Alice, South Africa Explained

Alice
Nickname:eDikeni
Pushpin Map:South Africa Eastern Cape#South Africa#Africa
Coordinates:-32.7892°N 26.835°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Amathole
Subdivision Type3:Municipality
Subdivision Name3:Raymond Mhlaba
Subdivision Type4:Main Place
Established Title:Established
Leader Title:Councillor
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:9.85
Population Total:15143
Population As Of:2011
Population Density Km2:auto
Demographics Type1:Racial makeup (2011)
Demographics1 Title1:Black African
Demographics1 Info1:93.0%
Demographics1 Title2:Coloured
Demographics1 Info2:5.6%
Demographics1 Title3:Indian/Asian
Demographics1 Info3:0.3%
Demographics1 Title4:White
Demographics1 Info4:0.6%
Demographics1 Title5:Other
Demographics1 Info5:0.5%
Demographics Type2:First languages (2011)
Demographics2 Title1:Xhosa
Demographics2 Info1:84.0%
Demographics2 Title2:Afrikaans
Demographics2 Info2:7.3%
Demographics2 Title3:English
Demographics2 Info3:3.5%
Demographics2 Title5:Other
Demographics2 Info5:5.2%
Timezone1:SAST
Utc Offset1:+2
Postal Code Type:Postal code (street)
Postal2 Code Type:PO box
Area Code Type:Area code
Area Code:040

Alice is a small town in Eastern Cape, South Africa that is named after Princess Alice, the daughter of the British Queen Victoria. It was settled in 1824 by British colonists. It is adjacent to the Tyhume River. It has a rail and road connection to East London, Qonce and other towns in the province. It forms part of Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality.

University of Fort Hare

The University of Fort Hare began in early 1847 as a fort built to house British troops. The same fort was converted in 1916 into a black university institution. Many of the current political leaders in South Africa were educated at the University of Fort Hare. It is also the alma mater of former President Nelson Mandela. The university is also the repository of the archives of the African National Congress and documents and houses one of the most significant collections of African art.

Victoria Hospital

Built in 1898.One of the oldest sites in Alice, it still graces the town with its old charm of yesterday. Victoria Hospital is a large district hospital on the outskirts of Alice, recently (2006–2011) fully reconstructed and upgraded by the Eastern Cape Provincial Government.[2]

History

The location was named Lovedale by European missionaries who settled there in 1824.It lies on the southwestern bank of the Tyhume River, west-northwest of East London, at an elevation of 1,720(524m).It was named after John Love of the Glasgow Missionary Society. During the Frontier War it was abandoned and the mission resettled on the west bank of the Tyhume River. On the east bank a fort was built, called Fort Hare, after Major-General John Hare, who was Lieutenant-Governor of the Eastern Cape and acting Governor of the Cape Colony. Later the name of the town was changed to Alice. Alice was the administrative and magisterial capital of the old district of Victoria East. In 1847, it was named Alice by Sir Peregrine Maitland after Princess Alice, the second daughter of Queen Victoria. Municipal status was attained in 1852. The town is now a thriving university town and has received major infrastructure upgrades under the current Mayor Bandile Khethelo.

Notable locals

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Main Place Alice. . Census 2011.
  2. http://www.ecdoh.gov.za/hospitals/17/Victoria_Hospital ECDoH Victoria Hospital