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Kraaifontein

Coordinates: 33°50′39″S 18°41′55″E / 33.84417°S 18.69861°E / -33.84417; 18.69861
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Kraaifontein
Town
Kraaifontein is located in Western Cape
Kraaifontein
Kraaifontein
Kraaifontein is located in South Africa
Kraaifontein
Kraaifontein
Coordinates: 33°50′39″S 18°41′55″E / 33.84417°S 18.69861°E / -33.84417; 18.69861
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceWestern Cape
MunicipalityCity of Cape Town
Established1869-Subdividing farms, 1876- Railway station, 1877-Town development
Area
[1]
 • Total
30.82 km2 (11.90 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total
154,615
 • Density5,000/km2 (13,000/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
[1]
 • Black African43.3%
 • Coloured40.2%
 • Indian/Asian0.4%
 • White14.4%
 • Other1.7%
First languages (2011)
[1]
 • Afrikaans45.4%
 • Xhosa33.4%
 • English14.0%
 • Sotho2.5%
 • Other4.7%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
7570
PO box
7569
Area code+27 (0)21

Kraaifontein is a town in the Western Cape province of South Africa and is located on the north-eastern outskirts of the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality.

The name originated from large number of crows (Kraai in Afrikaans) that nest in the region.[2]

Beginnings

[edit]

In 1869 sub-division of farm land started in the area. A railway station was formed in 1876 called "Kraaifontein Junction", followed by formal town development in 1877. The first school was established on 20 January 1908. The Dutch Reformed Church was founded in 1948. In the same year Kraaifontein got its own local authority. In 1954 the "Volkskerk van Afrika (Translated- The nation's church of Africa)" was founded with BJE Appollis being the first preacher. On 16 September 1957, it became a municipality under the first mayor, JP Rossouw.[3][4][5]

Today

[edit]

Today Kraaifontein has been incorporated into the Greater Cape Town metropolitan area and is located in Cape Town's northern suburbs flanking the N1 towards Paarl and Worcester to the east. Although being part of the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality, Kraaifontein is still considered a town with its own central business district.

It comprises several residential areas, namely Windsor Park, Scottsville, Peerless Park, Eikendal, Scottsdene, Bloekombos, Wallacedene, Belmont Park, Bonny Brook, and Uitzicht. Libraries are funded and owned by the City of Cape Town. These libraries are Kraaifontein Public Library, Scottsdene Public Library, and Eikendal Public Library. High Schools in the area are Monument Park, Eben Dönges, Bloekombos, Masibambane Secondary School, Simonsberg Primary School,[6] Scottsdene High School, Scottsville High School and Bernadino Heights High School.

Geography

[edit]

Strategically located at the gateway to the Cape Winelands, Kraaifontein is exactly halfway between Cape Town (31 km) and Paarl (29 km) along the N1 highway and is flanked by Durbanville to the north-west and Brackenfell to the west.[7][8]

Kraaifontein, encompassing the areas of Bernardino Heights, Scottsdene, Scottsville, Wallacedene, Eikendal and Bloekombos, was once a separate municipality before the restructuring of all South African municipalities during the late 90s. These areas, however, are listed as separate suburbs by the City of Cape Town for planning and statistical purposes.[9] Forming part of the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality, it is located in its Subcouncil 2 Area, Bergdal.[10]

Suburban Areas

[edit]
  • Belmont Park
  • Bernadino Heights
  • Bloekombos
  • Bonnie Brae
  • Bonnie Brook
  • Buh-Rein Estate
  • Eikendal
  • Joostenberg Vlakte
  • Klein Begin
  • Kraaifontein Agricultural Holdings
  • Kraaifontein East
  • Kraaifontein Industrial
  • Langeberg Glen
  • Langeberg Heights
  • Langeberg Ridge
  • Peerless Park East
  • Peerless Park North
  • Peerless Park West
  • Scottsdene
  • Scottsville
  • Summerville
  • Uitzicht
  • Wallacedene
  • Windsor Park
  • Windsor Park Estate
  • Viking Village
  • Zoo Park

Transport

[edit]

Rail

[edit]

Kraaifontein lies at a railway junction (historically known as "Kraaifontein Junction"), situated on the main commuter line between Cape Town and Wellington (Northern Line) and the branch line to Malmesbury, both operated by Metrorail. Metrorail currently operates commuter railway services in Kraaifontein from the Kraaifontein Railway Station (north of the town centre) to Cape Town, Bellville, Brackenfell, Paarl and Wellington on the Northern Line and to Fisantekraal, Klipheuwel and Malmesbury on the Malmesbury branch line.

Road

[edit]

The N1 is the major freeway that runs through Kraaifontein, routing traffic heading north-west from Cape Town towards Paarl. It enters the town from Brackenfell, bisecting the town and passing through the M15 and M167 before heading towards the Cape Winelands.

The R101 is the original N1, and served the same function before the construction of the freeway. It enters Kraaifontein from Brackenfell as Old Paarl Road, runs through the central business district as Voortrekker Road and leaves Kraaifontein towards Klapmuts and Paarl as Old Paarl Road again.

Kraaifontein is also served by many metropolitan routes. The M15 connects to Durbanville and Stellenbosch (via the M23). The M23 connects to Bellville and Stellenbosch, and barely by-passes Kraaifontein to the south. The M25 connects to Brackenfell and Bellville. The M73 connects to Brackenfell and Durbanville. The M137 runs north–south from Brackenfell to Durbanville and by-passes Kraaifontein to the west.

Kraaifontein is also served internally by the M167 which links the eastern suburbs, namely Joostenberg Vlakte, Kraaifontein Industria and Bloekombos.

Coat of arms

[edit]

The Kraaifontein municipal council assumed a coat of arms, registered it with the Cape Provincial Administration in June 1964,[11] had it granted by the provincial administrator in March 1967,[12] and registered it at the Bureau of Heraldry in September 1969.[13] The arms, designed by Schalk Pienaar, were: Argent, a chevron Gules between in chief two heraldic fountains and in base a bunch of grapes leaved proper (in layman's terms: a silver shield displaying, from top to bottom, two discs divided into wavy white and blue stripes, a red chevron, and a bunch of grapes). The crest was a parson-crow, and the motto Non auro sed virtute. Together the crow (kraai) and the fountains (fonteine) were a pun on the name of the town.

Notable residents

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d "Main Place Kraaifontein". Census 2011.
  2. ^ "Area information". Archived from the original on 2019-01-19. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  3. ^ "Geskiedenis van die Nederduitste Gereformeerde Kerk Kraaifontein (Translated -History of the Dutch Reformed Church Kraaifontein)". Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  4. ^ "Kraaifontein Geskiedenis (Translated- Kraaifontein history)". Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  5. ^ "Kraaifontein treinstasie (Translated – Kraaifontein railway station)". Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  6. ^ "Masibambane Secondary School – Just another WordPress site". Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  7. ^ "Kraaifontein to Cape Town". Kraaifontein to Cape Town. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
  8. ^ "Kraaifontein to Paarl". Kraaifontein to Paarl. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
  9. ^ Strategic Development, GIS. "City of Cape Town Suburb Index". City of Cape Town. Archived from the original on 2011-05-26. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  10. ^ GIS, Strategic Development. "Cape Town Subcouncil Profile". City of Cape Town. Archived from the original on 2012-08-06. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  11. ^ Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette 3245 (26 June 1964).
  12. ^ Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette 3391 (3 March 1967).
  13. ^ http://www.national.archsrch.gov.za[permanent dead link‍]
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