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Potchefstroom
Potchefstroom (locally /ˈpɒtʃɛfstrʊərm/ POTCH-ef-stroorm; Afrikaans pronunciation: [ˌpɔtʃɛfˈstruəm]), known colloquially as Potch, is an academic city in the North West Province of South Africa. It hosts the Potchefstroom Campus of North-West University. Potchefstroom is situated on the Mooi River (Afrikaans for "pretty river"), approximately 120 km (75 mi) west-southwest of Johannesburg and 45 km (28 mi) east-northeast of Klerksdorp.
Several theories exist about the origin of the city's name. According to one theory, it originates from Potgieter + Chef + stroom. This refers to Voortrekker leader and town founder Andries Potgieter, with "chef" indicating the leader of the Voortrekkers and "stroom" referring to the Mooi River.
Geoffrey Jenkins writes, "Others however, attribute the name as having come from the word 'Potscherf', meaning a shard of a broken pot, due to the cracks that appear in the soil of the Mooi River Valley during drought resembling a broken pot". In a scholarly analysis, M. L. Fick suggests that Potchefstroom developed from the abbreviation of "Potgieterstroom" to "Potgerstroom", which then became "Potchefstroom". However, this does not account for the appearance of "Potjestroom" on many documents and photographs.
The African National Congress decided to change the name of the municipality and some street names in 2006, proposing "Tlokwe" as the new name. In 2007, the name change from Potchefstroom Municipality to Tlokwe City Council was officially approved and gazetted. However, the city itself continued to use the name Potchefstroom. In 2016, the Tlokwe Municipality merged with the Ventersdorp Municipality to form the larger JB Marks Local Municipality.
Potchefstroom was officially proclaimed in December 1838 by the Voortrekkers, with physical settlement beginning around June 1839. It is generally accepted as the oldest town founded by Voortrekkers north of the Vaal River. The oldest European settlement is Klerksdorp, approximately 40 km (25 mi) to the west.
Until 1840, the towns of Potchefstroom and Winburg, along with their surrounding territories, formed a Boer Republic known as the Republic of Winburg-Potchefstroom. Voortrekker leader Andries Hendrik Potgieter was elected chief commandant. In October 1840, following a meeting between Potgieter, Andries Pretorius, and G. R. van Rooyen, it was decided that Potchefstroom would unite with "Pieter Mouriets Burg" (Pietermaritzburg).
On 17 January 1852, the Sand River Convention was signed by Commandant-General Andries Pretorius and a British delegation led by Major W. S. Hogge and C. M. Owen. Under the convention, the British government granted independence to the immigrant farmers north of the Vaal River, leading to the establishment of the Transvaal. Article 17 of the republic's 1858 constitution declared Potchefstroom as the capital and Pretoria as the seat of government. In May 1860, Potchefstroom became the "chief city" of the republic, while the capital moved to Pretoria.
The first Jewish residents arrived in Potchefstroom in 1878, and a Jewish cemetery was established in 1892, reflecting the growth of the community in the late 19th century.
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Potchefstroom
Potchefstroom (locally /ˈpɒtʃɛfstrʊərm/ POTCH-ef-stroorm; Afrikaans pronunciation: [ˌpɔtʃɛfˈstruəm]), known colloquially as Potch, is an academic city in the North West Province of South Africa. It hosts the Potchefstroom Campus of North-West University. Potchefstroom is situated on the Mooi River (Afrikaans for "pretty river"), approximately 120 km (75 mi) west-southwest of Johannesburg and 45 km (28 mi) east-northeast of Klerksdorp.
Several theories exist about the origin of the city's name. According to one theory, it originates from Potgieter + Chef + stroom. This refers to Voortrekker leader and town founder Andries Potgieter, with "chef" indicating the leader of the Voortrekkers and "stroom" referring to the Mooi River.
Geoffrey Jenkins writes, "Others however, attribute the name as having come from the word 'Potscherf', meaning a shard of a broken pot, due to the cracks that appear in the soil of the Mooi River Valley during drought resembling a broken pot". In a scholarly analysis, M. L. Fick suggests that Potchefstroom developed from the abbreviation of "Potgieterstroom" to "Potgerstroom", which then became "Potchefstroom". However, this does not account for the appearance of "Potjestroom" on many documents and photographs.
The African National Congress decided to change the name of the municipality and some street names in 2006, proposing "Tlokwe" as the new name. In 2007, the name change from Potchefstroom Municipality to Tlokwe City Council was officially approved and gazetted. However, the city itself continued to use the name Potchefstroom. In 2016, the Tlokwe Municipality merged with the Ventersdorp Municipality to form the larger JB Marks Local Municipality.
Potchefstroom was officially proclaimed in December 1838 by the Voortrekkers, with physical settlement beginning around June 1839. It is generally accepted as the oldest town founded by Voortrekkers north of the Vaal River. The oldest European settlement is Klerksdorp, approximately 40 km (25 mi) to the west.
Until 1840, the towns of Potchefstroom and Winburg, along with their surrounding territories, formed a Boer Republic known as the Republic of Winburg-Potchefstroom. Voortrekker leader Andries Hendrik Potgieter was elected chief commandant. In October 1840, following a meeting between Potgieter, Andries Pretorius, and G. R. van Rooyen, it was decided that Potchefstroom would unite with "Pieter Mouriets Burg" (Pietermaritzburg).
On 17 January 1852, the Sand River Convention was signed by Commandant-General Andries Pretorius and a British delegation led by Major W. S. Hogge and C. M. Owen. Under the convention, the British government granted independence to the immigrant farmers north of the Vaal River, leading to the establishment of the Transvaal. Article 17 of the republic's 1858 constitution declared Potchefstroom as the capital and Pretoria as the seat of government. In May 1860, Potchefstroom became the "chief city" of the republic, while the capital moved to Pretoria.
The first Jewish residents arrived in Potchefstroom in 1878, and a Jewish cemetery was established in 1892, reflecting the growth of the community in the late 19th century.