Ventersdorp is a Commune and a local Municipalité of South Africa, located in the province of the North-West, in the Western of the old republic of the Transvaal.

Ventersdorp is located in the Vallée Fleuve Vaal at 110 km at the south of Pretoria and at 50km of Potchefstroom.

Demography

The Population of the commune of Ventersdorp is of 2.000 inhabitants, almost exclusively Afrikaners. The Township of Tshing includes/understands nearly 15.000 inhabitants, exclusively blacks or people known as of colors.

History

BaTswana populations migrated in the area in the middle of the 18th century then left it at the beginning of the 19th century for the area of the free state of Orange.

In 1840, the first Voortrekker S settle in the area and build their farms.

The commune of Ventersdorp was founded by the Boer S in 1866. It bears the name Johannes Venter, the owner of the ground on which the first public building was built, a Dutch reformed church.

The discovery of Diamant S in the area supported the economic development of this small agricultural commune.

The agricultural commune of Ventersdorp was a bastion of the Extreme-right-hand side afrikaner during the period of Apartheid (1948 - 1991). Its name is closely related to Eugene Terreblanche, born in Ventersdrop, and the paramilitary movement Resistance movement afrikaner (Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging - AWB) which had its general headquarter there.

The August 9th 1991, Ventersdorp was the theater of a battle arranged between the police force and the members of the AWB at the time of the arrival with the town hall of the president Frederik de Klerk. Confrontation was set up among the symbols of the end of the Apartheid because it was the first time in 43 years which white police officers used their firearms against white demonstrators. Three members of the AWB and a passer by were killed during confrontation by the police force.

In 1995, Meshack Mbambalala (Communist party of South Africa/African National congress) was the first black mayor of the commune.

Administration

The commune of Ventersdorp is integrated within a local Municipalité of 43.081 inhabitants (2001), itself located with Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp in the southern district of the province (600 000 inhabitants).

External bonds

• Presentation of Ventersdorp

Random links:

Local history | James Grogan | Pool off Radiance | Four Incommensurable | Nicklas Kulti