Alice, Eastern Cape

Alice

Buildings of the University of Fort Hare in Alice
Alice

 Alice shown within Eastern Cape

Coordinates: 32°47′S 26°50′E / 32.783°S 26.833°E / -32.783; 26.833Coordinates: 32°47′S 26°50′E / 32.783°S 26.833°E / -32.783; 26.833
Country South Africa
Province Eastern Cape
District Amathole
Municipality Nkonkobe
Established 1824
Area[1]
  Total 9.85 km2 (3.80 sq mi)
Population (2011)[1]
  Total 15,143
  Density 1,500/km2 (4,000/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[1]
  Black African 93.0%
  Coloured 5.6%
  Indian/Asian 0.3%
  White 0.6%
  Other 0.5%
First languages (2011)[1]
  Xhosa 84.0%
  Afrikaans 7.3%
  English 3.5%
  Other 5.2%
Postal code (street) 5700
PO box 5700
Area code 040

Alice, a town in South Africa, is named after The Princess Alice, daughter of the British Queen Victoria. Many of the current political leaders in South Africa were educated at the University of Fort Hare, also the alma mater of former President Nelson Mandela. The university is also the repository of the archives of the African National Congress documents and houses one of the most significant collections of African art.

Victoria Hospital is a large district hospital on the outskirts of Alice, recently (2006-2011) fully reconstructed and upgraded by the Eastern Cape Provincial Government.[2]

History

Alice railway station, c. 1900

The location was named Lovedale by European missionaries who settled there in 1824. It was named after Dr. John Love of the Glasgow Missionary Society. During the Frontier War it was abandoned and the mission resettled on the west bank of the Tyume River. On the east bank a fort was built, called Fort Hare, after Major-General John Hare, who was acting Lieutenant-Governor of the Eastern Cape. Alice was the administrative and magisterial capital of the old district of Victoria East.

References

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