Coordinates: 33°53′S 25°30′E / 33.883°S 25.500°E / -33.883; 25.500

Bethelsdorp

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Bethelsdorp
Almshouses, Alms Street, Bethelsdorp
Almshouses, Alms Street, Bethelsdorp
Bethelsdorp is located in Eastern Cape
Bethelsdorp
Bethelsdorp
Bethelsdorp is located in South Africa
Bethelsdorp
Bethelsdorp
Coordinates: 33°53′S 25°30′E / 33.883°S 25.500°E / -33.883; 25.500
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceEastern Cape
MunicipalityNelson Mandela Bay
Established1803
Area
[1]
 • Total36.62 km2 (14.14 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total182,012
 • Density5,000/km2 (13,000/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
[1]
 • Black African34.1%
 • Coloured64.4%
 • Indian/Asian0.6%
 • White0.2%
 • Other0.8%
First languages (2011)
[1]
 • Afrikaans57.8%
 • Xhosa28.7%
 • English11.2%
 • Other2.3%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
6059
PO box
6003
Area code+27 (0)41

Bethelsdorp is a town in Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, 20 km north-west of Port Elizabeth.

History

Established in 1803 by Rev. J.T. van der Kemp on the farm Roodepas of Theunis Botha as a mission station of the London Missionary Society. The name is derived from the Hebrew word Baitheel, meaning 'House of God'.[2]

Under the previous political dispensation, Bethelsdorp was a township almost exclusively inhabited by coloureds (Afrikaans: Kleurlinge). This changed somewhat with the end of Apartheid in South Africa in 1994, as living and trading in the township is now freely open to all races.

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Main Place Bethelsdorp". Census 2011.
  2. ^ "Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Public Domain)". Human Science Research Council. p. 78.


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