Towns and suburbs

Witsand

Many ships have sunk at Witsand in the last 400 years.

History of Witsand

  • Province: Western Cape
  • Garden route
  • Coordinates: 34.395°S 20.841°E
  • Area: 2.71 km2
  • Municipality­ ; Hessequa

Early settlers

The small coastal town of Witsand was originally called St Sebastian’s Bay by Navigator Manuel De Mesquita Perestrello. Portuguese explorers landed there in the 16th century, and they saw that the area had a promising natural anchorage. It is a town at the mouth of the Breede River. However, many ships have sunk at Witsand in the last 400 years.

The land here was granted to Captain Benjamin Moodie by the British colonial government on October 10, 1831, under the name Westfield. The area was popular for its clean, sandy beaches and excellent fishing opportunities. By the late 1800s, it was a popular holiday spot, and the Moodie family began subdividing the land, allowing fishermen and holidaymakers to build cottages. Fishing played a significant role in the local economy, and the town became a small hub for local trade, which helped it grow in the 19th century. The name Witsand was used as early as 1867,

Scottish settler Joseph Barry recognised the potential for sea transport between Cape Town and the Overberg, so he developed a harbour at Port Beaufort. Goods could be transported upriver to Malgas. To navigate the challenging river mouth, Barry commissioned the steamship Kadie, which operated successfully for six years before sinking in 1865. The advent of the railway system led to the collapse of Barry’s enterprise.

Whale watching

The area has great fishing opportunities, and it is considered the South African coast Whale nursery. In the 17th century, Captain Benjamin Moodie established the Port Beaufort Trading Company, which opened the bay up to trade. Early in the 20th Century, settlers built accommodations at the Breede River mouth. The village was established on the farm Westfield.

Building in Witsand

Witsand is famous for a distinctive building style that was adopted due to a scarcity of building materials. It is an unusual truss-type construction known as”Kapstylhuisie. There are no side walls, and the trusses reach the ground with a recessed door. The style is reminiscent of Ancient European dwellings. This is the only building style allowed in the area. The first structure built, however, was a stone house known as Ou Pastorie, which Reverend Alexander Daneel built.

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The postcode for Witsand is 7349

 weather in Witsand today

SEE ALL LISTINGS IN WITSAND

Useful Numbers

  • Police: 10111
  • Municipality; 028 713 7868
  • 24-hour Emergency Number–084 014 1828
  • Traffic department: 028 713 7817
  • Fire: 084 014 1828
  • Water: 028 713 7868
  • Electricity: 028 713 7868
  • Ambulance: 10177- 028 713 4554
  • Post office; Agency at the Sands supermarket- 028 537 1800
  • Library: VONDELING MINI LIBRARY- 072 513 6605
  • Closest hospital;Swellendam Hospital-028 514 1141
  • SPCA: Garden Route SPCA-044 693 0824
  • Tourism; 028 537 1717 /028 537 1010/ 082 922 9905 wact@telkomsa.net
  • Hessequa Tourism: 028 713 7829
  • NSRI (Witsand): 082 990 5957

 

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