History of Athlone

• Province: Western Cape
• Coordinates 34°0′S 18°30′E
• Area 2,445 km2
• Municipality City of Cape Town

Athlone got its name from  Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone who was the Governor-general of and Commander in Chief in South Africa. He was a member of the royal family and was in this position from 1924 to 1930. Previously the area was called West London.
Athlone has been called the dumping ground of the apartheid regime where thousands of people were relocated because of the group areas act. 70 years after the Earl of Athlone left, it became a melting pot and it is an example of how many different cultures can coexist.
The Athlone train station is on the Cape Flats line. Other parts of Athlone include Manenberg, Gatesville, Rylands, Belgravia Estate, Bridgetown, Hazendal. Garlandale, Rondebosch East, Crawford, Silvertown and Kewtown, but also Bokmakerrie which is an older area that was built before World War 2
Athlone is the cultural hub of The Cape Flats community

WEATHER IN ATHLONE TODAY

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Things to see and do in Athlone:

• Athlone stadium
• Athlone Power Station or ‘Athlone Towers’ or the ‘Cooling Towers’. Built in 1960 are managed by the Cape Town City Council. Today, they are declared out of bounds, due to damage caused to the structure by the strong Southeastern wind.
• The Robert Waterwitch / Colleen Williams Memorial, established in memory of two activists who died in the anti apartheid struggle
• Nantes Park Outdoor Gym  Loerie Road, Silvertown