Rondebosch | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates:33°57′48″S18°28′35″E / 33.96333°S 18.47639°E /-33.96333; 18.47639 | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Western Cape |
| Municipality | City of Cape Town |
| Main Place | Cape Town |
| Area | |
• Total | 6.42 km2 (2.48 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
• Total | 14,591 |
| • Density | 2,300/km2 (5,900/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 16.5% |
| • Coloured | 9.6% |
| • Indian/Asian | 6.1% |
| • White | 62.7% |
| • Other | 5.0% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • English | 84.3% |
| • Afrikaans | 7.6% |
| • Xhosa | 1.8% |
| • Other | 6.3% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal code (street) | 7700 |
| PO box | 7701 |
| Area code | (021) 685/686 |
Rondebosch is one of theSouthern Suburbs ofCape Town,South Africa. It is primarily a residential suburb, with shopping and business districts as well as the main campus of theUniversity of Cape Town.[2]
Four years after the first Dutch settlement at the Cape in 1652, the first experimental crops were grown along the banks of theLiesbeek River (at that stage called the Amstel or Versse Rivier).[citation needed] In October 1656,Jan van Riebeeck visited Rondeboschyn, whose name derived from a contraction of "Ronde Doorn Bossien," referring to a circular grove of thorn trees growing on the banks of the Liesbeek River.[2][3][4] By 1670 the area's name had been shortened to "Rondeboschje" in theDutch East India Company's (VOC) records.
In 1657, the first group of VOC employees gainedfree burgher status, four of whom were granted land along the river and founded "Stephen's Colony" in the area now known as Rondebosch.[5] The first permanent title of land in southern Africa was issued, by Van Riebeeck, to the four free burghers of Rondebosch.[2]
The area only obtained recognition as a separate village or area of Cape Town after the 1830s.[2] In 1864 the area wasconnected by railway upon the competition of the Cape Town to Wynberg line.[6] By the time of the1875 census Rondebosch had a recorded population of 1,902 residents. The1891 census recorded a population of 3,378, and by the time of the1904 Cape census the area had a total population of 6,035, of whom 4,312 were recorded as being literate.[2]
One of Cape Town's first municipal electricity stations was built in 1892 to supply power to the Rondebosch area, replacing the oldoil street lamps with electric ones.[7]
On 4 May 1990 the 'Groote Schuur Minute’ was co-signed in Rondebosch by the then leader of theAfrican National Congress, Nelson Mandela, and thenState President of South Africa, FW de Klerk, as a commitment to a peaceful negotiation process to end Apartheid. Thereby starting the process to peacefully transition to South Africa's modern democracy.[2][8]
Rondebosch lies between the slopes ofDevil's Peak in the west and theM5 freeway in the east; it is one of theSouthern Suburbs of Cape Town, which lie along the eastern slope of theTable Mountain massif. The suburb's western border with theTable Mountain National Park is defined by theM3 freeway. To the north are the suburbs ofRosebank andMowbray, while to the south areNewlands andClaremont. The eastern border of Rondebosch is the M5 freeway; beyond the freeway are Sybrand Park,Athlone andRondebosch East.
TheSouthern Line railway divides Rondebosch in two; the only road within Rondebosch that crosses the railway is the Belmont Road bridge. Main Road (the M4) runs north-south through the area west of the railway, while Campground Road runs in the same direction east of the railway. The third north-south through route is Milner Road, further east close to the M5.
The area around the intersection of Main Road and Belmont Road is Rondebosch's main commercial area, with several small shopping malls and two supermarkets. Also located in this area isRondebosch railway station, which is the main public transport facility in the suburb. A smaller commercial area lies just to the east on the corner of Belmont and Campground Roads; there is also a row of shops along Belvedere Road in the southeastern part of the suburb. The rest of the suburb is used for educational and residential purposes, with the residential areas being generally denser further to the west where the influence of theUniversity of Cape Town is felt.
