Lees in Afrikaans

Saldanha is situated about 140Km from Cape Town on the West Coast Road. (R27). The town was built around the best natural harbour on the African coast, but due to a shortage of fresh water, the developement off the town only really took of after a pipeline for fresh water was built from the Berg River. A few years ago, a breakwater was built, connecting Malgas Island to the land, which made the bay even safer.

The Bay now boasts a harbour from which, among other things, iron ore is exported. The safe bay lends itself to a variety of water sport. Sailing Races and regattas are hosted by Saldanha Yacht club on a regular basis.

The once sleepy fishing village became more industrialised with the building of Saldanha Steel, Duferco and Namakwa Sands. Sea Harvest, a seafood processing and fishing company, still provides jobs to a large percentage of the local population.

Saldanha is widely known for its Naval Training Base and the South African Military Academy. The SAS Saldanha Nature Reserve is a highlight of visits to the area during late winter and early spring. Not only are the flowers spectacular, but during this time, Southern Right Whales also visit the safe water in and around the reserve. The "Hoedjieskop"-Reserve is a hill in the middle of Saldanha. It offers wonderful views of the town and bay.

Hoedjieskop

Arial Photo of Saldanha Bay

Accelor Mittal - Previously known as Saldanha Steel

Yachts at Saldanha Yacht Club

Arial photo taken from Boeing

Read in English

Die baai spog deesdae met 'n groot hawe vanwaar daar, onder andere, ystererts uitgevoer word. Die baai is die ideale speelplek vir watersport liefhebbers en die plaaslike seiljagklub bied gereeld wedrenne en regattas aan.

Die eens slaperige vissersdorpie spog ook deesdae met heelwat industrieë. Saldanha Staal, Duferco en Namakwa Sands is almal wêreldklas maatskappye. Sea Harvest, 'n vis prosesserings- en visvang maatskappy, bied steeds werk aan 'n groot gedeelte van die plaaslike bevolking.

Saldanha is ook wyd bekend vir sy Vloot Opleidings Basis en vir die Suid- Afrikaanse Militêre Akademie. SAS Saldanha Natuurreservaat is 'n hoogtepunt vir die besoeker wat gedurende laat winter en vroeg lente kom kuier. Nie net is die veldblomme 'n belewenis nie, maar Walvisse is ook gereelde besoekers aan die reservaat en omliggende baaie. Die Hoedjieskop reservaat is 'n koppie in die middel van Saldanha. Dit bied 'n lieflike uitsig oor die dorpie, baai en see.

In 1488 Bartolomeu Dias was further exploring the West coast of Africa. Bad weather brought them to the current St Helena Bay. Antonio de Saldanha, 1470-1535, was also brought to St Helena Bay by a storm and his was ship arrived in Table Bay in 1503.

During his visit to Table Bay he traded an ox and two sheep from the local Khoikoi, but Baros wrote "when De Saldanha went on land the second time, he was ambushed and wounded in his arm." The place would later be known as "Aguada de Saldanha" (the water collecting place of Saldanha). This place is at the crossing of the current Adderley- and Strand Streets in Cape Town, where two mountain streams flowed into the sea. He never visited the current Saldanha Bay.

Table Bay was called "Aguada de Saldanha for a long time, until Joris van Spilbergen named the current Saldanha in 1601 because he thought he was in Aguada de Saldanha. When he reached Table Bay a few days later, he realised that there was confusion over the names and named Table Bay.

In 1623, long before Jan van Riebeeck arrival at the Cape, Jon Olafsson arrived in Saldanha with his ships, 'Christianshaven' and 'Flensborg'. He described how they hunted seals and cooked them with dried prunes and honey for supper. Jan van Riebeeck also wrote in his Journals about Seal meat and how it was given to the slaves. In 1661 it was freguently refered to in documentation as "robbevleys voor de slaven’.

As early as 1657 an expedition was sent out to put the monogram of the VOC on rocks at, among other places, Geelbek in the West Coast National Park and at Saldanha. In 1658 "vryburgers" were also sent out to do trade with the Cochoquas people.

In 1659 Peter Potter was sent out to draw a map of the Saldanha area which he did very accurately with references to fresh water Salamander Bay and Riet Bay, Jutten and Schaapen Island, names that are still used today.

