Hangklip Cave

The cave and mountain at Hangklip along the Kogelberg coastline was the place of escape for run-away slaves who set up a small free maroon community. The name maroons or drosters was given to run-away slaves. The maroons lived there for more than a hundred years, from the 1720s up until the 1830s (time of slave emancipation). They ate seafood, veldkos or obtained food from slaves who worked on neighbouring farms or from other maroons who lived on Table Mountain. Hangklip was the ideal hiding location as it was close to the coast and had a good view point. Furthermore, due to their location in an area that had few access routes, when the commandos were searching for them, the maroons had enough time to hide in nearby caves. Robert Ross captures the story of this community in his novel 'Cape of Torments: Slavery and Resistance'.