The Old Slave Tree

The Treaty Tree stands as a venerable white milkwood, its roots reaching back some five centuries in Woodstock, Cape Town. This ancient tree, also known as Verdragboom or Traktaatboom in Afrikaans, witnessed a pivotal moment in history on 10 January 1806. It was beneath its branches that a peace accord was reached following the Battle of Blaauwberg, an event which marked the beginning of the second British occupation and the subsequent permanent inclusion of the Cape Colony within the British Empire.

For many years, the area around the tree held significance beyond diplomacy. Until 1834, it was a place where slaves were traded and criminals faced execution. Long before European settlers arrived, this enduring tree was already a landmark. Its shaded surroundings were historically a place of conflict; the nearby Salt River witnessed a violent encounter in 1510 where Portuguese sailors and their commander were killed during an engagement with the Khoikhoi.