Bela-Bela Explained

Bela-Bela should not be confused with Bella Bella (disambiguation).

Bela-Bela
Other Name:Warmbaths
Motto:Latin: Salus et vita
Pushpin Map:South Africa Limpopo#South Africa#Africa
Coordinates:-24.8833°N 45°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:South Africa
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:Limpopo
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Waterberg
Subdivision Type3:Municipality
Subdivision Name3:Bela-Bela
Subdivision Type4:Main Place
Established Title:Established
Established Date:1873
Leader Title:Councillor
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:23.29
Population Total:45001
Population As Of:2011
Population Density Km2:auto
Demographics Type1:Racial makeup (2011)
Demographics1 Title1:Black African
Demographics1 Info1:89.1%
Demographics1 Title2:Coloured
Demographics1 Info2:1.7%
Demographics1 Title3:Indian/Asian
Demographics1 Info3:0.7%
Demographics1 Title4:White
Demographics1 Info4:8.2%
Demographics1 Title5:Other
Demographics1 Info5:0.3%
Demographics Type2:First languages (2011)
Demographics2 Title1:Northern Sotho
Demographics2 Info1:43.0%
Demographics2 Title2:Tswana
Demographics2 Info2:18.1%
Demographics2 Title3:Tsonga
Demographics2 Info3:12.4%
Demographics2 Title4:Afrikaans
Demographics2 Info4:9.4%
Demographics2 Title5:Other
Demographics2 Info5:17.1%
Timezone1:SAST
Utc Offset1:+2
Postal Code Type:Postal code (street)
Postal Code:0480
Postal2 Code Type:PO box
Area Code Type:Area code
Area Code:014

Bela-Bela (Tswana/Pedi for "the pot that boils")[2] - formerly known as Warmbaths, Afrikaans: Warmbad[3] - is a town in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Deriving its name from the geothermic hot springs around which the town was built.

The town is situated in the Waterberg District of the Limpopo Province. It lies off the N1 road between Pretoria and Polokwane (Pietersburg). Its hot springs produce 22,000 litres per hour at 52°C.[4]

The main hot springs holiday resort (previously run by state-owned company Aventura, formerly called Overvaal[5])[6] in the town is still branded Warmbaths.[7]

History

When the Tswana tribes first moved into the region in the 1800s, they discovered hot springs in the area.[8]

The Voortrekker Carl Van Heerden established the first Boer farm in what is now Bela-Bela and called it Het Bad. In 1873, President Burgers' Transvaal government bought the land and established a resort called Hartingsburg after the prominent Dutch biologist Pieter Harting. The British occupied the town during the Anglo-Boer War, and renamed the post office Warm Baths in 1903, and proclaimed the boundaries of Warmbaths to be the entire farm of Het Bad.

In 1920 Warmbaths was proclaimed a township (in the legal, not racial sense) and the township was designed by architect John Abraham Moffat[9] in that year. In 1950, it became a magisterial district. In 1932 Warmbaths became a village town and was established as a town council in 1960.

Called Warmbaths in English, the Afrikaans name for the town was Warmbad.[3]

On 14 June 2002[10] the South African government officially renamed the town Bela-Bela (meaning "boiling boiling").[11]

Education

Bela Bela has proven to be a town of intellectual importance through its academic achievements. The town is home to schools like Albert Luthuli Primary School, Bela Bela High school, Hleketane Primary School, Hoërskool Warmbad, Jinnah Park Primary School, Khabele Primary School, Laerskool Warmbad, Maope Secondary School, Mmamakwa Primary School, Mmampatile Primary School, Raeleng High School, Spa Park Primary, Settlers Agricultural High School and Ulando Secondary School.

Notable people

AB de Villiers.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Main Place Bela-Bela . Census 2011.
  2. Web site: History of Warmbaths/ Bela-Bela. Marula Marketing. 14 December 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20100110044104/http://www.accommodation-warmbaths.co.za/history.htm. 10 January 2010 . live.
  3. Web site: Warmbaths. ArteFacts . 14 December 2009.
  4. Web site: Warmbad / Bela Bela Information and Accommodation . https://web.archive.org/web/20081230051426/http://www.warmbadinfo.com/ . dead . 30 December 2008 . 31 October 2010 .
  5. Web site: Committee Briefed on Repeal of Overvaal Resorts Limited Bill - Parliament of South Africa.
  6. Web site: Land claims put brakes on sale of Aventura resorts - eProperty News. eProperty. News. eprop.co.za.
  7. Web site: Warmbaths, A Forever Resort | Holiday destination in Bela-Bela, en-route between Pretoria and Pietersburg (Polokwane) | leisure, corporate, conference, weddings, hotel, accommodation, health hydro, spa, water park | Limpopo | South Africa. www.foreverwarmbaths.co.za.
  8. Web site: Bela Bela, Limpopo By South Africa Channel . 31 October 2009.
  9. Web site: Moffat, John Abraham. ArteFacts. 14 December 2009.
  10. Web site: OldPlaceNames . South African Geographical Names System . 31 October 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100208231613/http://sagns.dac.gov.za/Public/OldPlaceNames.aspx?Contains=W . 8 February 2010 .
  11. Web site: Bela-Bela Tourism. Bela Bela Tourism. 31 October 2009.