ters, took over among the slaves. It spread inland throughout South Africa when descendants of Cape Dutch and French settlers trekked north to colonise the interior and eventually establish the Afrikaner nation.

The Cape Malays of today with their unique Muslim cultural heritage, and the Christian 'coloured' community descended from mixed blood unions between the early settlers, the indigenous Khoi and the slaves who br

The city of Cape Town is situated on the south western tip of the African continent, in one of the most beautiful natural locations in the world. The original inhabitants of the Cape region were the Khoi San people whose ancestry can be traced back thousands of years, through the discovery of fossils and artifacts, to the origins of humanity in Central Africa.

The "Mother City" as Cape Town has become known over the years was the first South African port established by European settlers in the 16th century.

Dutch sailors working for the VOC - Dutch East India Company set up a refreshment station at the Cape. They also established the Company Gardens in the city which was used to provide passing ships on route to the West Indies with fresh produce. The gardens still exist and have been cultivated and transformed into a place of relaxation for Capetonians.

The first slaves were brought in to the Cape from Madagascar in the 17th century to help run the refreshment station. This immigration continued until 1834 and was expanded to include slaves from African countries such as Angola and Mozambique, the West Indies and Sri Lanka.

The Islam religion which is now a part of modern Cape culture was brought to Cape Town by revered Muslim leaders known as Sheikhs who had been banished to the Cape from Indonesia, by the Dutch. Islam quickly spread among the slaves, became a part of their culture and was passed on down through their descendants.

Various languages were spoken in those early days but the most predominant was Malay. Gradually the Afrikaans language, a simplified form of Dutch containing elements of Malay and originally used for communicating with their masters, took over among the slaves. It spread inland throughout South Africa when descendants of Cape Dutch and French settlers trekked north to colonise the interior and eventually establish the Afrikaner nation.

The Cape Malays of today with their unique Muslim cultural heritage, and the Christian 'coloured' community descended from mixed blood unions between the early settlers, the indigenous Khoi and the slaves who bro

ears was the first South African port established by European settlers in the 16th century.

Dutch sailors working for the VOC - Dutch East India Company set up a refreshment station at the Cape. They also established the Company Gardens in the city which was used to provide passing ships on route to the West Indies with fresh produce. The gardens still exist and have been cultivated and transformed into a place of relaxation for Capetonians.

The first slaves were brought in to the Cape from Madagascar in the 17th century to help run the refreshment station. This immigration continued until 1834 and was expanded to include slaves from African countries such as Angola and Mozambique, the West Indies and Sri Lanka.

The Islam religion which is now a part of modern Cape culture was brought to Cape Town by revered Muslim leaders known as Sheikhs who had been banished to the Cape from Indonesia, by the Dutch. Islam quickly spread among the slaves, became a part of their culture and was passed on down through their descendants.

Various languages were spoken in those early days but the most predominant was Malay. Gradually the Afrikaans language, a simplified form of Dutch containing elements of Malay and originally used for communicating with their masters, took over among the slaves. It spread inland throughout South Africa when descendants of Cape Dutch and French settlers trekked north to colonise the interior and eventually establish the Afrikaner nation.

The Cape Malays of today with their unique Muslim cultural heritage, and the Christian 'coloured' community descended from mixed blood unions between the early settlers, the indigenous Khoi and the slaves who br

ation for Capetonians.

The first slaves were brought in to the Cape from Madagascar in the 17th century to help run the refreshment station. This immigration continued until 1834 and was expanded to include slaves from African countries such as Angola and Mozambique, the West Indies and Sri Lanka.

The Islam religion which is now a part of modern Cape culture was brought to Cape Town by revered Muslim leaders known as Sheikhs who had been banished to the Cape from Indonesia, by the Dutch. Islam quickly spread among the slaves, became a part of their culture and was passed on down through their descendants.

Various languages were spoken in those early days but the most predominant was Malay. Gradually the Afrikaans language, a simplified form of Dutch containing elements of Malay and originally used for communicating with their masters, took over among the slaves. It spread inland throughout South Africa when descendants of Cape Dutch and French settlers trekked north to colonise the interior and eventually establish the Afrikaner nation.

The Cape Malays of today with their unique Muslim cultural heritage, and the Christian 'coloured' community descended from mixed blood unions between the early settlers, the indigenous Khoi and the slaves who br

as Sheikhs who had been banished to the Cape from Indonesia, by the Dutch. Islam quickly spread among the slaves, became a part of their culture and was passed on down through their descendants.

Various languages were spoken in those early days but the most predominant was Malay. Gradually the Afrikaans language, a simplified form of Dutch containing elements of Malay and originally used for communicating with their masters, took over among the slaves. It spread inland throughout South Africa when descendants of Cape Dutch and French settlers trekked north to colonise the interior and eventually establish the Afrikaner nation.

The Cape Malays of today with their unique Muslim cultural heritage, and the Christian 'coloured' community descended from mixed blood unions between the early settlers, the indigenous Khoi and the slaves who br

ters, took over among the slaves. It spread inland throughout South Africa when descendants of Cape Dutch and French settlers trekked north to colonise the interior and eventually establish the Afrikaner nation.

The Cape Malays of today with their unique Muslim cultural heritage, and the Christian 'coloured' community descended from mixed blood unions between the early settlers, the indigenous Khoi and the slaves who brought their African Indian culture into the Cape.

In the 17th century British settlers arrived and annexed the Cape declaring it a British Colony. They developed the city of Cape Town using slave labour. Slavery was eventually abolished in the 19th century. The British went on to develop and colonise South Africa. Elements of their influence in the Cape are still visible in the architecture of many buildings in the surrounding coastal towns eg. Simonstown

Cape Town Attractions: The ancient Table Mountain often draped in swirling cloud and flanked by its attendants Devil's Peak and Lion's Head, forms an impressive backdrop to the sprawling city of Cape Town and is a well known subject for many postcards and photographs. It stands at the head of a chain of mountains forming the Cape Peninsula National Park which follow the line of the Peninsula to Cape Point.

On the eastern slopes of Table Mountain lie the well known Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens the largest of its kind in South Africa, and home to thousands of varieties of indigenous plants. The oldest wine farm in the country, Groot Constantia, established in the 17th century is situated on the lower slopes of the "Back Table" Its modernised winery is in full production.

The rugged Cape coast is dotted with upmarket suburbs, quaint fishing villages and stretches of sandy beaches separated by massive rocky outcrops - remnants of the original geological formations from which Table Mountain developed. The well known extensive Winelands and