Laingsburg, Western Cape
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Last published 23 February 2016
About Us
Our Vision
A desirable place to live, invest and visit, where all people enjoy a sustainable quality of life.
Overview
Thusong Centre
Disaster Management
Laingsburg is a friendly, modern Karoo town, only 280 km from Cape Town. It was almost entirely destroyed by a huge flood in 1981. The town lies in a geologically fascinating area, steeped in history and tradition. It’s a worthwhile and hospitable stop on the busy N1 highway through the Great Karoo.It is accessible from all the major cities of the Western Cape as well as Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State and Gauteng Province.
The warm welcome that awaits tourists in Laingsburg, dates back to the mid-1700’s. In those years farmers along the banks of the Buffels River offered hospitality to adventurers brave enough to cross the mountains and venture out onto the arid plains of the Great Karoo. In exchange for news of Cape Town and the civilized world, as well as gossip garnered from other farms along the way, these isolated farmers of the interior offered accommodation, sustenance and fodder.
Many early officials and explorers, such as Barrow, Lichtenstein, De Mist and Swellengrebel, wrote of the people they met in what was later to become the district of Laingsburg. They described the Karoo as “awesome, hot, dry, and dusty. An inhospitable land peppered with friendly outspans, veritable jewels in the desert.”
The great flood of Laingsburg - 25 January 1981
The 1981 flood washed away much of Laingsburg’s original character; however, some buildings, like the Dutch Reformed Church, remain standing. The floodwater rose so high in areas that only the roofs of houses were visible and resulting in the loss of many lives. To this day, high water marks are still visible on lamp posts. The local library maintains a comprehensive collection of photographs and newspaper reports, and the town offers a guided tour of the “Flood Route”. At Laingsburg Municipality to strive to uphold our vision of “a desirable place to live, invest and visit, where all people enjoy a sustainable quality of life”.
Overview
Laingsburg is a friendly, modern Karoo town, only 280 km from Cape Town. It was almost entirely destroyed by a huge flood in 1981. The town lies in a geologically fascinating area, steeped in history and tradition. It’s a worthwhile and hospitable stop on the busy N1 highway through the Great Karoo.It is accessible from all the major cities of the Western Cape as well as Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State and Gauteng Province.
The warm welcome that awaits tourists in Laingsburg, dates back to the mid-1700’s. In those years farmers along the banks of the Buffels River offered hospitality to adventurers brave enough to cross the mountains and venture out onto the arid plains of the Great Karoo. In exchange for news of Cape Town and the civilized world, as well as gossip garnered from other farms along the way, these isolated farmers of the interior offered accommodation, sustenance and fodder.
Many early officials and explorers, such as Barrow, Lichtenstein, De Mist and Swellengrebel, wrote of the people they met in what was later to become the district of Laingsburg. They described the Karoo as “awesome, hot, dry, and dusty. An inhospitable land peppered with friendly outspans, veritable jewels in the desert.”
The great flood of Laingsburg - 25 January 1981
The 1981 flood washed away much of Laingsburg’s original character; however, some buildings, like the Dutch Reformed Church, remain standing. The floodwater rose so high in areas that only the roofs of houses were visible and resulting in the loss of many lives. To this day, high water marks are still visible on lamp posts. The local library maintains a comprehensive collection of photographs and newspaper reports, and the town offers a guided tour of the “Flood Route”. At Laingsburg Municipality to strive to uphold our vision of “a desirable place to live, invest and visit, where all people enjoy a sustainable quality of life”.