass,fromGrahamstown,to Fort Beaufort.
During the 8thXhosa War(1850–53), also known as the War of Mlanjeni, anti-British forces unsuccessfully attacked the town. Harmanus Matroos, alias Ngxukumeshe, was a half-Khoikhoiand half-Xhosa.He started the war on 30 December 1850 by capturing a small outpost near Fort Beaufort. Matroos had served the British in the7th Xhosa War(1846–47), also known as the War of the Axe. Matroos fell on 8 January 1851 during his third attack on Fort Beaufort.
British troops continued to be stationed in the town until 1870.
In 1949 the first congregation of theNederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk(Dutch Reformed Church) seceded from Alice due to demographic changes.
Schools
[edit]Schools in the area include the historicHealdtown Comprehensive School.Fort Beaufort has number of high schools that include:
Eyabantu High,
Inyibiba High,
Lindani High,
Winterberg High,
Thubalethu High,
Sakhululeka High, and the newly built
Lighthouse Academy.
Healthcare today
[edit]Fort Beaufort has three governmental hospitals, namelyFort Beaufort Provincial Hospital,Tower Psychiatric Hospital,and Winterberg TB (previous SANTA) Hospital. There are also seven primary healthcare clinics in the area, namely C.C. Lloyd (in the CBD), Newtown, Hillside, Thozamile, Lulama Kama,Healdtownand Mxelo.
Notable people
[edit]- Raymond Mhlaba(firstPremier of the Eastern Cape)
- Josiah Gumede(President of theANC1927-1930)
- Charlotte Maxeke(First President of the ANCWL)
- Ken Gampu(Actor)
- Ian Roberts(Actor/Director)
- Donald Gray(Actor)
- Tony Yengeni(Politician)
- Oliver Zono(Rugby Player)
- Ali Mgijima(Rugby Player )(Went to school in the area)
- John Dugard(Professor of International Law)
- Ollie le Roux(Rugby Player)
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^Robson, Linda Gillian (2011)."Annexure A"(PDF).The Royal Engineers and settlement planning in the Cape Colony 1806–1872: Approach, methodology and impact(PhD thesis). University of Pretoria. pp. xlv–lii.hdl:2263/26503.
- ^abcd"Main Place Fort Beaufort".Census 2011.
- ^Dayimani, Malibongwe."Fort Beaufort was just renamed after Xhosa warrior chief Maqoma, and Somerset East is now Kwa Nojoli".News24.Retrieved14 March2023.
Municipalities and communities ofAmathole District Municipality,Eastern Cape | ||
|---|---|---|
District seat:East London | ||
| Amahlathi |  | |
| Great Kei |
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| Mbhashe |
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| Mnquma |
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| Ngqushwa | ||
| Raymond Mhlaba |
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| Authority control databases:Geographic |
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