Tarkastad

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Tarkastad
Tarkastad straattoneel.jpg
The main street in Tarkastad, 2012
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Tarkastad
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Tarkastad
Coordinates: 32°01′S26°16′E / 32.017°S 26.267°E / -32.017; 26.267
Country South Africa
Province Eastern Cape
District Chris Hani
Municipality Enoch Mgijima
Time zone UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
5370
PO box
5370

Tarkastad is a Karoo semi-urban settlement situated on the banks of Tarka River in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Tarkastad is on a plain to the north of the Winterberg mountain range on the R61 between Cradock and Komani and only three hours from Gqeberha. The name Tarkastad is believed to come from the Khoi-Khoi word Traka (meaning women) or the Celtic word Tarka (meaning otter) and the Afrikaans word Stad (meaning city). The fact that the town is overlooked by Martha and Mary; two peaks which look like two women resting after a hard day's work, also lends to the name. [1]

Contents

History

The first people to occupy the area around Tarkastad were the San who left an abundance of rock art paintings in Grootvlei just north of the town. [2] The first farmers settled in Tarkastad in 1795 who built watermills, inns and both a Dutch Reformed and Presbyterian Church. [2] Two Great Trek leaders, Andries Potgieter and Piet Retief, farmed here for a short while. After the Dutch farmers decided to accompany their leaders on the Great Trek, [3] the English 1820 settlers moved in, and in 1862 Tarkastad was established as a church centre and became a municipality in 1864. [2] Elands River Poort, a mountain pass located on the Karoo, 24 km to the NNW of Tarkastad, [4] where the Battle of Elands River (1901) was fought during the Second Boer War. [5] The grave of Lt. Sheridan, cousin of Winston Churchill, who was killed in the Battle of Elands River can be found on the Modderfontein farm just outside Tarkastad. Victorian cast iron lamp posts, old water mills and broekie lace adornments indicate the British colonial influence. [1]

Tarkastad's first Municipal Manager after apartheid was Mr Smilo Dayi an ex-political prisoner. The first mayor after apartheid was Mr Ntsikelelo Sampempe.

A family house in Tarkastad was the birthplace of anti-Apartheid activist and African nationalist, Steve Biko.

Climate

Scientists have stated that Tarkastad has one of the healthiest climates in the world. [3] Winters are cold with frequent snowfalls on high lying mountain tops, while summers are hot and dry. Tarkastad which is situated at an elevation of 1,304 metres normally receives about 335mm of rain per year, with most rainfall occurring mainly during summer. [6]

Economy

Surrounded by commercial farms, which specialize in crop, animal farming (Merino sheep, goats and cattle) and game farming, Tarkastad caters for the surrounding villages in Ntabethemba such as Tentergate, Khwezi and Khayalethu. [3] Although no longer the capital of the Tsolwana Local Municipality which has been absorbed into the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality, the town still offers public and administrative services for surrounding villages.

Landmarks

Demographics

The following statistics describing Tarkastad are from the 2011 census. [7]

GenderPopulation%
Male74246.26%
Female86253.74%
RacePopulation%
Coloured 48029.93%
Black African 86653.99%
White 23214.46%
Indian or Asian 80.50%
Other191.18%
First language Population%
Afrikaans 66744.89%
isiXhosa 61841.59%
English 1489.96%
Sesotho 40.27
Setswana 20.13
Sign language 20.13
isiZulu 30.20
isiNdebele 100.47
Sepedi 60.40%
Other251.68%
Not applicable118

Nearby villages and towns

Notable people

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References

  1. 1 2 "Tarkastad". Roots Web.
  2. 1 2 3 "Tarkastad". Namakwa.
  3. 1 2 3 "Tarkastad, Eastern Cape". Show Me.
  4. Elands River Poort, South Africa
  5. Eastern Cape and the Anglo-Boer War Archived 2012-02-13 at the Wayback Machine
  6. "Tarkastad Climate". SA Explorer. Archived from the original on 2017-09-07. Retrieved 2017-06-25.
  7. "Tarkastad census". Adrian Firth.

See also