In the heart of the Western Cape, South Africa, nestled on the eastern edge of False Bay and at the foot of the Hottentots Holland Mountains, lies the seaside resort town of The Strand (Afrikaans for 'beach'). Its story connects the present to a rich and diverse past. From its humble beginnings as a small fishing town to its evolution into a thriving cultural hub, the Strand has weathered the storms of history with resilience and grace.
The vibrant beachfront of Strand, South Africa.
Early History and Settlement
The first settler in the area which later became known as Mosterd's Bay (also Hottentots Holland Strand or Somerset West Strand) was a Huguenot, David du Buisson, who had been tutor at Drakenstein to the children of Pierre Joubert. In 1707, du Buisson married Claudina, daughter of Pierre Lombard, also a Huguenot. Their loan farm, known as Vlooibaai, was bounded by the Lourens River, Philip Morkel's farm Onverwacht, and the sea itself.
Life was not without its challenges. In 1717, it was recorded that du Buisson was attacked in his house by fugitive slaves, who inflicted several wounds on him. Despite this, he escaped with his family, but his house was ransacked. In 1722 du Buisson died, after which Vlooibaai was granted in freehold to his widow. She soon remarried, and after the death of her second husband, Vlooibaai was purchased by Olof de Wet. By 1748, it was owned by Philip Morkel's widow, Catharina Pasman, who left it to her son, Willem, together with Onverwacht and Voorburg.
It is uncertain when the name Mosterd's Bay first came into use, or why, but the village which grew up at this spot was called Mosterd's Bay for many years. Two smaller inlets to the south were known as Schilpad and Hex. All these names have fallen into disuse, but the stretch of beach between what was Mosterd's Bay and the Lourens River mouth retains its original name, Melk Bay, so called from the milky whiteness of the surf there.
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Mosterd's Bay, with its safe harbour, has been a fishing place from the earliest times. It is likely that the followers of Sheik Joseph, exiled on the farm Zandvliet near the mouth of the Eerste River at the end of the seventeenth century, ventured round the coast to this sheltered spot. The first Malay fishermen known to have settled at Mosterd's Bay were probably descendants of these people.
As early as 1829 there was a house of sorts at Mosterd's Bay. As the 19th century progressed, the area's appeal grew. The Strand has been sought-after since the mid-1800s, when it was the traditional summer holiday resort for farmers from the Stellenbosch area.
Development and Growth
The attraction of settlers to this area was the establishment of the de Beers Dynamite Factory in 1902, together with the prolific sea harvest all year round. This led to the development of The Strand as a town as well as a seaside resort. It became a municipality in 1897.
The Strand was a municipality from 1897 to 1996. The town has primary, secondary and tertiary education facilities, and many ECD facilities of varying quality.
Recent expansion and development of both towns has resulted in the two now being adjacent to each other, with shopping malls and residential complexes creating the connections. The unofficial divide between the two towns is the national road which bisects them, the N2.
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In 1970, during Apartheid, all non-whites were forcefully resettled when the town was classified as a white-only resort. A notable community that was forced to leave at this time was the descendants of Cape Malay slaves who had escaped from Cape Town over 100 years earlier. They lost their homes, but their mosque still stands today.
Tourism and Recreation
Today the town is a popular seaside resort.
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The main beach in the Strand, Melkbaai Beach, is a safe bathing area. Facilities on or nearby this beach include Waterworld with a supertube and mini-golf and Harmony Park which includes a tidal pool.
For the sporting enthusiast, Strand offers a wide variety of organised sport including a golf course capable of hosting international events, tennis courts, rugby fields, squash clubs, jukskei, and water sports like surfing, sailing, power boating, paddle skiing and board sailing. The Charles Morkel rugby stadium is home to the Helderberg Rugby Club. Strand also has an Olympic-sized indoor pool which is centrally heated and is open all year round. Surfing is a popular water sport in Strand, despite the possibility of sharks.
The town has a vibrant business district attracting customers from the surrounding basin. The CBD offers banks, numerous shopping malls, restaurants, and supermarkets. Friedman & Cohen is the largest single shop in the CBD and serves as a major attraction for residents and visitors. The major shopping malls in the area include the Dorpsmeent Centre, Somerset Mall.
