Barkly East is a town some 116 km south-east of Aliwal North. Laid out in 1874 on the farm Rocky Park and named after Sir Henry Barkly, Governor of the Cape from 1870 to 1877. Became a municipality in 1881.
The town lies at the southern tip of the Drakensberg on the Langkloofspruit, a tributary of the Kraai River which, in turn is a tributary of the Orange River at an elevation of 1 790 meter above sea-level. Barkly East is characterized by rugged mountains and green valleys. Snow falls in winter, and the hamlet of Rhodes is 60 km or an hour’s drive from Barkly East on the R396. Both are within the boundaries of the Senqu Local Municipality.
Some useless information: Barkly East is 515 km’s away from Barkly West in the Northern Cape going via Bloemfontein.
Found between the scenic mountains of the Southern Drakensberg, connecting Lady Grey and Elliot in the Eastern Cape, Barkly East has something for all travellers.
Return to the Eastern Cape Towns/Cities page HERE.
Key Statistics 2011
| Total population | 9,986 |
| Young (0-14) | 33,2% |
| Working Age (15-64) | 60,2% |
| Elderly (65+) | 6,6% |
| Dependency ratio | 66,1 |
| Sex ratio | 89,4 |
| Population density | 594 persons/km2 |
| No schooling aged 20+ | 23,5% |
| Higher education aged 20+ | 6,4% |
| Matric aged 20+ | 16,4% |
| Number of households | 2,630 |
| Average household size | 3,6 |
| Female headed households | 52,3% |
| Formal dwellings | 67% |
| Housing owned/paying off | 68,1% |
| Flush toilet connected to sewerage | 67,8% |
| Weekly refuse removal | 78,9% |
| Piped water inside dwelling | 22% |
| Electricity for lighting | 84,7% |