100-628: Worcester ( / ˈ w ʊ s t ər / WUUST -ər ) is a town in the Western Cape , South Africa. It is the third-largest city in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. It is located 120 kilometres (75 mi) north-east of Cape Town on the N1 highway north to Johannesburg . Being the largest town in the Western Cape's interior region, it serves as the administrative capital of
200-589: A Jam Factory. With the outbreak of the Second World War the Standard Fruit Company received an order for 170 000 cases of jam . The company was transformed into a public company, Standard Canners and Packers. In 1954 Langeberg Food Processors Ltd bought the controlling stock. In 1952 Eskom's Hex River Power Station came into production. It was built primarily for railway electrification and additional supply of electricity for rural areas. The Power Station
300-477: A church and central market place for the frontier farmers. With the market established, Scottish artisans settled in the town, bringing their skills as tinsmiths, coppersmiths, blacksmiths, shoemakers etc. By the mid-1830s the Colonial interior was starting to open up and Worcester as frontier town would gain by this. The first economic boon would come in the form of livestock trading and fresh produce farming followed by
400-529: A diversion and storage dam had been constructed in Fairy Glen, followed by the completion of a filtration and chlorination plant in 1936. By 1945 Worcester started planning to build a proper water impounding scheme. Construction of the Stettynskloof Dam started in 1952. The work was undertaken by Beton und Monierbau Aktiengesellschaft of Düsseldorf , Germany. Dr. Heinz Schulze was the head engineer and work
500-663: A downtown section for so-called poor Whites and Coloured people. Even the Dutch Reformed Congregation would censure European and Coloured people living under desegregated circumstances. Worcester received Municipal status on 30 September 1895. A Town Council, consisting of 8 members governed the town. When Black Africans returned to Worcester at the end of the First World War , they were mainly employed as cheap labour for new construction programs springing up around town. By 1936, 1271 Black African people were living in
600-644: A government, and Morkel remained Premier. In 2000 the DP and the NNP formalised their coalition by forming the Democratic Alliance (DA). In 2001, however, the NNP broke with the DA over the removal of Peter Marais from office as Mayor of Cape Town by DA leader Tony Leon . The NNP instead went into coalition with the ANC; Gerald Morkel, who was opposed to the split, resigned as Premier and
700-455: A lack of fresh water in the region meant that it has only recently been used as a harbour. The province's main harbour was built in Table Bay , which in its natural state was fully exposed to the northwesterly storms that bring rain to the province in winter, as well as the almost uninterrupted dry southeasterly winds in summer. But fresh water coming off Table Mountain and Devil's Peak allowed
800-744: A long tradition of holding liberal values. For example, the Cape Qualified Franchise before the Union of South Africa. The Cape Qualified Franchise was the system of non-racial franchise that was adhered to in the Cape Colony , and in the Cape Province in the early years of the Union of South Africa . Qualifications for the right to vote at parliamentary elections were applied equally to all men, regardless of race. This local system of multi-racial suffrage
900-476: A low of 300 millimetres or 12 inches in the Nuy and Scherpenheuvel areas to the east and southeast. George Parker owned a shop and managed the first Post Office on the south side of town, from 1824 to 1860. His salary as Post Master was about 24 ZAR per year, and as Shopkeeper, by ordinance, he had to supply twelve months worth of credit to clients. The town of Worcester was founded as an administrative seat and to create
1000-584: A people. European settlement took place at Waay Hoek, Bossiesveld, Kleinbosch, Slanghoek, Brandvalley, Vendutiekraal, Rooye Wal and Doornrivier. The first farms in the Hex River Valley were Kloppersbosch and De Buffelskraal, dating from 1731. With the European settlers came their slaves and eventually so-called free Khoi, who would settle on the farms as labourers. With the Cape Colony interior expanding with
1100-556: A settled area. Before 1700, the area now known as the Breede River Valley was a hunter's paradise, teeming with game and wild birds. The main source of income, especially the sale of elephant tusks came from hunting licenses issued by the Dutch East India Company . By 1709 European farmers were given grazing rights in the area "over de Breede Rivier." In 1714 the first quitrent farms were released. Settlement in most cases
SECTION 10
#17328762352551200-601: A social movement for political consciousness. In December 1968, the South African Student Organization (SASO) was formed at a conference held in Marianhill, Natal. The conference was exclusively attended by Black students. After its launch, SASO became the medium through which black consciousness ideology spread to schools and other university campuses across the country. In 1974, South African Minister of Bantu Education and Development MC Botha, constituted
1300-428: Is a province of South Africa , situated on the south-western coast of the country. It is the fourth largest of the nine provinces with an area of 129,449 square kilometres (49,981 sq mi), and the third most populous , with an estimated 7 million inhabitants in 2020. About two-thirds of these inhabitants live in the metropolitan area of Cape Town , which is also the provincial capital. The Western Cape
