Wynberg | |
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 Interactive map of Wynberg | |
| Coordinates:34°00′15″S18°28′13″E / 34.00417°S 18.47028°E /-34.00417; 18.47028 | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Western Cape |
| Municipality | City of Cape Town |
| Main Place | Cape Town |
| Government | |
| • Councillor | Montgomery Oliver (DA) |
| Area | |
• Total | 5.06 km2 (1.95 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
• Total | 14,472 |
| • Density | 2,860/km2 (7,410/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 21.1% |
| • Coloured | 46.2% |
| • Indian/Asian | 3.6% |
| • White | 24.0% |
| • Other | 5.4% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • English | 69.6% |
| • Afrikaans | 14.9% |
| • Xhosa | 5.0% |
| • Sotho | 1.1% |
| • Other | 9.4% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal code (street) | 7800[2] |
| PO box | 7824 |
Wynberg (/ˈwaɪnbɜːrɡ/WYNE-burg) is a southern suburb of theCity of Cape Town inWestern Cape, South Africa. It is situated betweenPlumstead andKenilworth, and is a main transport hub for theSouthern Suburbs of Cape Town.
In the 1650s,Jan van Riebeeck's farm Boscheuvel, where he planted the Cape's first vineyards and was the first to producewine in the Cape, was located in the greater Wynberg area close to the slopes of Table Mountain.[3]: 21 In 1683 land along theLiesbeek River was granted to Herman Weeckens by Simon van der Stel. The farm was named De Oude Wijnbergh (Old Wine Mountain). The Cape's rough seas in the winter months led to a formal winter anchorage in 1743 where ships would dock at Simons' Baai (present daySimon's Town). A wagon route linking Cape Town to Simon's Town went over the hill adjacent to De Oude Wjinbergh estate.
When the British took control of the Cape settlement on 16 Sept 1795 the small farming area of Wynberg developed rapidly into a garrison town, as the British settled a large number of troops in the area. A notable settler wasAlexander Tennant who built a house still standing, named Sonnebloem. At Wynberg the Dutch had earlier made a show of resistance, but they were soon driven from their post by the British.[4] Wynberg was a convenient halfway point betweenTable Bay andFalse Bay and this led to a hub of commercial activity. The authorities had allotted places where large teams of oxen could be unyoked and graze which made this possible.[5] The village provided farmers with an alternative to the market in Cape Town. As more farms were subdivided commercial and residential properties began to increase.[6]
DiplomatEdmund Roberts passed through Wynberg in 1833. He described it as being "beautiful," and being "adorned with a great number of gentlemen's seats, and neat cottages, the avenues leading to them having well-trimmed hedges of myrtle and oak..."[7] The famous astronomerJohn Herschel lived at Wynberg between 1834 and 1838, where he set up a telescope in nearbyClaremont to study the southern hemisphere skies, and also did some botanical work on South African flowers together with his wife Margaret. In addition, it was in Wynberg that the youngCharles Darwin met Herschel in 1836, a meeting which considerably influenced Darwin's later work.[citation needed]
By the 1850 a significantly largeMuslim community had become established in the area with a Muslim graveyard established in 1848,[3]: 178–179 thirty-six years later, in 1886, theYusafaya mosque was constructed.[3]: 414
In 1861 the Wynberg Railway Company was established and a railway connecting the village to Cape Town was completed in 1865,[8] serviced by aCGR 4-4-0 “Wynberg Tank” locomotive.[9] In 1876 the company was bought by the Cape government, its railway tracks converted toCape gauge and the line extended toMuizenberg six years later.[8] The opening of the railway played in important part in transforming the village into a satellite town from which commuters could easily travel to Cape Town.[3]: 205
From 1891 to 1904 the Wynberg experienced a period of rapid growth and expanding infrastructure, many of which were driven by the towns mayorJames Bisset. The1891 census recorded a population of 4,952, and by the time of the1904 Cape census Wynberg had a total population of 13,697[3]: 383, 393–394 with the greater Wynberg municipal area having a population of 20,404 residents.[3]: 23 The population boom during this period was likely fueled by theBoer War and the growth of theWynberg Military Base.[3]: 383, 393–394
Battswood School was established in Wynberg in 1891 byMartha Grey.[10][3]: 412 One of South Africa's first electric power plants was built in Wynberg on Electric Road in 1893 to provide power to a localtram system and publicstreetlights.[11] In 1902 King Edward Park, now known asWynberg Park, was opened. The 1890s also saw the securing of a municipal water supply from Table Mountain and the municipal wide installation of a waterbornesewage system.[3]: 399–403
During this period Wynberg hosted one of the largestJewish communities in the Cape, leading to the construction of the Wynberg synagogue in 1897.[3]: 416
The municipality of Wynberg was merged into theCity of Cape Town following a local referendum on 11 June 1927.[3]: 541 The merger was prompted by complaints from community members in outlying areas of the municipality, such asDiep River andPlumstead, that their areas were being neglected and that much needed urban upgrades to roads, sanitation, and the provision of electricity were not being met. Additionally the municipality had accrued a large debts amounting to £650,000(R205,137,000 in 2018).[12][3]: 540 At the time Wynberg was the largest municipality bordering Cape Town in terms of the number of registered voters in the area (4,250) with only Claremont (3,226) andSea Point (3,601) being comparable;[3]: 541–542 the municipality included the modern day Cape Town neighborhoods of Plumstead, Diep River,Retreat,Heathfield,Tokai,Constantia, Princess Vlei,Grassy Park, Southfield, Wynberg, and parts ofKenilworth.[3]
Wynberg is bordered byKenilworth to the north andPlumstead to the south east,Constantia is situated to its west. Wynberg railway station is on the main line from Cape Town toSimon's Town.Main Road (which runs from Central Cape Town through to Simon's Town) runs through Wynberg, and the suburb can also be accessed from theM3 freeway which skirts the west of the Neighborhood close to the Wynberg Military Base.
