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South African Endangered Wildlife Wild Life South Africa BIG FIVE OF SOUTH AFRICA Kruger National Park Wildlife Animal History The phrase Big Five game was coined by white hunters and refers to the five most difficult animals in Africa Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 square kilometres 7,523 sq mi in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 kilometres 220 mi from north to south and 65 kilometres 40 mi from east to west. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926. To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique. The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere, an area designated by the United Nations Educational,Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO as anInternational Man and Biosphere Reserve the Biosphere.The park has 9 main gates that allow entrance to the different camps.The park is the site of the popular eyewitness viral video Battle at Kruger. Sabi Game Reserve 1898 - 1926 In 1895, Jakob Louis van Wyk introduced in the Volksraad of the old South African Republic, a motion to create the game reserve which would become the Kruger National Park. That motion, introduced together with another Volksraad member by the name of R.K.Loveday, and accepted for discussion in September 1895 by a majority of one vote, resulted in the proclamation by Paul Kruger president of the Transvaal Republic, on 26 March 1898,of a Government Wildlife Park.This park would later be known as the Sabi Game Reserve and was expanded into the Kruger National Park in 1926.The park was initially created to control hunting and protect the diminished number of animals in the park.James Stevenson Hamilton became the first warden of the reserve in 1902. The reserve was located in the southern one-third of the modern park. Shingwedzi Reserve, named after the Shingwedzi River and now in northern Kruger National Park, was proclaimed in 1903. In 1926, Sabie Game Reserve, the adjacent Shingwedzi Game Reserve, and farms were combined to create Kruger National Park.During 1923, the first large groups of tourists started visiting the Sabie Game Reserve, but only as part of the South African Railways' popular "Round in Nine" tours. The tourist trains used the Selati railway line between Komatipoort on the Mozambican border and Tzaneen in Limpopo Province. The tour included an overnight stop at Sabie Bridge now Skukuza and a short walk, escorted by armed rangers, into the bush. It soon became a highlight of the tour and it gave valuable support for the campaign to proclaim the Sabie Game Reserve as a national park 1926 - 1946 After the proclamation of the Kruger National Park in 1926, the first three tourist cars entered the park in 1927, jumping to 180 cars in 1928 and 850 cars in 1929. Warden James Stevenson Hamilton retired on 30 April 1946, after 44 years as warden of the Kruger Park and its predecessor, the Sabi Game Reserve. 1946 - 1994 ​ 1994 - present In 1996 the Makuleke tribe submitted a land claim for 19,842 hectares 198.42 km in the northern part of the Kruger National Park. The land was given back to the Makuleke people, however, they chose not to resettle on the land but to engage with the private sector to invest in tourism, thus resulting in the building of several game lodges.In 2002, Kruger National Park, Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and Limpopo National Park in Mozambique were incorporated into a peace park, the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park The park lies in the north-east of South Africa, in the eastern parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces. Phalaborwa, Limpopo is the only town in South Africa that borders the Kruger National Park. It is one of the largest national parks in the world, with an area of 19,485 square kilometres 7,523 sq mi The park is approximately 360 kilometres 220 mi long, and has an average width of 65 kilometres 40 mi. At its widest point, the park is 90 kilometres 56 mi wide from east to west. To the north and south of the park two rivers, the Limpopo and the Crocodile respectively, act as its natural boundaries. To the east the Lebombo Mountains separate it from Mozambique. Its western boundary runs parallel with this range, roughly 65 km distant. The park varies in altitude between 200 m in the east and 840 m in the south-west near Berg-en-Dal. The highest point in the park is here, a hill called Khandzalive. Several rivers run through the park from west to east, including the Sabie, Olifants, Crocodile, Letaba, Luvuvhu and Limpopo Rivers. Geography The park lies in the north-east of South Africa,in the eastern parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces. Phalaborwa, Limpopo is the only town in South Africa that borders the Kruger National Park. It is one of the largest national parks in the world, with an area of 19,485 square kilometres (7,523 sq mi) The park is approximately 360 kilometres (220 mi) long,and has an average width of 65 kilometres (40 mi).At its widest point, the park is 90 kilometres (56 mi) wide from east to west. To the north and south of the park two rivers, the Limpopo and the Crocodile respectively, act as its natural boundaries. To the east the Lebombo Mountains separate it from Mozambique. Its western boundary runs parallel with this range, roughly 65 km distant. The park varies in altitude between 200 m in the east and 840 m in the south-west near Berg-en-Dal. The highest point in the park is here, a hill called Khandzalive. Several rivers run through the park from west to east, including the Sabie, Olifants, Crocodile, Letaba, Luvuvhu and Limpopo rivers. Climate The climate of the Kruger National Park and Lowveld is subtropical. Summer days are humid and hot with temperatures often soaring to above 38 °C (100 °F). The rainy season is from September until May. The dry winter season is the ideal time to visit this region for various reasons. There is less chance of contracting malaria and the days are milder. Viewing wildlife is more rewarding as the vegetation is more sparse and animals are drawn to the waterholes to drink every morning and evening. Flora and fauna Vegetation Plant life in the park consists of four main areas: Thorn Trees and Red Bush-willow veld,This area lies between the western boundary and roughly the centre of the park south of the Olifants River. Combretums, such as the red bush-willow (Combretum apiculatum), and Acacia species predominate while there are a great number of marula trees (Sclerocarya caffra). The Acacias are dominant along the rivers and streams, the very dense Nwatimhiri bush along the Sabie River between Skukuza and Lower Sabie being a very good example.Knob-thorn and Marula Veld,South of the Olifants River in the eastern half of the park, this area provides the most important grazing-land. Species such as red grass (Themeda triandra) and buffalo grass (Panicum maximum) predominate while the knob-thorn (Acacia nigrescens), leadwood (Combretum imberbe) and marula (Sclerocarya caffra) are the main tree species. Red Bush-willow and Mopane Veld This area lies in the western half of the park, north of the Olifants River. The two most prominent species here are the red bush-willow (Combretum apiculatum) and the mopane tree (Colophospernum mopane)Shrub Mopane Veld Shrub mopane covers almost the entire north-eastern part of the park.There are a number of smaller areas in the park which carry distinctive vegetation such as Pretoriuskop where the sickle bush and the silver cluster-leaf Terminalia sericae are prominent. The sandveld,communities near Punda Maria are equally definitive, with a wide variety of unique species. Birds Out of the 517 species of birds found at Kruger, 253 are residents, 117 non-breeding migrants, and 147 nomads.MammalsAll the Big Five game animals are found at Kruger National Park, which has more species of large mammals than any other African Game Reserve (at 147 species). There are webcams set up to observe the wildlife.The park stopped culling elephants in 1989 and tried translocating them, but by 2004 the population had increased to 11,670 elephants, by 2006 to approximately 13,500 and by 2009 to 11,672. The park's habitats can only sustain about 8,000 elephants. The park started using annual contraception in 1995, but has stopped that due to problems with delivering the contraceptives and upsetting the herds. Kruger supports packs of the endangered African Wild Dog, of which there are thought to be only about 400 in the whole of South Africa.Kruger National Park holds over 48 tons of ivory in storage. According to Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), it is allowed to sell 30 tons.Following approval by CITES, 47 metric tons of stockpiled ivory from Kruger were auctioned on November 6, 2008. The sale fetched approximately US$6.7 million which will be used towards increasing anti-poaching activity. The average price for the 63 lots on auction was US$142/kg. In 2002, Kruger National Park,The park is the site of the popular eyewitness viral video Battle at Kruger. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ South African Endangered Wildlife ​ South Africa’s Kingdom: Protecting Endangered Species, Improving Lives in one of the World’s Most Wildlife Regions.... Our ancestors viewed the Earth as rich and bountiful, which it is. Many people in the past also saw nature as inexhaustibly sustainable, which we now know is the case only if we care for it. It is not difficult to forgive destruction in the past which resulted from ignorance. Today, however, we have access to more information, and it is essential that we re-examine ethically what we have inherited, what we are responsible for, and what we will pass on to coming generations. Our marvels of science and technology are matched if not outweighed by many current tragedies, including human starvation in some parts of the world, and the extinction of other life-forms. The exploration of space takes place at the same time as the Earth's own oceans, seas, and fresh water areas grow increasingly polluted. Many of the Earth's habitats, animals, plants, insects, and even micro-organisms that we know as rare may not be known at all by future generations. We have the capability, and the responsibility. We must act before it is too late. THE BLACK RHINO The black rhino weighs 800 - 1400 kg (1760 - 3080 lb). Its height varies from 1.3 - 1.8 m (4.3 - 5.9'). The black rhino has 2 horns. Its skin is dark yellow-brown to dark brown or dark gray. The black rhino occurs in a wide variety of habitats, from desert areas in Namibia to wetter forested areas in the highlands of Kenya, to savannas and bushveld areas where the highest densities of black rhino occur. The black rhino is a browser. It prefers leaves, twigs and branches from small acacia’s and other woody shrubs and small trees as well as herbs and legumes. When the weather is hot, the black rhino drinks water daily and must be within walking distance of water. In cooler temperatures it can go without drinking water for up to 5 days if its food is moist. The black rhino’s eyesight is poor, but its hearing is good. Its sense of smell is well developed and is probably the most important of its senses Although its belligerence has been exaggerated, the black rhino is unpredictable and can be a dangerous animal, sometimes charging a disturbing sound or smell. Black rhinos are predominantly solitary, the most commonly observed groups being lone males or adult females with young. Black rhinos that share a part or all or their range exhibit a familiarity with one another instead of the aggression that they