On 12 October 1780 Voortrekker leader, Piet Retief was born at Wagenmakers Vallei, now known as Wellington. Retief grew up on the vineyard, Welvanpas, in what became the Cape Colony under British rule. At the age of 27 he left for Stellenbosch, but eventually settled in Grahamstown, where he acquired his wealth through livestock farming following in his father’s foot-steps. During this period many Afrikaners were growing increasingly disgruntled with British rule at the Cape Colony.

This led to Retief publishing a manifesto in 1837 in which he listed the grievances of many Afrikaners including the low compensation for freed slaves, as well as the cattle raids by the Xhosa on the Cape Frontier, from which the British government provided no protection or compensation. In what is known as the Great Trek, Retief led other Afrikaans farmers in a migration to the interior of the country, where they could be free from British control. Retief is regarded by many Afrikaners as a hero of Great Trek, and is memorialized for his courage.

References:

1. South African History Online (2011).‘Piet Retief’[online]. Available at www.sahistory.org.za[Accessed 20 October 2011]
2. Ancestry 24(2011). ‘Henning Pretorius’from Ancestry 24 [online] Available at www.ancestry24.com[Accessed 20 October 2011]