1400-597: Is bordered on the north by the Northern Cape and on the east by the Eastern Cape . The total land area of the province is 129,462 square kilometres (49,986 sq mi), about 10.6% of the country's total. It is roughly the size of England or the State of Louisiana . Its capital city and largest city is Cape Town , and some other major cities include Stellenbosch , Worcester , Paarl , and George . The Garden Route and
1500-542: Is dominated by Karoo drought-resistant shrubbery . The West Coast and Little Karoo are semi-arid regions and are typified by many species of succulents and drought-resistant shrubs and acacia trees. The Garden Route on the south coast (between the Outeniqua Mountains and the Southern Indian Ocean ) is extremely lush, with temperate rainforest (or Afromontane Forest ) covering many areas adjacent to
1600-413: The 2004 election , there was again no absolute winner in the provincial parliament; this time the ANC won 19 seats, the DA won 12, and the NNP won 5. The ANC-NNP coalition continued in power, but van Schalkwyk took up a ministerial post in the national cabinet and was replaced as Premier by the ANC's Ebrahim Rasool . The NNP was finally dissolved after the 2005 floor-crossing period and its members joined
1700-534: The Breede Valley Local Municipality and as regional headquarters for most central and Provincial Government Departments. Its mayor is Antoinette Steyn. The town also serves as the hub of the Western Cape's interior commercial, distribution and retail activity with a shopping mall, well developed central business district and infrastructure. Worcester is located at an elevation of 220 metres (720 ft) and can be reached by road either travelling on
1800-674: The House of Assembly in 1960. Coloured voters similarly followed in 1958 and 1970 , respectively. The Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) was a grassroots anti-Apartheid activist movement that emerged in South Africa in the mid-1960s out of the political vacuum created by the jailing and banning of the African National Congress and Pan Africanist Congress leadership after the Sharpeville Massacre in 1960. The BCM represented
1900-603: The Overberg are popular coastal tourism areas. The Western Cape is the southernmost region of the African continent with Cape Agulhas as its southernmost point, only 3,800 kilometres (2,400 mi) from the Antarctic coastline. The coastline varies from sandy between capes, to rocky to steep and mountainous in places. The only natural harbour is Saldanha Bay on the west coast, about 140 kilometres (90 mi) north of Cape Town. However
2000-554: The Overberg on the south coast have a maritime climate with cool, moist winters and mild, moist summers. Mossel Bay in the Garden Route is considered to have the second mildest climate worldwide after Hawaii. The La Niña phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation cycle tends to increase rainfall in this region in the dry season (November to April). The effects of El Niño on rainfall in southern Africa differ between
2100-631: The Referendum Party , Freedom Front Plus and organisations such as the Cape Independence Advocacy Group and CapeXit, wish to bring forth the constitutional and peaceful secession of the Western Cape. Proponents claim substantial support for the idea, with CapeXit having over 800,000 signed mandates in May 2021. Additionally, a poll conducted in 2023 by Victory Research on behalf of the Cape Independence Advocacy Group claimed that 58% of
SECTION 20
#17328762352552200-516: The University of the Western Cape (UWC) and the University of Cape Town (UCT) organised marches. Poster parades by UWC and Black Power Salute marches by UCT was broken by the police, resulting in 73 students getting arrested and detained at Victor Verster Prison , near Paarl. On 1 September 1976, the unrest spread to the city of Cape Town itself. Approximately 2000 black students from Western Cape townships, namely Langa, Nyanga and Gugulethu, matched
2300-554: The national constitution ; these responsibilities include agriculture, education, environment, health services, housing, language policies, tourism, trade, and welfare. The provincial parliament also elects the Premier of the Western Cape to lead the provincial executive. Alan Winde , a member of the DA and former Provincial Minister of Community Safety, has served as Premier since the 2019 provincial election . The Premier appoints ten members of
2400-553: The "R" roads which connect the smaller towns. All major roads are tarred with major rural gravel roads well maintained. Limited access motorways are limited to the Cape Metropolitan Area, Winelands and Garden Route, however due to the low population density of the remainder of the province, the highways remain efficient and high-speed, except during peak holiday travel seasons, when travel can be slow-going in places due to heavy traffic. The 2022 South African census recorded
2500-546: The 1880s a Jewish community of traders and capital-rich business people would follow. The early 1900s saw the first Greek residents and business people. Belgian , French , Italian and Portuguese communities all settled in Worcester at the end of World War II. By 1882 the Cape Colonial Government proclaimed that the railway line should be extended to Robertson. The New Cape Central Railway Company (NCCR) undertook
