Hankey is the oldest Town nestled at the confluence of the Klein and Gamtoos Rivers, is a treasure trove of History and natural wonders. Part of the Kouga Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape, it offers a glimpse into South Africa’s rich heritage and agritourism delights. and probably best known because of its claim to the largest sundial in Africa that stands 18 metres high and weighs in at a ton. Hankey’s other claim to fame is the burial place of Sarah Baartman - now an icon for human rights, her life story is one of abysmal treatment during which she was cajoled into leaving her place of birth to be exhibited as a ‘freak’ in the UK and Europe. Years of negotiation with the French government finally culminated in her remains being returned to a burial place just outside Hankey, her final resting place - something of a victory for humanity and a symbol of freedom.

Hankey is one of four Towns that make up the Gamtoos Valley – an exceptionally beautiful part of the World that stretches up to Komdomo at the start of the Baviaanskloof Wilderness, now a World Heritage Site. The Town of Hankey lies surrounded by beautiful Hills and fertile Farming land, on route from Port Elizabeth to the Baviaanskloof - a route that also winds through Humansdorp and Patensie. The Baviaanskloof is literally a Kloof along which a road crosses a series of at least 100 low water crossings through a 192 000 hectare conservation Area that is Home to an incredible diversity of habitats and species.

On August 9, 2002, Women’s Day, dignitaries from Government, leaders of the Khoi community and others, gathered at Vergaderingskop, a Hill overlooking Hankey, a small Town in the Eastern Cape. They were there for the interment of one of the daughters of the soil. It was a dignified event, like the funeral of a high-flying politician, buried at this beautiful spot overlooking the Town. But this was the final resting-place of Sarah Baartman, an ordinary Khoi woman, born along the Gamtoos River in Hankey.

Sarah Baartman, experienced human trafficking, public display, ridicule, shame, mockery and dehumanisation. She was on demeaning public display from 1810 in London until her death in Paris on December 29,1815. Her dignified burial many years later in Hankey restored, after more than two hundred years, her individuality and her dignity and was a rebuke of the system that had turned her into an exhibit. Her burial was a victory of humanity over a deep Historical injustice!

A VISITORS REVIEW: "We stopped at Hankey for a family picnic, so we didn't stay longer than an afternoon, but it was pretty and had a charm about it!"

It's name being symbolic of royalty (“Kroon” is Dutch for crown), Kroonstad has very humble beginnings. It was named after Voorktrekker Sarel Cilliers' horse, who drowned in a stream here. (Charl Arnoldus Cilliers was a Voortrekker leader and a preacher. With Andries Pretorius, he led the Boers to a huge victory over the Zulus at the Battle of Blood River in 1838.)
The Vaal River runs through the City of Kroonstad, with its banks of willows and poplar trees, laid out in parks.
The main industry of Kroonstad is agriculture. It is the centre of a rich agricultural district, producing maize, wheat, dairy and meat products and wool. Kroonstad is also a busy transportation centre with Marshalling Yards, Grain Elevators, and engineering works. It is the Northern educational focus of the Province, with vocational and trade Schools. It is within 64 km of the Free State goldfields, and there are coal and diamond Mines to the North. In the 2001 Census; there was a Population of 23,994 people.
In 1975, Winnie Mandela was incarcerated here at the Kroonstad Prison. In February 1975, our founding President, the late Nelson Mandela, wrote her a letter where he was encouraging her not to let this Prison break her down!
At the official renaming ceremony of the Kroonstad Correctional Centre, to the 'Bizzah Makhate Correctional Centre". (This name pays tribute to the late Comrade; Wilfred Sefularo ‘Bizzah’ Makhate who was incarcerated at this facility in the eighties!) Minister Sibusiso Joel "S'bu" Ndebele (born 17 October 1948), led this ceremony. He was the Minister of Correctional Services, serving from 2012 to 2014. He has been on the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the African National Congress (ANC) since 1997, and was the Provincial Chair of the ANC from 1998 to 2008. Minister Ndebele said: “The colonial powers used incarceration as a way of subjugating the indigenous populations. Oliver Tambo, in his December 1964 Foreword to President Nelson Mandela’s book “No Easy Walk to Freedom,” writes about South Africa’s high prison population and notes: ‘South African apartheid laws turn innumerable innocent people into ‘criminals’. Apartheid stirs hatred and frustration among people...every case in court, every visit to the prisons to interview clients, reminded us [me & Mandela] of the humiliation and suffering burning into our people.’

This Area was established in the Years of Apartheid! It is perfectly positioned; as it is extremely close to the Cape Town International Airport (less than about four kilometres, in fact) and is fewer than 20 kilometres from the City Bowl. This Suburb has a deep, poignant History, and is a fascinating Area, to explore and discover. Originally, home to larger segments of the Coloured Community and Working Class! It now has developed into an Area that showcases the food, music, beliefs and faces of these folk. Matroosfontein Population is now a full spectrum of the South Africans. Bordering on: the Township of Gugulethu, Bonteheuwel, Elsie’s River, Goodwood, Athlone, Belhar and Parow Industrial. Matroosfontein is just one more of the Areas that define the character and charm of Cape Town and South Africa, and offers locals and visitors alike the opportunity to tour this unique place!

