Fochville
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Template:Infobox South African town
Fochville is a farming and mining town located in the Gauteng province of South Africa and is part of the Merafong City Local Municipality, which also includes Kokosi, Carletonville, and Khutsong. It is located -26.49 latitude and 27.49 longitude and it is situated at elevation 1478 meters above sea level.
The area surrounding Fochville contains a number of Sotho or Tswana ruins. One of such ruins is Tlokwe Ruins which are the remains of Sotho-Tswana settlements on the hills surrounding Fochville that were inhabited until the 1820s. The Boer War hero, Danie Theron, was killed just 5 km north of the town. The town itself was established as an agricultural centre in 1920 and was named after the World War I commander-in-chief of the Allied forces in France, Marshal of France Ferdinand Foch.[1]
Fochville has two primary schools and one high school. Sports, including cricket, rugby, squash, yoga, and kickboxing are typically played at the Gert van Rensburg Stadium.[2] The town is also home to a bird farm and a trout hatchery.
In September 2012, the settlements near Fochville were subject to an ethnically motivated attack. Shacks were razed and burned to the ground. Four people were killed and another six injured. The attack took place following a dispute over boundaries between two rival factions. The attackers used knobkierries, petrol cans, and traditional spears and daggers.[3]
Tourist attractions
The Borehole is one of the touristic attractions. In the early mining days, Western Deep Levels struck a stream of sulphurous water, which to this day surges out of the borehole.
Renosterfontein is a farm with old Tswana kraals, a traditional African village, and the ruins of a house that belonged to the brothers of President Andries Pretorius.
The Tlokwe Ruins are the remains of Sotho-Tswana settlements on the hills surrounding Fochville. They were used until the inhabitants were driven away by Mzilikazi in the 1820s.
There are a number of monuments in the area of Fochville. The Voortrekker Plaque, located to the south west, marks the site of an early Voortrekker fortification of 1842. The Theron Memorial is a memorial to Boer scout [Danie Theron] who was killed in 1900 during an engagement with a British detachment. The memorial is situated 8 km west of the Fochville on the N12.
References
- ^ "Index of /". Fochville.info. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
- ^ "Index of /". Fochville.info. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
- ^ "A night of fire 'n fury". SundayWorld. 2012-09-03. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
External links
Municipalities and communities of West Rand District Municipality, Gauteng | ||
|---|---|---|
District seat: Randfontein | ||
| Mogale City | .svg) | |
| Merafong City | ||
| Rand West City | ||