Swartruggens
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Swartruggens
| image_skyline = Swartruggens, North West, South Africa (20538859071).jpg
| image_caption = Ou Stasie in Swartruggens
| pushpin_map = South Africa North West#South Africa
| coordinates = {{coord|25|39|S|26|42|E|region:ZA|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = South Africa
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| subdivision_name1 = North West
| subdivision_type2 = District
| subdivision_name2 = Bojanala Platinum
| subdivision_type3 = Municipality
| subdivision_name3 = Kgetlengrivier
| subdivision_type4 = Main Place
| established_title = Established
| established_date = 1875
| leader_title = Councillor
| area_footnotes = {{cite web |url=http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/663004 |title = Main Place Swartruggens |work=Census 2011}}
| area_total_km2 = 10.74
| population_total = 1969
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_density_km2 = auto
| demographics_type1 = Racial makeup (2011)
| demographics1_title1 = White
| demographics1_info1 = 52.3%
| demographics1_title2 = Black African
| demographics1_info2 = 39.5%
| demographics1_title3 = Indian/Asian
| demographics1_info3 = 5.5%
| demographics1_title4 = Coloured
| demographics1_info4 = 1.8%
| demographics1_title5 = Other
| demographics1_info5 = 0.8%
| demographics_type2 = First languages (2011)
| demographics2_title1 = Afrikaans
| demographics2_info1 = 57.4%
| demographics2_title2 = Tswana
| demographics2_info2 = 21.9%
| demographics2_title3 = English
| demographics2_info3 = 14.1%
| demographics2_title4 = Zulu
| demographics2_info4 = 1.7%
| demographics2_title5 = Other
| demographics2_info5 = 4.9%
| timezone1 = SAST
| utc_offset1 = +2
| postal_code_type = Postal code (street)
| postal_code = 2835
| postal2_code_type = PO box
| postal2_code = 2835
| area_code_type = Area code
| area_code = 014
}}
Swartruggens is a small farming town in North West Province, South Africa that was established in 1875.
Location
The town is located by the Elands River, 69 km east of the town of Zeerust, 56 km west of the city of Rustenburg and 34 km north-west of Koster. It is on the N4 road.[http://www.tourismnorthwest.co.za/bojanala/swartruggens.html Swartruggens - North West Province South Africa] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401230214/http://www.tourismnorthwest.co.za/bojanala/swartruggens.html|date=2012-04-01}}
It takes its name 'Swartruggens' from a series of hills there, formerly known as Zwartruggens, the Dutch name for 'black ridges'.{{cite web|title=Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Public Domain)|url=https://archive.org/stream/DictionaryOfSouthernAfricanPlaceNames/SaPlaceNames#page/n424/mode/2up/search/Swartruggens|publisher=Human Sciences Research Council|page=424}}
History
The town of Swartruggens was founded in 1875 on the farm Brakfontein.
After the Siege of Mafeking, during the Second Anglo-Boer War, one of the supply depots was established by Robert Baden-Powell in Swartruggens, as he moved to Pretoria. {{cite web |url=http://www.nwhist.co.za/view-event.php?eventid=8 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120221174607/http://www.nwhist.co.za/view-event.php?eventid=8 |archive-date=2012-02-21 |url-status=usurped |title=North West History – Battle of Elands River |access-date=2016-08-01 }}
A cemetery for British war dead from the Second Anglo-Boer War is located in the town.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4qMNAQAAIAAJ&q=swartruggens+cemetery|title=Rustenburg at War: The Story of Rustenburg and Its Citizens in the First and Second Anglo-Boer Wars|last=Wulfsohn|first=Lionel|date=1992-01-01|publisher=L.M. Wulfsohn|isbn=9780620167697|pages=255|language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.marico.co.za/Elandsriver/ The Siege of the Elandsriver Staging Post 4 - 16 August 1900]
{{Bojanala Platinum District Municipality}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Populated places in the Kgetlengrivier Local Municipality
Category:Populated places established in 1875
{{NorthWestZA-geo-stub}}