exhibit to total strangers. Although at times several bulls may court a female simultaneously without apparent antagonism, serious fights and frequent deaths result from conflicts between males over estrous females. A premating bond develops between the bull and the cow, and the pair remain together during resting and feeding. They sleep in contact with each other. The black rhino was formerly found in suitable habitat over most of Africa south of the Sahara, from southwestern Angola across the Cape Province up to East Africa and north, avoiding the Congo Basin and its rain forests, to Somalia and southwestern Ethiopia, then westward along a strip between the Sahara and the Congo and Nigerian forests to the region of Lake Chad. The black rhino population suffered an enormous reduction from a probable several hundred thousand at the start of the 20th century to less than 2,500 by the early 1990s. However, since 1995, black rhino numbers at a continental level have started increasing again. Hunting and clearance of land for settlement and agriculture were the major reasons for the decline of black rhino populations in the 20th century. The situation facing the black rhino is still critical. The demand for rhino horn from Asia for traditional medicines and from the Middle East for dagger handles persists, and the threat of a return to large-scale poaching is still present. The rhino is being hunted into extinction and could disappear forever unless we act now. Shocking new statistics show 440 rhinos were brutally killed last year in South Africa alone a massive increase on five years ago when just 13 had their horns hacked off. European nations could lead the world to a new plan to save these amazing creatures but they need to hear from us first! Fueling this devastation is a huge spike in demand for rhino horns, used for bogus cancer cures, hangover remedies and good luck charms in China and Vietnam. Protests from South Africa have so far been ignored by the authorities, but Europe has the power to change this by calling for a ban on all rhino trade -- from anywhere, to anywhere when countries meet at the next crucial international wildlife trade summit in July. The situation is so dire that the threat has even spread into British zoos who are on red-alert for rhino killing gangs! Let’s raise a giant outcry and urge Europe to push for new protections to save rhinos from extinction. When we reach 100,000 signers, our call will be delivered in Brussels, the decision-making heart of Europe, with a crash of cardboard rhinos. Every 50,000 signatures will add a rhino to the crash bringing the size of our movement right to the door of EU delegates as they decide their position. Sign the petition on the right then spread this campaign widely. ENDANGERED SPECIES 1. The giraffe is common in both eastern and southern Africa. 2. The umbrella thorn is one of the most widespread trees in seasonally dry areas of Africa. 3. The Dama gazelle inhabits all of the Sahara from east to west and the Sudan. 4. The schimitar-horned oryx is confined to a narrow strip between Mauritania and the Red Sea. 5. The cheetah was once found all over Africa, but it is now endangered in most of its former ranges. 6. The spotted hyena was historically found throughout Africa, south of the Sahara Desert. 7. The lion now survives in greatest number where humans are sparse. 8. The demoiselle crane is found in north east Africa. The future for these birds is more secure than for many cranes, since they are so numerous and adaptable. 9. The mandrill lives in parts of west Africa.Its habitat, tropical forests, are being destroyed at such a high rate. 10. The potto is found in central and west Africa. The primary threat to the survival of the potto is habitat destruction. 11. The chimpanzee is found in west and central Africa. The populations have been reduced and fragmented by human encroachment into their habitats. 12. The bongo lives in parts of west Africa, Zaire, southern Sudan, Kenya, and the Congo. Habitat destruction, poaching and illegal trapping are leading to its endangerment. 13. The gray parrot is one of the few parrots found in Africa. 14. The gorilla lives in the mountain ranges between Rwanda, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda where it is hunted by poachers for its meat and menaced by intense logging. 15. The umbrella thorn is the dominant tree in many savanna communities and provides an important source of shade for both wild and domesticated animals. 16. The leopard orchid is a species from South Africa. This orchid is named for the bold brown markings that spot the yellow blossoms. 17. The African elephant’s natural habitat is forested savanna. Poaching for ivory is the primary cause of its endangered status. 18. The false mufuti occurs in the north and east of Zimbabwe. 19. The zebra is found in southeastern Africa. Zebras have been hunted both for their hides and for food. 20. The southern ground hornbill can be found from South Africa to Kenya. 21. The leopard’s habitat ranges across most of the African continent, with the exception of the Sahara Desert region. 22. The sable antelope can be found in south eastern Kenya, Angola, and South Africa. Urgent action is needed to keep this animal off the extinction list. 23. The king protea is the national flower of South Africa 24. The southern double-collared sunbird lives in South Africa. 25. The Erica junonia is blooming African plant. 26. The bontebok is classified as vulnerable. It lives in the grasslands and coastal plains in the southwestern tip of South Africa. 27. The cape scarab beetle can be found in South Africa. 28. The cape mole rat is a subterranean rodent who is found in southern Africa. 