Pella is an oasis situated along the N14 National Route in the Bushmanland area in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa, approximately 37.8 km north-west of Pofadder.
Pella is situated on the Namibia border along the banks of the Orange River at the base of the Great Pella Mountains in the dry, dusty desert. Despite the barren area, it is known for its gemstones such as malachite, jasper and rose quartz.
Pella used to be known as Cammas Fonteyn because of the natural spring that was used by a nearby stronghold of San people.
In 1776, a South African Dutch farmer called Coenraad Feijt settled there and lived in harmony with the San despite their fondness for raiding the cattle of the Dutch farmers in the Hantam. A nearby farm called Aggeneys later became the site of the modern mining town Aggeneys.
Set on a sandy plain backed by high, sun-baked hills devoid of vegetation but vividly coloured by minerals in the soil, the spring reaches the surface, giving life to the figs, grapes and pomegranates grown at Pella. Pella’s dates are sold in wooden boxes to mail-order customers all over South Africa.
Pella falls within Khâi-Ma Local Municipality and the Namakwa District Municipality.