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History: Several estates on the slopes of Table Mountain above the Company’s garden and Rust en Vreugd were granted to free burghers and officials during the seventeenth century, and in the century that followed fine mansions were built on these lands. Some of these historical old buildings, like Oranjezicht and Saasveld, have been demolished. Many others like Leeuwenhof, Waterhof, Bellevue, Rheezicht and Nooitgedacht are still standing, but they are by no means all safeguarded against future damage or even demolition. Welgemeend, in Camp Street, however, is one of these that has been protected by proclamation.
This well-known dwelling of the Hofmeyr family stands on land that was granted to Andries de Man in 1693 when he served as “Sekunde” or second-in-
command at the Cape in the time of Simon van der Stel. During the eighteenth century it passed through the hands of a series of owners before it came into the possession of the Hofmeyrs. Consequently it is associated with the following well-known families : Coetzer, Steyn, Michau, Strydom, Coetzee, De Kock, and De Waal. In 1769 it was acquired by Bartholomeus Bosch, whose widow in 1772 married Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr, the superintendent of the Company’s post at Groote Schuur, who became the progenitor of the Hofmeyr family in South Africa.
The oldest parts of the house, the left wing and the wine cellar, probably date to the beginning of the eighteenth century. The property was 3,5 hectares in extent in 1789 when it was bequeathed to Stephanus J. Hofmeyr, the second son of J. H. Hofmeyr and great- grandfather of J. H. (Onze Jan) Hofmeyr. Stephanus enlarged the land three times and added the youngest part of the house which consequently acquired its present shape at the beginning of the nineteenth century. The broad stoep with its massive pillars and pergola commanded a clear view over Cape Town and Table Bay. The building itself had a flat roof and was exceptionally well-built. Behind it was a building for slaves. At one time the dwelling house of Welgemeend stood by itself in the midst of orchards and vineyards that extended from Kloof Street to De Waal Park and from Camp Street to the cliffs of the mountain. In 1897 the land was subdivided into erven and the property became much smaller.
Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr (Onze Jan) was born in this house on 4th July, 1845, and lived in it until 1904. Many important political discussions took place there during Hofmeyr’s career as leader of the Afrikander Bond. Visitors from as far afield as the Transvaal included Paul Kruger, Piet Joubert and Dr. Jorissen who attended a caucus meeting of Hofmeyr’s supporters here in June, 1880.
Hofmeyr introduced the caucus system into Cape politics and Welgemeend was the regular meeting- place of his parliamentary group.
The property remained in the Hofmeyr family after 1904. For a long time it was occupied by Mr. Gys R. Hofmeyr who became an Administrator of South West Africa, and in 1944 it was purchased by the Cape 20 Education Department. In that year the following portions of the house were proclaimed as a monument:
the total length of the two stoeps and the section that joined them ; the pillars and pergola ; the whole front façade and the central rooms consisting of the entrance porch, the front rooms adjoining it and the bathroom.
Proclaimed 1944"
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