Boetsap

Boetsap
Boetsap Show map of Northern Cape Boetsap Show map of South Africa
Coordinates: 27.971°S 24.450°E / -27.971; 24.450
Country	South Africa
Province	Northern Cape
District	Frances Baard
Municipality	Dikgatlong
Established	1883
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)

Boetsap is a private owned village between towns Prieska, Warrenton, Douglas and Reivilo. Its situated in the Northern Cape, South Africa

Beginnings

The area today known as Boetsap belonged to the Griqua King, Barend Barendse. Moselekatse beaten him in a battle and took the land over.^[1] In 1879 William Hunter took it over and in his turn sold it to Archibald Cochran.^[2] Cochran sold it to the congregation of Kimberley and du Toitspan. In 1883 it formed its own congregation and a town was founded, calling it Cathcart West. It was changed to Boetsap in 1890. (Old missionaries recorded it as Bootschap) The area then was divided into two separate areas Boetsap and Klein (small) Boetsap. Klein Boetsap became Reivilo. Boetsap later became in the possession of H Pagan.^[3]

Naming origin

The name originates out of Tswana. It’s called after the word “Mabuchapella”. The meaning is Mother of Fertility (referring to an animal). From Tswana bucwa, 'fat', 'sleek', it is said to refer to the condition of the cattle there.^[4]

Location

It’s on the foot of the Ghaapse Plateau. David Livingstone, the explorer and Missionary when looking at trees decided to call the valley to Boetsap “Forest Hill”. This was in the 1800s before the formal town settling.

School and Nursing home

On 1 June 1883 a school, accommodating children from SubA (Grade 1) and Standard 6(Grade 8) was opened with 25 children. The first principal was D Viljoen. Later D Nelson was principal from 1923-1954. A Nursing home was also opened in the late 1930s.^[5]

Limestone formation and asbestos

In the 1930s Prof Young^[6] from Wits did some studies here regarding Stromatolite. Asbestos mining also took place in the area. The Asbestos Mountains rise from the Ghaap Plateau and is called that due to the mining that took place in the 20th century

Notable residents

Edwill van Aarde South African radio and television personality, grew up there.^[7]

References

1. Harris, WC (1839). The Wild Sports of Southern Africa; Being the Narrative of an Expedition from the Cape of Good Hope, Through the Territories of the Chief Moselekatse, to the Tropic of Capricorn page 151. John Murray, Albemarle Street. Retrieved 5 June 2018. Sir William Cornwallis Harris.
2. "Document 43 of 60 Solvent and insolvent estates done by the Griqualand West" (PDF). McGregor Museum, Kimberley. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
3. Book: Diamantveld High school journal, published 1953,author: Nelson H
4. Raper, Peter E. (1987). Dictionary of Southern African Place Names. Internet Archive. p. 85. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
5. Book:Diamantveld High school publication,1953,author=Nelson,H.
6. Eriksson,K.A. and Truswell,J.F. "Palaeontologia Africana, Annals of Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research, Volume 15, 1973 High Inheritance Elongate Stromatolitic Mounds from the Transvaal Dolomite page 24". Retrieved 4 June 2018.
7. Jadoo, Y. (22 September 2013). "The safest place in SA". The citizen. Retrieved 4 June 2018.