Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 27, 2026

Zastron

Zastron is a small agricultural town in the Free State province of South Africa, some 30 km from the border of Lesotho. It is situated at the foot of Aasvoëlberg, named for the rare Cape vultures attracted by a feeding project a short distance out of town. The township is named "Matlakeng", Sesotho for Vultures. A curious rock formation in the mountain, Die Oog, has been adopted as the town's unofficial emblem.

Last revised
Jul 27, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
280 w
Citations
7
Source
Zastron
Zastron
Show map of Free State (South African province)
Zastron
Show map of South Africa
Coordinates: 30°18′S 27°05′E / 30.300°S 27.083°E / -30.300; 27.083
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceFree State
DistrictXhariep
MunicipalityMohokare
Established18751
Government
 • TypeMunicipality
 • MayorZingisa Mgauli 2 (ANC)
Area
 • Total
22.7 km2 (8.8 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)3
 • Total
15,607
 • Density688/km2 (1,780/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
 • Black African94.8%
 • Coloured0.6%
 • Indian/Asian0.4%
 • White4.1%
 • Other0.1%
First languages (2011)
 • Sotho69.2%
 • Xhosa22.4%
 • Afrikaans5.1%
 • Other3.3%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
9950
PO box
9950
Area code051
Farm lines: 05542

Zastron is a small agricultural town in the Free State province of South Africa, some 30 km from the border of Lesotho. It is situated at the foot of Aasvoëlberg (Vulture Mountain), named for the rare Cape vultures attracted by a feeding project a short distance out of town. The township is named "Matlakeng", Sesotho for Vultures. A curious rock formation in the mountain, Die Oog (The Eye), has been adopted as the town's unofficial emblem.

The town was founded in 1875 on the farm Verliesfontein, and named after the maiden name of President Brand's wife, Johanna Sibella Brand, née Zastron.4

Notable people

Notes

Notes

  1. Robson, Linda Gillian (2011). "Annexure A" (PDF). The Royal Engineers and settlement planning in the Cape Colony 1806–1872: Approach, methodology and impact (PhD thesis). University of Pretoria. pp. xlv–lii. hdl:2263/26503.
  2. Free State Tourism.org Archived January 6, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  3. Sum of the Main Places Matlakeng and Zastron from Census 2011.
  4. Raper, P.E. (2004). South African Place Names. Jonathan Ball, Jhb & Cape Town. p. 415. ISBN 1-86842-190-2.
External links