2600-529: The 1970s. Today some light industries such as millers, coldddrink manufacturers, food manufacturers, furniture manufacturers, paint manufacturers, joineries and engineering works are located in the town. Worcester originally drew its water from the Hex River. The early water distribution method was very primitive. The water ran in over Joubert's Mill and then flowed in open channels through the town. The first reservoir and distribution pipes were built in 1875. In 1910
2700-513: The 19th century. By the 1850s the necessity for the formation of a hamlet west of the Breede River had become clear; the ward was cut off from Worcester during the rainy season when the river burst it banks regularly. The farm Aan-de-Smalblaar was transported to Johannes Petrus Jordaan on 23 July 1858. Jan Jordaan divided a portion of the farm into 57 residential plots and these were sold at a Public Auction on 11 June 1859. The hamlet of Rawsonville
2800-499: The ANC, again giving that party an absolute majority of 24 seats. In the 2007 floor-crossing period the ANC gained a further three members of the provincial parliament. In 2008 Rasool resigned as Premier due to internal party politics, and was replaced by Lynne Brown . The 2009 election marked a significant change in Western Cape politics, as the Democratic Alliance won 51% of the votes and an absolute majority of 22 seats in
2900-459: The Breede River, Botha, Slanghoek and Goudini wards the soils are sandy loams with a varying loose stone content and a fairly high, free water table. Along the river banks in the Nuy, Doornrivier, Aan De Doorns and Overhex wards, fertile alluvial and calcareous clayish soils can be found. The annual average rainfall in the Slanghoek area is in excess of 1,500 millimetres or 60 inches, in contrast with
3000-615: The Cape Town area. According to a report by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), the Western Cape experienced the second highest number of deaths and casualties associated with the 1976 uprising protests. In 1994, at the introduction of the Interim Constitution and the first non-racial election , South Africa's original provinces and bantustans were abolished and nine new provinces were established. The former Cape Province
3100-460: The Cape Town central business district (CBD). Coloured students also contributed to the protests by peacefully marching to the city, but were blockaded by the police in the CBD. The protests turned violent when coloured students started burning schools, libraries and a magistrate's court in support of the student revolt. Thereafter, 200,000 coloured workers partook in a two-day strike staying away from work in
Worcester, South Africa - Misplaced Pages Continue
3200-569: The Governor and His Excellency's reply, there were short speeches by Sir Arthur Cunningham, Commander of the Forces, and Sir John Molteno , the Cape Prime Minister, and an adjournment made to the grand luncheon or banquet. In the evening there was a ball, at which most people enjoyed themselves, undeterred by the failure of the lighting and refreshments arrangement." During 1875 the farm De Doorns in
3300-570: The Hex River Valley was bought by the Cape Colonial Government to build a railway station. Around this station the hamlet of De Doorns would develop. By 1877, the line already reached Montagu Road on its way to Kimberley and in 1883 the name was changed to Touws River. Construction of an additional main railway line during 1931 would lead to the establishment of Matroosberg station. Western Cape The Western Cape ( Afrikaans : Wes-Kaap [ˈvɛskɑːp] ; Xhosa : iNtshona-Koloni )
3400-623: The Hottentots-Holland, Wemmershoek and Slanghoek mountains to the Groot Winterhoek mountains, lay through the Roodezand Pass into the valley of Tulbagh . From here the road gave access in the south-east to "the original great rift valley of Africa" as Jan Smuts once described the Breede River Valley. Worcester district is as old as hunting grounds and cattle runs go in the Cape, but new as
3500-561: The Household between 1797 and 1804 and as Joint Paymaster of the Forces between 1804 and 1806 and 1807 and 1813 and was sworn of the Privy Council on 26 April 1797. In 1814 he was appointed Governor of the Cape Colony , a post he held until 1826. The towns of Somerset West and Somerset East in South Africa are named after him. Somerset married firstly Lady Elizabeth Courtenay (1766–1815), on 7 June 1788, following their elopement. She
3600-523: The N1 highway through the Huguenot Tunnel or by driving through spectacular mountain passes. From Cape Town Du Toitskloof, from Wellington Bainskloof, from Malmesbury, Western Cape Nieuwekloof, from Ceres Mitchells, from Robertson Goree, from Hermanus Rooihoogte and from Johannesburg Hex River, with vistas over the Hex River Valley . Geographically, the district is delimited mainly by mountains; to
3700-619: The Province's most inland boundary. The escarpment marks the southwestern edge of South Africa's central plateau (see the middle and bottom diagrams on the left). It runs parallel to the entire South African coastline, except in the very far northeast, where it is interrupted by the Limpopo River valley, and in the far northwest, where it is interrupted by the Orange River valley. The 1,000-kilometre-long (620 mi) northeastern stretch of
3800-500: The Provincial Treasury. Politically, the Western Cape is a stronghold for the Democratic Alliance (DA). The DA has won an absolute majority of the vote in the province in every national, provincial, and municipal election since 2009 . The Western Cape Province is divided into one metropolitan municipality and five district municipalities . The district municipalities are in turn divided into 24 local municipalities . In
