Noupoort
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Use South African English|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Noupoort
| image_skyline = Dorpsbeeld_Noupoort.jpg
| image_caption = View over Noupoort
| pushpin_map = South Africa Northern Cape#South Africa
| coordinates = {{coord|31|11|S|24|57|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 = Pixley ka Seme
| subdivision_type3 = Municipality
| subdivision_name3 = Umsobomvu
| subdivision_type4 = Main Place
| established_title = Established
| leader_title = Councillor
| area_footnotes = Sum of the Main Places [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/370005 Noupoort] and [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/370006 Kwazamuxolo] from Census 2011.
| area_total_km2 = 10.2
| elevation_m = 1494
| population_total = 7848
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_density_km2 = auto
| demographics_type1 = Racial makeup (2011)
| demographics1_title1 = Black African
| demographics1_info1 = 54.0%
| demographics1_title2 = Coloured
| demographics1_info2 = 41.5%
| demographics1_title3 = Indian/Asian
| demographics1_info3 = 0.5%
| demographics1_title4 = White
| demographics1_info4 = 3.7%
| demographics1_title5 = Other
| demographics1_info5 = 0.2%
| demographics_type2 = First languages (2011)
| demographics2_title1 = Xhosa
| demographics2_info1 = 48.2%
| demographics2_title2 = Afrikaans
| demographics2_info2 = 47.7%
| demographics2_title3 = English
| demographics2_info3 = 1.5%
| demographics2_title4 =
| demographics2_info4 =
| demographics2_title5 = Other
| demographics2_info5 = 2.6%
| timezone1 = SAST
| utc_offset1 = +2
| postal_code_type = Postal code (street)
| postal_code = 5950
| postal2_code_type = PO box
| postal2_code = 5950
| area_code_type = Area code
| area_code = 049843
}}
Noupoort is a small town in the eastern Karoo region of South Africa.
The town lies 54 km south of Colesberg and 45 km north of Rosmead Junction on the N9 National Route. It was laid out on a portion of the farm Caroluspoort, was administered by a village management board from 1937 and attained municipal status in 1942. Afrikaans for ‘narrow pass’, the name refers to a gap in the Carlton Hills 27 km to the north-west.{{cite web|title=Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Public Domain)|url=https://archive.org/details/DictionaryOfSouthernAfricanPlaceNames|publisher=Human Science Research Council|page=341}}
Economy
The town revolved principally around the railways and is still used as traction change-over facility from diesel to electric locomotives on the Noupoort-Bloemfontein line. It was serviced by Midlandia, a locomotive complex a few kilometres to the south of town, especially during the diesel era up to the late 1900s. Nowadays it links up with the electrified line to De Aar, part of the main artery for iron ore and manganese exports from the Northern Cape through Port Elizabeth harbour on the south coast.
Commercial activity in Noupoort is heavily dependent on railway activity. After a long period of increasingly less demand on the rail network, the town suffered from a drastic decline in local business leading to increasingly dire socioeconomic conditions for the local population. Poverty increased concomitantly with the decline in rail activity.
= Wind farms =
The Noupoort area is considered a good location for constructing wind farms.https://noupoortwind.co.za/noupoort-wind-farm-officially-declared-operational-by-community-leaders/ This is because of its excellent wind resource, proximity to national roads for transportation wind turbines, favourable construction conditions, straightforward electrical connection into the Eskom grid, and low environmental impact of the construction.
10km east of Noupoort is the Noupoort Wind Farm.https://noupoortwind.co.za/noupoort-wind-farm/overview/ It has been fully operational since 2016.
