Caffiefontein
| Caffiefontein | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
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| Coordinates | 29 ° 24 ′ S , 25 ° 0 ′ E | ||
| Basic data | |||
| Country | South Africa | ||
| free State | |||
| District | Xhariep | ||
| ISO 3166-2 | ZA-FS | ||
| local community | Letsemeng | ||
| height | 1190 m | ||
| Residents | 10,402 (2011) | ||
| founding | around 1860 | ||
Koffiefontein is a city in the South African province of Free State . It is located in Letsemeng Township in Xhariep District .
geography
In 2011, Koffiefontein had 10,402 inhabitants. In the north is the township of Ditlhako. The Kalkfontein Dam on the Riet River southeast of Koffiefontein supplies the city with drinking water.
history
In the second half of the 19th century, the square developed into a place where diamond and gold prospectors rested, for example from Kimberley . They supposedly drank coffee regularly ( Koffiefontein ( afrikaans ) means "source of coffee"). In 1870 diamonds were found near Koffiefontein, after which the settlement grew and in 1892 received city rights . De Beers operated a diamond mine there, which was taken over by Petra Diamonds in 2007 .
During the Second Boer War , Koffiefontein served as a base for British troops. During the Second World War there was a large internment camp in Koffiefontein . Around 2000 Italians and Germans as well as around 800 Boers were detained there, including the later President of South Africa, Balthazar Johannes Vorster , who belonged to the Ossewabrandwag . On August 11, 1967, Vorster gave a nationally recognized speech in Koffiefontein in which he explained his policy.
The Boer writer Etienne Leroux (1922–1989), who belonged to the avant-garde group of Sestigers , who wrote in Afrikaans , lived on the Ja-Nee farm near Kaffiefontein and was buried there.
Economy and Transport
The Koffiefontein diamond mine is the kimberlite mine with the world's highest value per carat of mined diamond. Agriculture also plays an important role. Sheep breeding and the cultivation of alfalfa , potatoes and peanuts dominate.
Koffiefontein is on the R48 trunk road that runs from Bloemfontein in the east to De Aar in the southwest. The R704 branches off in Koffiefontein and leads to Trompsburg in the southeast. The airfield Koffiefontein Mine Airport has the ICAO -Kürzel FAKV. Koffiefontein is the end of a branch line from Springfontein in the south, which is out of service.
Web links
- Portrait at places.co.za (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ 2011 census , accessed November 25, 2013
- ↑ a b c d portrait at places.co.za (English), accessed on July 31, 2013
- ^ Mine Koffiefontein on the company's website , accessed February 11, 2016
- ↑ statements at sahistory.org.za (English), accessed on July 31, 2013
- ↑ Portrait of Leroux at stellenboschwriters.com (English), accessed on July 31, 2013
- ↑ Portrait of the mine at mining-technology.com (English), accessed on July 31, 2013