3900-543: The Reverend William Murray and the Church Council petitioned the Cape Colonial Government against the use of trains on Sundays. By the 1880s 40 companies manufactured wagons in Worcester, Fairbairn- Durban- and Riebeeck Streets housed these factories. The Worcester Industry slowly died as the railway lines became a more effective mode of transportation. The Western Wine and Brandy Company founded in 1895 built
4000-756: The Western Cape's GDP. 95% of wine produced in South Africa is produced in the Western Cape. South Africa is the 7th largest wine producing region in the world. The Western Cape has an excellent network of highways comparable with any first-world country. The primary highways are the N1 (from Cape Town to Three Sisters , continuing outside the province towards Bloemfontein and Johannesburg ), N2 (from Cape Town to Bloukrans River, towards Port Elizabeth ), N7 (from Cape Town to Bitterfontein, continuing towards Springbok and Namibia ), N9 (from George to Uniondale, continuing towards Graaff-Reinet and Colesberg ) and N12 (from George to Three Sisters, continuing towards Kimberley and Johannesburg). Other routes are
4100-476: The Western Cape's registered voters would support independence, while 68% would support a referendum on the issue. The provincial government is established under the Constitution of the Western Cape , which was adopted in 1998. The people of the province elect the 42-member Western Cape Provincial Parliament every five years by a system of party-list proportional representation . The sixth provincial parliament
Worcester, South Africa - Misplaced Pages Continue
4200-472: The White Areas and affluent residential areas towards the north of the town. The early years of Apartheid would also see the old town being transformed into a central business district. Most of the character and charm of the old buildings was lost as the then government and society replaced these buildings with new administrative and retail buildings, based on "New-World" consumerism . Grand Apartheid would leave
4300-819: The Worcester district. At the end of the Second World War , housing in Worcester was at a premium and Worcester had a squatter camp at Parkersdam. It was also during these years that Worcester started to expand with new residential areas and an industrial area. The apartheid regime responded by total segregation of the different communities. In the Coloured area 1350 sub-economic dwellings and 584 economic dwellings were built in Esselen Park Uitbreiding (extension) also known as "ICE CHASSIS", Roodewal and Riverview. In addition, 230 plots were sold in Esselen Park for
4400-449: The biggest sector in the Western Cape's economy is the financial, business services and real estate sector, which constitutes 33.55% of gross value added, followed by manufacturing at 14.26% and wholesale and retail trade, hotels, and restaurants at 13.67%. High-tech industries, international call centres, fashion design, advertising and TV production are niche industries rapidly gaining in importance. Cape Town accounts for roughly 73% of
4500-536: The coast, in the deep river valleys and along the southern slopes of the Outeniqua mountain range. Typical species are hardwoods of exceptional height, such as Yellowwood , Stinkwood and Ironwood trees. The Western Cape is climatologically diverse, with many distinct micro- and macroclimates created by the varied topography and the influence of the surrounding ocean currents. These are the warm Agulhas Current which flows southwards along South Africa's east coast, and
4600-626: The cold Benguela Current which is an upwelling current from the depths of the South Atlantic Ocean along South Africa's west coast. Thus climatic statistics can vary greatly over short distances. Most of the province is considered to have a Mediterranean climate with cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers. Both the Great Karoo and Little Karoo , in the interior, have an arid to semi-arid climate with cold, frosty winters and hot summers with occasional thunderstorms . The Garden Route and
4700-530: The colourful Keerom Mountain runs into the Langeberg range. Worcester and its surroundings form part of the Breede River catchment area, which is fed by a number of smaller rivers supplemented by the run-off from the winter snows in the mountains. The district also includes the Hex River Valley. In the early days of the Cape's history the main road through the great mountain barrier which stretches northwards from
4800-479: The community divided and in segregated living areas. A separate Management Committee for Coloured People was introduced on 2 April 1965. With the coming of democracy to South Africa, Worcester now forms part of the Breede Valley Local Municipality . Worcester experiences more extremes of temperature than neighbouring Cape Town, as oceanic influences are blocked by the Du Toitskloof and Slanghoek mountain ranges to
4900-505: The construction of this line and it was completed in September 1887. Newspapers of the era informed the public of 3 up and 3 down trains on a daily basis. In addition to the new line, railway sidings were established throughout the district. From Cape Town at Breërivier, Botha's Halt, Goudini Road and Chavonnes. To Kimberley at De Wet, Sandhills and Orchard. On the NCCR line at Overhex and Nuy. In 1883
