Kuils River | |
|---|---|
 Dutch Reformed Church, Kuilsrivier | |
  Kuils River  Kuils River  Kuils River | |
| Coordinates:33°56′29″S18°42′24″E / 33.9414°S 18.7066°E /-33.9414; 18.7066 | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Western Cape |
| Municipality | City of Cape Town |
| Established | 1898 |
| Area | |
• Total | 39.86 km2 (15.39 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
• Total | 46,685 |
| • Density | 1,171/km2 (3,033/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 11.4% |
| • Coloured | 53.1% |
| • Indian/Asian | 0.9% |
| • White | 32.6% |
| • Other | 1.9% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Afrikaans | 60.2% |
| • English | 33.2% |
| • Xhosa | 3.2% |
| • Other | 3.4% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal code (street) | 7580 |
| PO box | 7579 |
Kuils River (Afrikaans:Kuilsrivier) is a town in theWestern Cape,South Africa, 25 km (15 miles) east ofCape Town and 20 km (12 miles) west ofStellenbosch at the gateway of theCape Winelands.[2] It is also the name of the main tributary of theEerste River, and forms part of the Eastern Suburbs zone of theCity of Cape Town.
Originally named De Boss, Kuils River was a refreshment post of theDutch East India Company in 1680, also known as de Kuijlen. In 1700 the farm Leeuwenhof and other parts of de Kuijlen were sold toOlof Bergh.
It started to develop into a village. A church was founded byRhenish Missionary Society in 1843 in Sarepta. A proper road was built in 1845, a railway station in 1862 and a school in 1898. In 1898 stands were sold for residential development. On 4 December 1950 it attained municipal status. The town takes its name from the nearby river, in which there are many pools, orkuile (Dutch for dams).[3][4]
Kuils River is a level two administrative region, and is close toStellenbosch It is located near the intersection of the M12 and theR102.[5]
Kuils River is home to the respective Alta du Toit and Jan Kriel Schools, the former, for mentally challenged children[6] and the latter for children with special educational needs.[7] Kuils River is the birthplace ofHerman Charles Bosman (3 February 1905); journalist, poet and author. He is regarded as one of South Africa's greatest ever writers (in English).[8]
The industrial area Blackheath is in Kuils River.
Kuilsrivier lies just off theR300 (Kuils River Freeway), running north–south from theN1 inBrackenfell to theN2 and theM7 inMitchells Plain. However, the main route through the town is theR102 (Van Riebeeck Road), connecting toBellville in the west andSomerset West in the south-east.
Kuilsrivier is also served by a network ofmetropolitan routes such as: theM12 (Stellenbosch Arterial; Polkadraai Road), connectingStellenbosch with theCape Town International Airport andElsiesrivier; theM23 (Bottelary Road) connecting Stellenbosch with Bellville; theM32 (Nooiensfontein Road) connecting Kuilsrivier withBlue Downs; and the M100 (Saxdowns Road) connecting Kuilsrivier withBrackenfell.
Kuils River was a municipality from 1950 to 1996. The town council assumed a coat of arms, designed byIvan Mitford-Barberton, in 1955 and registered it with the Cape Provincial Administration in January 1956.[9]
The shield was divided into three horizontal sections: (1) a running buck on a silver background, (2) a golden yoke on a red background, and (3) four silver and blue stripes with wavy edges. The crest was a bull's head, and the mottoVia trita via tuta.
