| Volksrust | |
| Pushpin Map: | South Africa Mpumalanga#South Africa |
| Coordinates: | -27.3667°N 82°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | South Africa |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Mpumalanga |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Gert Sibande |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name3: | Pixley ka Seme |
| Subdivision Type4: | Main Place |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Established Date: | 1888 |
| Leader Title: | Councillor |
| Area Total Km2: | 25.43 |
| Elevation M: | 1660 |
| Population Total: | 24,281 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Racial makeup (2011) |
| Demographics1 Footnotes: | [1] |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Black African |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 79.56% |
| Demographics1 Title2: | White |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 16.46% |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Indian/Asian |
| Demographics1 Info3: | 1.99% |
| Demographics1 Title4: | Coloured |
| Demographics1 Info4: | 1.65% |
| Demographics1 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics1 Info5: | 0.34% |
| Demographics Type2: | First languages (2011) |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Zulu |
| Demographics2 Info1: | 72.38% |
| Demographics2 Title2: | Afrikaans |
| Demographics2 Info2: | 15.77% |
| Demographics2 Title3: | English |
| Demographics2 Info3: | 4.41% |
| Demographics2 Title4: | Sesotho |
| Demographics2 Info4: | 1.74% |
| Demographics2 Title5: | SiSwati |
| Demographics2 Info5: | 1.28% |
| Demographics2 Title6: | Setswana |
| Demographics2 Info6: | 1.13% |
| Demographics2 Title7: | isiNdebele |
| Demographics2 Info7: | 0.96% |
| Demographics2 Title8: | Other |
| Demographics2 Info8: | 0.95% |
| Demographics2 Title9: | Sign language |
| Demographics2 Info9: | 0.45% |
| Demographics2 Title10: | Sepedi |
| Demographics2 Info10: | 0.40% |
| Timezone1: | SAST |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code (street) |
| Postal Code: | 2470 |
| Postal2 Code Type: | PO box |
| Postal2 Code: | 2470 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Area Code: | 017 |
Volksrust is a town in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa near the KwaZulu-Natal provincial border, some 240 km southeast of Johannesburg, 53 km north of Newcastle and 80 km southeast of Standerton.
The town was laid out in 1888 on the farms Boschpad Drift, Rooibult or Llanwarne, Verkyk and Zandfontein, and proclaimed in 1889.[2] It lies at an elevation of 5429feet, and 4miles north of the pass through the Drakensberg known as Laing's Nek. Municipal status was attained in 1904.[2]
Dorothea de Jager, daughter of Dirk Uys, one of the battle victims, named the town Volksrust (Nation's Rest). The name probably refers to the citizens resting here after the Battle of Majuba on 27 February 1881,[3] a decisive battle leading to the Transvaal's victory against the British in the First Boer War. During the Second Boer War the British authorities built a Boer concentration camp in Volksrust. Visiting officials and army officers described the conditions of the camp as poor, though it suffered a death rate below the Transvaal average.[4] A memorial exists in Volkrust town square to the Boer women and children who died in the camp.[5]
Volksrust has important beef, dairy, maize, sorghum, wool and sunflower seed industries.