Rondebosch
Encyclopedia
Rondebosch is one of the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town
, South Africa
. It is primarily a residential suburb, with a medium-size shopping area, a small business district as well as the main campus of the University of Cape Town
.
(at that stage called the Amstel or Versse Rivier). On the banks of the river, a circular grove of thorn trees, or Ronde Doorn Bosje, was turned into a kraal
. In 1657, the first group of Dutch East India Company
employees gained "free burgher" (free citizen) status and were granted land along the river in the area now known as Rondebosch.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, Rondebosch became a predominantly English-speaking area and was declared a whites-only area under the Group Areas Act
. Since the end of Apartheid in the mid-1990s, the area has become increasingly integrated.
in the west and the M5
freeway in the east; it is one of the Southern Suburbs
of Cape Town, which lie along the eastern slope of the Table Mountain
massif. The suburb's western border with the Table Mountain National Park
is defined by the M3
freeway. To the north are the suburbs of Rosebank
and Mowbray
, while to the south are Newlands
and Claremont
. The eastern border of Rondebosch is the M5 freeway; beyond the freeway are Sybrand Park, Athlone
and Rondebosch East
.
The Southern Line railway divides Rondebosch in two; the only road within Rondebosch that crosses the railway is the Belmont Road bridge. Main Road (the M4) runs north-south through the area west of the railway, while Campground Road runs in the same direction east of the railway. The third north-south through route is Milner Road, further east close to the M5.
The area around the intersection of Main Road and Belmont Road is Rondebosch's main commercial area, with several small shopping malls and two supermarkets. Also located in this area is Rondebosch railway station
, which is the main public transport facility in the suburb. A smaller commercial area lies just to the east on the corner of Belmont and Campground Roads; there is also a row of shops along Belvedere Road in the southeastern part of the suburb. The rest of the suburb is used for educational and residential purposes, with the residential areas being generally denser further to the west where the influence of the University of Cape Town
is felt.
Two canalised streams run from the slopes of Table Mountain through Rondebosch; the Liesbeeck River runs northwards between Main Road and the railway, while the Black River runs in a northeasterly direction through the eastern part of the suburb. The terrain is generally flat east of the railway line, while to the west it slopes upwards towards Devil's Peak.
.
The historic Groote Schuur estate in Rondebosch includes presidential and ministerial residences with Cape Dutch origins. The Groote Schuur
building is the biggest, rebuilt by Cecil Rhodes according to a design by Herbert Baker
after a fire in 1896. The presidential residence, Genadendal (formerly Westbrooke), also dates back to Cape Dutch times.
The historic centre of Rondebosch is the Main Road, with the Victorian cast iron Rondebosch Fountain being a historic landmark. Historic buildings in the area include the Rondebosch Town Hall, now occupied by the Rondebosch branch of the City Libraries, and St. Paul's Church, which was designed by Charles Collier Michell
.
The home of Simon van der Stel
(first governor of the Cape Colony
) is now part of Rustenburg Junior School. This building dates back to the 17th century, although it has undergone many alterations over the years. Its summer house, dating from 1760, remains as a monument just below the university.
Rondebosch Common
, once a military campground, is declared a national monument and is also an important fynbos
conservation area.
The Baxter Theatre in Rondebosch is Cape Town's second biggest theatre complex, after the Artscape Theatre Centre
in the city centre.
municipality; it falls within the Protea Sub-Council (Sub-Council 20). The eastern part of the suburb is within ward 58; the ward councillor is Matthew Kempthorne. The western part is in ward 59 with councillor Ian Iversen; both councillors are members of the Democratic Alliance.
Rondebosch has traditionally been a liberal constituency, and was generally opposed to the apartheid government. It used to be the parliamentary seat of Sir de Villiers Graaff, the leader of the opposition United Party
, and later that of Frederik van Zyl Slabbert
, leader of the opposition Progressive Federal Party
. South African parliamentary elections are no longer conducted on a constituency basis, but the majority of the Rondebosch vote went to the Democratic Alliance in the most recent elections.
.
Rondebosch is also notable for a high density of schools; schools in the suburb include:
Next door to Rondebosch is Newlands, home to the Newlands Stadium
for rugby and soccer, and Newlands Cricket Ground
. In the other direction is Hartleyvale, in nearby Observatory
, for hockey and soccer; Athlone stadium is also nearby.
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. It is primarily a residential suburb, with a medium-size shopping area, a small business district as well as the main campus of the University of Cape Town
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...
