Dutch established the first permanent settlement in Cape Town

In 1652, the Dutch established the first permanent settlement in South Africa in Cape Town as a restocking station for international trade.  This settlement served as a starting point from which the Dutch gradually expanded inward. For over 100 years, the Dutch were the only significant European linguistic and cultural presence.  The colony was ruled by the Dutch East India Company (also known as the Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie, or VOC), which required settlers to adopt the Dutch language. Settlers who spoke a derivative of Standard Dutch, called Afrikaans, termed themselves “Boers” and migrated inland to escape the oppressive rule of the VOC.  This movement expanded European influence to areas further removed from the center of power at the coast.