Leliefontein is a settlement in Namakwa District Municipality in the Northern Cape province of South Africa.

Leliefontein
Methodist Mission Church, Leliefontein
Leliefontein Show map of Northern Cape Leliefontein Show map of South Africa
Coordinates: 30.3°S 18.083333°E / -30.3; 18.083333
Country	South Africa
Province	Northern Cape
District	Namakwa
Municipality	Kamiesberg
Area [1]
• Total	0.67 km2 (0.26 sq mi)
Population  (2011)[1]
• Total	616
• Density	920/km2 (2,400/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011) [1]
• Black African	0.3%
• Coloured	99.2%
• Indian/Asian	0.3%
• Other	0.2%
First languages (2011) [1]
• Afrikaans	95.8%
• English	2.8%
• Tswana	1.1%
• Other	0.3%
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)

A village in the Kamiesberg Mountains, 18 miles (29 km) south-east of Kamieskroon, Leliefontein was established in 1816 by Reverend Barnabas Shaw, an English Wesleyan missionary.[2][3]^{[unreliable source?]} The mission was established on a farm awarded to the Namaquas by the Dutch governor Rijk Tulbagh.[4] It is probably named after the many white lilies found in the area.[2]

It was the site of the 1902 Leliefontein massacre, during the final stages of the Second Boer War.

From 1966 till 2016, it was the site of a major helicopter base of the SADF from where two squadrons of attack helicopters and transport helicopters operated, co-located with an Armoured Corps/Tank Battalion base and headquarters. It came under the operational responsibility of the 4th Integrated Division headquartered at Springbok.[5]

References

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