29. The geometric tortoise’s habitat is in Western Cape of South Africa. The endangered wild dog in the kruger national park The Wild Dog is one of Africa's most endangered mammal species and can be spotted at the award-winning Sabi Sabi private game lodge in the Kruger National Park. The main contributory factor to the decline in population numbers is persecution by humankind, until recently even within conservation areas. Other factors are diseases like rabies and distemper, where Wild Dogs are in contact with domestic animals. Genetic inbreeding may be the possible cause of the Kruger National Park Wild Dog's life expectancy of only six years On Kruger Park Safari's you should be lucky enough to spot these rare creatures. Males are slightly larger than females and weigh 20-30 kg as adults. Each individual has a blotchy yellow, black and white unique coat pattern, which makes it possible to identify every individual in a population with certainty. Wild Dogs prey mainly on small to medium sized animals, of which the Impala is the favourite prey. In East Africa, they stand recorded as having hunted prey as large as Wildebeest and Zebra. Wild Dogs hunt in packs, and all individuals collaborate in a team effort to chase and wear out pursued prey to exhaustion. Once brought to a standstill: the prey is killed by all the dogs tearing it apart at once - you could even be lucky enough to see this on your Kruger Park safari. Endangered African Animals - Three Categories The spotted hyena The spotted hyena , also known as the laughing hyena or tiger wolf,is a species of hyena native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN on account of its widespread range and large numbers estimated between 27,000 and 47,000 individuals.The species is however experiencing declines outside of protected areas due to habitat loss and poaching.The species may have originated in Asia, and once ranged throughout Europe for at least one million years until the end of the Late Pleistocene. The spotted hyena is the largest member of the Hyaenidae, and is further physically distinguished from other species by its vaguely bear like build, its rounded ears,its less prominent mane, its spotted pelt, its more dual purposed dentition,its fewer nipples and the presence of a pseudo-penis in the female. It is the only mammalian species to lack an external vaginal opening. The spotted hyena is the most social of the Carnivora in that it has the largest group sizes and most complex social behaviours. Its social organisation is unlike that of any other Carnivore, bearing closer resemblance to that of cercopithecineprimates, baboons and macaques with respect to group-size, hierarchical structure, and frequency of social interaction among both kin and unrelated group-mates. However, the social system of the spotted hyena is openly competitive rather than cooperative, with access to kills, mating opportunities and the time of dispersal for males depending on the ability to dominate other clan-members. Females provide only for their own cubs rather than assist each other, and males display no paternal care. Spotted hyena society is matriarchal; females are larger than males, and dominate them. The spotted hyena is a highly successful animal, being the most common large carnivore in Africa. Its success is due in part to its adaptability and opportunism; it is both an efficient hunter and a scavenger, with the capacity to eat and digest skin, bone and other animal waste. In functional terms, the spotted hyena makes the most efficient use of animal matter of all African carnivores. The spotted hyena displays greater plasticity in its hunting and foraging behaviour than other African carnivores; it hunts alone, in small parties of 2–5 individuals or in large groups. During a hunt, spotted hyenas often run through ungulate herds in order to select an individual to attack. Once selected, their prey is chased over long distance, often several kilometres, at speeds of up to 60 km/h.The spotted hyena has a long history of interaction with humanity; depictions of the species exist from the Upper Paleolithic period, with carvings and paintings from the Lascaux and Chauvet Caves. The species has a largely negative reputation in both Western culture and African folklore. In the former, the species is mostly regarded as ugly and cowardly, while in the latter, it is viewed as greedy, gluttonous, stupid, and foolish, yet powerful and potentially dangerous. The majority of Western perceptions on the species can be found in the writings of Aristotle and Pliny the Elder, though in relatively unjudgemental form. Explicit, negative judgements occur in the Physiologus, where the animal is depicted as a hermaphrodite and grave robber.The IUCN's hyena specialist group identifies the spotted hyena's negative reputation as detrimental to the species' continued survival, both in captivity and the wild Cape mole rats Cape mole rats closely resemble other African mole rats in physical appearance. They have cylindrical bodies with short limbs, and large feet with leathery soles. The head is large and rounded, and the tail is short, with only a few sparse hairs. As with other mole rats, the eyes are very small, and external ears are absent. Adults are around 16 centimetres (6.3 in) in head-body length, with a 2 centimetres (0.79 in) tail, and weigh around 180 grams (6.3 oz). Females have three pairs of teats. Cape mole rats can most easily be distinguished from other species of mole rat by their fur. This is russet in colour over most of the body, with clearly distinct, silvery-white underparts. The head is darker, sometimes even a charcoal grey shade, with prominent white markings around the ears and eyes, and a smaller amount of white fur on the muzzle. The hair on the feet is also white. Unlike the related Damaraland mole rats, Cape mole rats have no guard hairs, although there are slightly longer stiff hairs around the mouth and