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Tweeling (meaning twin in Dutch and Afrikaans) is a small town situated 22 km from Frankfort in the Free State province of South Africa. The adjacent township is named Mafahlaneng , or "place of twins". This region of the highveld is colloquially known as the Riemland, recalling a time when it was a favoured hunting ground of the early pioneers.
Tweeling
Mafahlaneng | |
---|---|
![]() View of Tweeling | |
Coordinates: 27°33′S 28°31′E / 27.550°S 28.517°E | |
Country | South Africa |
Province | Free State |
District | Fezile Dabi |
Municipality | Mafube |
Area | |
• Total | 4.6 km2 (1.8 sq mi) |
Elevation | 1,600 m (5,200 ft) |
Population (2011)[1] | |
• Total | 6,465 |
• Density | 1,400/km2 (3,600/sq mi) |
Racial makeup (2011) | |
• Black African | 93.9% |
• Coloured | 1.7% |
• Indian/Asian | 0.4% |
• White | 3.8% |
• Other | 0.1% |
First languages (2011) | |
• Sotho | 76.1% |
• Zulu | 13.8% |
• Afrikaans | 6.1% |
• Sign language | 1.5% |
• Other | 2.6% |
Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
Postal code (street) | 9820 |
PO box | 9820 |
Area code | 058 |
Early inhabitants
editThe very first people or inhabitants of this place were the San, this is evident from the rock art and paintings left on the rocks. Students from the University of Witwatersrand Rock Art Research Institute are currently busy researching the site.
Establishment of the town
editThe town was established in 1920 on the two farms Tweelingspruit and Tweelingkop, their names derived from two similar looking hills just outside the town.[2] It is situated just east of the Liebenbergsvlei River which is a conduit for water from the Lesotho Highlands Water Project.
Tweeling is the halfway mark of the annual Liebensbergvlei Canoe Marathon. The two day race starts near Reitz and halts 33 km downstream at Zorgvliet farm, near Tweeling. The second stage starts from Bruinswick farm north of town and ends at Frankfort. Tweeling Mafahlaneng is part of Mafube Local Municipality
Attractions
edit- Mafahlaneng Shelter Caves
People from Tweeling
edit- Johan Heyns, theologian
- Sisi Ntombela, politician and sixth premier of the Free State
- Pakiso Mthembu, athlete, University of the Free State Sportsman of The Year 2019
Gallery
edit-
Winter landscape around Tweeling
-
Refeng Thabo High School in Mafahlaneng township
-
Liebenbergsvlei River north of town
References
edit- ^ a b c d Sum of the Main Places Mafahlaneng and Tweeling from Census 2011.
- ^ Standard encyclopaedia of Southern Africa. Cape Town: Nasou. 1975. p. 3. ISBN 978-0-625-00327-3.
External links
editMedia related to Tweeling at Wikimedia Commons