Riebeek East is a village situated along the R400 Regional Route in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, approximately 39 km west of Makhanda (formerly known as Grahamstown).
Riebeek East village is located in a hilly area, in the midst of game and sheep farming regions. It falls within the Makana Local Municipality and the Sarah Baartman District Municipality.
History
The village was founded in 1842 and initially named Riebeek after Jan van Riebeeck, one year after the local church was built. It was erected on a part of the farm Mooimeisjesfontein, which was subdivided and sold by the subsequent Voortrekker leader Piet Retief.
A settlement appeared around the church congregation after it was established here in 1830 by the Dutch Reformed Church. Since 1826, the local farmers applied to the colonial government to form a local congregation, as they previously had to travel to Uitenhage (officially renamed Kariega), 130 km distant, to attend communion services.
Retief’s farmhouse is situated just east of the village and has been declared a National Heritage site.