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Historical Figures and Local Insights
Local author and architect Danie Pienaar has self-published a new book on the history of Strand, exploring the town’s key milestones and firsts. The book combines local stories with broader South African history, shedding light on the town’s development.
According to Pienaar, the development of Strand is posited against the history of the country. He was in the first Sub-A (Grade 1) class of the new Lochnerhof Primary School, mentioned in his book. For many years Pienaar has been in love with Strand and its people. After qualifying as a professional architect Pienaar studied at the business school of Stellenbosch University. He also studied journalism there and wrote for Drive Out outdoor magazine, the Buiteburger and Motorburger.
Pienaar was part of the establishment of the most successful GO magazine and had his own column, “Danie sê”, in the Landbouweekblad. Pienaar’s love for aviation led to acquiring his PPL licence in 1995, and since then has clocked many a flying mile.
Jewish Community
By comparison with other European groups of the Strand community, the Jewish community have been more attached to The Strand than any others. Names like Friedman, Rossenstein, Cohen, Ginsberg, Portnoi and Jacobson are landmarks in The Strand's development for more than half a century.
A permanent Shul opened in 1930 in Wesley Street and the foundation stone laid by Mr. Ben Friedman. The Shul in Wesley Street, was sold in 1986 to the Ebed Gemeente as a Church and later re-sold. One Sefer Torah was sent to the Beit Shemesh Shul, Beit Shemesh, Israel. The first Rabbi was Rev. I. Green, followed by Rev. Hirshowitz. There were 40 families and subscription was 1 Shilling per month.
The beaches in the Strand attracted a great deal of Jewish people from all over the Western Cape area in the summer, including the annual Young Israel Camp. However with the rise of the "Greyshirt" movement and anti-semitism becoming rife, the Jewish people of the Western Cape, started using Muizenberg as the summer holiday resort.
By 1999 the Jewish Community dwindled to 5 families.
Property Market
The Strand area is still considered to be the prime spot in the Helderberg Area when it comes to houses for sale. Properties in the Strand have changed dramatically over the last decade with the growth of sectional title sector of the property in the Strand market. The years 2000 - 2010 saw a lot of new Strand apartments built in various complexes and beach front developments and gave a boost to the market for property in the Strand.
The residential property market in Strand is still incredibly popular, despite the economic downturn of recent years. The Strand apartment and sectional title sector has also increased and historically the traditional free standing houses for sale in Strand was and still is very much in demand by Cape property buyers and investors.
Accommodation
Strand offers a wide range of accommodation options, including apartments, guest houses, and hotels. Some popular choices include:
- Jacquelena Hof 9
- Ocean View Apartment 905
- Theebos Self-Catering Apartment
- Romilly 32 Beachfront
- Welgelegen 608
- Treehouse at Theebos
- 73 De Beers
- 68 On Hofmeyr
- Lantra 5 Strand
- Loddey's Unit 4
- Cisterama 102
- Ocean View Apartment 505
- Ocean View Penthouse
- Odeon Towers 810
- Laguna Beach B8
- Dai Heka Guest House
- Sunset Beach Apartment 3
- Capeview
- Phosphor Holiday Apartment
- Searenity Views
- Beach Garden Home
- Strand Beach Lodge
- Ocean View 203A
- Sunset Beach Apartment 2
- The Sunset Beach House
- Loddeys Beach House
- Ruxmian Lodge
- False Bay Inn
- Ocean Breeze Hotel
- Strand Beach Front
- Odeon Towers 1007
- Odeon Beach Break
- Casa La Mer
- Loddeys Guest House
Activities and Attractions
There are few combinations that equal more fun than kids and water. Includes Gordons Bay, Strand, Bikini beach, Kogel Bay.
Having proudly hosted the World Cup of Golf in 1996 and twice the SAA open of Golf, Erinvale falls into the premium category of course. Somerset West Golf Club is the oldest golf club in the area. It was officially founded in 1908. This golf course is situated close to the sandy beaches of the False Bay in a peaceful area surrounded by sea and mountains.
The Helderberg Region is part of the wine-producing hub of the Cape Winelands in the Western Cape.
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