Thaba 'Nchu Blesberg | |
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 Thaba 'Nchu | |
  Thaba 'Nchu  Thaba 'Nchu | |
| Coordinates:29°12′S26°50′E / 29.200°S 26.833°E /-29.200; 26.833{Rana Thakar} | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Free State |
| Municipality | Mangaung |
| Established | 1892[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 36.39 km2 (14.05 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[2] | |
• Total | 70,118 |
| • Density | 1,900/km2 (5,000/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 98.9% |
| • Coloured | 0.4% |
| • Indian/Asian | 0.3% |
| • White | 0.2% |
| • Other | 0.2% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Sotho | 46.8% |
| • Tswana | 40.1% |
| • English | 3.9% |
| • Xhosa | 3.8% |
| • Other | 5.5% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal code (street) | 9780 |
| Area code | 051 |
Thaba 'Nchu, also known asBlesberg (bald mountain inAfrikaans[3]), is a town inFree State,South Africa, 63 km east ofBloemfontein and 17 km east ofBotshabelo. The population is largely made up ofTswana andSotho people. The town was settled in December 1833 and officially established in 1873. The town grew larger following the 1913Natives' Land Act that declared the area ahomeland for the Tswana people.
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The three Barolong clans (boo-Seleka, boo-Ratlou and boo-Tshidi) under their Chiefs,migrated here in December 1833. A decade earlier, these clans were driven from their land of origin, over theVaal, byMzilikazi, and sojourned at a place they called Motlhaana-wa-pitse (Jaw-bone of a horse), in what is now the westernFree State. Upon reaching an agreement with KingMoshoeshoe I, they settled in the area with their Wesleyan Methodist Missionaries- Samuel Broadbent and Thomas L. Hodgson.
Then their numbers were augmented by other Barolong (boo-Rapulana under Matlaba) scattered by Mzilikazi.[5]
These Barolong people accepted theVoortrekkers as allies. The first Voortrekkers to stay here on their northward journeys wereLouis Tregardt andHans van Rensburg in 1835. The town subsequently became a safe meeting place for leaders such asHendrik Potgieter, who arrived in May 1836,Piet Uys andGerrit Maritz.
After Potgieter's trek was attacked and plundered atVegkop, Moroka II swiftly assisted him with draught oxen and a liberal provision of supplies.[5] TheBoer party was also assisted in returning to a refugee camp at Thaba 'Nchu, named "Moroka's Hoek". The Boer leader held a war council with the Barolong chiefs, Moroka, Tawana, Gontse, and Matlaba where a Boer-Barolong-Griqua allegiance was formed, which shortly routed Mzilikazi, who then founded the kingdom ofMatabeleland.[5]
In 1841, when Tawana, Gontse, and Matlaba returned to their original home, Moroka II made Blesberg his permanent home.
The area was considered a friendly native state of the Boer-governedOrange Free State, established in 1854. It, however, became an insular territory during theBasotho Wars, during which the Basotho were expelled from its vicinity.[5]
In theapartheid era, the town was the only Free State town that formed part of the area set aside for theBantustan ofBophuthatswana, nominally ruled by the then PresidentLucas Mangope. It was then a trading centre. Under the Presidency of Mangope and the Chieftainship of Moroka II's great grandson – Robert Tawana Mokgopa Moroka – Thaba 'Nchu Sun & Naledi Sun Hotel & Casino were established bySun International, and it then became a major tourist attraction of the Free State, due to its proximity toBloemfontein.
Geographical features include the promontories of theLesotho mountains, suitable for large lands with ample game, wherein a game reserve, theMaria Moroka Nature Reserve, has been maintained. A variety of wildlife and bird species are found here, besides a hiking trail, a traditional Tswana site, and amenities for various activities and adventures in the reserve. The reserve has been named after the political town hero Dr. Maria Moroka. Much of the surrounding land is arable, which has been employed for large scale farming of both commercial and domestic nature. The town is also known for the Aran hand-knitted woolen garments made by localcraftspeople.
TheMmabana Stadium is located in the town.
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| National | |
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