Boetsap
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Boetsap
| pushpin_map = South Africa Northern Cape#South Africa
| coordinates = {{coord|27.971|S|24.450|E|region:ZA|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = South Africa
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| subdivision_name1 = Northern Cape
| subdivision_type2 = District
| subdivision_name2 = Frances Baard
| subdivision_type3 = Municipality
| subdivision_name3 = Dikgatlong
| subdivision_type4 = Main Place
| established_title = Established
| established_date = 1883
| leader_title = Councillor
| area_footnotes =
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| population_density_km2 = auto
| demographics_type1 =
| demographics1_title1 = Black African
| demographics1_info1 =
| demographics1_title2 = Coloured
| demographics1_info2 =
| demographics1_title3 = Indian/Asian
| demographics1_info3 =
| demographics1_title4 = White
| demographics1_info4 =
| demographics1_title5 = Other
| demographics1_info5 =
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| timezone1 = SAST
| utc_offset1 = +2
| postal_code_type = Postal code (street)
| postal_code =
| postal2_code_type = PO box
| postal2_code =
| area_code_type = Area code
}}
Boetsap is a private owned village between towns Prieska, Warrenton, Douglas and Reivilo. Its situated in the Northern Cape, South Africa
Beginnings
The area today known as Boetsap belonged to the Griqua King, Barend Barendse. Moselekatse beaten him in a battle and took the land over.{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/wildsportssouth00harrgoog|quote=Sir William Cornwallis Harris.|title=The Wild Sports of Southern Africa; Being the Narrative of an Expedition from the Cape of Good Hope, Through the Territories of the Chief Moselekatse, to the Tropic of Capricorn page 151|publisher=John Murray, Albemarle Street |date=1839|accessdate= 5 June 2018 |author=Harris, WC}} In 1879 William Hunter took it over and in his turn sold it to Archibald Cochran.{{cite web| url=http://www.pelteret.co.za/content/000024/Kotze-Family-Tree-Supplement-Floris-Kotze.pdf |title= Document 43 of 60 Solvent and insolvent estates done by the Griqualand West |accessdate=4 June 2018|publisher= McGregor Museum, Kimberley }} Cochran sold it to the congregation of Kimberley and du Toitspan. In 1883 it formed its own congregation and a town was founded, calling it Cathcart West. It was changed to Boetsap in 1890. (Old missionaries recorded it as Bootschap) The area then was divided into two separate areas Boetsap and Klein (small) Boetsap. Klein Boetsap became Reivilo. Boetsap later became in the possession of H Pagan.Book: Diamantveld High school journal, published 1953,author: Nelson H
Naming origin
The name originates out of Tswana. It’s called after the word “Mabuchapella”. The meaning is Mother of Fertility (referring to an animal).
From Tswana bucwa, 'fat', 'sleek', it is said to refer to the condition of the cattle there.{{cite book|last=Raper|first=Peter E.|title=Dictionary of Southern African Place Names|url=https://archive.org/stream/DictionaryOfSouthernAfricanPlaceNames/SaPlaceNames#page/n85/mode/2up|publisher=Internet Archive|accessdate=28 August 2013|page=85|year=1987}}
Location
It’s on the foot of the Ghaapse Plateau. David Livingstone, the explorer and Missionary when looking at trees decided to call the valley to Boetsap “Forest Hill”. This was in the 1800s before the formal town settling.
School and Nursing home
On 1 June 1883 a school, accommodating children from SubA (Grade 1) and Standard 6(Grade 8) was opened with 25 children. The first principal was D Viljoen. Later D Nelson was principal from 1923-1954. A Nursing home was also opened in the late 1930s.Book:Diamantveld High school publication,1953,author=Nelson,H.
Limestone formation and asbestos
In the 1930s Prof Young{{cite web |url=http://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/17096 |title=Palaeontologia Africana, Annals of Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research, Volume 15, 1973 High Inheritance Elongate Stromatolitic Mounds from the Transvaal Dolomite page 24|accessdate=4 June 2018 |author= Eriksson,K.A. and Truswell,J.F.}} from Wits did some studies here regarding Stromatolite. Asbestos mining also took place in the area. The Asbestos Mountains rise from the Ghaap Plateau and is called that due to the mining that took place in the 20th century
Notable residents
Edwill van Aarde South African radio and television personality, grew up there.{{cite web |url=https://citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/50678/boetsapm/|title=The safest place in SA |publisher=The citizen |accessdate= 4 June 2018|date=22 September 2013|author= Jadoo, Y.}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Frances Baard District Municipality}}
Category:Populated places in the Dikgatlong Local Municipality