This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: "Alice, South Africa" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (March 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Alice
Buildings of the University of Fort Hare in Alice
Buildings of the University of Fort Hare in Alice
Nickname: 
eDikeni
Alice is located in Eastern Cape
Alice
Alice
Alice is located in South Africa
Alice
Alice
Alice is located in Africa
Alice
Alice
Coordinates: 32°47′21″S 26°50′06″E / 32.78917°S 26.83500°E / -32.78917; 26.83500
Country South Africa
Province Eastern Cape
DistrictAmathole
MunicipalityRaymond Mhlaba
Area
[1]
 • Total9.85 km2 (3.80 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total15,143
 • Density1,500/km2 (4,000/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
[1]
 • Black African93.0%
 • Coloured5.6%
 • Indian/Asian0.3%
 • White0.6%
 • Other0.5%
First languages (2011)
[1]
 • Xhosa84.0%
 • Afrikaans7.3%
 • English3.5%
 • Other5.2%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Area code040

Alice is a small town in Eastern Cape, South Africa that is named after Princess Alice, the daughter of the British Queen Victoria. It was settled in 1824 by British colonists. It is adjacent to the Tyhume River. It has a rail and road connection to East London, Qonce and other towns in the province. It forms part of Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality.

University of Fort Hare

The University of Fort Hare began in early 1847 as a fort built to house British troops. The same fort was converted in 1916 into a black university institution. Many of the current political leaders in South Africa were educated at the University of Fort Hare. It is also the alma mater of former President Nelson Mandela. The university is also the repository of the archives of the African National Congress and documents and houses one of the most significant collections of African art.

Victoria Hospital

Built in 1898.One of the oldest sites in Alice, it still graces the town with its old charm of yesterday. Victoria Hospital is a large district hospital on the outskirts of Alice, recently (2006–2011) fully reconstructed and upgraded by the Eastern Cape Provincial Government.[2]

History

Alice railway station, c. 1900

The location was named Lovedale by European missionaries who settled there in 1824.It lies on the southwestern bank of the Tyhume River, west-northwest of East London, at an elevation of 1,720(524m).It was named after John Love of the Glasgow Missionary Society. During the Frontier War it was abandoned and the mission resettled on the west bank of the Tyhume River. On the east bank a fort was built, called Fort Hare, after Major-General John Hare, who was Lieutenant-Governor of the Eastern Cape and acting Governor of the Cape Colony. Later the name of the town was changed to Alice. Alice was the administrative and magisterial capital of the old district of Victoria East. In 1847, it was named Alice by Sir Peregrine Maitland after Princess Alice, the second daughter of Queen Victoria. Municipal status was attained in 1852. The town is now a thriving university town and has received major infrastructure upgrades under the current Mayor Bandile Khethelo.

Notable locals

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Main Place Alice". Census 2011.
  2. ^ ECDoH Victoria Hospital Archived 22 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
Categories