Anderland is located on the historically significant farm Oudedorp, which was chosen by Voortrekker leader Andries Hendrik Potgieter in 1839 as location for the establishment of the ‘first’ Potchefstroom.

In 1841 the farmers left the area and re-established themselves (1 hour by horseback downstream) in the ‘new’ Potchefstroom as it is known today.

Oudedorp was sold to Gert J Kruger in 1842, and on the 3rd of March 1848 Kruger sold Koloniesplaas a section east of the Mooi River to Pieter Lodewyk Bezuidenhout.

Bezuidenhout erected a farmhouse next to the water furrow and planted the now massive Eucalyptus, Oak and Willow trees that still today provide cool shade, atmosphere and tranquillity in the gardens.

The Bezuidenhout residence was demolished and in 1974 the existing house was built. Sadly the only surviving construction from that era is a small outbuilding on the eastern side of the house.

In 2003 a tobacco shed was converted into the now Anderland chapel and the other buildings, currently used were constructed on previous cattle kraals.

In 1877 England annexed the Zuid-Afrikaanse Republiek.

Pieter Bezuidenhout was involved in a tax dispute to the value of £13.5. Subsequently magistrate Andries Goetz decreed that Bezuidenhout bokkiecart was to be auctioned in order to pay this debt.

With the assistance of General Piet Cronje and 100 armed farmers the cart was recovered on 11 November 1880 by force.

The English attempted to resist the boers but it in vain!.

In December 1880 more than 7000 Boers congregated at Paardekraal near Krugersdorp to proclaim the independence of the ZAR.

On 15 December 1880 General Piet Cronje and 500 armed Boers had the independence proclamation printed by the only printing press in Transvaal, which was at the time used for printing the local newspaper the “Potchefstroomer”.

This led to the first armed conflict on 16 December 1880, and the beginning of the First “Freedom War” (Boer War).

It can be assumed that the bokkiecart incident was the match that ignited the simmering resentment that led to the war.

Bezuidenhout died in 1905 when, according to legend, he overturned his horse carriage and broke his neck.