Кокстад: История и наследие города в Восточной Грикваленде

A town in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
When, in 1869, the Reverend William Dower was asked by the Griqua to establish a mission, he agreed on condition that they resettle in a more suitable place on the banks of the Mzimhlava river. Two prominent European settlers George Brisley and Donald Strachan played a major role in the early development of Kokstad and East Griqualand: their trading store, Strachan and Co, in 1874 introduced South Africa's first indigenous currency—a set of trade tokens which circulated across a wide region, covering an area the size of Ireland. Confirmation that the Strachan and Co coins circulated as money in the region at this time comes from the local Standard Bank at Kokstad and the managing director of Strachan and Co. In 1878 East Griqualand came into the possession of Cape Colony. The first hotel in Kokstad, The Royal, was opened by an African American who also started a newspaper (the Kokstad Advertiser) in 1881. Kokstad became a municipality in 1892. In 1904 the population was recorded at 2903 whom a third were Griquas. The town was transferred to Natal province in 1978. Today the population of Kokstad lies at just over 50,000 people.

Stemming from a relatively old farming community, Kokstad rose from the lands beneath Mount Currie. Many old buildings and monuments have been erected that are now considered to be National Heritage Sites. The Adam Kok Monument (Griqua): The monument commemorates the leadership of the Griqua, Adam Kok, who, after leading the Griquas from the Southern Free State to Griqualand East during the 1860s, died after a fall off a cart in 1875. The monument is situated next to the police station of Kokstad. Kokstad Bandstand (British Colonial): The ornamental, cast iron bandstand dates from 1912. It was donated to the town council by the engineers who were responsible for the Kokstad water scheme. It was declared a national monument in October 1983. Boy Scouts Monument (British Monument): The monument to former Boy Scouts who fell in the world wars is situated in the foothills of Mount Currie North of Kokstad. Cape Mounted Rifles Monument (British Colonial): The monumen is a tall column surrounded by four lions peering upwards. It is situated close to the town hall. St. Patrick's Catholic Church (Cathedral)
East Griqualand Museum and Community Tourism Info Center: Griqua history is the main theme of this museum's display. Although it has several other local history exhibits and items also known as the Kokstad museum. Old town hall (historical building): The old town hall is considered a National Monument Site. It is one of the largest town structures that predates World War I within the surrounding areas. Currently used for ceremonial practices, it also functioned as the town's library for many years until 2005, when the new library on the neighbouring plot was opened. The town hall is now used for many municipal and political functions, as well as public gatherings ranging from weddings to sporting ceremonies.

The area is popular for its many rivers and dams that provide ample opportunity for trout fishing and hiking possibilities. There are three reserves, Mount Currie, Wilfred Bauer and the Mountain Lake Nature Reserve. These have camping and picnic spots. Among these reserves, the Mountain Lake Nature Reserve contains paths that provide sightseeing walks, as well as over 220 species of birds. The Mount Currie reserve is filled with history. On the site stands a historic laager site surrounded by graves of early pioneers and a monument pays homage to Boy Scouts who died during the First World War in East Africa. The area's many dams provide multiple forms of use. Crystal Springs Dam provides many boating and angling opportunities. The dam is fed by the pure water of Crystal Springs, the main source of Kokstad's water supply. In 1924, William Mortimer Mail (b. 16 November 1885) was to take up an appointment as the Kokstad Town Engineer, Arguably, Mail's most notable achievement was improvement to Kokstad's drinking water, which at the time of his arrival, was drawn from a mountain stream. Whenever it rained, it became heavily stained. After identifying a suitable spring further down the mountain (Crystal Springs), he first conducted a series of water flow rate metering, to establish there was sufficient flow to meet the town's needs. Once it had been proven there was sufficient flow, Mail then oversaw design and construction of a new water treatment plant. The new plant provided crystal clear water to Kokstad, which helped the town grow and flourish. In addition to supplying drinking water to the town, the Crystal Spring Dam has become an attraction for both the Kokstad residents, and tourists to the area. There are three rural schemes located in nearby Swartberg, Franklin and Kransdraai, which meet the RDP level of service.

By 1931, the Kokstad municipal council had assumed a pseudo heraldic "coat of arms" depicting a landscape with Mount Currie in the background, ears of wheat, and a tree, and the motto Concilio et animis.

A proper coat of arms was designed by Ivan Mitford Barberton in the late 1950s. It was registered with the Cape Provincial Administration in October 1960 and at the Bureau of Heraldry in July 1979. The arms were : Per fess Gules and Or, in chief, dexter a Griqua hunter statant holding in his dexter hand a slain buck and in his sinister hand a rifle, sinister a lion statant, all Or; in base, below a yoke the barrel of a cannon palewise, all Sable; the whole within a bordure compony of 40 pieces Argent and Sable. In layman's terms, the shield was divided horizontally into red and gold, the upper half depicting a Griqua hunter holding a slain buck and a rifle and facing a lion, and the lower half a yoke above an upright black cannon barrel, the whole design surrounded by a border divided into forty sections alternately silver and black. The crest was a cock's head issuing from a golden eastern crown, and the motto was Pro rege lege et grege.