Doornkop (literally "thorn hill") is a ridge and locality on the western outskirts of
Soweto
Soweto () is a Township (South Africa), township of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for ''South Western T ...
in the
Gauteng Province,
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
. The area is currently being subsumed by the westward expansion of
Soweto
Soweto () is a Township (South Africa), township of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for ''South Western T ...
and the eastward growth of
Krugersdorp
Krugersdorp (Afrikaans for ''Kruger's Town'') is a mining city in the West Rand, Gauteng Province, South Africa founded in 1887 by Marthinus Pretorius and Abner Cohen. Following the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand, a need arose for a ...
's
Kagiso township. Suburbs include
Tshepisong, Leratong Village, Bambayi and Thulani. Doornkop is also known as Thulani, Snakepark and Silvertown.
There is another place named
Doornkop, a community 15 km north of
Middelburg in the
Steve Tshwete Local Municipality in
Mpumalanga
Mpumalanga () is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. The name means "East", or literally "The Place Where the Sun Rises" in the Nguni languages. Mpumalanga lies in eastern South Africa, bordering Eswatini and Mozambique. It shares bor ...
.
History
Jameson raid 1895-1896
Doornkop is the spot where Dr
Leander Starr Jameson was defeated on 2 January 1896 following the
Jameson Raid.
Battle of Johannesburg 1900
The Doornkop area is also linked in popular history to the third day (29 May 1900) of the Battle of Johannesburg that took place nearby from 27 to 29 May 1900 during the
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...
. The ridge was taken by cavalry under command of
Lt Gen John French while a nearby ridge, now covered by several
Soweto
Soweto () is a Township (South Africa), township of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for ''South Western T ...
suburbs, was taken by seven infantry battalions, including the following units on the left and right flank.
Left Flank
* 21st Brigade;
* the City Imperial Volunteers
* The Derbyshire Regiment
* The Cameron Highlanders
* The 1st Battalion The Royal Sussex Regiment.
Right Flank of Lt Gen Ian Hamilton
* 19 Brigade;
* The Gordon Highlanders.
* The 2nd Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment.
* The Kings Shropshire Light Infantry.
* The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry.
[Gardyne The Life of a Regiment 1794-1816 Map p.177]
References
Johannesburg Region D
{{Johannesburg-stub