Maitland, Cape Town Explained

Maitland
Pushpin Map:South Africa Western Cape#South Africa#Africa
Coordinates:-33.9247°N 18.4869°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:South Africa
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:Western Cape
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Type3:Municipality
Subdivision Name3:City of Cape Town
Subdivision Type4:Main Place
Subdivision Name4:Cape Town
Established Title:Established
Leader Title:Councillor
Leader Name:Asa Abrahams (Ward 24) (DA)
Brian Watkyns (Ward 53) (DA)
Cheslyn Steenberg (Ward 56) (PA)
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:3.95
Population Total:9782
Population As Of:2011
Population Density Km2:auto
Demographics Type1:Racial makeup (2011)
Demographics1 Title1:Black African
Demographics1 Info1:41.7%
Demographics1 Title2:Coloured
Demographics1 Info2:49.9%
Demographics1 Title3:Indian/Asian
Demographics1 Info3:1.9%
Demographics1 Title4:White
Demographics1 Info4:2.6%
Demographics1 Title5:Other
Demographics1 Info5:4.0%
Demographics Type2:First languages (2011)
Demographics2 Title1:English
Demographics2 Info1:58.0%
Demographics2 Title2:Afrikaans
Demographics2 Info2:16.5%
Demographics2 Title3:Xhosa
Demographics2 Info3:3.8%
Demographics2 Title4:Zulu
Demographics2 Info4:1.0%
Demographics2 Title5:Other
Demographics2 Info5:20.7%
Timezone1:SAST
Utc Offset1:+2
Postal Code Type:Postal code (street)
Postal Code:7405[2]
Postal2 Code Type:PO box
Postal2 Code:7404
Area Code Type:Area code

Maitland is a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa.

Maitland is situated along a number of important transport networks connecting the Cape Town city bowl to the rest of the city. The most important being the railway line that runs through the middle of the suburb and the N1 that is situated on its northern boundary. The area has always been an important transport hub for the city. In 1845 one of the first roads from Stellenbosch through the Maitland area was completed.[3] This effectively connected Cape Town to the rest of Africa as at the time the dunes of the Cape Flats prevented much traffic between the two locations. The suburb is named after Sir Peregrine Maitland who was governor of the Cape in the mid 1840s.

Geography

Maitland lies to the north of Pinelands, south of Brooklyn, east of Salt River

History

During the Second Anglo-Boer War Maitland was the site of a major British cavalry camp, where troops and horses recovered from the voyage from Britain.[4]

Demography

The 2011 census recorded the population of Maitland as consisting of 9,782 people. 49.9% described themselves as "Coloured", 1.9% as "Indian or Asian", 41.1% as "Black African", 2.6% as "White" and 4.0% as "Other". 58.0% spoke English as their first language, 16.5% spoke Afrikaans, 3.8% spoke Xhosa, 1.0% spoke Zulu and 20.7% .

Local schools

In popular culture

The Standard Hotel located in Maitland was featured in the 2012 film Safe House. It features as one of the "seedy hotels" that the main protagonists seek refuge in.[7]

The shrine of a well known Muslim Sufi saint i.e. Hazarat Khawaja Sayed Mehboob Ali Sha (R.A) is situated at the Maitland Cemetery gate 4A is also a source of blessings and unity of many communities. The shrine that still attracts thousands of devotees from all around the world.[8]

Maitland Cemetery is also home to South Africa's only alkaline hydrolysis facility, where Archbishop Desmond Tutu's remains were famously liquefied following a state funeral.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sub Place Maitland . Census 2011.
  2. Web site: Cape Postal Codes of South Africa . Post . 17 January 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111229015943/http://www.sapostalcodes.co.za/postal/postal_o.asp . 29 December 2011 . dead .
  3. Web site: Cape Town History . Capeinfo . 17 January 2012.
  4. Web site: Clay of Piercefield | Staffs Yeomanry Boer War Diary .
  5. Web site: Maitland high school. 20 May 2014.
  6. Web site: maitlandhigh school. 20 May 2014.
  7. Web site: Movie Review: Safe House . 13 February 2012 . 5 April 2012.
  8. Web site: Hazarat Khwaja Sayed Mehboob Ali Sha.
  9. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-59842728 Desmond Tutu: Body of South African hero to be aquamated