Christiana (Südafrika)

Christiana is an agricultural town of about 20,000 inhabitants on the banks of the Vaal River in North West province, South Africa The town is located on the N12 national route between Bloemhof and Warrenton, on the way to Kimberley (Northern Cape). It is the administrative centre of Lekwa-Teemane Local Municipality.HistoryWhen diamonds were discovered in the Vaal River in the 1870s the former Transvaal Government established a settlement on the banks of the river in 1870, in an attempt to control and alleviate land disputes over diamond discoveries further down the Vaal River. This town was established on the farm Zoutpansdrift (salt pan drift) and named Christiana, after the only daughter of President Pretorius of the old Transvaal. The first residential stands were sold in 1870.Two years later diamonds were discovered in the gravel of the Vaal River close by and the inevitable manic rush followed. As usual the initial rush petered with the diamonds. In 1997, diamonds were rediscovered along the banks of a farm on the Free State side of Christiana. This led to a new diamond rush and diggings that continue to this day.