feet, and the animals do have stubby whiskers. Lacking guard hairs, the fur is thick and woolly in texture Zebras Zebras are several species of Africanequids (horse family) united by their distinctive black and white stripes. Their stripes come in different patterns, unique to each individual. They are generally social animals that live in small harems to large herds. Unlike their closest relatives, horses and asses, zebras have never been truly domesticated.There are three species of zebras: the plains zebra, the Grévy's zebra and the mountain zebra. The plains zebra and the mountain zebra belong to the subgenus Hippotigris, but Grévy's zebra is the sole species of subgenus Dolichohippus. The latter resembles an ass, to which it is closely related, while the former two are more horse Like. All three belong to the genus Equus, along with other living equids. The unique stripes of zebras make them one of the animals most familiar to people. They occur in a variety of habitats, such as grasslands, savannas, woodlands, thorny scrublands, mountains, and coastal hills. However, various anthropogenic factors have had a severe impact on zebra populations, in particular hunting for skins and habitat destruction. Grévy's zebra and the mountain zebra are endangered. While plains zebras are much more plentiful, one subspecies, the quagga, became extinct in the late 19th century - though there is currently a plan, called the Quagga Project, that aims to breed zebras that are phenotypically similar to the quagga in a process called breeding back. The giant sable The giant sable antelope is evaluated as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List.The giant sable antelope, Hippotragus niger variani, also known in Portuguese as the palanca negra gigante, is a large, rare subspecies of sable antelope native and endemic to the region between the Cuango and Luando Rivers in Angola.There was a great degree of uncertainty regarding the number of animals that survived during the Angolan civil war. In January 2004, a group from the Centro de Estudos e Investigação Científica of the Catholic University of Angola, led by Dr. Pedro vaz Pinto, was able to obtain photographic evidence of one of the remaining herds from a series of trap cameras installed in the Cangandala National Park, south of Malanje.The giant sable antelope is the national symbol of Angola, and is held in a great regard by its people. This was perhaps one of the reasons the animals survived the long civil war. In African mythology, just like other antelopes, they symbolize vivacity, velocity, beauty and visual sharpness.Both sexes have horns, which can reach 1.5 meters in length. Males and females are very similar in appearance until they reach three years of age, when the males become darker and develop majestic horns. The male antelope weighs an average of 238 kg (520 lb) with a height of 116–142 cm (46–56 in). Females weigh 220 kg and are slightly shorter than males. The horns are massive and more curved in males, reaching lengths of 81–165 cm (32–65 in), while females' horns are only 61–102 cm (24–40 in) in length. Coloration in bulls is black, while females and young are chestnut, except in southern populations, where females turn brown-black. Most sable antelopes have white "eyebrows", their rostra are sectioned into cheek stripes, and their bellies and rump patches are white. Young under two months old typically are light brown and have slight markings. The bontebok The bontebok is an antelope found in South Africa and Lesotho. The bontebok has two subspecies; the endangered bontebok , occurring naturally in the Fynbos and Renosterveld areas of the Western Cape, and the blesbok occurring in the highveld.The bontebok is a tall, medium-sized antelope. They typically stand 80 to 100 cm (31 to 39 in) high at the shoulder and measure 120 to 210 cm (47 to 83 in) along the head and body. The tail can range from 30 to 60 cm (12 to 24 in). Body mass can vary from 50 to 155 kg (110 to 340 lb). Males are slightly larger and noticeably heavier than females. The bontebok is a chocolate brown colour, with a white underside and a white stripe from the forehead to the tip of the nose, although there is a brown stripe across the white near the eyes in most blesbok. The bontebok also has a distinctive white patch around its tail , while this patch is light brown tan in blesbok. The horns of bontebok are lyre shaped and clearly ringed. They are found in both sexes and can reach a length of half a metre. Blesbok live in highveld, where they eat short grasses, while bontebok are restricted to coastal Fynbos and Renosterveld.They are diurnal, though they rest during the heat of the day. Herds contain only males, only females, or are mixed, and do not exceed 40 animals for bonteboks or 70 for blesboks.Bontebok are not good jumpers, but they are very good at crawling under things. Mature males form territories and face down other males in displays and occasionally combat.Bontebok were once extensively killed as pests, and were reduced to a wild population of just 17 animals, but the species has since recovered. Blesbok are extinct in their natural habitat, but they have increased in population to the point where they are now very abundant and avidly farmed, because they are popular quarry for hunters and are easy to sustain. The leopard The leopard , is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its range of distribution has decreased radically because of hunting and loss of habitat. It is now chiefly found in sub-Saharan Africa; there are also fragmented populations in the Indian subcontinent, Sri Lanka, Indochina, Malaysia, Indonesia, and China. Because of its declining range and population, it is listed as a "Near Threatened" species on the IUCN Red List.Compared to other members of the Felidae family, the leopard