Prieska

Since 1847, the Orange River had been the official northern boundary of the Cape Colony. Curiously, a Xhosa settlement had lived here for several years in the 1870s, alongside the Koranna and San.

This ancient “drift” or crossing of the Orange River was called “Priskab” in Khoi languages, referring to “a missing she-goat”. From the 1790s, it became an important intermediate destination for white travellers from the Cape, en route to Kuruman. The importance of this drift lay in the fact that there was an island in the middle of the river, which enabled people and livestock to cross the unpredictable river.

By 1873, the first erven were laid out in Prieska, and in 1878, the Dutch Reformed Church established a congregation. The first NG Church mission was established in 1893.

Once modern bridges were built across the Orange River, early in the 20 th Century, Prieska’s economic future was secured. This enabled large-scale crop farming on both sides of the river. Today, the town is a vibrant agricultural town. It is the headquarters of the Tsantsabane Local Municipality.