5000-534: The country's viticultural output. The Olof Bergh Solera Brandy Cellar and the KWV Brandy Cellar form part of the South African Brandy Route and 33 wineries produce and bottle in the Worcester area. The first export grapes planted in the Hex River Valley dates from 1875. Today the Hex River Valley produces more than 17 million cartons of table grapes per annum. In the dryer southern regions of
5100-451: The crop was dried for raisins, and this continued to be an important aspect of the local industry into the 20th century. The decline in the demand for raisins after the Second World War persuaded most of the farmers to convert to wine-grape growing: and in response to this change an extensive network of co-operative wineries sprang up. Today the Breede River Valley is the largest wine-producing region in South Africa, contributing almost 25% of
SECTION 50
#17328762352555200-520: The development of a wagon industry. Due to the fact that Worcester was the last town before the Karoo interior, hotels and shops started to spring up to replenish travellers. With a solid foundation for economic development laid by 1845 and the road across the Bainskloof pass completed in 1852, bringing quicker access to Cape Town, it was time for Worcester to move forward. The Worcester Commercial Bank Unlimited
5300-545: The early European settlers to build Cape Town on the shores of this less than satisfactory anchorage. The province is topographically exceptionally diverse. Most of the province falls within the Cape Fold Belt , a set of nearly parallel ranges of sandstone folded mountains of Cambrian - Ordovician age (the age of the rocks is from 510 to about 330 million years ago; their folding into mountains occurred about 350 to about 270 million years ago). The height of
5400-528: The entire United Kingdom. It is characterised by various types of shrubs, thousands of herbaceous flowering plant species and some grasses. With the exception of the Silver tree, Leucadendron argenteum , which only grows on the granite and clay soils of the Cape Peninsula , open fynbos is generally treeless except in the wetter mountain ravines where patches of Afromontane forest persist. The arid interior
5500-459: The erection of dwellings by purchasers. Mostly Indian traders were forced to move their businesses from the declared White areas and resettle in the downtown business district of Durban Street. The Zweletemba township, to the southeast of the town, was awarded 524 sub-economic, 300 economic dwellings and two hostel schemes of 1274 units for single persons. Due to the policy of Apartheid, these people were not considered to be permanent residents and it
5600-416: The escarpment is called the Drakensberg , which is geographically and geologically quite distinct from the Cape Fold Mountains , which originated much earlier and totally independently of the origin of the escarpment. The principal rivers of the province are the Berg and Olifants which drain into the Atlantic Ocean, and the Breede and Gourits which drain into the Indian Ocean. The vegetation of
5700-425: The expected changes. Thunderstorms are generally rare in the province (except in the Karoo ) with most precipitation being of a frontal or orographic nature. Extremes of heat and cold are common inland, but rare near the coast. Snow is a common winter occurrence on the Western Cape Mountains occasionally reaching down into the more inland valleys. Otherwise, frost is relatively rare in coastal areas and many of
5800-416: The first distillery in Porter Street. By 1918 the KWV was founded and took control of the distillery. JS Naudè & Co controlled the buying and distribution of deciduous fruit from 1899 onwards. The company developed internal, African and in later years European markets. By 1960 all the companies in Worcester amalgamated to form Deciduous Fruit Distributors of Worcester. The Prune Growers Association
5900-428: The first official advertisement for the sale of plots was issued. On 28 February 1820, the official date of the establishment of Worcester, 89 of the proclaimed 144 plots were sold. Fischer also reported that "this place becomes more important when the new road over the Franschhoek Mountains will be completed." The African Rifles Regiment started construction of this road in 1819. A winter storm in 1822 caused damage to
6000-417: The following interactive map, the district and metropolitan municipalities are labelled in capital letters and shaded in various different colours. Clicking on the district on the map loads the appropriate article: As of the third quarter of 2023, the Western Cape's total real GDP was R 656.27 billion, which equaled 14.2% of South Africa's total GDP, and real GDP per capita was R90,571. The Western Cape has
6100-403: The head railway engineer, and with the help of Thomas Bain, the line to Worcester was opened on 16 June 1876. On the opening of the station at Worcester, the Cape Argus reported as follows: "Worcester, on June 16, 1876, was the scene of elaborate ceremony and of a very large and distinguished assemblage to witness the railway opening by Sir Henry Barkly . After the address had been presented to
SECTION 60
#17328762352556200-411: The heavily cultivated valleys. The Hon Alan Winde MMP The Seventh Provincial Parliament Speaker Daylin Mitchell MMP Deputy Speaker Reagan Allen MMP Chief Whip of the Majority Party Gillon Bosman MMP Leader of the Opposition Khalid Sayed MMP Chief Whip of the Official Opposition Ayanda Bans MMP Municipal: The Cape has had
