Koster is a small farming town situated on the watershed between the Orange and Limpopo Rivers in North West Province of South Africa.

Koster
Koster is located in North West (South African province)
Koster
Koster
Koster is located in South Africa
Koster
Koster
Coordinates: 25°52′S 26°54′E / 25.867°S 26.900°E / -25.867; 26.900
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceNorth West
DistrictBojanala Platinum
MunicipalityKgetlengrivier
Government
 • TypeMunicipal Council
 • Mayor(ANC)
Area
 • Total18.22 km2 (7.03 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total2,342
 • Density130/km2 (330/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
 • Black African25.6%
 • Coloured1.7%
 • Indian/Asian9.6%
 • White62.4%
 • Other0.8%
First languages (2011)
 • Afrikaans72.9%
 • English13.9%
 • Tswana9.5%
 • Other8.1%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
0348
PO box
0348
Area code014

History

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The town was proclaimed in 1913 and named after Bastiaan Koster, the original farm owner. Koster means "church sexton".

Geography

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Town 58 km south-west of Rustenburg and 72 km west-north-west of Magaliesburg. It was founded on the farm Kleinfontein in 1913, and has been administered by a village council since January 1931. Said to have been named either after Dr Herman Jacob Coster (1866–1899), State Attorney of the South African Republic, after its surveyor, or after Bastiaan Hendricus Koster, owner of the farm Kleinfontein. The latter explanation seems most plausible.[2]

The Elands River, the Koster River and the Mooi River have their sources near the town.[3]

Arms

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Coat of arms of Koster, South Africa
Notes
Granted by the Administrator of the Transvaal, 31 August 1966.[4]
Crest
A duiker's head and neck couped Proper.
Escutcheon
Vert two interlaced chevronels Argent in chief a lion rampant Or armed and langued Gules.
Motto
Eendrag Bring Voorspoed

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Main Place Koster from Census 2011.
  2. ^ "Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Public Domain)". Human Science Research Council. p. 260.
  3. ^ Koster - Visit South Africa Archived 2012-09-19 at archive.today
  4. ^ "KOSTER, MUNISIPALITEIT/MUNICIPALITY". Bureau of Heraldry. Retrieved 22 January 2023.

Heine-Lize Becker