Hopefield | |
Pushpin Map: | South Africa Western Cape#South Africa |
Coordinates: | -33.0656°N 18.3508°W |
Subdivision Type: | Country |
Subdivision Name: | South Africa |
Subdivision Type1: | Province |
Subdivision Name1: | Western Cape |
Subdivision Type2: | District |
Subdivision Name2: | West Coast |
Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
Subdivision Name3: | Saldanha Bay |
Subdivision Type4: | Main Place |
Established Title: | Established |
Leader Title: | Councillor |
Area Footnotes: | [1] |
Area Total Km2: | 32.41 |
Population Total: | 6460 |
Population As Of: | 2011 |
Population Density Km2: | auto |
Demographics Type1: | Racial makeup (2011) |
Demographics1 Title1: | Black African |
Demographics1 Info1: | 2.6% |
Demographics1 Title2: | Coloured |
Demographics1 Info2: | 81.5% |
Demographics1 Title3: | Indian/Asian |
Demographics1 Info3: | 0.5% |
Demographics1 Title4: | White |
Demographics1 Info4: | 14.4% |
Demographics1 Title5: | Other |
Demographics1 Info5: | 1.0% |
Demographics Type2: | First languages (2011) |
Demographics2 Title1: | Afrikaans |
Demographics2 Info1: | 94.2% |
Demographics2 Title2: | English |
Demographics2 Info2: | 3.5% |
Demographics2 Title5: | Other |
Demographics2 Info5: | 2.3% |
Timezone1: | SAST |
Utc Offset1: | +2 |
Postal Code Type: | Postal code (street) |
Postal Code: | 7355 |
Postal2 Code Type: | PO box |
Postal2 Code: | 7355 |
Area Code Type: | Area code |
Area Code: | 022 |
Hopefield is a settlement in West Coast District Municipality in the Western Cape province of South Africa on the R45[2] between Malmesbury and Vredenburg. The town lies east of Saldanha Bay and Langebaan, 40km (30miles) southeast of Vredenburg and 120km (80miles) north of Cape Town.
Hopefield is the oldest town on the Cape West Coast.[3]
The Dutch Reformed congregation (Zoute Rivier) was established in December 1851 after farmers donated money towards its construction[4] and the town was founded in 1852 on the farm Langekuil. It became a municipality in 1914, and was named after two people who laid it out, Major William Hope, Auditor-General, and a Mr Field.[5]
The Air Force Base Langebaanweg,[6] located 22km (14miles) west of the town, as well as the West Coast Fossil park 25km (16miles) west from town,[7] fall within town limits. Another important fossil locality, Elandsfontein (not to be confused with the town and railway station in Gauteng), is found about 13km (08miles) southwest of Hopefield.[8]
In earlier years Hopefield was considered the capital of the West Coast, with banks, filling stations and multiple other shops and businesses. The only access to the towns of Vredenburg, Langebaan and Saldanha was through Hopefield. With the re-routing of the R45 road away from the town, and the construction of the R27 (West Coast Road), the importance of the town gradually faded.
There are two schools in the town, Hopefield Primary, offering Grade 1-9, and Hopefield High,[9] offering Grade R-12.