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Lexicon Cape Colony _____________________________________________________ The written history of Cape Colony South Africa (later known as Cape Province) began when Bartolomeu Dias, a Portuguese navigator, discovered the Cape of Good Hope in 1488. In 1497, Vasco da Gama sailed along the whole coast of South Africa on his way to India. The Portuguese, attracted by the riches of Asia, made no permanent settlement at the Cape Colony. However, the Dutch settled the area as a location where vessels could restock water and provisions. For full history visit Wikipedia.