has relatively short legs and a long body with a large skull. It is similar in appearance to the jaguar, but is smaller and more slightly built. Its fur is marked with rosettes similar to those of the jaguar, but the leopard's rosettes are smaller and more densely packed, and do not usually have central spots as the jaguars do. Both leopards and jaguars that are melanistic are known as black panthers. The species' success in the wild is in part due to its opportunistic hunting behavior, its adaptability to habitats, its ability to run at speeds approaching 58 kilometres per hour (36 mph), its unequaled ability to climb trees even when carrying a heavy carcass,and its notorious ability for stealth. The leopard consumes virtually any animal that it can hunt down and catch. Its habitat ranges from rainforest to desert terrains.Leopards are agile and stealthy predators. Although they are smaller than other members of the Panthera genus, they are able to take large prey due to their massive skulls that facilitate powerful jaw muscles. Head and body length is usually between 90 and 165 cm (35 and 65 in). The tail reaches 60 to 110 cm (24 to 43 in) long, around the same length as the tiger's tail and relatively the longest tail in the Panthera genus (though snow leopards and the much smaller marbled cats are relatively longer tailed).Shoulder height is from 45 to 80 cm (18 to 31 in). The muscles attached to the scapula are exceptionally strong, which enhance their ability to climb trees. They are very diverse in size. Males are about 30% larger than females, weighing 30 to 91 kg (66 to 200 lb) compared to 23 to 60 kg (51 to 130 lb) for females. Large males of up to 91 kg (200 lb) have been documented in Kruger National Park in South Africa; however, males in South Africa's coastal mountains average 31 kg (68 lb) and the females from the desert-edge in Somalia average 23 to 27 kg (51 to 60 lb). This wide variation in size is thought to result from the quality and availability of prey found in each habitat. The most diminutive leopard subspecies overall is the Arabian leopard (P. p. nimr), from deserts of the Middle East, with adult females of this race weighing as little as 17 kg (37 lb). The phrase Big Five game was coined by white hunters and refers to the five most difficult animals in Africa to hunt on foot.The term is still used in most tourist and wildlife guides that discuss African wildlife safaris. The collection consists of the lion, African elephant, cape buffalo, leopard, and rhinoceros.The members of the Big Five were chosen for the difficulty in hunting them and the degree of danger involved, rather than their size. The big five are among the most dangerous, yet most popular species for big game hunters to hunt.Safari Club International, an organization dedicated to trophy hunters, offers a trophy for hunting all five species, called the "African Big Five Grand Slam," along with 14 other Grand Slams for other species, and a total of more than 40 different awards.The 1990 and later releases of South African rand banknotes feature a different Big Five animal on each denomination. African elephant African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) The African elephant (Loxodonta africana) is a very large herbivore having thick, almost hairless skin, a long, flexible, prehensile trunk, upper incisors forming long curved tusks of ivory, and large, fan-shaped ears. There are two distinct species of African elephant: African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) and the African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana). The elephants are difficult because despite their large size, they are able to hide in tall grass and are more likely to charge than the other species.African elephants (also known as savanna elephants) are the species of elephants in the genus Loxodonta (Greek for 'oblique-sided tooth), one of the two existing genera in Elephantidae. Although it is commonly believed that the genus was named by Georges Cuvier in 1825, Cuvier spelled it Loxodonte. An anonymous author romanized the spelling to Loxodonta and the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) recognizes this as the proper authority.Fossil members of Loxodonta have only been found in Africa, where they developed in the middle Pliocene. The African elephant is the largest living terrestrial animal. Its thickset body rests on stocky legs and it has a concave back.Its large ears enable heat loss.Its upper lip and nose forms a trunk. The trunk acts as a fifth limb, a sound amplifier and an important method of touch. The African elephant's trunk ends in two opposing lips,whereas the Asian elephant trunk ends in a single lip. African elephants are bigger than Asian elephants. Males stand 3.2–4.0 m (10–13 ft) tall at the shoulder and weigh 4,700–6,048 kg (10,000–13,330 lb), while females stand 2.2–2.6 m (7.2–8.5 ft) tall and weigh 2,160–3,232 kg (4,800–7,130 lb). The largest individual recorded stood four metres to the shoulders and weighed ten tonnes.A male African bush elephant in NamibiaElephants have four molars; each weighs about 5 kg (11 lb) and measures about 30 cm (12 in) long. As the front pair wears down and drops out in pieces, the back pair shifts forward, and two new molars emerge in the back of the mouth. Elephants replace their teeth six times. At about 40 to 60 years of age, the elephant no longer has teeth and will likely die of starvation, a common cause of death. Their tusks are firm teeth; the second set of incisors become the tusks. They are used for digging for roots and stripping the bark off trees for food, for fighting each other during mating season, and for defending themselves against predators. The tusks weigh from 23–45 kg (51–99 lb) and can be from 1.5–2.4 m (5–8 ft) long. Unlike Asian elephants, both male and