Leliefontein, South Africa

Leliefontein
Methodist Mission Church, Leliefontein
Methodist Mission Church, Leliefontein
Leliefontein is located in Northern Cape
Leliefontein
Leliefontein
Leliefontein is located in South Africa
Leliefontein
Leliefontein
Coordinates: 30°18′00″S 18°05′00″E / 30.3°S 18.083333°E / -30.3; 18.083333
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceNorthern Cape
DistrictNamakwa
MunicipalityKamiesberg
Area
 • Total0.67 km2 (0.26 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total616
 • Density920/km2 (2,400/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
 • Black African0.3%
 • Coloured99.2%
 • Indian/Asian0.3%
 • Other0.2%
First languages (2011)
 • Afrikaans95.8%
 • English2.8%
 • Tswana1.1%
 • Other0.3%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)

Leliefontein is a settlement in Namakwa District Municipality in the Northern Cape province of South Africa.

A village in the Kamiesberg Mountains, 18 miles (29 km) south-east of Kamieskroon, Leliefontein was established in 1816 by Reverend Barnabas Shaw, an English Wesleyan missionary.[2][3][unreliable source?] The mission was established on a farm awarded to the Namaquas by the Dutch governor Rijk Tulbagh.[4] It is probably named after the many white lilies found in the area.[2]

It was the site of the 1902 Leliefontein massacre, during the final stages of the Second Boer War.

From 1966 till 2016, it was the site of a major helicopter base of the SADF from where two squadrons of attack helicopters and transport helicopters operated, co-located with an Armoured Corps/Tank Battalion base and headquarters. It came under the operational responsibility of the 4th Integrated Division headquartered at Springbok.[5]

  1. ^ a b c d "Main Place Leliefontein". Census 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Leliefontein". Tracks4Africa Padkos. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  3. ^ "ancestry.com".
  4. ^ Sandra Olivier (2005). Touring in South Africa. Struik. p. 169. ISBN 978-1-77007-142-1.
  5. ^ "Leliefontein". Karoo Space. 21 June 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2014.