Graaff-Reinet

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Graaff Reinet
—  Town  —
Graaff Reinet
Coordinates: 32°15′08″S 24°32′26″E / 32.25222°S 24.54056°E / -32.25222; 24.54056
Country	South Africa
Province	Eastern Cape
District municipality	Cacadu
Local municipality	Camdeboo
Time zone	SAST (UTC+2)

The Dutch Reformed Church (Grotekerk) in Graaff-Reinet.

View from Valley of Desolation to Graaff-Reinet

Graaff-Reinet is a town with 80,776 inhabitants in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It is the fourth oldest town in South Africa, after Cape Town, Stellenbosch and Swellendam.^{[citation needed]}

History

The town was founded by the VOC Dutch East India Company in 1786, being named after the then governor of Cape Colony, Cornelis Jacob van de Graeff, and his wife whose maiden name was "Reynet".

Historical states in present-day South Africa
before 1600 Mapungubwe (1050–1270)
1600-1700 Cape Colony (1652–1910)
1700-1800 Swellendam (1795) Graaff Reinet (1795–1796)
1800-1850 Waterboer's Land (1813–1871) Zulu Kingdom (1818–1897) Adam Kok's Land (1825–1861) Winburg (1836–1844) Potchefstroom (1837–1848) Natalia Republic (1839–1843)
1850-1875 Orange Free State (1854–1902) Republic of Utrecht (1854–1858) Lydenburg Republic (1856–1860) South African Republic (1857–1902) Griqualand East (1861–1879) Griqualand West (1870)
1875-1900 Stellaland (1882–1885) Goshen (1882–1883) Nieuw Republiek (1884–1888) Klein Vrystaat (1886–1891)
1900-present Cape Colony (1652–1910) Union of South Africa (1910–1961) Transkei (1976–1994) Bophuthatswana (1977–1994) Venda (1979–1994) Ciskei (1981–1994) Republic of South Africa (1961–present)
more

In 1795 the burghers, smarting under the exactions of the VOC, expelled the Landdrost and proclaimed a republic.^[1] Similar action was subsequently taken by the burghers of Swellendam. Before the authorities at Cape Town could take decisive measures against the rebels, they were themselves compelled to capitulate to the British. The burghers having endeavoured, unsuccessfully, to get aid from a French warship at Algoa Bay surrendered to Colonel (afterwards General Sir) JO Vandeleur.

In January 1799 Marthinus Prinsloo, the leader of the republicans in 1795, again rebelled, but surrendered in April following. Prinsloo and nineteen others were imprisoned in Cape Town castle. After trial, Prinsloo and another commandant were sentenced to death and others to banishment. The sentences were not carried out and the prisoners were released, March 1803, on the retrocession of the Cape to the Netherlands.

In 1801 there had been another revolt in Graaff Reinet, but owing to the conciliatory measures of General F Dundas (acting governor of the Cape Colony) peace was soon restored. It was this district, where a republican government in South Africa was first proclaimed, which furnished large numbers of the Voortrekkers in 1835-1842.

Graaff Reinet became the centre of British military operations for the whole Eastern Cape during the Second Boer War. In 1901, a number of captured Boer rebels were tried in the town for crimes ranging from high treason, murder, attempted murder, arson and robbery. Nine were sentenced to death, with eight of these being executed by firing squad on the outskirts of the town, while the ninth sentence was carried out in Colesberg.^[2] The Burgher Monument in Donkin Street commemorates the fallen rebels.

Geography

The town lies 750 metres (2,500 ft) above the sea and is built on the banks of the Sunday's River, which rises a little farther north on the southern slopes of the Sneeuberge, and splits into several channels here. The Dutch Reformed church in the town is a prominent stone building in the high street with seating accommodation for 1500 people. The building is a reproduction of the Salisbury Cathedral.^{[citation needed]}

The college is an educational centre of some importance; it was rebuilt in 1906. The Graaff Reinet Teachers College was closed down in 1990 after it was used as a centre for further educational training for about six years.

Graaff Reinet is a flourishing market for agricultural produce, the district being noted for its mohair industry, sheep and ostrich farming.

Tourist Attractions

The Drostdy Hotel

• The Valley of Desolation, a geological wonder of weathered dolerite pillars which is a declared national monument with magnificent views over the Karoo plains.
• The Camdeboo National Park of 200 km², on the outskirts of the town with its interesting flora and fauna.
• Stretch's Court, a picturesque restored street of Karoo cottages with brightly painted shutters and doors.
• Reinet House Museum - a Cape Dutch building, formerly the Dutch Reformed Church parsonage
• The Agave Distillery - a distillery producing tequila from the agave plant.
• The Karoo architecture.
• The Dutch Reformed Church in the centre of the town. This Dutch Reformed Church is the only known church in South Africa and possibly in the world to have a kitchen and a chimney.
• The Drostdy Hotel - A Cape Dutch building erected in 1806 as the local seat of government by the VOC. Currently a hotel.

