Vryheid: A Brief History
Since its establishment in 1884, when Vryheid was the capital of the “Nieuwe Republiek” to currently being home to about 70000 people, the town has gone from strength to strength, and what follows here is a brief history of how it all came to be.
If you’re looking at buying a home in Vryheid, you might want to know a bit more about the history and heritage of the town. It was established in 1884 after military leader Lucas Meijer promised Zulu King Dinizulu military protection.
In return for his promised protection of the Zulus, the Boers were given large portions of land and it was later proclaimed the “Nieuwe Republiek” and Vryheid was deemed the capital. The republic was however very short-lived as it became part of the Zuid-Afrikaanse Republiek in 1888.
A quaint country town set in north Kwazulu Natal, it’s home to about 70000 residents, the majority of which are Afrikaans speaking. There are numerous historic buildings throughout the town that serve as reminders of the town’s history.
Keep an eye out for the “Lucas Meijer House”, the “Old Raadsaal” (Town Council), the “Old Fort” and the “Landdrostkantoor” (Magistrate’s Office). Most of these houses stand in Landdrost Street, where the local history museum, “Nieuwe Republiek Museum” is also situated. In the museum you’ll find a fantastic collection of remnants documenting the history of Vryheid.
For those familiar with South Africa’s history, the “Battlefields” of Natal are where some of the most gruesome and intense battles took place between the Voortrekkers and the Zulus, then the British and the Zulus and finally between the Boers and the English. Vryheid is situated on the eastern side
