Bloemhof is an agricultural town of about 2,000 inhabitants situated on the banks of the Vaal RiverinNorth West ProvinceofSouth Africa.
Bloemhof
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Bloemhof railway station
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  Bloemhof Show map of North West (South African province)  Bloemhof Show map of South Africa | |
| Coordinates: 27°39′0″S 25°35′24″E / 27.65000°S 25.59000°E / -27.65000; 25.59000 | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | North West |
| District | Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati |
| Municipality | Lekwa-Teemane Mayor Sebang Motlhabi |
| Established | 1864[1] |
| Area | |
| • Total | 47.33 km2 (18.27 sq mi) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 2,339 |
| • Density | 49/km2 (130/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 26.5% |
| • Coloured | 7.0% |
| • Indian/Asian | 4.2% |
| • White | 61.9% |
| • Other | 0.4% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Afrikaans | 72.1% |
| • Tswana | 7.4% |
| • English | 7.3% |
| • Sotho | 4.1% |
| • Other | 8.9% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal code (street) |
2660
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| PO box |
2660
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| Area code | 053 |
It was founded in August 1864 when diamonds were discovered in the area.[4] The town was established on the farm owned by John Barclay, who survived the shipwreck of HMS Birkenhead in 1852. The place became known as Bloemhof (flower court) because of the lovely gardens that were planted by Barclay's daughter. In June 1869, the South African Republic's Volksraad created a new district called Bloemhof named after the town itself.[4] Currently Bloemhof has a variety of social milieus; it has a township called Boitumelong and former coloured residence called Coverdale. Salamat is also a small residence, formerly an Indian suburb, which is situated in this town.