Famous people

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• Arts
• David Botha - painter and graphic artist, an exponent of ‘Cape Impressionism’.
• Trudi Dicks - Artist
• Sonia Doubell - Actress, model and singer
• Eben Leibrandt - Painter and sculptor
  • Anna Neethling-Pohl - Actress and novelist
  • Pierre Terblanche - Motorcycle designer (presently working for Ducati)^{[citation needed]}

• Politicis
  • Thomas François Burgers 4th president of the South African Republic
  • Cameron Muir Dugmore - MEC for Education in the Western Cape province
  • Matthew Goniwe - Teachter and political activist
  • Chief Hykon - Koebaha or Lord of all the Inqua Tribe(c.1689)
  • Jacobus Nicolaas - President of the Orange Free State (1855-1859)
  • Mzuvukile Jeff Maqetuka - Director-General of Home Affairs
  • Daniel François Malan - Prime Minister of South Africa
  • Dr. Beyers Naude - Anti-apartheid activist
  • Andries Petrorius - Great Trek Leader after whom Pretoria was named
  • Martinus Wessel Pretorius - Boer soldier and statesman
  • Andries Hendrik Potgieter - Great Trek leader
  • Nicolaas Jacobus Smit - Boer commander, vice-president of the ZAR in 1887
  • Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe - Founder of the Pan Africanist Congress
  • Sir Andries Stockenström - 1st Baronet, assistant Landrost (Magistrate), lieutenant governor of British Kaffraria(1836-1838)
  • Lourens Jacobus (Louw) Wepener - Commandant in the Orange Free State
  • Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Pan Africanist Congress ( PAC )leader -imprison on Robben Island
  • Frederick Emmanuel Hufkie Headmaster -Spandau Senior Secondary School - Theologican of the Congregational Church detained without trial in terms of the National Party security laws of 1976 and 1985

• Sciences
  • Andrew Geddes Bain - Geologist, road engineer, palaeontologist and explorer
  • Johannes Jacobus (Joe) Brummer - economic geologist
  • James William Kitching - Vertebrate palaentologist
• James Leonard Brierley Smith - Ichthyologist

• Sports
  • Louis Babrow - Springbok rugby player
  • Pieter Kuyper - Reformed minister, Springbok rugby captain in 1924.
  • Anthony Llewellyn (Dassie) Biggs - Cricketer player
  • Arthur Edward Ochse - Cricketer
  • Arthur Lennox Ochse - Springbok cricketer
  • Gletwynne Rubidge - Springbok spearfishing|spearfisherman
  • Harry Smith - SA Heavyweight Boxing Champion
  • Clarence Skelton Wimble - Cricketer
  • Kosie Welman Black Rugby player -Flyhalf -South African Rugby Union ,SARU
  • Danie Koeberg Black Rugby player - flank forward and centre
  • Piet Koeberg Black rugby player - flyhalf -SARU

• Other
  • Thomas Charles Bain - Road builder
  • Anton Rupert Dr. Anthony Edward Rupert - Billionaire entrepreneur, businessman and conservationist
  • Sophia Johanna Werner - Brothel "madam" in Cape Town

Further reading

• Graaf Reinet Road Committee (1857). The Graaf Reinet Railway. Graaf Reinet Road Committee. http://books.google.com/books?id=MOIiHQAACAAJ. Retrieved 2008-10-12. 
• Cosmo Grenville Henning (1975). Graaff-Reinet. T.V. Bulpin. ISBN 0949956112. http://books.google.com/books?id=XNcVAAAACAAJ. 
• Tony Westby-Nunn (2004). Graaff-Reinet: An Illustrated Historical Guide to the Town Including Aberdeen and Nieu-Bethesda. Elephant Head Publications. http://books.google.com/books?id=qXbTGAAACAAJ. 

References

External links

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	v • d • e Municipalities and Communities of Cacadu District Municipality, Eastern Cape District Seat: Port Elizabeth
Local municipalities	Aberdeen Plain · Baviaans · Blue Crane Route · Camdeboo · Ikwezi · Kouga · Kou-Kamma · Makana · Ndlambe · Sunday's River Valley
Cities and towns	Aberdeen · Alexandria · Alicedale · Bathurst · Cookhouse · Graaff Reinet · Grahamstown · Hankey · Humansdorp · Jansenville · Jeffreys Bay · Joubertina · Kareedouw · Kenton-on-Sea · Kirkwood · Klipplaat · Nieu-Bethesda · Paterson Addo · Pearston · Port Alfred · Riebeeck East · Somerset East · Steytlerville · St. Francis Bay · Storms River · Willowmore

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.