Oukloof was a small rural community in the
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province of South Africa, situated on the south-western coast of the country. It is the fourth largest of the nine provinces with an area of , and the third most populous, with an estimated 7 million inhabitants in 2020 ...
of
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
that was forcibly removed from their homes in 1965, and relocated in a nearby location now known as Esterhof.
Location
The community was located at the southeast edge of
Riebeek-Kasteel
Riebeek-Kasteel is one of the oldest towns in South Africa, situated at 80 km north-east of Cape Town in The Riebeek Valley together with its sister town Riebeek West. They set off in the direction of Paardeberg and on 3 February 1661 they as ...
.
History and context
One of the earliest available references to the community is from a
Dominee
In Christianity, a minister is a person authorised by a church or other religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidan ...
(Ds Johannes Stephanus Hauman, a strong supporter of missionary work), who recorded the membership of congregations in Riebeek Kasteel between 1881 and 1907, identifying a Mission Church in Riebeek Kasteel having about 30 'coloured' members. They continued to live and work in the area near the mission church for the next 60 years.
On 23 December 1961, Riebeek Kasteel is declared a white-only group area (Procl. 152 of 1961) that was outlined in the local Swartland newspaper. On 6 January 1965, the Provincial Administration approved the establishment of a new coloured township on the other side of the railway tracks, that was later named
Esterhof. On 1 August 1968, the original land known as Oukloof was transferred from the Village Management Board to the Dutch Reformed Church, for R250. It is now largely set out as a commercial vineyard.
[NGK Archives: GEM-K2797]
See also
Forced displacement
Forced displacement (also forced migration) is an involuntary or coerced movement of a person or people away from their home or home region. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR defines 'forced displacement' as follows: dis ...
References
External links
Website for the Oukloof Legacy ProjectThe Surplus Peoples Project
Populated places in the Swartland Local Municipality
Forced migration
Former populated places in South Africa
Events associated with apartheid
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