Willem Adriaan van der Stel
Willem Adriaan van der Stel (1664–1733) was a Dutch official who served as the governor of the Cape Colony from 1699 to 1707. He was the eldest son of Simon van der Stel, the previous governor, and he spent part of his life working for the Dutch East India Company (VOC). Born in Haarlem, he went to the Cape in 1679 and worked as a bookkeeper. He later returned to Europe, married Maria de Haze, and held local positions in Amsterdam before being sent back to Cape Town to become governor in 1699.
As governor, Van der Stel promoted farming, gardens, and plants. He sent aloe plants to the Hortus Botanicus in Amsterdam and wrote one of South Africa’s early gardening almanacs. He expanded the VOC gardens, sent inland expeditions, and founded the area known as Land van Waveren (now Tulbagh). He also laid the cornerstone for the Groote Kerk in Cape Town and developed his private estate, Vergelegen, using VOC resources.
His rule drew heavy criticism for wealth, favoritism, and monopolies, especially over wine and meat. In 1706 a group of farmers led by Adam Tas, Willem van Zijl, and Henning Husing petitioned against him. When the petition failed, Van der Stel arrested Tas, and in 1707 the VOC dismissed him and ordered his return to the Netherlands. He spent the rest of his life in exile. Vergelegen was later sold. Opinions about him vary: some see him as corrupt and autocratic, while others highlight his ambitious projects and influence on Cape architecture and agriculture.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 15:26 (CET).