Warrenton is an agricultural town of approximately 18,000 people in the Northern Cape province of South Africa, situated 70 kilometres north of Kimberley on the Vaal River. In 1880 a syndicate bought the western portion of the farm Grasbult on the Vaal River to irrigate the fertile land and produce vegetables for those working the diamond fields. Named after Sir Charles Warren, diamonds were discovered here in 1888 and mining still continues.
Warrenton is 75 KM’s from Kimberley and 480 KM,s from Upington. Fraserburg is the closest town being approximate 178 KM’s away to the north on the R353.
They produced vegetables for Kimberley. In 1888 diamonds were also discovered in this area, leading to another diamond rush, and a town. Mining only stopped in 1926. In 1948 Warrenton became a municipality.
Warenton is part of the Magareng Local Municipality in the administrative area in the Frances Baard District of the Northern Cape in South Africa. Magareng is a Setswana name meaning “in the middle”. Warrenton is the administrative centre of Magareng Local Municipality.
Key Statistics 2011
| Total population | 5,905 |
| Young (0-14) | 27,8% |
| Working Age (15-64) | 64,2% |
| Elderly (65+) | 8% |
| Dependency ratio | 55,8 |
| Sex ratio | 90,8 |
| Population density | 221 persons/km2 |
| No schooling aged 20+ | 9,5% |
| Higher education aged 20+ | 8% |
| Matric aged 20+ | 30% |
| Number of households | 1,635 |
| Average household size | 3,5 |
| Female headed households | 37% |
| Formal dwellings | 93,4% |
| Housing owned/paying off | 59,4% |
| Flush toilet connected to sewerage | 85% |
| Weekly refuse removal | 90% |
| Piped water inside dwelling | 84,2% |
| Electricity for lighting | 92,1% |
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