Swartruggens

Swartruggens
Swartruggens

 Swartruggens shown within North West

Coordinates: 25°39′S 26°42′E / 25.650°S 26.700°E / -25.650; 26.700Coordinates: 25°39′S 26°42′E / 25.650°S 26.700°E / -25.650; 26.700
Country South Africa
Province North West
District Bojanala Platinum
Municipality Kgetlengrivier
Established 1875
Area[1]
 • Total 10.74 km2 (4.15 sq mi)
Population (2011)[1]
 • Total 1,969
 • Density 180/km2 (470/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[1]
 • Black African 39.5%
 • Coloured 1.8%
 • Indian/Asian 5.5%
 • White 52.3%
 • Other 0.8%
First languages (2011)[1]
 • Afrikaans 57.4%
 • Tswana 21.9%
 • English 14.1%
 • Zulu 1.7%
 • Other 4.9%
Postal code (street) 2835
PO box 2835
Area code 014

Swartruggens is a small farming town in North West Province, South Africa that was established in 1875.

Location

The town is located by the Elands River, 69 km from the town of Zeerust, 56 km west of the city of Rustenburg and 34 km north-west of Koster.[2]

It takes its name 'Swartruggens' from a series of hills there, formerly known as Zwartruggens, a Dutch name for 'black ridges'.[3]

History

The town of Swartruggens was founded in 1875 on the farm Brakfontein.

After the Siege of Mafeking, during the Second Anglo-Boer War, one of the supply depots established by Robert Baden-Powell as he moved towards Pretoria was in Swartruggens.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Main Place Swartruggens". Census 2011.
  2. ↑ Swartruggens - North West Province South Africa
  3. ↑ "Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Public Domain)". Human Sciences Research Council. p. 424.
  4. ↑ Battle of Elands River

External links

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