6300-456: The higher lying ground above 1,500 metres or 4,900 feet. Daytime maximums range from 10 to 17 °C (50.0 to 62.6 °F), with minimums hovering at or just above freezing. Winter brings most of Worcester's annual rainfall. The town lies in a curious rain-shadow phenomenon caused by the surrounding high mountains. There are a number of wards within the Worcester District, reflecting a marked internal variation in soil types and micro-climates. In
6400-444: The imposition of using Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in black schools, effective with students in Grade 7 (Standard 5) upwards. As early as March 1976, students began passive resistance against Afrikaans, fueling the outbreak of the Soweto Uprising on 16 June 1976. Consequently, the student protests spread to other parts of the country, and Cape Town became a pivotal site for Western Cape student revolt. Student leaders at
6500-427: The independence of the "Sovereign State of Good Hope". In the 2019 election , the DA retained their majority in the province, but with a reduction in support. It had won 24 seats with 55%. Helen Zille was term-limited and the DA premier candidate Alan Winde succeeded her. The ANC also lost support. It had received 12 seats with 28% support, its lowest showing since 1994. Veteran politician Peter Marais returned to
6600-421: The mountain peaks in the different ranges varies from 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) to 2,300 metres (7,500 ft). The valleys between ranges are generally very fertile, as they contain the weathered loamy soils of the Bokkeveld mudstones (see the diagrams below). The far interior forms part of the Karoo . This region of the province is generally arid and hilly, with a prominent escarpment that runs close to
6700-437: The opening of more shops and lodgings and other facilities to meet their needs and a rise in the town's population. These factors led to the early construction of a diverse and cosmopolitan society in Worcester, outside of Cape Town, the only town that would develop as such in the Western Province during the late 19th century. In 1890 the African Banking Corporation was established in London, all branches were overseas. The Bank
6800-477: The original 144 plots were sold. Captain Charles Trappes was responsible for the planning of the town. A dubious character in some ways, Trappes, however, was far in advance of his time when he laid out the wide streets and town blocks with vision and a high regard for squares. Trappes made the early builders put the houses close to the street and soon these builders would develop their own style of gables . An early visitor, James Backhouse found 1300 people living in
6900-450: The original plots dates back to the 1860s when the town experienced its first economic boom. By the 1890s, when there was a downturn in economic fortune the population grew at a considerable rate, as landless people moved to the town. Small industry, business and residence still operated within the original boundaries of the town. During the 1890s Worcester's community would also evolve into an uptown section for rich and middle-class people and
7000-469: The population of the Western Cape as 7,433,020 people living in 2,264,032 households. As the province covers an area of 129,462 square kilometres (49,986 sq mi), the population density was 45.0 inhabitants per square kilometre (117/sq mi) and the household density 12.6 per square kilometre (33/sq mi). Lord Charles Somerset Lord Charles Henry Somerset PC (12 December 1767 – 18 February 1831), born in Badminton , England,
7100-402: The provincial legislature to serve as a cabinet of ministers, overseeing the departments of the provincial government . These departments are Agriculture, Community Safety , Cultural Affairs and Sport, Economic Development and Tourism, Education , Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Health , Human Settlements, Local Government, Social Development, Transport and Public Works , and
7200-523: The provincial parliament as the sole representative of the Freedom Front Plus . Patricia de Lille formed another party, Good , and it achieved a seat. The DA continued to win a majority of the votes in the 2021 municipal elections , receiving 54% of the vote province-wide, with support in Cape Town at 58%. Since the late 2000s there has been growing support for Western Cape, or Greater Cape, independence from South Africa. Political parties such as
7300-499: The provincial parliament, while the ANC won 14 seats with 31% of the vote. The DA leader Helen Zille was elected Premier. In 2010 the Independent Democrats , which had won 3 seats with 5% of the vote, merged with the DA. In the 2014 election the DA won 59% of the votes and an absolute majority of 26 seats in the provincial parliament, while the ANC won 14 seats with 32% of the vote. In 2018 King Khoebaha Cornelius III Declared
7400-427: The railway line reached the town in 1876. The previous decade saw German artisans arriving from Pomerania , employed by farmers. These German labourers would bring their skills as expert farmers and would play a major role in the development of the farming industry. A second group of German settlers followed in the 1870s to help with railway line construction. They again would bring skills as highly trained artisans. By
7500-587: The region is also extremely diverse, with one of the world's seven floral kingdoms almost exclusively endemic to the province, namely the Cape Floral Kingdom , most of which is covered by Fynbos (from the Afrikaans meaning "Fine Bush" (Dutch: Fijnbos), though precisely how it came to be referred to as such, is uncertain.). These evergreen heathlands are extremely rich in species diversity, with at least as many plant species occurring on Table Mountain as in