Bonteheuwel is a coloured Township situated North of Cape Town. It was created in the 1960's as a "Dumping Site" for coloured people, who had been forced to move out of Cape Town. This was a result of the Group Areas Act of 1950, were the land was divided into: blacks and whites distinct residential zones, the beginning of Apartheid! This act established the distinct areas of South Africa in which members of each race could live and work, typically setting aside the best urban, industrial, and agricultural areas for whites. The area was conceived as a letting scheme owned by the then Cape Town City. The construction of housing in Bonteheuwel (proper) started in 1961 and was completed in 1964.
In the 2001 national census, Bonteheuwel had a population of 55 707, of whom 95% were classified as coloured and 4% as Black African, indicating the results of the Group Areas Act. Afrikaans is the dominant language at 76%, while English is spoken as a home language by a further 22%. The housing profile of Bonteheuwel is dominated by brick houses on separate stands in which 72% of the population lives, followed by semi-detached houses in which a further 11% of population lives, while backyard dwellings – both brick structures and informal dwellings – are home for a further 11% of the people.
This Area is Bonteheuwel is a coloured Township situated North of Cape Town. It was created in the 1960's as a "Dumping Site" for coloured people, who had been forced to move out of Cape Town. This was a result of the Group Areas Act of 1950, were the land was divided into: blacks and whites distinct residential zones, the beginning of Apartheid! This act established the distinct areas of South Africa in which members of each race could live and work, typically setting aside the best urban, industrial, and agricultural areas for whites. The area was conceived as a letting scheme owned by the then Cape Town City. It comprised four areas, namely Bonteheuwel (proper), Bluegum, Netreg and Kalksteenfontein. The construction of housing in Bonteheuwel (proper) started in 1961 and was completed in 1964.
In the 2001 national census, Bonteheuwel had a population of 55 707, of whom 95% were classified as coloured and 4% as Black African, indicating the results of the Group Areas Act. Afrikaans is the dominant language at 76%, while English is spoken as a home language by a further 22%. The housing profile of Bonteheuwel is dominated by brick houses on separate stands in which 72% of the population lives, followed by semi-detached houses in which a further 11% of population lives, while backyard dwellings – both brick structures and informal dwellings – are home for a further 11% of the people.
This Area is predominantly is made up of financially and impoverished, struggling community!

Bonteheuwel's Freedom Square is now officially a Provincial Heritage Site. The square, in the suburb's central business district (CBD), holds historic significance. It is the place where anti-apartheid freedom fighters often gathered to strategize and organise. During the liberation struggle, Freedom Square was a space for congregation and political meetings. The Bonteheuwel Civic, the library, the staircases and platforms surrounding the library would act as assembly and meeting points, which provided a platform for activists to address crowds.

Before the arrival of European settlers, it was a watering ground for early Khoi herders. The first encounter between these herders and Europeans was with the battle against Fransisco D’Almeida, which has been linked to the legend of a Princess. The legend goes; that this Khoisan Princess was abducted by Portuguese sailors while bathing in its waters.
During the years of Apartheid, it became one of the few natural Areas that people of colour could visit, after they were forcibly removed by the Government to Housing Estates on the Cape Flats. This Vlei was severely neglected by the authorities, and became further degraded when a road was built through it, with little regard for conserving its ecology!
The Khoi and the San were Cape Town’s earliest inhabitants, forcibly enslaved or driven out by those who came later. The Vlei remains an important site for celebrating and memorialising this Heritage by many Khoi cultural revivalist groups. When theses people classified as coloured and black were forcibly removed to the Cape Flats by group areas, this was the one of the few natural places they could come to relax and enjoy picnics with their families. Since people were denied access to the beaches, Princess Vlei become known as 'Claremont beach' or 'Gala land'.

It has long been used as a place for water immersion Baptism. Church groups come every Sunday from Nyanga, Gugulethu, Philippi….At Easter, they come from as far afield as Gauteng, baptising hundreds in a morning. Many others come to the vlei to be close to God and nature.
The vlei offers a venue where local Capetonians from all walks of life can enjoy nature together. Located between formerly coloured and white Areas, it is perfectly situated to build community, overcome Historical divisions and bring people together.
The Vlei provides a valuable public space to communities facing socio-economic challenges in highly urbanised environments. This space reconnects urbanised communities with nature, and an outdoor classroom where youngsters can experience and develop an appreciation of and love for nature.
The Princess Vlei provides a habitat for many plants and animal species and nurtures biodiversity. As human pressure on natural resources increases, our continued existence is under threat if we do not find a way to live more sustainably. The sustainable City of Cape Town, works closely with nature, nurturing biodiversity and allowing natural systems such as wetlands to exist!

After 12 years of being in the the placement of an official Heritage Site; a plaque has been laid at the Princess Vlei. This declares that Princess Vlei is a Provincial Heritage Site. This occurred on Tuesday 12 October.