Frankfort, Free State

Not to be confused with Frankfort, Eastern Cape.
Frankfort

Industrial buildings in Frankfort
Frankfort

 Frankfort shown within Free State

Coordinates: 27°17′S 28°31′E / 27.283°S 28.517°E / -27.283; 28.517Coordinates: 27°17′S 28°31′E / 27.283°S 28.517°E / -27.283; 28.517
Country South Africa
Province Free State
District Fezile Dabi
Municipality Mafube
Established 1878[1]
Area[2]
 • Total 20.9 km2 (8.1 sq mi)
Elevation 1,530 m (5,020 ft)
Population (2011)[2]
 • Total 26,144
 • Density 1,300/km2 (3,200/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[2]
 • Black African 91.0%
 • Coloured 0.5%
 • Indian/Asian 0.2%
 • White 8.2%
 • Other 0.2%
First languages (2011)[2]
 • Sotho 61.8%
 • Zulu 22.3%
 • Afrikaans 9.0%
 • Xhosa 1.9%
 • Other 5.0%
Postal code (street) 9830
PO box 9830
Area code 058

Frankfort is a small farming town situated on the banks of the Wilge River in the Free State province of South Africa. The town was laid out in 1869 on the farm Roodepoort, and named Frankfurt (after Frankfurt-am-Main in Germany) by Albert van Gordon.[3] The town later received municipality status in 1896.[4]

Frankfort is now the capital town to Villiers, Cornelia and Tweeling, called the Mafube Municipality. The main street is 'Brand Street', named after the 4th president of the Orange Free State, Sir Johannes Brand. During 1883, he visited the town and laid the cornerstone of the Dutch Reformed Church. This church was burnt down by the British troops during the Anglo-Boer War. After the war it was rebuilt and inaugurated in 1918.

This town has produced soccer stars like Paul Motaung (former Kaizer Chiefs defender) and Chris Motaung (former Swallows midfielder), Frederich Lombaard a former Cheetah and Springbok rugby player, and academics like Dr Mahlathini Tshabalala, who is now based in Gauteng and the renowned Motloung brothers Paul and Michael who are based in Botshabelo and Bloemfontein respectively.

Notes

  1. ↑ "Chronological order of town establishment in South Africa based on Floyd (1960:20-26)" (PDF). pp. xlv–lii.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Sum of the Main Places Namahadi and Frankfort from Census 2011.
  3. ↑ http://www.freestatetourism.org/about-the-free-state/fezile-dabi-frankfort/index.html
  4. ↑ Raper, P.E. (2004). South African Place Names. Jonathan Ball, Jhb & Cape Town. p. 105. ISBN 1-86842-190-2.


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