7600-445: The rising town in 1840. According to the 1844 Cape Almanac, William Watson ran one of the best hotels in the country and Bishop Gray said in 1845 that the houses were a great distance from each other. The Worcester District Council was proclaimed on 20 December 1855. The boundaries were northwest – Kleinberg, northeast – Bloutoring, southeast – Mowers Heights, southwest – Roodehoogte and west – Du Toitskloof Mountains . Sub division of
7700-416: The settlement of an increasing number of European settlers, Lord Charles Somerset instructed Magistrate Fischer of Tulbagh , to find a location to establish a new deputy magisterial seat during 1818. Fischer duly reported that the two quitrent farms, De Lange Rug and Roodedraai, be bought for this purpose. On 9 January 1819 the Colonial surveyors, Tulleken and Hertzog mapped the two farms and on 4 November,
7800-556: The south-easterly winds driving upwelling are weaker which results in warmer coastal waters than normal, while during La Niña the same winds are stronger and cause colder coastal waters. These effects on the winds are part of large scale influences on the tropical Atlantic and the South Atlantic High -pressure system, and changes to the pattern of westerly winds further south. There are other influences not known to be related to ENSO of similar importance. Some ENSO events do not lead to
7900-530: The southwest lies the massive Stettyns mountain range with an annual rainfall in excess of 2000 mm. To the west lie the Du Toitskloof Mountains and northwest lies the Slanghoek, Little Drakenstein, Elandskloof and Lemiet mountain ranges. To the north rises the Hex River Mountains which include the towering peaks of Chavonnes, Brandwacht, Fonteintjiesberg and Audensberg. Northeast of the town
8000-406: The summer and winter rainfall areas. Winter rainfall areas tend to get higher rainfall than normal and summer rainfall areas tend to get less rain. The effect on the summer rainfall areas is stronger and has led to severe drought in strong El Niño events. Sea surface temperatures off the west and south coasts of South Africa are affected by ENSO via changes in surface wind strength. During El Niño
8100-461: The third largest economy of South Africa's nine provinces, behind Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal . The province's unemployment rate was 20.2%, which is the lowest in South Africa and considerably below the national unemployment rate of 31.9%. As of 2018, the Western Cape's Human Development Index is the highest in South Africa at 0.741 compared to the South African average of 0.705. As of 2023,
8200-529: The town of Tulbagh. Captain Charles Trappes recommended to Somerset that the magisterial seat be moved to the new town. By 1830, 329 farms were cultivated in the district and by 1832 the town of Worcester was becoming a frontier town with the Market Square being used for stock sales. Many a fine animal changed ownership in the days when Worcester was a jumping-off spot for the "togryers" (transport riders) of
8300-533: The valley, Olive production have also been added in recent years. Central to this agricultural production, is the Greater Brandvlei Dam, with a capacity of 342 million cubic metres. The dam was completed in 1936, fully extended by 1987 and provides water to various irrigation schemes in the valley. Lord Charles Somerset named the new town for his eldest brother, the Marquis of Worcester and by 1840, 132 of
8400-556: The west. The daytime maximum in summer averages around 30 °C or 86 °F, but some days in February can reach in excess of 40 °C or 104 °F. Summer is generally dry with the rare late summer thunderstorm, whilst spring and autumn are shoulder seasons of pleasant temperatures ranging from an average 10 °C or 50 °F minimum to a 25 °C or 77 °F maximum, with the occasional rain shower. Winters are generally very windy and often cool to cold with snow being common on
8500-652: Was a British soldier, politician and colonial administrator. He was governor of the Cape Colony , South Africa , from 1814 to 1826. Somerset was the second son of Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort , and Elizabeth, daughter of Admiral the Hon. Edward Boscawen . He was the brother of Henry Somerset, 6th Duke of Beaufort , General Lord Robert Somerset , Lord Arthur Somerset and Field Marshal FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan . Somerset sat as member of parliament for Scarborough between 1796 and 1802 and for Monmouth Boroughs between 1802 and 1813. He served as Comptroller of
8600-587: Was completed in 1955. After completion of the town's sewerage scheme in 1934 considerable development took place in the Worcester Municipal area. The sewerage purification works was completed in 1962, with an estimated life span of 30 years. In 1846 construction on the Bainskloof Pass started, Andrew Geddes Bain was the head engineer and the road was completed in 1852. By November 1863, only 60 kilometres of railway line (from Cape Town to Wellington)
8700-604: Was created in 1994 from part of the former Cape Province . The two largest cities are Cape Town and George . The Western Cape is roughly L-shaped, extending north and east from the Cape of Good Hope , in the southwestern corner of South Africa. It stretches about 400 kilometres (250 mi) northwards along the Atlantic coast and about 500 kilometres (300 mi) eastwards along the South African south coast ( Southern Indian Ocean ). It
