History

Province: Western Cape
Coordinates: 33°55′58″S “18°27′27″E
Area: 2.75 km2
Municipality: City Of Cape Town

Fishing village by the river

Salt River began in about 1665, the settlement consisted of several fishermen’s cottages and an inn. It overlooked a fjord on the Salt River. Once the railway line reached Salt River in 1862 it began to develop into a major rail junction. Salt River was amalgamated with Woodstock into one municipal area in 1883.

The integrated area, was a boomtown in the early 1900s.

In the early days, Salt River was a booming suburb as it was close to town. It was the industrial heart of Cape Town in the 1900s with the steel and railway industries being here. Salt River has also been the centre of the textile industry for many years.
In the 50s and 60s, many Malay and “coloured” people moved into the area from “District six”, even before the forced removals. Here they could buy houses. For some reason, people of Indian extraction were prohibited from buying property, unless it was attached to a corner grocery shop. Consequently there used to be grocery stores on almost every corner. Today Salt River is a cosmopolitan, integrated area with people of varying cultures living together

Battle of Salt river

On the 1st of March 1510 a force of around 150 Portuguese armed with swords and spears attacked and raided a local village .  A force of 170-locals along with a herd of cattle counter-attacked using stones, fire-hardened tipped wooden spears and poison arrows. The locals herded the cattle that they used as shields  and achieved victory

WEATHER IN SALT RIVER TODAY

all listings in salt river

 

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Useful Numbers

  • Police: SAPS Woodstock-021 442 3117
  • Traffic department:Elsies River Traffic Department-021 592 115
  • Fire: City of Cape Town – Fire Station-021 444 0830
  • Water: 0869 103 089
  • Electricity: 0869 103 089
  • Ambulance: 10177
  • Post office;Woodstock Post Office-021 447 2475
  • Library:Woodstock Town Hall and Public Library-021 444 6867
  • Closest hospital;Groote Schuur Hospital-021 404 9111
  • Clinic (Wodstock)Chapel Street Clinic-021 461 7870
  • Community house:41 Salt river rd 021 447 7319
  • Salt river town hall:021 447 0608
  • Salt River Community Hall : 021 400 3647
  • Pharmacy;Medi-Place Pharmacy-021 447 6871
  • SPCA: Cape Of Good Hope -021 700 4140
  • Schools:Cecil Road Primary School-021 448 1574
    Salt River Secondary School-021 448 1534
    Wesley Practising School-021 448 1646
    Salt River Public School-021 448 1405
    Shereens Montessori-021 447 7810
    B.e.s.T College- special needs-B.e.s.T College- 021 448 5746
    Salt River Muslim Primary School-021 447-9525

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Local Listings

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