Boetsap is a private owned village between towns

Prieska Prieska is a town on the south bank of the Orange River, in the province of the Northern Cape, in western South Africa. It is located on the southern bank of the Orange River, 130 km north-west of Britstown and 75 km south-east of Mary ...

, Warrenton, Douglas and

Reivilo Reivilo is a town situated 100 km southwest of Vryburg on the Ghaap Plateau in North West Province of South Africa. Large scale lead and zinc mining took place in the district. History The town was established in 1883 and at first named '' ...

. Its situated in the

Northern Cape The Northern Cape is the largest and most sparsely populated province of South Africa. It was created in 1994 when the Cape Province was split up. Its capital is Kimberley. It includes the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, part of the Kgalagadi T ...

, South Africa

Beginnings

The area today known as Boetsap belonged to the Griqua King, Barend Barendse. Moselekatse beaten him in a battle and took the land over. In 1879 William Hunter took it over and in his turn sold it to Archibald Cochran. Cochran sold it to the congregation of Kimberley and du Toitspan. In 1883 it formed its own congregation and a town was founded, calling it Cathcart West. It was changed to Boetsap in 1890. (Old missionaries recorded it as Bootschap) The area then was divided into two separate areas Boetsap and Klein (small) Boetsap. Klein Boetsap became

. Boetsap later became in the possession of H Pagan.

Naming origin

The name originates out of Tswana. It’s called after the word “Mabuchapella”. The meaning is Mother of Fertility (referring to an animal). From Tswana bucwa, 'fat', 'sleek', it is said to refer to the condition of the cattle there.

Location

It’s on the foot of the Ghaapse Plateau. David Livingstone, the explorer and Missionary when looking at trees decided to call the valley to Boetsap “Forest Hill”. This was in the 1800s before the formal town settling.

School and Nursing home

On 1 June 1883 a school, accommodating children from SubA (Grade 1) and Standard 6(Grade 8) was opened with 25 children. The first principal was D Viljoen. Later D Nelson was principal from 1923-1954. A Nursing home was also opened in the late 1930s.

Limestone formation and asbestos

In the 1930s Prof Young from Wits did some studies here regarding Stromatolite. Asbestos mining also took place in the area. The Asbestos Mountains rise from the Ghaap Plateau and is called that due to the mining that took place in the 20th century

Notable residents

Edwill van Aarde Edwill van Aarde (20 December 1938 – 3 January 2024) was a South African television and radio broadcaster and sports commentator. He was the presenter and commentator with the longest uninterrupted service at any broadcaster in South Africa, 5 ...

South African radio and television personality, grew up there.

References

{{Frances Baard District Municipality Populated places in the Dikgatlong Local Municipality 1883 establishments in the Cape Colony