female African elephants have tusks.They are curved forward and continue to grow throughout the elephant's lifetime. The enamel plates of the molars are fewer in number than in Asian elephants. Black rhinoceros Black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) The black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) is a large, thick-skinned herbivore having one or two upright horns on the nasal bridge. Rhinoceros may refer to either black or white rhinoceros. Among Big Five game hunters, the black rhinoceros is preferred, although it is now critically endangered.The Black Rhinoceros or Hook-lipped Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), is a species of rhinoceros, native to the eastern and central areas of Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Angola. Although the Rhino was referred to as black, it is actually more of a grey/brown/white color in appearance.The other African rhinoceros is the White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum). These common names are misleading, as those two species are not really distinguishable by color. The word white in the name "White Rhinoceros" is a mistranslation of the Dutch word wijd for wide, referring to its square upper lip, as opposed to the pointed or hooked lip of the Black Rhinoceros. These species are now sometimes referred to as the Square-lipped (for White) or Hook-lipped (for Black) Rhinoceros. An adult Black Rhinoceros stands 132–180 cm (52–71 in) high at the shoulder and is 2.8–3.8 m (9.2–12 ft) in length, plus a tail of about 60 cm (24 in) in length.An adult typically weighs from 800 to 1,400 kg (1,800 to 3,100 lb), however unusually large male specimens have been reported at up to 2,199–2,896 kg (4,850–6,380 lb).The females are smaller than the males. Two horns on the skull are made of keratin with the larger front horn typically 50 cm (20 in) long, exceptionally up to 140 cm (55 in).The longest known horn measured nearly 1.5 m (4.9 ft) in length.Sometimes, a third smaller horn may develop. These horns are used for defense, intimidation, and digging up roots and breaking branches during feeding. Skin color depends more on local soil conditions and the rhinoceros' wallowing behavior than anything else, so many black rhinos are typically not truly black in color. The Black Rhino is smaller than the White Rhino, and has a long, pointed, and prehensile upper lip, which it uses to grasp leaves and twigs when feeding.White Rhinoceros have square lips used for eating grass.The Black Rhinoceros can also be distinguished from the White Rhinoceros by its smaller skull and ears.Their thick layered skin protects the rhino from thorns and sharp grasses. Their skin harbors external parasites, such as mites and ticks, which are eaten by oxpeckers and egrets that live with the rhino. Such behaviour was originally thought to be an example of mutualism, but recent evidence suggests that oxpeckers may be parasites instead, feeding on rhino blood.Black rhinos have poor eyesight, relying more on hearing and smell. Their ears possess a relatively wide rotational range to detect sounds. An excellent sense of smell alerts rhinos to the presence of predators. Cape buffalo African cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) The African or cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a large horned bovid. Buffalo are sometimes reported to kill more people in Africa than any other animal, although the same claim is also made of hippos and crocodiles.It is considered the most dangerous of the Big Five, reportedly causing the most hunter deaths,with wounded animals reported to ambush and attack pursuers. ​ Lion Lion (Panthera leo) The lion (Panthera leo) is a large carnivorous feline of Africa and northwest India, having a short, tawny coat, a tufted tail, and, in the male, a heavy mane around the neck and shoulders. Lions are desirable to hunters because of the very real danger involved. A lion may attack without provocation, and is considered by many to be the best of the Big Five.Lion hunting is challenging because of the habitat and temperament of the lion. Lions live in the savanna where tall grasses, shrubs and bushes obscure and provide them cover and camouflage. This thick undergrowth is commonly referred to as jess. As lions are ambush hunters, they use this natural cover to stalk close as possible before making a final charge to catch their prey. Lions do not generally avoid confrontation, but will usually face the challenger. Lions are unpredictable and may charge when sufficiently annoyed or confronted by danger. These factors together make lion hunting a challenge to hunters.Lions are hunted by three methods: baiting, stalking and hounding. The hunting method is dependent on firstly the law, then the number of lions in a given area, terrain, the professional hunter or concession owner or the hunting outfitter, their expertise and the client.Baiting involves the hunter lying in wait in a natural or constructed blind. Prior to the lion hunt, a prey species is hunted beforehand for use as bait. The bait is then secured to a tree or secure structure in an area which is known to be frequented by lions; usually this will be close to a watering hole. The bait is checked regularly until there are signs the carcass has been visited by a lion. Then a blind is constructed, usually 30–50 yd (27–46 m) from the bait where the hunting party can remain concealed, usually from early evening until early morning the next day.Stalking involves driving along trails in areas where lions are known to inhabit. Once fresh faeces are sighted, the hunting party (which includes trackers) dismounts. The trackers follow tracks and spoor signs while scanning for the lion. When the lion is spotted, the professional hunter and the client will stalk in close until they reach