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1829
The Zuid-Afrikaansche Athenaeum (South African College) is established. The College later gives rise to two major educational institutions: the SA College Schools (SACS) and the University of Cape Town.
Jacob Abraham Uitenhage de Mist (20 April 1749 – 3 August 1823) was a Dutch statesman. He was the Head of State of the National Assembly of the Batavian Republic from 17 April 1797 – 1 May 1797, and Commissioner-General of the Cape Colony during the Interregnum from 21 February 1803 – 25 September 1804, in accordance with the short-lived Treaty of Amiens. The Cape Colony had been under Dutch control from 1652.
In 1795 it was occupied by the British following the Battle of Muizenberg but, under the final terms of peace in 1802 among Great Britain, France and the Netherlands (then known as the Batavian Republic), the colony was restored to the Batavian Republic.
History
The process that would lead to the formation of the South African College was started in 1791, when the Dutch Commissioner-General, Jacob Abraham Uitenhage de Mist, asked for money to be set aside to improve the schools in the Cape. When the British took over the control of the Cape Colony, under the first governor, Lord Charles Henry Somerset, permission was given for the money set aside by de Mist to be used to establish the South African College.
The founding committee met in the Groote Kerk to discuss funding and accommodation for the school on 1 October 1829.That year, the school opened
Freedom of religion
In July 1804 De Mist published a proclamation declaring that all religious societies that worshipped an Almighty Being were to enjoy equal protection under the law, and that no civil privileges were to be attached to any creed. This ordinance provided for the establishment of schools under control of the government and not belonging to any religious body.
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