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Vegkop begraafplaas is a historical graveyard located near Heilbron in the Free State province of South Africa. The site is associated with the Battle of Vegkop, which took place on 16 October 1836, during the Great Trek. In this battle, a group of Voortrekkers under the leadership of Andries Hendrik Potgieter and Piet Uys successfully repelled an attack by a large force of Ndebele warriors under King Mzilikazi. The battle occurred near the present-day town of Heilbron, and the graveyard is believed to contain the remains of Voortrekkers who died during or shortly after the conflict, including women and children who had been captured or killed in the preceding weeks. The Battle of Vegkop was a significant event in the history of the Great Trek, as it marked a major clash between the migrating Boers and the Ndebele kingdom. The Voortrekkers, though heavily outnumbered, used a defensive laager formation of wagons to withstand the Ndebele assault. After the battle, the Voortrekkers were left without cattle, as the Ndebele had driven off their herds, forcing them to rely on assistance from other Trekker groups. The graveyard at Vegkop is a tangible reminder of the human cost of this conflict, and it is often visited as part of heritage trails focusing on Voortrekker history. The site is not a formally declared national heritage site, but it is recognised locally as a place of historical significance. The graves are simple, and the exact number of burials is not well documented, but historical accounts indicate that several Voortrekkers were buried there, including casualties from the battle and subsequent skirmishes. The town of Heilbron, established later in the 19th century, lies in the region where these events unfolded, and the graveyard serves as a quiet memorial to the early pioneers of the area.

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