Aliwal North - Cape Travel Guides - Accommodation, Safaris, Adventure

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Province: Eastern Cape
Region:
Town: Aliwal North

ALIWAL NORTH
The main centre in the Maletswai Municipality (pop in 2002 37 278). This town was founded in 1849 after the Cape Colony extended its borders to include this area after many requests from the Chief Magistrate in nearby Burgersdorp, Mr. JC Chase. The site was chosen was because the area was opposite the ford over the Orange River known as Voortrekkers Drift. The town was named after the site of Sir Harry Smith’s victory over Sikh forces in India. There is no Aliwal South, but at the time Mossel Bay was known by that name.

After a series of lovely arched sandstone bridges had been built over the various rivers and streams, Aliwal North flourished to become the main centre over a vast area of that was mostly devoted to sheep farming. Many of these bridges such as the Sauer Bridge over the Kraai River still stand. During the Second Anglo Boer War the town was occupied by Boer forces, and later the surrounding countryside became the scene of major guerilla activity, with many battles and skirmishes taking place. Two large concentration camps, one to intern Boer civilians and one for black civilians were established. The site of the black concentration camp is now the suburb of Dukathole. There is a Garden of Remembrance to the 720 Boer women and children who died in the Boer camp which is on the outskirts of the southern part of the town. The British forces also erected a series of blockhouses two of which still stand. A Garden of Remembrance has been next to one blockhouse where the British and Colonial troops who were killed in action or died while on active service in the area are interred. The names of 138 troops are mentioned on the main monument.

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