Riebeek West ( af, Riebeek-Wes) is a small town situated about 75 km north-east of

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

and 5 km north of its twin town Riebeek Kasteel in the Swartland area of 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 ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

NG kerk Riebeek-Wes Dutch Reformed Church

Kerksaal NG gemeente Riebeek-Wes Dutch Reformed church hall

The Riebeek Valley would have been known to indigenous Khoi people, but was first described by a party of Cape Dutch explorers under the leadership of Pieter Cruythoff in 1661. The mountain, Riebeeck's Kasteel Berg (Riebeeck's Castle Mountain) was named after then Cape commander Jan van Riebeeck by this expedition and the settlements along the eastern slope of the mountain later derived their names from it. In translation from Dutch to Afrikaans the letter c in Riebeeck was dropped. The first settlers arrived in the area in the early 18th century. Riebeek West was established as a parish of the

Dutch Reformed Church The Dutch Reformed Church (, abbreviated NHK) was the largest Christian denomination in the Netherlands from the onset of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century until 1930. It was the original denomination of the Dutch Royal Family and ...

in 1858. Riebeek West was the birthplace of two successive South African Prime Ministers. General

Jan Christiaan Smuts Field Marshal Jan Christian Smuts, (24 May 1870 11 September 1950) was a South African statesman, military leader and philosopher. In addition to holding various military and cabinet posts, he served as Prime Minister of South Africa, prime m ...

was born on the farm Bovenplaats, two km north of Riebeek West on 24 May 1870. He served two terms as Prime Minister, from 1920 to 1924 as head of the South African Party and again from 1939 to 1948 as head of the United Party. With the general election of 1948, Riebeek West became a political hotbed with the leaders of the two main contesting parties both being from the village.

Daniel François Malan Daniël François Malan (; 22 May 1874 – 7 February 1959) was a South African politician who served as the fourth prime minister of South Africa from 1948 to 1954. The National Party implemented the system of apartheid, which enforce ...

was born on the farm Allesverloren, which abuts the town on the southern side, on 22 May 1874. In 1948 his National Party defeated the incumbent United Party under Smuts and Malan became Prime Minister until 1954. Today there is a cement factory on Bovenplaats, but the house in which Smuts grew up is preserved as a national monument. Allesverloren has become a renowned wine estate with a restaurant. The Riebeek Valley is known for its wheat, wines, and more recently, olives. It is popular for tourism, arts and crafts, and retirement. The Olive Festival is held annually early in May and the Berg River Canoe Marathon passes there in July. The form Riebeek-Wes is preferred for official purposes.

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External links

Experience the magic of the Riebeek Valley

{{West Coast District Municipality Populated places in the Swartland Local Municipality