.
History
Four years after the first Dutch settlement at the Cape in 1652, the first experimental crops were grown along the banks of the Liesbeek RiverLiesbeek River
The Liesbeek River is a river in Cape Town in South Africa. It is named after a small river in Holland. The first "free burghers" of the Dutch East India Company were granted land to farm along the river in 1657, shortly after the first Dutch settlers arrived in the Cape. The river was...
(at that stage called the Amstel or Versse Rivier). On the banks of the river, a circular grove of thorn trees, or Ronde Doorn Bosje, was turned into a kraal
Kraal
Kraal is an Afrikaans and Dutch word for an enclosure for cattle or other livestock, located within an African settlement or village surrounded by a palisade, mud wall, or other fencing, roughly circular in form.In the Dutch language a kraal is a term derived from the Portuguese word , cognate...
. In 1657, the first group of Dutch East India Company
Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
employees gained "free burgher" (free citizen) status and were granted land along the river in the area now known as Rondebosch.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, Rondebosch became a predominantly English-speaking area and was declared a whites-only area under the Group Areas Act
Group Areas Act
The Group Areas Act of 1950 was an act of parliament created under the apartheid government of South Africa on 27th April 1950. The act assigned racial groups to different residential and business sections in urban areas in a system of urban apartheid...
. Since the end of Apartheid in the mid-1990s, the area has become increasingly integrated.
Geography
Rondebosch lies between the slopes of Devil's PeakDevil's Peak (Cape Town)
Devil's Peak is part of the mountainous backdrop to Cape Town. When looking at Table Mountain from the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, or when looking at the standard picture postcard view of the mountain, the skyline is from left to right: the spire of Devil's Peak, the flat mesa of Table Mountain,...
in the west and the M5
M5 (Cape Town)
The M5 is an expressway in Cape Town, South Africa. It connects the northern suburbs to Muizenberg in the south, and crosses both the N1 and the N2...
freeway in the east; it is one of the Southern Suburbs
Southern Suburbs, Cape Town
The Southern Suburbs are a group of suburbs in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. This group includes Rondebosch, Claremont, Plumstead, Ottery, Wynberg, Newlands, Constantia and Bishopscourt, and to some aspects Pinelands and Observatory too....
of Cape Town, which lie along the eastern slope of the Table Mountain
Table Mountain
Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa, and is featured in the flag of Cape Town and other local government insignia. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cableway or hiking to the top...
massif. The suburb's western border with the Table Mountain National Park
Table Mountain National Park
Table Mountain National Park, previously known as the Cape Peninsula National Park, is a national park in Cape Town, South Africa, proclaimed on May 29, 1998, for the purpose of protecting the natural environment of the Table Mountain Chain, and in particular the rare fynbos vegetation...
is defined by the M3
M3 (Cape Town)
The M3 is an expressway in Cape Town, South Africa, connecting the upper part of the City Bowl to the Southern Suburbs and ending in Tokai. For most of its route it parallels - though further to the south and west - the M4 , which was the original road connecting central Cape Town with the...
freeway. To the north are the suburbs of Rosebank
Rosebank, Cape Town
Rosebank is one of the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town, South Africa, located between the suburbs of Mowbray and Rondebosch.-Geography:Rosebank is located on the lower eastern slope of Devil's Peak, stretching down to the Liesbeeck River, and on the other side of the river up to the edge of...
and Mowbray
Mowbray, Cape Town
Mowbray is one of the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town, South Africa. Its original name was Driekoppen .-Geography:Mowbray is bounded on the west by the M3 freeway, beyond which lies Devil's Peak, and on the north by the N2 freeway, beyond which lies the suburb of Observatory...
, while to the south are Newlands
Newlands, Cape Town
Newlands is an upmarket suburb of Cape Town, South Africa.It is located at the foot of Table Mountain in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town, and is the wettest suburb in South Africa due to its high winter rainfall...
and Claremont
Claremont, Cape Town
Claremont is a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. It is situated six miles south of the city, and is one of the so-called "Southern Suburbs". It is an important commercial and residential area, which is currently experiencing significant growth and development.-History:Until the arrival of Dutch...
. The eastern border of Rondebosch is the M5 freeway; beyond the freeway are Sybrand Park, Athlone
Athlone, Cape Town
Athlone is a suburb of Cape Town located to the east of the city centre on the Cape Flats to the south of the N2 highway. It is named after Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone who was Governor-General of the Union of South Africa from 1924 to 1930...
and Rondebosch East
Rondebosch East
Rondebosch East is a residential suburb of Cape Town, South Africa, about south-west of the city centre. As the name suggests, it is located to the east of the neighbouring suburb of Rondebosch...
