# Aliwal North

Maletswai (previously Aliwal North) is a town in central South Africa on the banks of the Orange River, Eastern Cape Province. It is a medium-sized commercial centre in the northernmost part of the Eastern Cape. The Dutch Reformed Church was built in 1855.

## History

One of the first white settlers in the area, Pieter Jacobus de Wet, built a house at the nearby Buffelsvlei around 1828. Sir Harry Smith, Governor of the Cape Colony from 1847 to 1852, formally founded the small town of Aliwal North in the Cape Province of South Africa in 1850. He named the town "Aliwal North" in memory of his victory over the Sikhs at the Battle of Aliwal during the First Sikh War in India in 1846. The town was laid out in 1849 on ground acquired by the government. This was auctioned and 38 lots were sold for £972.
The park in the centre of Maletswai, the Juana Square Gardens, was named after Smith's wife Juana María de los Dolores de León. Municipal status was attained in 1882.
The railway line from Molteno reached Maletswai on 2 September 1885.
On 8 January 1901, following the evacuation of Smithfield during the Second Boer War, Major Kendal Pretyman Apthorp established the Aliwal North concentration camp, which at its height housed approximately 2,000 Boer refugees. The camp was closed by November 1902 after the inmates had been repatriated to their homes.
The Northern Post newspaper operated from Aliwal North from 1874 to 1902.

## Education

Maletswai has 10 Primary Schools and 6 High Schools and a technical and vocational training college.
Primary Schools are:
* Alheit van der Merwe Primary School
* Holy Cross Primary
* Flamingo Primary School
* Laerskool Aliwal-Noord
* Maletswai Primary School
* Nchafatso Primary School
* Nkosi Sikelela' Private Primary School
* Pelomosa Primary School
* Vulamazibuko Primary School
* Vumile Primary School
High Schools:
* Malcomess Senior Secondary School
* Hoërskool Aliwal-Noord
* Bishop Demont High School
* Egqili Senior Secondary School
* Faith High School
* Joe Gqabi Secondary School

## Geography

The settlement of the area and its development into a town probably is connected to the presence of good water, thermal springs and a good fording place ('drift') across the Orange River, just below its confluence with the Kraai River. The Frere Bridge was opened in 1880 and later replaced with the General Hertzog Bridge on the N6, leading to Bloemfontein, 206 km to the north. To the south-west of the town, the Kramberg raises to 2000 m above sea level.
Maletswai has the following suburbs:
* Maletswai CBD
* Arbor View
* Buffelsbaden
* Bird's Eye View
* Dukathole
* Hilton
* Joe Gqabi
* Area13

## Layout

The central business district is surrounded by the following suburbs: Dukathole, Hilton, Joe Gqabi, the Springs (where the well-known Aliwal Spa is situated) and Arborsig. Many residents and staff of the Goedemoed Correctional Services facility (situated on the Free State side of the Orange River) use the town's many businesses, hospital, churches and schools.
The town is connected to neighbouring towns via a good roads system, and serve as a thoroughfare for tourists en route to resorts in the Eastern Cape Drakensberg. Unfortunately, the railway station had to close, due to lack of rail usage. The town also has a good airfield with three grass runways, safe for use during daylight.

## Notable people

* Joe Gqabi (1921–1981), African National Congress activist
* Thamsanqa Kambule, South African Mathematician and Educator
* Bongani Ndulula, South African footballer
* François Steyn, Springbok Rugby player
* Wandisile Letlabika, South African footballer

## Tourism

The principal attractions of Maletswai are two hot mineral springs, both of which have extremely high concentrations of minerals and gases.
The thermal springs resort, named Aliwal Spa, is located within the municipal area. During 2010–2014 the resort underwent re-construction by Maletswai Local Municipality's contractors, and opened again for public use in 2015.

## Climate

Köppen climate classification: subtropical highland climate (Cwb).
Climate data for Aliwal North :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 23 (73) | 21 (70) | 20 (68) | 18 (64) | 14 (57) | 12 (54) | 10 (50) | 11 (52) | 13 (55) | 16 (61) | 19 (66) | 21 (70) | 23 (73) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 21 (70) | 21 (70) | 18 (64) | 15 (59) | 10 (50) | 7 (45) | 7 (45) | 10 (50) | 13 (55) | 16 (61) | 18 (64) | 20 (68) | 14 (57) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 11 (52) | 10 (50) | 7 (45) | 4 (39) | 2 (36) | −2 (28) | −3 (27) | 0 (32) | 1 (34) | 4 (39) | 6 (43) | 10 (50) | 12 (54) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 76 (3.0) | 83 (3.3) | 83 (3.3) | 48 (1.9) | 27 (1.1) | 13 (0.5) | 11 (0.4) | 16 (0.6) | 23 (0.9) | 40 (1.6) | 54 (2.1) | 61 (2.4) | 535 (21.1) |
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