Concordia, Northern Cape
| Concordia | |
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![The locomotive Pioneer derailed outside Okiep after the Boer commando attack on the town, launched from Concordia on 1 May 1902 [1]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:NCC_Pioneer_0-4-0ST_b.jpg)
The locomotive Pioneer derailed outside Okiep after the Boer commando attack on the town, launched from Concordia on 1 May 1902
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 Concordia
Concordia
Concordia
Concordia shown within Northern Cape
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| Coordinates: 29°32′S 17°57′E / 29.533°S 17.950°ECoordinates: 29°32′S 17°57′E / 29.533°S 17.950°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Northern Cape |
| District | Namakwa |
| Municipality | Nama Khoi |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.83 km2 (1.86 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 4,988 |
| • Density | 1,000/km2 (2,700/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 1.0% |
| • Coloured | 97.8% |
| • Indian/Asian | 0.6% |
| • White | 0.3% |
| • Other | 0.4% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Afrikaans | 98.5% |
| • Other | 1.5% |
| PO box | 8271 |
Concordia is a town in Namakwa District Municipality in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. The distance from Concordia to Cape Town is approximately 600 km (370 mi).
Concordia was originally established as a Rhenish mission station in 1852 and copper mining began in 1853 through to 1983 in the area. The town is of historical interest because it is situated at the origin of mining endeavors in South Africa. Long before colonial times (prior to 1652), the indigenous peoples (the Khoisan or Nama) of the area extracted raw or "native copper" from the gneiss and granite hills that make up the surrounding Namaqualand Copper belt. This copper was beaten into decorative items, worn as bangles and neck adornments by these peoples. The copper boom of the late 19th century through to the early nineteen eighties has all but ceased in the area.
There is currently a granite works at Concordia where large blocks of the stone are quarried and cut into large (up to 50 tons) blocks for transport to Cape Town where the granite is exported and used domestically.
During the Anglo Boer War, the Boers used Concordia as their headquarters whilst Okiep (some 6 km away) was under siege.
Today some of the magnificent examples of Cornish stone masonry still exist in addition to the original granary which was used as a hospital by the Boer commandos during the Anglo Boer War.
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Wikipedia