.
The Southern Line railway divides Rondebosch in two; the only road within Rondebosch that crosses the railway is the Belmont Road bridge. Main Road (the M4) runs north-south through the area west of the railway, while Campground Road runs in the same direction east of the railway. The third north-south through route is Milner Road, further east close to the M5.
The area around the intersection of Main Road and Belmont Road is Rondebosch's main commercial area, with several small shopping malls and two supermarkets. Also located in this area is Rondebosch railway station
Rondebosch railway station
Rondebosch railway station is a Metrorail station on the Southern Line, serving the suburb of Rondebosch in Cape Town.The station has two side platforms and two tracks; the station building is at ground level on the eastern side of the tracks...
, which is the main public transport facility in the suburb. A smaller commercial area lies just to the east on the corner of Belmont and Campground Roads; there is also a row of shops along Belvedere Road in the southeastern part of the suburb. The rest of the suburb is used for educational and residential purposes, with the residential areas being generally denser further to the west where the influence of the University of Cape Town
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...
is felt.
Two canalised streams run from the slopes of Table Mountain through Rondebosch; the Liesbeeck River runs northwards between Main Road and the railway, while the Black River runs in a northeasterly direction through the eastern part of the suburb. The terrain is generally flat east of the railway line, while to the west it slopes upwards towards Devil's Peak.
Landmarks
On the slopes of Devil's Peak above Rondebosch is the main campus of the University of Cape TownUniversity of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...
.
The historic Groote Schuur estate in Rondebosch includes presidential and ministerial residences with Cape Dutch origins. The Groote Schuur
Groote Schuur
Groote Schuur is an estate in Cape Town, South Africa.Cecil Rhodes took out a lease on the house in 1891. He later bought it in 1893, and had it converted and refurbished by the architect Sir Herbert Baker...
building is the biggest, rebuilt by Cecil Rhodes according to a design by Herbert Baker
Herbert Baker
Sir Herbert Baker was a British architect.Baker was the dominant force in South African architecture for two decades, 1892–1912....
after a fire in 1896. The presidential residence, Genadendal (formerly Westbrooke), also dates back to Cape Dutch times.
The historic centre of Rondebosch is the Main Road, with the Victorian cast iron Rondebosch Fountain being a historic landmark. Historic buildings in the area include the Rondebosch Town Hall, now occupied by the Rondebosch branch of the City Libraries, and St. Paul's Church, which was designed by Charles Collier Michell
Charles Collier Michell
Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Collier Michell, , later known as Charles Cornwallis Michell, was a British soldier, first surveyor-general in the Cape, road engineer, architect, artist and naturalist.-Early life:...
.
The home of Simon van der Stel
Simon van der Stel
Simon van der Stel was the last Commander and first Governor of the Cape Colony, the Dutch settlement at the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.-Background:...
(first governor of the Cape Colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
) is now part of Rustenburg Junior School. This building dates back to the 17th century, although it has undergone many alterations over the years. Its summer house, dating from 1760, remains as a monument just below the university.
Rondebosch Common
Rondebosch Common
Rondebosch Common is an open common of about in Rondebosch, Cape Town in South Africa. It contains one of the only surviving pockets of the critically endangered “Cape Flats Sand Fynbos” vegetation type, which exists nowhere else in the world...
, once a military campground, is declared a national monument and is also an important fynbos
Fynbos
Fynbos is the natural shrubland or heathland vegetation occurring in a small belt of the Western Cape of South Africa, mainly in winter rainfall coastal and mountainous areas with a Mediterranean climate...
conservation area.
The Baxter Theatre in Rondebosch is Cape Town's second biggest theatre complex, after the Artscape Theatre Centre
Artscape Theatre Centre
Artscape Theatre Centre is the main performing arts centre in Cape Town, South Africa. It was opened in 1971 and is located on reclaimed land in the Foreshore area...
in the city centre.
Government & Politics
Rondebosch is in the City of Cape TownCity of Cape Town
The City of Cape Town is the metropolitan municipality which governs the city of Cape Town, South Africa and its suburbs and exurbs. As of 2007, it had a population of 3,497,097....
municipality; it falls within the Protea Sub-Council (Sub-Council 20). The eastern part of the suburb is within ward 58; the ward councillor is Matthew Kempthorne. The western part is in ward 59 with councillor Ian Iversen; both councillors are members of the Democratic Alliance.
