Leeu-Gamka

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title: "Leeu-Gamka" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["populated-places-in-the-prince-albert-local-municipality", "populated-places-established-in-1879"] topic_path: "general/populated-places-in-the-prince-albert-local-municipality" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leeu-Gamka" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
nameLeeu-Gamka
image_skylineStation Leeu-Gamka.JPG
image_captionLeeu-Gamka railway station
pushpin_mapSouth Africa Western Cape#South Africa
coordinates
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameSouth Africa
subdivision_type1Province
subdivision_name1Western Cape
subdivision_type2District
subdivision_name2Central Karoo
subdivision_type3Municipality
subdivision_name3Prince Albert
subdivision_type4Main Place
established_titleEstablished
established_date1879
area_footnotes
area_total_km211.5
elevation_m552
population_footnotes
population_total2727
population_as_of2011
population_density_km2auto
demographics_type1Racial makeup (2011)
demographics1_footnotes
demographics1_title1Black African
demographics1_info14.1%
demographics1_title2Coloured
demographics1_info291.3%
demographics1_title3Indian/Asian
demographics1_info31.0%
demographics1_title4White
demographics1_info42.3%
demographics1_title5Other
demographics1_info51.2%
demographics_type2First languages (2011)
demographics2_footnotes
demographics2_title1Afrikaans
demographics2_info194.9%
demographics2_title2English
demographics2_info22.5%
demographics2_title3Xhosa
demographics2_info31.2%
demographics2_title4Other
demographics2_info41.4%
timezone1SAST
utc_offset1+2
postal_code_typePostal code (street)
postal_code6950
postal2_code_typePO box
area_code_typeArea code
area_code023
::

| name = Leeu-Gamka | image_skyline = Station Leeu-Gamka.JPG | image_caption = Leeu-Gamka railway station | pushpin_map = South Africa Western Cape#South Africa | coordinates = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = South Africa | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Western Cape | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = Central Karoo | subdivision_type3 = Municipality | subdivision_name3 = Prince Albert | subdivision_type4 = Main Place | established_title = Established | established_date = 1879 | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 11.5 | elevation_m = 552 | population_footnotes = | population_total = 2727 | population_as_of = 2011 | population_density_km2 = auto | demographics_type1 = Racial makeup (2011) | demographics1_footnotes = | demographics1_title1 = Black African | demographics1_info1 = 4.1% | demographics1_title2 = Coloured | demographics1_info2 = 91.3% | demographics1_title3 = Indian/Asian | demographics1_info3 = 1.0% | demographics1_title4 = White | demographics1_info4 = 2.3% | demographics1_title5 = Other | demographics1_info5 = 1.2% | demographics_type2 = First languages (2011) | demographics2_footnotes = | demographics2_title1 = Afrikaans | demographics2_info1 = 94.9% | demographics2_title2 = English | demographics2_info2 = 2.5% | demographics2_title3 = Xhosa | demographics2_info3 = 1.2% | demographics2_title4 = Other | demographics2_info4 = 1.4% | demographics2_title5 = | demographics2_info5 = | timezone1 = SAST | utc_offset1 = +2 | postal_code_type = Postal code (street) | postal_code = 6950 | postal2_code_type = PO box | postal2_code = | area_code_type = Area code | area_code = 023 Leeu-Gamka is a small town in the Western Cape province of South Africa, located 355 km north-east of Cape Town in the Karoo.

History

The town of Leeu-Gamka owes its existence to the route chosen by Prime Minister John Molteno for the Cape Government Railways's western main line, from Cape Town towards the diamond fields at Kimberley. The railway line reached the meeting-point of the Leeu and Gamka rivers in 1879, and on 11 August of that year a station was opened on that location. It was initially named "Fraserburg Road", because it was the closest station to the town of Fraserburg, 115 km to the north-west over the Nuweveld Mountains.

A small town grew around this station, with a church and school opening in 1896, and a hotel in 1898. In 1950 the station and town were renamed to "Leeu-Gamka".

Geography

Leeu-Gamka is located where the Leeu River enters the Gamka River; both rivers are intermittent in this region. "Leeu" and "Gamka" both mean "Lion", in Afrikaans and ǀXam respectively.

The town lies at an elevation of 552 m, in the southern Karoo; to the north are the Nuweveld Mountains, and to the south the Swartberge. It is situated on the N1 national road and the Cape Town–Kimberley railway, between Laingsburg and Beaufort West; the travel distance from Cape Town is 387 km by road and 465 km by rail. From Leeu-Gamka the R353 road runs north-west to Fraserburg and Williston.

Demographics

The 2011 Census reported that, of the population of 2,727, some 91% described themselves as "Coloured" and 95% spoke Afrikaans.

Government and Infrastructure

Leeu-Gamka falls within the Prince Albert Local Municipality, which is part of the Central Karoo District Municipality. It has a primary school and a police station, and was served by a mobile clinic.

Recently, Leeu-Gamka established a new emergency medical services station in conjunction with the Western Cape Provincial Health Department to render support services to accident victims on the N1 en route to Cape Town and Johannesburg. Furthermore, a permanent community health center was erected, doing away with the previously used mobile clinic. The community also has a library and a new dam for domestic water supply. Leeu Gamka is mainly a community surrounded by farms and many of the citizens are dependent on work from these farms, with maintenance work by civil contracting engineering companies who subcontract for SANRAL.

References

References

  1. Sum of the Main Places [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/182001 Bitterwater] and [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/182002 Leeu-Gamka] from Census 2011.
  2. Royal Colonial Society: ''Proceedings of the Royal Colonial Institute''. Northumberland Avenue, London. 1898. p.26. "The Railway System of South Africa".
  3. Boonzaaier, J.N.C. (2008). "Tracks Across the Veld".
  4. "Leeu Gamka". Cape Town Heritage Trust.
  5. Burman, Jose (1984). ''Early Railways at the Cape''. Cape Town. Human & Rousseau, p.59. {{ISBN. 0-7981-1760-5
  6. (1970). "Standard Encyclopaedia of South Africa". Nasou.
  7. "Leeu-Gamka Primary". Western Cape Education Department.
  8. "Leeu-Gamka Police Station". Provincial Government of the Western Cape.
  9. "Leeu-Gamka Mobile Clinic". Provincial Government of the Western Cape.

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