8800-408: Was demolished in 1990. The main incentive in 1949 for the establishment of Hex River Textiles Mills Ltd was the plentiful supply of labour, as well as the suitability of the Hex River's water for the purpose. Operating at its peak during the 1960s, the factory employed 1200 workers. The multi-national company, Rainbow Chicken Ltd invested substantial capital in farms and a factory in Worcester during
8900-424: Was divided into the Western Cape, Northern Cape , Eastern Cape and part of North West . In the 1994 election, the Western Cape was one of two provinces that did not elect an African National Congress (ANC) provincial government (the other being KwaZulu-Natal ). The National Party (NP) won 53% of the votes and 23 seats in the 42-seat provincial legislature, and Hernus Kriel , a former Minister of Law and Order,
9000-592: Was elected Premier . He resigned in 1998 and was replaced by Gerald Morkel . The 1999 election marked the beginning of a period of great turbulence in Western Cape politics. No party achieved an absolute majority in the provincial parliament, as the ANC won 18 seats while the New National Party (NNP), successor to the NP, won 17. The NNP went into coalition with the Democratic Party (DP), which won 5 seats, to form
9100-680: Was elected in 2024 ; 24 seats are held by the Democratic Alliance , 8 by the African National Congress , 3 by the Patriotic Alliance , 2 by the Economic Freedom Fighters , and 1 each by the African Christian Democratic Party , Al Jama-ah , Good , Freedom Front Plus , and National Coloured Congress . The provincial parliament is responsible for legislating within its responsibilities as set out by
9200-521: Was formed as a consortium bank owned jointly by Lloyds Bank , National Provincial , Westminster and Standard Bank of South Africa . In December 1891, Articles of Agreement were drawn up with the Worcester Bank and operations were handed over to African Banking Corporation in February 1892. Finance would bring the Industrial Revolution to Worcester and economic growth really started once
9300-512: Was founded in 1890; by 1907 this organisation was changed to a company, which would become Safari SAD. The first branch opened in Porter Street in 1921. The Union Vinegar Company was established in 1913. It was the first South African factory to produce Beetroot salad . Other products included vinegar, pickled onions, piccalilli, tomato sauce and Worcester sauce . Simon and Woolf Heller were merchants in dried fruit . In 1930 they established
9400-528: Was in operation in the whole of "South Africa". However, the discovery of diamonds in Kimberley , and the attainment of Responsible Government for the Cape Colony in 1872, prompted the Cape Prime Minister John Molteno to start expansion of the railway- and telegraph lines to Kimberley. The Cape Government Railways were immediately formed for this purpose. Thomas Brounger was appointed as
9500-405: Was later gradually restricted, and eventually abolished, under various National Party and United Party governments. In 1930 white women were enfranchised , and in 1931 property qualifications for white voters were removed . In 1936 black voters were then removed from the common voters' rolls and allowed only to elect separate members in 1936, and subsequently denied all representation in
9600-562: Was named for William Rawson, the Cape Colonial Secretary. German settlers employed as "tagloners" on the surrounding farms from 1860 onwards, would soon use the abundance of fertile soil, water and their skilled labour to see the area evolve from livestock farming to cultivated land, orchards and vineyards . By 1865 the production from the flourishing vineyards compared favourably with the Stellenbosch and Paarl valleys. Much of
9700-574: Was not on a permanent basis and "Hartebees huisies" were erected. When European settlers first arrived at the later Cape Colony , the Breede River Valley was inhabited by San hunter/gatherers and Khoi livestock farmers. The Gainou, Korannas and Afrikaner tribes traded livestock with the settlers. With the European settlers came the smallpox virus, that would turn into an epidemic for the Khoi people and by 1713 would take its toll on their existence as
9800-458: Was officially established in 1856. Due to growth in the wagon making industry, the Bank ran into a credit crisis by 1864. Discounting of bills of exchange became difficult and investors started to withdraw their money. Only a £6000 capital injection by the board of directors saved the Bank from ruin. The discovery of diamonds brought a steadier stream of prospectors travelling through Worcester. This led to
9900-458: Was only after the abolishment of influx control in 1986 that the township population really exploded. In 1985, students protested over Afrikaans being a dominant language at school. Riots broke out and several students were shot by police in Robertson Road. A student named Nkosana Nation Bahumi was killed due to the protests. A further 67 sub-economic and 137 economic dwellings were developed in
10000-421: Was replaced by Peter Marais. In 2002 Marais resigned as Premier due to a sexual harassment scandal, and was replaced by NNP leader Marthinus van Schalkwyk . During the 2003 floor-crossing period four members of the provincial parliament crossed to the ANC, giving it an absolute majority of 22 seats in the 42-seat house. However, the ANC remained in coalition with the NNP and van Schalkwyk remained as Premier. In
#254745