Within Wynberg itself the area is often divided up into the Wynberg Village area in the west where many historic homes are located, the wealthier area of Upper Wynberg in the north west, the Wynberg commercial centre located along Main Road (M4), and Wynberg East on the eastern side of the railway where many historic landmarks and places of worship are located including the Yusuffia mosque.
According to the 2011 census the neighborhood had a total of 14,472 residents with 69.6% speaking English as their first language.
The 2001 the census recorded 4,417 households and 12,821 people residing in the suburb.[13] The racial makeup of the suburb was 8.42%Black African, 49.82%Coloured, 11.93%Indian/Asian, 29.83%White and 0% from other races. In the suburb the population was spread out, with 24.67% under the age of 18, 29.94% from 18 to 34, 25.65% from 35 to 54, 8.74% from 55 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 85.44 males. 77.69% of the population spoke English, 15.34%Afrikaans, 4.45%isiXhosa, 1.59% another African language and 0.92% some other language as a first language.[13]
The Maynardville Community Chest Carnival takes place annually, during the first half of the year.
Wynberg Boys' High School, on the hillside above the main village, is the second oldest school in South Africa, having been established in 1841. It is located on Hawthornden Estate alongside the former stately home of Prince Labia. The Junior School is housed in Victorian buildings in Cape Town designed by acclaimed architectSir Herbert Baker.There are two prominent all-girls schools in the area:Wynberg Girls' High School is located near the village, whilst Springfield Convent School, founded by Irish Dominican Sisters fromCabra, Dublin in 1871, serves as a Catholic school situated close toWynberg Park.
The Royal Cape Golf Club, South Africa's oldest club, had its beginning on 14 November 1885 whenLt Gen SirHenry Torrens,Governor of theCape Colony chaired a meeting at theCape Town Castle "for the purpose of introducing the game ofgolf and starting a club for the same". It was on Waterloo Green at the Wynberg Military Camp that the club established its first home. The layout of the course is not known and it is certain that playing conditions at their best were rough and ready.[17]
The military base was established in 1804 following the report of a commission appointed to find a suitable base for the 'Hottentot Corps'. The farm ofAlexander Tennant,De Oude Wynberg, was selected. From 1804 the military took increasing interest in this strategic location. Tennant sold 78morgen to theCape government in March 1809; while the BritishSecretary at War acquired a further 54morgen in June 1886. December 1921 saw the transfer of all the land, property and buildings to the government of theUnion of South Africa.[18]
A rock behind 2 Military Hospital bears an inscription recording the dates when the 59th Regiment (2nd East Lancashire) formed part of the Cape garrison: 1806, 1859–61, 1911–14.[18] TheOfficers'Mess was declared a Provincial Heritage Site.[19]
Wynberg was a municipality in its own right from 1886 to 1927. The town council adopted a coat of arms, designed by councillor Stanley Ponder, on 17 June 1895.[20]
The shield was quartered. In the first quarter were three golden rings on a red background (the arms ofJan van Riebeeck). In the second quarter was a black anchor on a golden background, representing the Cape Colony. The third quarter was black, showing a white tent with a pennant flying (to represent the military garrison). The fourth quarter depicted a golden vine and three fleurs de lis against a green background.[21] The motto wasVivit crescat floreat vitis.
Variants of these arms were later adopted byWynberg Boys' High School, the Wynberg Bowling Club, Wynberg Sports Club, Wynberg Club and South Peninsula Rugby Football Club.
Communities ofCity of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality,Western Cape | |||||
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Seat:Cape Town | |||||
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| Blaauwberg | |||||
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