, ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁bringing ▁Islam ▁to ▁the ▁Cape . ▁The ▁first ▁large ▁territorial ▁expansion ▁occurred ▁in ▁ 1 6 5 7 , ▁when ▁far ms ▁were ▁granted ▁by ▁the ▁V OC ▁to ▁a ▁few ▁servants ▁in ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁increase ▁food ▁production . ▁These ▁far ms ▁were ▁situated ▁along ▁the ▁L ies be e ck ▁River ▁and ▁the ▁V OC ▁still ▁retained ▁financial ▁control ▁of ▁them . ▁The ▁first ▁slaves ▁were ▁brought ▁to ▁the ▁Cape ▁from ▁Java ▁and ▁Mad agas car ▁in ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁to ▁work ▁on ▁the ▁far ms . ▁The ▁first ▁of ▁a ▁long ▁series ▁of ▁border ▁conflicts ▁between ▁the ▁inhabitants ▁in ▁the ▁European - control led ▁area ▁and ▁native ▁inhabitants ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 6 5 8 ▁when ▁sett lers ▁cl ashed ▁with ▁the ▁K ho i , ▁who ▁real ised ▁that ▁they ▁were ▁losing ▁territory . ▁ ▁Work ▁on ▁the ▁Castle ▁of ▁Good ▁Hope , ▁the ▁first ▁permanent ▁European ▁fort ification ▁in ▁the ▁area , ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 6 6 6 . ▁The ▁new ▁castle ▁replaced ▁the ▁previous ▁wooden ▁fort ▁that ▁Van ▁R ie be e ck ▁and ▁his ▁men ▁built . ▁Finally ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 6 7 9 , ▁the ▁castle ▁is ▁the ▁oldest ▁building ▁in ▁South ▁Africa . ▁ ▁Simon ▁van ▁der ▁St el , ▁after ▁whom ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁St ellen bos ch ▁is ▁named , ▁arrived ▁in ▁ 1 6 7 9 ▁to ▁replace ▁Van ▁R ie be e ck ▁as ▁governor . ▁Van ▁der ▁St el ▁founded ▁the ▁Cape ▁wine