Bellville is a suburb of the City of Cape Town, in South Africa. It was founded as "12 Mile Post" because it is located 12 miles (20 km) from Cape Town city centre. It was first known as "hardekraaltjie". Founded as a railway station on the line from Cape Town to Stellenbosch and Strand, it was renamed Bellville in 1861 after the surveyor-general Charles Bell.