DICTIONARY OF SOUTHERN AFRICAN PLACE NAMES
The entries are the following form:
1.1 Names appear in bold characters. Officially approved names are preceded by an asterisk. Names printed bold within the text are dealt with at the relevant alphabetical place and may be referred to.
1.2 Situation of the entity or feature to which the name refers appears in brackets.
(a) The letter or abbreviation reference indicates administrative division - see Abbreviations.
(b) The four-figure reference indicates latitude and longitude. Thus 2829 means 28°S., 29°E. The reference is always to the north-western corner of the one-degree square.
PLACE NAMES
A
Abel Erasmus Pass (T 2430 DA). Mountain pass some 11 km long between Hoedspruit and Ohrigstad. Named after a well-known farmer and civil servant from the days of the Transvaal Republic. The J G Strijdom Tunnel forms part of the pass.
*Abenab (S 1918 AC). Village some 32 km north of Grootfontein. It came into being in 1921 to serve a mine producing lead, vanadium and zinc, which closed down in 1958. Of Khoekhoen origin, the name is said to mean ‘climbing river’.
*Aberdeen (C 3224 AC). Town some 55 km south-east of Graaff-Reinet, 155 km east-south-east of Beaufort West, 32 km south of the Camdebo Mountains. Laid out on the farm Brakkefontein as a settlement of the Dutch Reformed Church in 1856, it became a municipality in 1858. It is named after Aberdeen in Scotland, birthplace of the Reverend Andrew Murray of Graaff-Reinet, relieving minister.
Abna (C 3421). Khoekhoen name for the Vals River, tributary of the Gourits River. The Afrikaans name, meaning ‘false river’, is a direct translation.
Acacia Park see Akasiapark
*Acornhoek (T 2431 CA). Village some 29 km south-east of Hoedspruit and 165 km north-west of Komatipoort. The name is variously explained as being an adaptation of Eekhoornhoek (‘squirrel corner’); derived from the German surname Eichhorn, and named after the acorn-like fruits of the mabula tree.
*Adams Mission (N 3030 BB). Settlement west of Amanzimtoti and south of Durban, in the Umlazi district. Established in 1836, it was destroyed by Dingaan but rebuilt in 1839. Named after the American missionary Dr Newton Adams who arrived in Natal in 1835 and who played a prominent role in respect to this mission. Adams Mission is an important educational institution.
*Addo (C 3325). Region east of the Sundays River, some 72 km north-east of Port Elizabeth. In 1931 about 680 ha were enclosed to form the Addo Elephant National Park. The name is also borne by a railway station, post office and bridge. Of Khoekhoen origin, the name probably means ‘euphorbia ravine’.
*Adelaide (C 3226 CB). Town some 22 km east of Bedford, 37 km west of Fort Beaufort and 91 km north of Grahamstown. Founded as a military post in 1834, it gradually developed until it achieved municipal status in 1896. It was named after Queen Adelaide, wife of William IV of England.
Adendorp (C 3224 BC). Village some 8 km south of Graaff-Reinet, in the Sundays River Valley. Named after the former owner of the farm, N J Adendorff, who sub-divided it into smallholdings in about 1858. Municipal status was attained in 1878.
