Stormberg Mountains
Encyclopedia
The Stormberg Mountains are a range of mountains situated in the Eastern Cape
province of South Africa
and are a subsection of the greater Drakensberg
mountain range. They form part of the 'Amatola
and Stormberg' region which includes major towns like Grahamstown
, East London and Port Alfred
.
Towns in the Stormberg Mountains include Molteno
, Dordrecht
and Steynsburg
. South Africa's only ski resort, Tiffindell, is also situated in these mountains.
of the Karoo System
where some of the only workable coal seams in the Cape are to be found. These coal fields are being explored for possible coal bed methane extraction
.
hunter gatherers. The Nguni migrations saw the arrival of the Xhosa herders from the north and the displacement of the Khoisan
. The subsequent arrival of the Cape colonists in the area resulted in a series of 'frontier wars
' which led to the region's incorporation into the Cape Colony
During the Second Boer War
, this was the site of the Battle of Stormberg
, fought on 9th December 1899.
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
province of 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...
and are a subsection of the greater Drakensberg
Drakensberg
The Drakensberg is the highest mountain range in Southern Africa, rising to in height. In Zulu, it is referred to as uKhahlamba , and in Sesotho as Maluti...
mountain range. They form part of the 'Amatola
Amatola Mountains
Amatola, Amatole or Amathole are a range of densely forested mountains, situated in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The word Amatole means "calves", and Amatole District Municipality, which lies to the south, is named after these mountains.-Natural history:Part the 'Amatola and...
and Stormberg' region which includes major towns like Grahamstown
Grahamstown
Grahamstown is a city in the Eastern Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa and is the seat of the Makana municipality. The population of greater Grahamstown, as of 2003, was 124,758. The population of the surrounding areas, including the actual city was 41,799 of which 77.4% were black,...
, East London and Port Alfred
Port Alfred
Port Alfred is a small town with a population of just under 20,000 in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is situated on the eastern seaboard of the country at the mouth of the Kowie River, almost exactly half-way between the larger cities of Port Elizabeth and East London and 30 km...
.
Towns in the Stormberg Mountains include Molteno
Molteno, Eastern Cape
Molteno is a town in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.It was founded in 1874 and named for Sir John Molteno, the first prime minister of the Cape Colony....
, Dordrecht
Dordrecht, Eastern Cape
]Dordrecht is situated in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Dordrecht was founded in 1856 by a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church and named after a city of South-West Netherlands. The name Dordrecht comes from Thyre, the name of a river, and Middle Dutch drecht "channel", meaning "Thure...
and Steynsburg
Steynsburg
Steynsburg is a small town in the Ukhahlamba District Municipality of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.-Road:Steynsburg is located on the intersection of the R56 and R390....
. South Africa's only ski resort, Tiffindell, is also situated in these mountains.
Geology
Geologically, the mountains form part of the Stormberg SeriesStormberg Group
The Stormberg Group is the name given to the sedimentary geological formations found in Karoo Basin region of Southern Africa, immediately above the Beaufort Group...
of the Karoo System
Karoo System
The Karoo System or Karoo Sequence, is a geologic system of rock formations covering 1 500 000 square km and extending from the Equator south to the Cape of Good Hope...
where some of the only workable coal seams in the Cape are to be found. These coal fields are being explored for possible coal bed methane extraction
Coal bed methane extraction
Coal bed methane extraction is a method for extracting methane from a coal deposit.-Basic principles:The methane is adsorbed into the solid coal matrix and is released when the coal seam is depressurised...
.
History
These mountains - like all of South Africa - was originally home to the KhoisanKhoisan
Khoisan is a unifying name for two ethnic groups of Southern Africa, who share physical and putative linguistic characteristics distinct from the Bantu majority of the region. Culturally, the Khoisan are divided into the foraging San and the pastoral Khoi...
hunter gatherers. The Nguni migrations saw the arrival of the Xhosa herders from the north and the displacement of the Khoisan
Khoisan
Khoisan is a unifying name for two ethnic groups of Southern Africa, who share physical and putative linguistic characteristics distinct from the Bantu majority of the region. Culturally, the Khoisan are divided into the foraging San and the pastoral Khoi...
. The subsequent arrival of the Cape colonists in the area resulted in a series of 'frontier wars
Xhosa wars
The Xhosa Wars, also known as the Cape Frontier Wars, were a series of nine wars between the Xhosa people and European settlers, from 1779 to 1879 in what is now the Eastern Cape in South Africa....
' which led to the region's incorporation into 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...
During the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, this was the site of the Battle of Stormberg
Battle of Stormberg
The Battle of Stormberg was the first British defeat of Black Week, in which three successive British forces were defeated by Boer irregulars in the Second Boer War.-Background:...
, fought on 9th December 1899.
See also
- List of mountain ranges of South Africa
- Stormberg GroupStormberg GroupThe Stormberg Group is the name given to the sedimentary geological formations found in Karoo Basin region of Southern Africa, immediately above the Beaufort Group...
- Molteno FormationMolteno FormationThe Molteno Formation is a palaeontological formation of the Stormberg Group, located in the main Karoo Basin, South Africa. It dates to the Upper Triassic period and is rich in fossils....
- Molteno, Eastern CapeMolteno, Eastern CapeMolteno is a town in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.It was founded in 1874 and named for Sir John Molteno, the first prime minister of the Cape Colony....
- Battle of StormbergBattle of StormbergThe Battle of Stormberg was the first British defeat of Black Week, in which three successive British forces were defeated by Boer irregulars in the Second Boer War.-Background:...