Norvalspont | |
|---|---|
  Norvalspont  Norvalspont | |
| Coordinates: 30°38′S 25°27′E / 30.63°S 25.45°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Northern Cape |
| District | Pixley ka Seme |
| Municipality | Umsobomvu |
| Established | 1848 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.9 km2 (0.3 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
| • Total | 1,198 |
| • Density | 1,300/km2 (3,400/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 91.7% |
| • Coloured | 7.8% |
| • Indian/Asian | 0.3% |
| • White | 0.0% |
| • Other | 0.1% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Xhosa | 86.3% |
| • Afrikaans | 8.7% |
| • Sotho | 3.2% |
| • Other | 1.8% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| PO box | 9797 |
| Area code | 051 |
Norvalspont is a small town in Pixley ka Seme District Municipality in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. The name is Afrikaans for Norval’s ferry, and named after an enterprising Scot who constructed a ferry here in 1848.[2] The settlement lies some 40 km east-north-east of Colesberg and 43 km west-north-west of Venterstad, on the southern bank of the Orange River, just below the Gariep Dam.
At the end of the 19th Century Norvalspont became a strategic station on the Noupoort – Bloemfontein railway line. The first bridge across the Orange River was built in 1889 and allowed British soldiers and their horses to cross the Orange River on their first campaign against the Voortrekkers. People and goods had to be ferried across until the bridge was built. It later sunk and was destroyed during a flood.[3]
There was also a large concentration camp for Afrikaner women and children at Norvalspont during the Second Boer War.
- ^ a b c d Sum of the Main Places Norvalspont and Masizakhe from Census 2011.
- ^ "Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Public Domain)". Human Science Research Council. p. 341.
- ^ Norvalspont. Tracks4Africa.