The origin of towns in the Eastern Cape Midlands

Abstract

The origin of urban centres is related to settlement history and the needs of the local population. Since some of the oldest inland towns in South Africa were founded in the Eastern Cape Midlands, this region lends itself to the study of the origin of towns. Three distinct periods of township formation are distinguishable: during the first, political or administrative considerations were of major importance; in the second, towns were established by the Dutch Reformed Church; no one common factor can be indicated for towns founded during the third period except probably the need in most instances for a central place.