Malgas (or Malagas[2]) is a settlement on the right (southwest) bank of the Breede River in the Overberg region of the Western Cape. It is situated 25 kilometres north-west of the Breede River mouth at Witsand, and 30 kilometres south-east of Swellendam.
Malgas | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Malgas  Malgas | |
| Coordinates: 34°18′00″S 20°34′59″E / 34.3°S 20.583°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Western Cape |
| District | Overberg |
| Municipality | Swellendam |
| Area | |
• Total | 0.77 km2 (0.30 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
• Total | 44 |
| • Density | 57/km2 (150/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 11.4% |
| • Coloured | 50.0% |
| • White | 38.6% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Afrikaans | 74.4% |
| • English | 18.6% |
| • S. Ndebele | 2.3% |
| • Xhosa | 2.3% |
| • Other | 2.3% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
"Malgas" is the Afrikaans for gannet. The word "malgas" is probably an adaptation of the Portuguese: mangas de velludo, lit. 'velvet sleeves', referring to the Cape gannet (Morus capensis) with its black-tipped wings.[3] According to the 2011 census, Malgas has a population of 44 people in 20 households.[1]
Malgas Pont
editIt is well known for the "pont", a man-hauled pontoon cable ferry across the Breede River, which is the last of its type in South Africa.[4] The man-hauled ferry has been replaced by a motor driven ferry, a yellow steel pontoon with a massive diesel engine.
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "Main Place Malgas". Census 2011.
- ^ "Malagas/Malgas and Joseph Barry | The Heritage Portal". www.theheritageportal.co.za. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
- ^ Raper, P. E. (1987). Dictionary of South African Place Names. Lowry Publishers. pp. 292–293. ISBN 0947042067.
- ^ Brooke, Simon (18 April 2013). "However you spell it, Malgas is an oasis". Business Day. Times Media (Pty) Ltd. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
External links
edit
Media related to Malgas at Wikimedia Commons
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