Currently in development near Middelburg and Noupoortis the "Koruson 1" cluster of three wind farms (Phezukomoya, San Kraal and Coleskop), each with installed capacities of 140 MW, totalling 420 MW. The project is expected to be commercially operational by the first quarter of 2025.https://www.energize.co.za/article/biggest-wind-farm-in-africa-to-be-completed-by-2025https://edf-re.co.za/construction/koruson-1/https://sawea.org.za/news/edf-renewables-koruson-1-wind-farm-project-progressing-well
Christian Care Centre
In 1992, the Noupoort Christian Care Centre{{cite web|title=Noupoort Christian Care Centre|url=https://www.noupoort.co.za}} was established with the purpose of drug and alcohol rehabilitation in the area. The Centre took advantage of run down existing infrastructure to build a large centre. The remoteness of Noupoort soon promoted the centre as the last resort for rehabilitation.
The town's reaction was initially negative to hosting such a rehabilitation program and the program was received with much suspicion, which proved to be true after multiple abuse cases and deaths which occurred due to negligence.{{cite web|title=NCC News|url = https://www.iol.co.za/news/report-details-horrific-abuse-at-noupoort-1707543}}
Climate
{{Weather box|width=auto
|metric first=y
|single line=y
|collapsed = Y
|location = Noupoort, elevation {{convert|1496|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1991–2020 normals)
|Jan high C = 31.5
|Feb high C = 30.1
|Mar high C = 27.8
|Apr high C = 23.5
|May high C = 19.7
|Jun high C = 16.5
|Jul high C = 16.6
|Aug high C = 19.2
|Sep high C = 23.7
|Oct high C = 26.6
|Nov high C = 28.6
|Dec high C = 30.7
| year high C =
|Jan mean C = 22.9
|Feb mean C = 22.2
|Mar mean C = 19.8
|Apr mean C = 15.8
|May mean C = 12.0
|Jun mean C = 8.6
|Jul mean C = 8.4
|Aug mean C = 10.5
|Sep mean C = 14.3
|Oct mean C = 17.5
|Nov mean C = 19.7
|Dec mean C = 21.9
| year mean C =
|Jan low C = 14.4
|Feb low C = 14.3
|Mar low C = 11.8
|Apr low C = 8.2
|May low C = 4.3
|Jun low C = 0.7
|Jul low C = 0.3
|Aug low C = 1.7
|Sep low C = 5.0
|Oct low C = 8.5
|Nov low C = 10.8
|Dec low C = 13.1
| year low C =
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 38.7
|Feb precipitation mm = 59.0
|Mar precipitation mm = 65.9
|Apr precipitation mm = 36.3
|May precipitation mm = 19.9
|Jun precipitation mm = 9.6
|Jul precipitation mm = 10.2
|Aug precipitation mm = 13.1
|Sep precipitation mm = 15.6
|Oct precipitation mm = 25.5
|Nov precipitation mm = 32.6
|Dec precipitation mm = 33.8
|year precipitation mm =
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 4.1
| Feb precipitation days = 5.9
| Mar precipitation days = 6.2
| Apr precipitation days = 4.3
| May precipitation days = 2.6
| Jun precipitation days = 1.6
| Jul precipitation days = 1.3
| Aug precipitation days = 1.5
| Sep precipitation days = 1.9
| Oct precipitation days = 3.2
| Nov precipitation days = 3.5
| Dec precipitation days = 3.6
| year precipitation days =
|source 1 = Starlings Roost Weather (precipitation 1884–2023){{cite web |url=http://starlingsroost.ddns.net/weather/worldclimate/graphs.php?climate=allyears&code=SF001447910
|title= NOUPOORT, SF Climate: 1991–2020
|publisher=Starlings Roost Weather
|access-date= 27 December 2024}}
}}
References
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{{commons category}}
{{Geographic Location
|Centre = Noupoort
|North = Colesberg
|Northeast = Norvalspont
|East = Steynsburg
|Southeast = Hofmeyr
|South = Middelburg
|Southwest = Richmond
|West = Hanover
|Northwest = Philipstown
}}
{{NorthernCape-geo-stub}}
{{Pixley ka Seme District Municipality}}
Category:Populated places in the Umsombomvu Local Municipality