Interesting also to note that on the 19th of April 1672, Commissioner Arnout van Overbeek officially bought the Saldanha area from the Hottentot chief Schacher. The only problem was that Schacher was not the only chief and that the Saldanha area was not under his control at all! The chief in control of this area was called Gonnema. On hearing of this transaction, Gonnema took revenge. He confiscated belongings from white hunters that visited his area and attacked the post at Saldanha Bay, killing all but one person. Despite their efforts the Dutch could never catch Gonnema to punish him and the war between them continued until 1677 when Gonnema sued for peace.

In the 1870's and 1880's Saldanha Bay was used as a Quarantine area. The camp was in use until 1893 when the yacht "Saxon" transported the staff and last patients back to Cape Town. During the Anglo Boer War people streamed to Cape Town. Soon there was an outbreak of bubonic plaque and smallpox and the quarantine camp was re-opened in March of 1900. It is unclear when it was closed again.

Tydens sy besoek aan Tafelbaai het hy een bees en twee skape van die plaaslike Khoikoi geruil, maar Baros skryf " toe de Saldanha die tweede keer aan land gegaan het, is hulle in ‘n hinderlaag gely en in sy arm verwond." Die plek sou later bekend staan as Aguada de Saldanha (die water (haal) plek van Saldanha. Hierdie plek is by die kruispunt van die huidige Adderley- en Strandstraat waar twee bergstroompies die kus bereik het. Hy het egter nooit die huidige Saldanha besoek nie.

Vir lank het Tafelbaai die naam Aguada de Saldanha gedra tot Joris van Spilbergen in 1601 die huidige Saldanhabaai sy naam gegee het, omdat hy gedink het hy is in Aguada de Saldanha. Toe hy ‘n paar dae later in Tafelbaai kom, het hy besef dat daar ‘n verwarring met die gebruik van Saldanha is, en het Tafelbaai sy naam gegee.

In 1623, voor Jan van Riebeeck se koms, sit die Yslander Jon Olafsson met sy skepe Christianshaven en Flensborg voet aan wal by Saldanhabaai. Hy beskryf hoe hulle robbe gevang het en dit met pruimedante en heuning as ete voorgesit het. In Van Riebeeck se Joernaal meld hy ook dat robvleis aan slawe gegee is en dat hul heel ingenome daarmee was: "seer graegh na ‘telve’ en in 1661 word gereeld in opgawes verwys na ‘robbevleys voor de slaven’

So vroeg as 1657 word ‘n ekspedisie uitgestuur om die VOC se monogram op klippe by onder andere Geelbek in die huidige Weskus Nationale Park en Saldanha uit te kap. In 1658 is vryburgers ook dan na die omgewing gestuur om met die Cochoquas handel te dryf.

Peter Potter word in 1659 uitgestuur om die Saldanhabaai te karteer wat hy dan ook baie akkuraat gedoen het met aanduidings van vars water en name soos die van Salamanderbaai en Rietbaai, Jutten en Schaapen eiland het tot vandag onveranderd gebly.

Interessant om te weet is dat Kommisaris Arnout van Overbeek amptelik die gebied Saldanha van die oorspronklike Hottentot hoofman, Schacher gekoop het op 19 April 1672. Die enigste probleem was dat Schacher nie die enigste hoofman was nie en dat die gebied glad nie onder sy beheer was nie. Die gebied is beheer deur 'n hoofman genaamd Gonnema. Toe Gonnema van hierdie transaksie hoor, het hy amok gemaak onder die Hollanders. Hy het besittings van jagters in sy gebied gekonfiskeer en die Kompanjie se kamp op Saldanha aangeval. Ten spyte van verskeie pogings kon die Kompanjie soldate hom nie vang en straf nie. Hierdie oorlog het aangehou tot in 1677 toe Gonnema hom uiteindelik tot vrede verbind het.

In die 1870's en 1880's is Saldanhabaai as kwarantyn kamp gebruik. Die kamp is tot niet verklaar in 1893 toe die seiljag "Saxon" die laaste siekes terug na die Kaap vervoer het. Gedurende die Anglo-Boere oorlog het baie mense na Kaapstad gestroom. Met die uitbreek van die "Bubonic Plague" en waterpokkies is die kwarantynkamp op Saldanha weer in Maart van 1900 heropen. Daar is nie sekerheid oor wanneer dit weer gesluit is nie.

Properties / Estate Agents	Description	Contact Details
Weskus Eiendomme	115 Main Road, Saldanha	022-714 1530