Salt River Circle

Salt River Road (perhaps the Circle) is the site where Lord Caledon’s Dragoon forces halted the columns of revolting slaves in 1808. The uprising of slaves on the 27th October 1808, was led by Louis of Mauritius. He was a Mauritian slave tailor who was in his early twenties. Louis and his comrades were inspired to revolt due to news of the slave uprisings that were taking place in Haiti (1791-1804). They assembled on a farm north of present day Malmesbury and proceded to go from farm to farm in the Swartland and Koeberg and managed to persuade slaves and Khoikhoi farm labourers to join them in the uprising. The group marched into Cape Town and were met by both the Infantry and the Cavalry at Salt River. The troops managed to capture 326 of the marchers and 47 were put on trial. Louis and 12 others were sentenced to death. Others were given lesser sentences and some were imprisoned on Robben Island.