Vrede

For other uses, see Vrede (disambiguation).

Vrede
Vrede  Vrede shown within Free State
Coordinates:
Country	South Africa
Province	Free State
District	Thabo Mofutsanyane
Municipality	Phumelela
Established	1876
Government
• Councillor	Motaung (ANC)
Area
• Total	50.1 km2 (19.3 sq mi)
Elevation	1,675 m (5,495 ft)
Population (2011)
• Total	17,689
• Density	350/km2 (910/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
• Black African	93.1%
• Coloured	0.4%
• Indian/Asian	0.5%
• White	5.7%
• Other	0.4%
First languages (2011)
• Zulu	53.4%
• Sotho	36.5%
• Afrikaans	6.0%
• English	1.1%
• Other	3.1%
Postal code (street)	9835
PO box	9835
Area code	058

Vrede is a town in the Free State province of South Africa that is the agricultural hub of a 100 km² region. Maize, wheat, mutton, wool, beef, dairy products and poultry are farmed in the region.

The town lies 60 km south of Standerton and 216 km south-east of Johannesburg. It was founded on the Krynauwslust farm in 1863 and proclaimed a town in June 1879. The name is Afrikaans for ‘peace’, which refers to the settlement of a dispute over the proposed site of the town.

Education among the youth (even from poorer background) of Vrede is on the rise, especially due to high schools such as Katleho and Evungwini.

Notable people

• André Brink (1935–2015), novelist, born in Vrede but moving to Lydenburg in childhood
• Sid Kiel (1916–2007), doctor, athlete, and cricketer, born on a Vrede sheep farm but moving to Cape Town in childhood