Villiers, South Africa
Appearance
Villiers | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 27°02′S 28°36′E / 27.033°S 28.600°E | |
Country | South Africa |
Province | Free State |
District | Fezile Dabi |
Municipality | Mafube |
Established | 1891[1] |
Area | |
• Total | 9.3 km2 (3.6 sq mi) |
Population (2011)[2] | |
• Total | 17,315 |
• Density | 1,900/km2 (4,800/sq mi) |
Racial makeup (2011) | |
• Black African | 94.0% |
• Coloured | 0.3% |
• Indian/Asian | 0.3% |
• White | 5.1% |
• Other | 0.2% |
First languages (2011) | |
• Sotho | 66.7% |
• Zulu | 19.6% |
• Afrikaans | 6.2% |
• Xhosa | 2.2% |
• Other | 5.4% |
Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
Postal code (street) | 9840 |
PO box | 9840 |
Area code | 058 |
Villiers is a small town situated on the banks of the Vaal River next to the N3 highway in the Free State province of South Africa. It was founded in 1882 on the two farms Pearson Valley and Grootdraai owned by Lourens de Villiers.
Location
[edit]The town is located in the north-eastern Free State, in the eastern half of South Africa. It actually lies at the border of the province of Mpumalanga, with the Vaal River forming the border.
History
[edit]The town of Villiers is named after Lourens de Villiers on whose farms the town was first built. The town was established at the Vaal River crossing on the route between Durban and Johannesburg. The town was proclaimed by State President F.W. Reitz on 29 May 1891.
The town is part of Mafube Local Municipality.
Notable people
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Robson, Linda Gillian (2011). "Annexure A" (PDF). The Royal Engineers and settlement planning in the Cape Colony 1806–1872: Approach, methodology and impact (PhD thesis). University of Pretoria. pp. xlv–lii. hdl:2263/26503.
- ^ a b c d Sum of the Main Places Qalabotjha and Villiers from Census 2011.
- ^ "Theuns Stofberg (1955-) – Afrikanergeskiedenis" (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 2023-08-23.