Two canalised streams run from the slopes of Table Mountain through Rondebosch; theLiesbeeck River runs northwards between Main Road and the railway, while theBlack River runs in a northeasterly direction through the eastern part of the suburb. The terrain is generally flat east of the railway line, while to the west it slopes upwards towards Devil's Peak.
The flowerErica turgida, was endemic in area between Rondebosch,Kenilworth andWynberg before becoming extinct in the wild.[9]
On the slopes of Devil's Peak above Rondebosch is the main campus of theUniversity of Cape Town.
The historicGroote Schuur estate in Rondebosch includes presidential and ministerial residences with Cape Dutch origins. TheGroote Schuur building is the biggest, rebuilt byCecil Rhodes according to a design byHerbert Baker after a fire in 1896. The presidential residence,Genadendal (formerly Westbrooke), also dates back to Cape Dutch times. "The Woolsack" is a historic house within the grounds of the University of Cape Town that is now used as student housing. Previously part of Cecil Rhodes's estate at Groote Schuur, it was frequently used by the famous British poet and authorRuyard Kipling when he used to visit Cape Town for his winter holidays between 1898 and 1908.[10]
The home ofSimon van der Stel (first governor of theCape Colony) is now part ofRustenburg Junior School. This building dates back to the 17th century, although it has undergone many alterations over the years. Its summer house, dating from 1760, remains as a monument just below the university. Other historic buildings in the area include the Rondebosch Town Hall, now occupied by theRondebosch Library, and St. Paul's Church, which was designed byCharles Collier Michell.
Rondebosch Common, once a military campground, is a national monument and an importantfynbos conservation area.
TheBaxter Theatre in Rondebosch is Cape Town's second biggest theatre complex, after theArtscape Theatre Centre in the city centre.
The historic centre of Rondebosch is the Main Road, with the Victorian cast ironRondebosch Fountain being a historic landmark. Originally known as the Moodie Fountain, it was one of South Africa's first electric streetlights. It was built by theSaracen Foundry in Glasgow and presented to the community by George Moodie as a gift in 1891.[11] The lamp was first turned on, on 25 April 1892 and was initially powered by Moodie's private power plant until a municipal power plant on the Liesbeeck River was completed.[12] The fountain was destroyed in a road accident in 2015[13] and rebuilt in 2020.[14]
Rondebosch is in theCity of Cape Town municipality, within the Protea Sub-Council (Sub-Council 20). The eastern part of the suburb is withinward 58 and the ward councillor is Dr Richard Hill,[15] and the western part is in ward 59 with councillor Mikhail Manuel, both members of theDemocratic Alliance.[16]
Rondebosch was the parliamentary seat of SirDe Villiers Graaff, the leader of the oppositionUnited Party, and later that ofFrederik van Zyl Slabbert, leader of the oppositionProgressive Federal Party.
The western part of Rondebosch is dominated by the main campus of theUniversity of Cape Town. Rondebosch is also notable for a high density of schools. Originally the Rondebosch Town Hall theRondebosch Public Library is a notable landmark in the neighbourhood.
Western Province Cricket Club is the largest sports facility in Rondebosch, catering for many different sports, including tennis and hockey. The University itself has facilities for most sports. Other facilities include Rondebosch Golf Club and Rygersdal Football Club. Next door to Rondebosch is Newlands, home to theNewlands Stadium for rugby and soccer, andNewlands Cricket Ground.
Parks in Rondebosch includeKeurboom Park andRondebosch Park.Rondebosch Common is also a popular recreational park.
According to the2011 census, 14,591 people live in Rondebosch. 62.7% described themselves as "White", 16.5% as "Black African", 9.6% as "Coloured" and 6.1% as "Indian or Asian". The predominant language is English, which is thefirst language of 84.3% of the population. 7.6% speakAfrikaans and 1.8% speakXhosa.[1]
In the second half of the 20th century (1950-1991), Rondebosch was a whites-only area in terms of theGroup Areas Act, anApartheid law that enforced segregation.
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Communities ofCity of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality,Western Cape | |||||
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