Rondebosch has traditionally been a liberal constituency, and was generally opposed to the apartheid government. It used to be the parliamentary seat of Sir de Villiers Graaff, the leader of the opposition United Party
United Party (South Africa)
The United Party was South Africa's ruling political party between 1934 and 1948. It was formed by a merger of most of Prime Minister Barry Hertzog's National Party with the rival South African Party of Jan Smuts, plus the remnants of the Unionist Party...
, and later that of Frederik van Zyl Slabbert
Frederik van Zyl Slabbert
Frederik van Zyl Slabbert was a South African political analyst, businessman and politician. He is best known for having been the leader of the official opposition — the Progressive Federal Party — in the House of Assembly from 1979 to 1986.-Early life, education and academic career:Born in...
, leader of the opposition Progressive Federal Party
Progressive Federal Party
The Progressive Federal Party was a South African political party formed in 1977. It advocated power-sharing in South Africa through a federal constitution, in place of apartheid...
. South African parliamentary elections are no longer conducted on a constituency basis, but the majority of the Rondebosch vote went to the Democratic Alliance in the most recent elections.
Education
The western part of Rondebosch is dominated by the main campus of the University of Cape TownUniversity of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...
.
Rondebosch is also notable for a high density of schools; schools in the suburb include:
- Diocesan CollegeDiocesan CollegeThe Diocesan College, or Bishops as it is more commonly known, is an independent, all-boys school situated in the suburb of Rondebosch in Cape Town, South Africa...
(Bishops) - Forres Preparatory School
- Golden Grove Primary School
- Hoërskool Groote Schuur (Groote Schuur High School)
- Laerskool Groote Schuur (Groote Schuur Junior School)
- Micklefield School
- Oakhurst Girls' Primary School
- Progress College - High school
- Pro-Ed House
- Rondebosch Boys' High SchoolRondebosch Boys' High SchoolRondebosch Boys' High School is a state secondary school in Rondebosch, a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. It was founded in 1897 and is known by the acronym "RBHS".-Academics:...
- Rondebosch Boys' Preparatory SchoolRondebosch Boys' Preparatory SchoolRondebosch Boys' Preparatory School is a state primary school in Rondebosch, a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. It was detached from Rondebosch Boys' High School and established as a separate school in 1929.-External links:* *...
- Rosebank Junior School
- Rustenburg Girls' High SchoolRustenburg School for GirlsRustenburg Girls' High School and Rustenburg Junior School make up a prestigious public school situated in the suburb of Rondebosch in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa...
- Rustenburg Girls' Junior SchoolRustenburg School for GirlsRustenburg Girls' High School and Rustenburg Junior School make up a prestigious public school situated in the suburb of Rondebosch in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa...
- St. Joseph's Marist College
- Westerford High SchoolWesterford High SchoolWesterford High School is a public co-educational high school in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.It has a campus in Rondebosch where the main school buildings are located and a secondary campus in Newlands used for sport. The school is located close to the Newlands Rugby Ground and Table...
- South African College School (SACS) (Junior)
- South African College School (SACS) (High)
Sports
Rondebosch tennis courts near the University are one of the city's main tennis venues. The University itself has facilities for most sports. Western Province Cricket Club has some excellent new facilities in Rondebosch, catering for many different sports, including tennis and hockey. Other facilities include Rondebosch Golf Club and Rygersdal Football Club.Next door to Rondebosch is Newlands, home to the Newlands Stadium
Newlands Stadium
Newlands Stadium, currently referred to as DHL Newlands for sponsorship reasons, is located in Cape Town, South Africa.The stadium currently has a capacity of 51,900 people, but is not an all seater venue....
for rugby and soccer, and Newlands Cricket Ground
Newlands Cricket Ground
Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town is a South African cricket ground. It's the home of the Cape Cobras, who play in the SuperSport Series, MTN Domestic Championship and Standard Bank Pro20 competitions. It is also a venue for Test matches. Newlands is regarded as one of the most beautiful cricket...
. In the other direction is Hartleyvale, in nearby Observatory
Observatory, Cape Town
Observatory is a suburb in Cape Town, South Africa, bordered by Mowbray to the south, and Salt River to the north. The area is best known as student neighborhood, most of whom attend the University of Cape Town located close by, and for being the home of the South African Astronomical Observatory...
, for hockey and soccer; Athlone stadium is also nearby.