Rouxville

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title: "Rouxville" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["populated-places-in-the-mohokare-local-municipality", "populated-places-established-in-1863", "1863-establishments-in-the-orange-free-state"] topic_path: "general/populated-places-in-the-mohokare-local-municipality" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rouxville" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

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

FieldValue
nameRouxville
image_skylineNG kerk Rouxville.jpg
image_captionNG Church in Rouxville
pushpin_mapSouth Africa Free State#South Africa#Africa
coordinates
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameSouth Africa
subdivision_type1Province
subdivision_name1Free State
subdivision_type2District
subdivision_name2Xhariep
subdivision_type3Municipality
subdivision_name3Mohokare
subdivision_type4Main Place
established_titleEstablished
established_date1863
area_footnotes
area_total_km216.82
population_footnotes
population_total780
population_as_of2011
population_density_km2auto
demographics_type1Racial makeup (2011)
demographics1_footnotes
demographics1_title1Black African
demographics1_info161.57%
demographics1_title2White
demographics1_info234.7%
demographics1_title3Coloured
demographics1_info31.03%
demographics1_title4Indian/Asian
demographics1_info40.39%
demographics1_title5Other
demographics1_info52.31%
demographics_type2First languages (2011)
demographics2_footnotes
demographics2_title1Afrikaans
demographics2_info146.1%
demographics2_title2Sotho
demographics2_info225.65%
demographics2_title3Xhosa
demographics2_info319.06%
demographics2_title4English
demographics2_info44.68%
demographics2_title5Other
demographics2_info52.3%
timezone1SAST
utc_offset1+2
postal_code_typePostal code (street)
postal_code9958
postal2_code_typePO box
postal2_code9958
area_code_typeArea code
area_code051
::

| name = Rouxville | image_skyline = NG kerk Rouxville.jpg | image_caption = NG Church in Rouxville | pushpin_map = South Africa Free State#South Africa#Africa | coordinates = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = South Africa | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Free State | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = Xhariep | subdivision_type3 = Municipality | subdivision_name3 = Mohokare | subdivision_type4 = Main Place | established_title = Established | established_date = 1863 | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 16.82 | population_footnotes = | population_total = 780 | population_as_of = 2011 | population_density_km2 = auto | demographics_type1 = Racial makeup (2011) | demographics1_footnotes = | demographics1_title1 = Black African | demographics1_info1 = 61.57% | demographics1_title2 = White | demographics1_info2 = 34.7% | demographics1_title3 = Coloured | demographics1_info3 = 1.03% | demographics1_title4 = Indian/Asian | demographics1_info4 = 0.39% | demographics1_title5 = Other | demographics1_info5 = 2.31% | demographics_type2 = First languages (2011) | demographics2_footnotes = | demographics2_title1 = Afrikaans | demographics2_info1 = 46.1% | demographics2_title2 = Sotho | demographics2_info2 = 25.65% | demographics2_title3 = Xhosa | demographics2_info3 = 19.06% | demographics2_title4 = English | demographics2_info4 = 4.68% | demographics2_title5 = Other | demographics2_info5 = 2.3% | timezone1 = SAST | utc_offset1 = +2 | postal_code_type = Postal code (street) | postal_code = 9958 | postal2_code_type = PO box | postal2_code = 9958 | area_code_type = Area code | area_code = 051 Rouxville is a small wool and cattle farming town in the Free State province of South Africa and is situated on the N6 national route. The town is at the centre of the wool producing area of the Transgariep.

Rouxville is situated near a number of interesting locations - Zastron (30 km), Aliwal North (34 km), Smithfield (35 km), Gariep Dam (60 km) and Bethulie. Lady Grey, the Witteberg mountain range (with the 2,769 m Avoca peak) and the Drakensberg mountain range are also easily accessible from Rouxville, while the Lesotho border is ca. 70 km away.

History

The town started after mail irregularities at Aliwal North led authorities to re-direct mail between the Cape Colony and the Orange Free State to the farm Zuurbult (founded by Petrus Wepenaar) in 1863. The distance between Smithfield and Aliwal North (70 km) was allegedly too long to be travelled in one day by horse and wagon, and as such Rouxville was created as the halfway stopover.

The town was established in 1864 and named after Dutch Reformed Church Reverend Pieter Roux of the Smithfield parish. Roux traveled throughout the Eastern Free State for many years holding church services for local communities.

During the Second Boer War, all of the town's citizens were called up for military service and the town was completely deserted for two years.

A former State President of the Republic of South Africa, Jacobus Johannes (Jim) Fouché (1898-1980), grew up on the family farm in Rouxville, where he first attended school. He later returned to Rouxville after College and became one of the leading farmers of the region. As a leader of the community in the wider Southeast Free State area, he entered politics when he was elected a member of the South African Parliament on the ticket of the Reunited National Party, representing nearby Smithfield (1941-1950), was appointed Administrator of the Orange Free State (1951-1959), served also as Defence Minister (1959-1965) and Minister of Agricultural technical services and water affairs (1966-1968) in the Governments of Verwoerd and Vorster. He was again elected to Parliament, this time representing Bloemfontein West (1960-1968). He was the second choice as successor to Charles Swart as State President, but was defeated by Theophilus Ebenhaezer Donges, however when Donges failed to assume office because of poor health, he emerged as a compromise candidate and was nominated by the Parliamentary caucus of the National Party as State President and served his entire 7-year term (1968-1975).

Notes

|Centre = Rouxville |North = Smithfield 35 km |Northwest = Springfontein |East = Zastron 30 km Sterkspruit |Southeast = Lady Grey Barkly East |South = Eastern Cape: Aliwal North 34 km Queenstown 197 km |West = Bethulie Gariep Dam 60 km |Southwest = Venterstad

References

  1. Robson, Linda Gillian. (2011). "The Royal Engineers and settlement planning in the Cape Colony 1806–1872: Approach, methodology and impact". University of Pretoria.
  2. [https://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/462007002 ''Subplace Rouxville SP'' during census 2011]
  3. Raper, P.E.. (2004). "South African Place Names". Jonathan Ball, Jhb & Cape Town.

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populated-places-in-the-mohokare-local-municipalitypopulated-places-established-in-18631863-establishments-in-the-orange-free-state