Bothaville is a maize-farming town situated on the R59 Provincial Route, near the Vaal River in the Lejweleputswa District Municipality of the Free State province in South Africa.
The town is situated adjacent to Kgotsong township, 60 km east of the Vaal, on the bank of its Vals River tributary.
Overview
| Country: | South Africa |
| Province: | Free State |
| District: | Lejweleputswa |
| Municipality: | Nala |
| Established: | 1891 |
| Named After: | Theunis Louis Botha |
| Nickname: | Maize Capital of South Africa |
| Total Area: | 33.26 km² (12.84 sq mi) |
| Population: | 4,152 (2011) |
| Population Density: | 125/km² (323/sq mi) |
| Time Zone: | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal Code (street): | 9660 |
| PO Box: | 9660 |
| Area Code: | 056 |
About Bothaville
Bothaville is located in the north-western region of the Free State province, at the meeting of the Vals and Vaal Rivers, approximately 63 km south of Klerksdorp, 79 km north-west of Welkom, and 221 km north-east of Bloemfontein (the provincial capital).
The town of Bothaville is considered one of the top agricultural areas in South Africa and is the cornerstone of the country’s maize-producing region, the Maize Quadrangle.
The Bothaville area is also a major producer of other crops such as peanuts, sunflowers, sorghum, etc., which serves to boost a fast-growing rural town with a lively business sector.
Bothaville is officially known as the Maize Capital of South Africa and proudly hosts the Grain SA Nampo Harvest Day every year.
“Witblits,” a potent alcoholic drink distilled in a copper vat, is still preserved in town.
History
The area of present-day Bothaville was originally inhabited by Bushmen, while the Leghoyo Tswana tribe also settled in the area between the 15th and 17th centuries. White settlers took up permanent residence here in 1852.
Bothaville has a proud history that dates back to 1891, when Bothaville was established as a so-called Church town. It was only on 1 June 1893 that the name ‘Bothaville’ was officially confirmed by the then Free State People’s Assembly.
Bothaville was laid out on the farm Gladdedrift, which was owned by Theunis Louis Botha. The town was named after him. Bothaville became a municipality in 1914.
The first justice of peace was PCJ Hauptfleisch, while in 1894, ACN Preller was elected the first chairperson of the town council.
In 1894, a three-room sandstone building on President Street was erected for the amount of £62 to serve as a police station and prison. Currently, this is the oldest building in Bothaville and now serves as a museum.
In 1898, the Dutch Reformed parsonage, a beautiful sandstone building, was built.
Self-sustaining agricultural activities such as grain farming, stock farming, dairy production, bee-keeping, etc, began to take root in the area. It was, however, maize production for which Bothaville became renowned throughout the years.
On 6 November 1900, during the Anglo-Boer War, the Battle of Doornkraal took place close to where Bothaville is located today. It was the scene of a rare defeat suffered by Boer general Christiaan de Wet and his commando at the hands of British mounted infantry forces. The Doornkraal Monument still stands today as a memorial site in honour of the Boers who died during that surprise attack. Some of the Boer soldiers were buried in a communal grave.
In 1912, the town received its first telephone exchange service.
In 1913, the impressive sandstone Dutch Reformed Church, designed by the famous architect Gerhard Moerdyk, was built.
In 1913, Bothaville received municipal status, and this opened the way for the town to develop during the 20th century into the commercial centre for the surrounding district.
The fast-growing and blooming economy of the Free State Goldfields around Welkom, about 70 km south-east of Bothaville, during the second half of the 20th century, provided an indirect boost to the local economy of Bothaville.
In 1939, the local aerodrome was inaugurated. The graceful town hall dates back to 1951, having been declared a historical heritage building in 1995.
In 1995, at a tourism seminar, the then mayor, Ms Ray Brink, officially declared Bothaville as the Maize Capital of South Africa. At the same time, the Maize Capital Tourism Forum (MCTF) was established, with its name changed in 2003 to the Maize Capital Forum (MCF) and then in 2011 to Bothaville Info.
Economy
Bothaville hosts the head office of Grain South Africa and produces annually an average of 550,000 tons of maize.
Situated on the banks of the Vals River, the town is considered to be one of the richest agricultural communities in South Africa. The town forms one of the corners of the maize triangle, and maize is produced in the district.
Other agricultural activities focus on dairy, wheat, sunflowers, nuts, and vegetables. The town has a factory that manufactures agricultural machinery and tractors.
A municipal airstrip of 1.2 km with tarmac surface and night landing facilities is situated next to the industrial town.
Bothaville is also strategically located close to the gold-mining towns of Klerksdorp and Orkney.
