Vredendal is a town in the northern Olifants River Valley in the Western Cape province of South Africa, with a population (according to the 2001 census) of 16,164 people.[2] It lies 250 kilometres (160 mi) north of Cape Town on the banks of the Olifants River at the southern edge of Little Namaqualand.
Vredendal was laid out in 1933 as part of the Olifants River Irrigation Scheme, and attained municipal status in 1963. The name is Dutch and Afrikaans for "valley of peace", and was taken from the name of an old farm.[3]
Vredendal is the administrative and commercial centre of the northern Olifants River Valley and the northern part of the Western Cape province. It is the seat of the Matzikama Local Municipality and of a magistrate's court. Between 1968 and 2001 it was a major integrated military base housing two SAAF fighter jet squadrons, a ground attack squadron, an Aerial refueling squadron, two airlifting transport squadrons attached to 3 Paratrooper Companies, two attack helicopter squadrons colocated with an SADF Armoured Battalion and 2 Light Infantry Battalions which formed the 6th SADF Infantry Brigade. It was also the site of the 4 Coastal Artillery Group of the SADF Navy equipped with Surface to Ship Guided Missiles and Anti-Submarine Helicopters.
Vredendal is connected to the N7 national road by the R362 and R363 roads, which run along the north and south banks, respectively, of the Olifants River. Vredendal is also served by the West Coast railway line which runs from Cape Town to Bitterfontein. The travel distance from Cape Town is approximately 300 kilometres (190 mi) by road and 360 kilometres (220 mi) by rail.
It is on the boundary between the Mediterranean climate to the south and the semi-arid climate towards the north. Winters are mild with occasional rainy days. The summers can be warm to very hot and very dry.
In August 2014 the town hit the news headlines when Lionel Phillips, acting director for development and city planning, caused an uproar by requesting the organisers of the Namaqua festival to cancel the performance of the singer Steve Hofmeyr. Hofmeyr responded by stating "There you have it Lionel Phillips: 17 artists, one agency and a whole town without an income for that weekend."
On 27 October 2015, a temperature of 48.4 °C was recorded in Vredendal, the highest global temperature for October that year.[4]
^ abcd"Main Place Vredendal". Census 2011.
^The figures are a sum of the census places Vredendal Part 1, Vredendal Part 2, Vredendal Part 3.
^Raper, R.E. Dictionary of Southern African Place Names. Human Science Research Council. p. 463.
^"STATE OF THE CLIMATE IN 2015" (PDF). Retrieved 2023-12-22.
Vredendal is a town in the northern Olifants River Valley in the Western Cape province of South Africa, with a population (according to the 2001 census)...
of the Western Cape province of South Africa, including the towns of Vredendal, Vanrhynsdorp, Klawer and Lutzville, and the surrounding villages and...
greater Karoo, including Beaufort West 027: Namaqualand (Northern Cape): Vredendal, Calvinia, Clanwilliam, Springbok, Alexander Bay, Port Nolloth 028: Southern...
Saldanha St Helena Bay Strandfontein Vanrhynsdorp Velddrif Vredenburg Vredendal Wupperthal Yzerfontein Ashton Bonnievale Ceres De Doorns Denneburg Franschhoek...
Other wards in the Olifants River Region - Bamboes Bay, Spruitdrift, Vredendal, Cederberg, Ceres, Lamberts Bay, Prince Albert Valley and Swartberg Northern...
High School, Bellville Vredenburg High School, Vredenburg Vredendal High School, Vredendal Wynberg Boys' High School, Wynberg Wynberg Girls' High School...
tortilis is found in the Richtersveld and Namaqualand, southwards to Vredendal, Hopefield and Saron. Trachyandra tortilis is classified as Least Concern...
the Orange River in the ǁKaras Region of Namibia. The nearest towns are Vredendal (28.8 km), Gaobis (28.8 km), Silwerstroom (32.6 km), and Hakiesdoorn (48...
right bank of the Olifants River, 17 kilometres (11 mi) south-east of Vredendal and 240 kilometres (150 mi) north of Cape Town. According to the 2011...
completing his studies at university, he worked as a teacher in the town of Vredendal. In that same period, he joined the African National Congress. He worked...
occupied Manhattan in the early 17th century and called the nearby area "Vredendal", meaning "peaceful dale". The western boundary of New Harlem was drawn...
resides under the Matzikama Local Municipality. Village 22 km north-west of Vredendal and 45 km west of Vanrhynsdorp. Established in August 1923 as Vlermuisklip...
Alwyn 'Junior' Bester (born 15 April 1987 in Vredendal) is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with the SWD Eagles. His regular position...
Patriotic Alliance would be contesting its first by-election in a ward in Vredendal, Western Cape, primarily against the DA and the ANC. The by-election took...
kilometres (191 mi) north of Cape Town, 23 kilometres (14 mi) east of Vredendal, and 80 kilometres (50 mi) north of Clanwilliam. The town sits at the...
was fully commissioned on 31 March 2015. It is located north-west of Vredendal, approximately 300 km (190 mi) north of Cape Town. It will sit on the...
Energy Power Plants 13 AUGUST 2012" (PDF). Retrieved 17 August 2013. "VREDENDAL SOLAR POWER PARK (PTY) LTD. NERSA Public Hearing on the theApplication...
Saldanha on the Cape Columbine peninsula, Malmesbury in the Swartland, and Vredendal in the Olifants River Valley. The district is divided into five local...
Global Information
