Reitz (South Africa)
| Reitz | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Coordinates | 27 ° 48 '2 " S , 28 ° 25' 38" O | ||
| Basic data | |||
| Country | South Africa | ||
| free State | |||
| District | Thabo Mofutsanyana | ||
| ISO 3166-2 | ZA-FS | ||
| local community | Nketoana | ||
| height | 1622 m | ||
| surface | 22.3 km² | ||
| Residents | 3362 (2011) | ||
| density | 150.6 Ew. / km² | ||
| founding | 1889 | ||
Reitz is a city in the South African province of Free State . It is the administrative center of the municipality Nketoana Local Municipality in the district Thabo Mofutsanyana .
geography
In 2011 Reitz had 3362 inhabitants, the township of Petsana immediately to the east, 16,821 inhabitants.
Reitz is located in the eastern part of the Free State Province in Highveld , a plateau with some flat mesas of sandstone . The annual rainfall averages 686 mm.
The closest cities are Petrus Steyn in the northwest, Bethlehem in the south and Tweeling and Frankfort in the north.
history
The place was founded in 1889 on the Langspruit farm . After a shop owner, it was initially called Singer's Post, then Amsterdam, and finally Reitz after the former President of the Orange Free State, Francis William Reitz . During the Second Boer War , the government of the Orange Free State stayed temporarily in Reitz and was almost captured there in 1901 by the British war opponents. In 1903 Reitz received municipal status.
Economy and Transport
The main line of business is agriculture (maize, wheat and cattle breeding) in the agrarian area.
The city lies on the trunk roads R26 , which leads from Frankfort to Bethlehem, and the R57 , which connects Heilbron in the northwest with Phuthaditjhaba in the southeast.
Reitz is on the Bethlehem – Balfour railway line , which is now only operated in freight traffic as planned. There are numerous grain silos at the station. The Reitz Airport north of town has an airstrip and is not served on schedule.
Sightseeing and tourism
There is a Dutch Reformed Church in the city . Every year in February, the Bielie Mielie Festival takes place, with the corn being the focus.
Personalities
- David Jacobs (* 1947), diplomat, born in Reitz
Web links
- Tourist information at sa-venues.com (English)