Jansenville

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}} {{Use South African English|date=January 2015}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Jansenville | image_skyline = Dutch Reformed Church Jansenville-001.jpg | image_caption = [[Dutch Reformed Church, Jansenville]] | pushpin_map = South Africa Eastern Cape#South Africa#Africa | coordinates = {{coord|32|36|S|24|40|E|region:ZA|display=inline,title}} | subdivision_type = [[Country]] | subdivision_name = [[South Africa]] | subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces of South Africa|Province]] | subdivision_name1 = [[Eastern Cape]] | subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of South Africa|District]] | subdivision_name2 = [[Sarah Baartman District Municipality|Sarah Baartman]] | subdivision_type3 = [[List of municipalities of South Africa|Municipality]] | subdivision_name3 = [[Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality|Dr Beyers Naudé]] | subdivision_type4 = Main Place | established_title = Established | established_date = 1855<ref name="raper"/> | leader_title = Councillor | area_footnotes = <ref name=census2011>Sum of the Main Places [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/263001 Jansenville] and [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/263002 KwaZamukucinga] from Census 2011.</ref> | area_total_km2 = 24.9 | population_footnotes = <ref name=census2011 /> | population_total = 5612 | population_as_of = 2011 | population_density_km2 = auto  | demographics_type1 = Racial makeup (2011) | demographics1_footnotes = <ref name=census2011 /> | demographics1_title1 = [[Bantu peoples of South Africa|Black African]] | demographics1_info1 = 42.9% | demographics1_title2 = [[Coloureds|Coloured]] | demographics1_info2 = 48.7% | demographics1_title3 = [[Indian South African|Indian]]/[[Asian South African|Asian]] | demographics1_info3 = 0.2% | demographics1_title4 = [[White South African|White]] | demographics1_info4 = 7.8% | demographics1_title5 = Other | demographics1_info5 = 0.5%  | demographics_type2 = [[First language]]s (2011) | demographics2_footnotes = <ref name=census2011 /> | demographics2_title1 = [[Afrikaans]] | demographics2_info1 = 65.4% | demographics2_title2 = [[Xhosa language|Xhosa]] | demographics2_info2 = 30.7% | demographics2_title3 = [[English language|English]] | demographics2_info3 = 1.7% | demographics2_title4 = | demographics2_info4 = | demographics2_title5 = Other | demographics2_info5 = 2.2%   | timezone1 = [[South African Standard Time|SAST]] | utc_offset1 = +2 | postal_code_type = [[List of postal codes in South Africa|Postal code]] (street) | postal_code = 6265 | postal2_code_type = [[Post-office box|PO box]] | postal2_code = 6265 | area_code_type = [[Telephone numbers in South Africa|Area code]] | area_code = 049 }} '''Jansenville''' is a town in [[Sarah Baartman District Municipality]] in the [[Eastern Cape]] province of [[South Africa]].

The town is on the [[Sundays River]], 87 km south of [[Graaff-Reinet]]. Laid out on the farm Vergenoegd in 1854, it was proclaimed in 1855 and became a municipality in 1881. Said to have been named after General [[Jan Willem Janssens]] (1762-1838), the last [[Batavian Republic|Batavian]] Governor of the Cape.<ref name=raper>{{cite web|title=Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Public Domain)|url=https://archive.org/details/DictionaryOfSouthernAfricanPlaceNames|publisher=Human Science Research Council|page=229}}</ref>

==History==

In the late 1700s, outposts of the Cape Colony, in the form of the trek boer and hunters had reached and crossed the Sundays River.

The greater portion of what now constitutes the Jansenville district fell under Uitenhage. The first European to settle here was Christiaan Ernst Schutte, who obtained title to land surveyed by James Swan in June 1818 described as "Late Loan Place Vergenoegd" of 3000 morgen, and granted to C.E. Schutte in 1820. Schutte was required to pay to "The Receiver General of Land Revenue" an annual quitrent of 50 Rix dollars. Schutte later sold to Prinsloo and moved northwards, to be followed by the latter when fierce, impetuous Petrus Fourie, arrived from Swellendam in 1838, to become the new owner of Vergenoegd.

His veins flowing with Huguenot industry, Fourie found the land good. The muddy waters of the Sundays spread fertile, alluvial soil along its banks. Fourie and his sons began to cultivate, and before long one hundred morgen were under crops.

The Great North tract passed over Vergenoegd. It was used by hundreds of ox wagons en route to [[Port Elizabeth]], and returning with merchandise. The transport riders found good pasture and ample provisions in wheat, mealies and meat; the district was becoming populous.

In 1853 Petrus Fourie arranged for layout and survey of about 80 erven for the establishment of a township named Alexandria in honor of Ds. Alexander Smith, NGK Minister at Uitenhage, who visited the congregation once a quarter. However, by the time the application reached the authorities at the Cape, another community near the coast had beaten Fourie to the name. Jansenville was then decided on in honor of General Janssens, last of the Dutch Governors at the Cape, and Commander of the Dutch forces at the fateful Battle of Muizenberg

In 1881 Jansenville became a municipality, and the large surrounding electoral division was named after it (returning two members to the [[Parliament of the Cape of Good Hope|Cape Parliament]]).<ref>J.L McCracken: ''The Cape Parliament, 1854-1910''. Clarendon Press, Oxford. 1967.</ref>

==About==

The little town of Jansenville owes its origins to the [[Dutch Reformed Church]] which formed a parish there in 1854 named after the last Dutch Governor of the Cape.

Jansenville is north of the [[Suurberg|Zuurberg Mountains]] in an area known as the Noorsveld, after a cactus-like succulent (''[[Euphorbia coerulescens|E. coerulescens]]'') that is common in the district. The Noorsveld Protected Environment is located south of town. It was declared in 2014, and its management was assigned to a landowners association.<ref>{{cite news |title=Four new nature reserves for Eastern Cape |url=https://www.news24.com/four-new-nature-reserves-for-eastern-cape-20140106 |access-date=14 September 2025 |agency=News24 |date=6 January 2014}}</ref>

Between Jansenville and the Zuurberg to the south is a plain that marks the northern boundary of the Addo National Park, while to the north are some hills which have a scenic drive and, at the summit, shortly before the descent through the Ratelskloof Pass, there are views across the Camdeboo plains to the peaks of the Sneeuberg.{{citation needed|date=May 2018}}

Jansenville is game country and there are game farms and hunting concessions in the area as well as nature reserves including the [[Addo Elephant National Park]].

The town's notable buildings include the large Dutch Reformed Church, a building in the basilican style made of local stone which is a heritage site. The Anglo-Boer War fort north of the town attests to the guerrilla activity in the area in that conflict. The restored Sid Fourie House serves as a museum.

==References== {{Commons category}} {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Populated places in the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality]] [[Category:Populated places established in 1855]] [[Category:1855 establishments in the British Empire]]