Towns and suburbs

Grabouw

Hub of the export fruit producing industry

grabouw

History of Grabouw

A post office operated at Palmiet River near a small bridge called De Oude Brug, built in 1811. The post office opened in 1846, but when the postmaster position became vacant in 1849, it remained unfilled for eight years. The position was finally filled in 1852, following the construction of a more durable bridge.

In 1856, Willem Langschmidt, a painter from Cape Town, bought the nearby farm Grietfontein and renamed it Grabau after his German hometown. He established a small community around a shop run by his wife and significantly contributed to the local population by fathering 23 children.

In the early 1900s, the area experienced an agricultural revolution with the advent of the deciduous fruit industry, which continues to thrive. Antonie Viljoen was the first to plant apple trees in the Grabouw area and innovatively provided his farmworkers with plots to grow the trees. This approach allowed workers to farm apples on their own initiative. In 1903, the Molteno brothers, who also owned farms in the area, further developed the deciduous fruit industry using similar methods.

Grabouw emerged as a key hub for the export fruit-producing industry and timber production. The town gained its own council in 1923 and achieved municipal status in 1956. The Lombardi family also played a significant role by introducing Appletizer, an apple drink, to the market in 1966

The license plate prefix for Grabouw is CEO. The postcode is 7160.

WEATHER IN GRABOUW YTODAY

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Things to see and do in Grabouw

Useful Numbers

  • Police: 021 859 7726
  • Traffic department: Caledon-028 212 2878
  • Fire: Grabouw Fire Station-021 859 5525
  • Municipality-021 859 2507
  • Water
  • Electricity::028 212 9111
  • Post office;021 859 3595
  • Library:021 859 2507
  • Closest hospital;Elgin Medical Centre-021 859 2850
  • Clinic– 021 859 1301
  • Pharmacy;021 859 3383
  • SPCA: Grabouw Animal Welfare Society-076 549 6601
  • Animal Clinic: 0218593082
  • Ratepayers Association; 0827839267

Schools: Grabouw High School-021 859 4203
Umyezo Wama Apile Primary School-021 859 5221
Groenberg Secondary School-021 859 2127
Kingsway Christian School-021 859 5022
Pineview Primary School-021 859 3700
Glen Elgin Primary School-021 859 3323
Groenberg Primary School-021 864 1126
Umyezo Wama Apile High School-021 859 1049
Glen Elgin Primary-021 859 3323
St Michaels Laerskool-021 859 2429

  • Museum;Elgin Apple Museum-021 859 2042
  • Tourism 021 848 9838
  • Elgin Grabouw Ratepayers: 0827839267

Local Listings