Keiskammahoek Home Page

Keiskammahoek lies in a basin at the confluence of the Keiskamma and Gxulu rivers below the Amatola Mountains. The name Keiskamma is of Khoekhoen origin, meaning either 'puffadder river' or 'glittering water'.

Established as one of a chain of military outposts, it played an important role in the Frontier Wars between 1846 and 1853. Castle Eyre, on the western outskirts of the settlement, was built in 1852. The town is an important commercial centre for the timber and agricultural industries.

The road from Keiskammahoek to Stutterheim climbs out of the Rabula River valley by way of the Dontsa Pass, passing among thickly wooded mountains on to a plateau of rolling pastureland interspersed with indigenous vegetation and occasional conifer plantations.

Residents of Keiskammahoek started a homeless association in 1997, which believed that small farms--the traditional livelihood--were dying out. The association felt a housing project in the community would lead to economic development. So the association identified an area for construction, received 1,000 applications, and approved 443--60 percent of these households are headed by women.

Working with the National Urban Reconstruction and Housing Agency (Nurcha), Shared Interest guaranteed loans to build 443 homes in Keiskammahoek. The housing project provided security and a source of pride to residents of Keiskammahoek and spurred the generation of an informal economy.

In the Nurcha-supported housing project, guaranteed by Shared Interest, V.W. Notshe set up a spaza shop in the house he rents. The shop occupies most of the house, which also includes a kitchen and small bedroom. Sometimes he sleeps there, but he lives with his wife who is a two-hour drive away. His spaza stocks cabbages, onions, and other veggies; behind the counter he keeps canned goods and candies.

Local economic development is of the self-help kind: groups of people, mostly women, get together to raise chickens, well eggs, and do carpentry. The informal economy also includes community gardens and spaza shops. Spaza shops are South Africa's village convenience stores.