Warrenton, South Africa

Warrenton is an agricultural town of approximately 22,588 people in the Northern Cape province of South Africa, situated 70 kilometres (40 mi) north of Kimberley on the Vaal River.

Warrenton
Railway bridge across the Vaal River at Warrenton
Railway bridge across the Vaal River at Warrenton
Warrenton is located in Northern Cape
Warrenton
Warrenton
Warrenton is located in South Africa
Warrenton
Warrenton
Coordinates: 28°06′41″S 24°50′59″E
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceNorthern Cape
DistrictFrances Baard
MunicipalityMagareng
Established1880
Area
[1]
 • Total31.7 km2 (12.2 sq mi)
Elevation
1,180 m (3,870 ft)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total22,588
 • Density710/km2 (1,800/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
[1]
 • Black African79.6%
 • Coloured14.2%
 • Indian/Asian0.7%
 • White5.1%
 • Other0.3%
First languages (2011)
[1]
 • Tswana66.7%
 • Afrikaans21.7%
 • Xhosa3.8%
 • Sotho2.0%
 • Other5.8%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
8530
PO box
8530
Area code053

History

In 1880, a syndicate bought the western portion of the farm Grasbult to irrigate the fertile land and produce vegetables for the diamond fields. The town which grew here was named after Sir Charles Warren. Diamonds were discovered here in 1888 and mining continued to 1926.

Geography

Warrenton is situated in the north-eastern part of the Northern Cape province, on the south bank of the Vaal River, approximately 70 kilometres (40 mi) north of Kimberley, the provincial capital.

The town lies just downstream of the Vaalharts Dam, which supplies water to the Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme.

The N12 national route, the main route from Kimberley to Gauteng, passes through Warrenton, and the N18 national route to Mahikeng and Botswana stars there.

The main Cape Town–Kimberley–Johannesburg railway line also passes through the town, and the line to Mahikeng and Botswana branches off at Fourteen Streams, on the north bank of the Vaal opposite Warrenton.

Demographics

In the 2011 Census the population of Warrenton, including the township of Ikutseng, was recorded as 22,588 people living in 5,615 households. 80% of the residents described themselves as "Black African", 14% as "Coloured", 5% as "White", and 1% as "Indian or Asian". 67% of the residents of the town speak Setswana as their first language, while 22% speak Afrikaans, 4% speak Xhosa and 2% speak Sotho.[1]

Government

Warrenton is the only town in the Magareng Local Municipality, which covers an area of 1,542 square kilometres (595 sq mi) between the Harts River and the Free State border. The municipal council is controlled by an African National Congress majority; the mayor is Neo Mase.[2]

References
  1. Sum of the Main Places Ikhutseng and Warrenton from Census 2011.
  2. "Contact information: Magareng Local Municipality". Government Communication and Information System. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  • Warrenton at the Northern Cape Tourism Authority website
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