Alice, South Africa

The University of Fort Hare began in early 1847 as a fort built to house British troops. The same fort was converted in 1916 into a black university institution. Many of the current political leaders in South Africa were educated at the University of Fort Hare. It is also the alma mater of former President Nelson Mandela. The university is also the repository of the archives of the African National Congress and documents and houses one of the most significant collections of African art.

Built in 1898.One of the oldest sites in Alice, it still graces the town with its old charm of yesterday. Victoria Hospital is a large district hospital on the outskirts of Alice, recently (2006–2011) fully reconstructed and upgraded by the Eastern Cape Provincial Government.[2]

Alice railway station, c. 1900

The location was named Lovedale by European missionaries who settled there in 1824.It lies on the southwestern bank of the Tyhume River, west-northwest of East London, at an elevation of 1,720(524m).It was named after John Love of the Glasgow Missionary Society. During the Frontier War it was abandoned and the mission resettled on the west bank of the Tyhume River. On the east bank a fort was built, called Fort Hare, after Major-General John Hare, who was Lieutenant-Governor of the Eastern Cape and acting Governor of the Cape Colony. Later the name of the town was changed to Alice. Alice was the administrative and magisterial capital of the old district of Victoria East. In 1847, it was named Alice by Sir Peregrine Maitland after Princess Alice, the second daughter of Queen Victoria. Municipal status was attained in 1852. The town is now a thriving university town and has received major infrastructure upgrades under the current Mayor Bandile Khethelo.

• Cecilia Makiwane, first black nurse
• Naledi Pandor, politician
• Ngconde Balfour, politician
• Makhenkesi Stofile, politician
• Sipho Burns-Ncamashe, politician
• Looksmart Ngudle, anti apartheid activist
• John Tengo Jabavu, poet/writer
• John Knox Bokwe, writer/author
• ZK Matthews, university teacher
• Thandatha Jongilizwe Mabandla
• Chief Mqalo
• Jerry Nqolo, cricket player