Stellenbosch

The refreshment station at Table Bay was never intended as a profit-making venture for the VOC. The Cape could only become self-supporting with the aid of a large population of white farmers. Until the late 17th century the European population was confined to the area between Cape Town and the first mountain ranges of the south-western Cape, an area of roughly 70 by 100 kilometres. In 1672 a large area of land was purchased from the Hottentots (the indigenous Khoi-khoi and San) and settlers began expanding beyond the Cape plain. In 1679, Stellenbosch was founded under the administration of Governor Simon van der Stel. The governor opened his own businesses in the town. After 1700 the colony's farming activities expanded even further east, and Stellenbosch became the name of a district.