a good shooting position. Hunting lions by stalking is conducted in daylight hours when there is sufficient light to spot the lion, which would usually be resting. Night stalking using electric light sources is banned in most countries. Lions hunted with lights may not be listed as trophies by Safari Club International.Hounding, the least used method today, uses dogs, and may include a fighting pack and a tracking pack. The hunting party will drive in known lion territory until fresh spoor is spotted, at which time the dogs are released. The pack follows the scent trail of the lion. Once the lion is encountered, the pack attempts to hold the lion at bay until the hunting party arrives to dispatch the lion. Like stalking, hounding is usually conducted during daylight hours. The lion will usually stand and fight rather than flee.Many concessions in Africa have been known to release captive lions into enclosed areas where they may be hunted with or without the client's approval and/or knowledge. Sometimes the lion is drugged to slow it down, making it an easier target. Many hunters and hunting organizations consider this unethical and an affront to fair chase practices of the hunt. The lion has thin skin and does not require the use of a big bore rifle. Furthermore, lions are evidently susceptible to hydrostatic shock when impact velocities are above 3,000 ft/s (910 m/s). Lion require at a minimum a .300 Winchester Magnum. However, certain jurisdictions require a minimum a .375 H&H Magnum or a 9.3x62mm Mauser as a minimum caliber. A few professional hunters are known to carry 12-gauge semiautomatic shotguns loaded with buckshot as a back-up weapon when hunting lion. ​ Leopard Leopard (Panthera pardus) The leopard (Panthera pardus) is a large, carnivorous feline having either tawny fur with dark rosette-like markings or black fur. Of the Big Five, it is most difficult to acquire hunting licenses for leopards. The leopard is sometimes considered the most difficult of the Big Five to hunt because of their nocturnal and secretive nature. They are wary of humans and will take flight in the face of danger. The leopard is solitary by nature, and is most active between sunset and sunrise, although it may hunt during the day in some areas. Leopards can be found in the savanna grasslands, brush land and forested areas in Africa. Leopard hunting uses the same methods as hunting for lions. Baiting, hounding and stalking are the most common methods used today to hunt the cat.Baiting is the method most often used to hunt leopard. This requires the finding and then following of spoor in an area known to be frequented by a leopard. Once a suitable area is located, a prey species is hunted and used as bait. Because of the nocturnal nature of the cat, the blind needs to be constructed close to the bait, as shooting will more than likely be during the night. The client and the professional hunter will spend the night in the blind waiting for the leopard to come to the carcass.Hounding with dogs to hunt leopard requires the hunting party to locate an area where a leopard has been recently active, as in the baiting method. Once such an area is located, the dogs (usually bloodhounds or ridgebacks) are released. The dogs attempt to pick up the scent and follow it to the leopard. The leopard will usually flee from the loudly baying dogs and take refuge in a tree or in an area out of their reach. The dogs will hold the leopard at bay in this manner until the hunting party arrives to dispatch the leopard.Stalking is rarely used to hunt leopard, as it is extremely time-consuming, tedious and has a very low success rate. A month-long hunt using the spot and stalk method may not be successful at even sighting a leopard.The male leopard is less than half the size of a male lion. The leopard is the smallest of the big cats, and rarely exceeds 200 lb (91 kg).There is a concerted effort to stop the hunting of the leopard due to the rarity of it and any subsequent big cat. Airports & Travel Malaria & Health Safari Packing Guide Day at a Game Lodge Wildlife Conservation Airports & Travel Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) operates this country’s ten principal airports, including O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg as well as Cape Town and Durban International Airports. The others are domestic airports in Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, East London, George, Kimberley, Upington and Pilanesberg Airport. For more information, contact ACSA Information desk: website: www.acsa.co.za. Airport Contact Details: Johannesburg: OR Tambo International Airport Cape Town: Cape Town International Airport Durban: Durban International Airport Kruger Park: Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport Other National Airports: Bloemfontein, East London, George, Kimberley, Pilanesberg, Port Elizabeth and Upington South African Airways (SAA) - Online Bookings Flysaa.com is the South African Airways travel portal offering everything one needs to travel to, from and within South Africa. The site provides a comprehensive range of interactive online services and useful information for local and international travellers. Over 1 million people visit the site every month and a high percentage of SAA ticket sales are booked directly on flysaa.com. Charter Companies Omni Charters is based at Rand Airport in the heart of the City of Gold, and is an established air charter company providing the convenience of charter flights to boundless destinations throughout Africa. General Travel in South Africa Languages: There are 11 official languages in South Africa, but most people speak English. Standard time: South African standard time is two hours in advance of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT + 2), one hour in advance of central European winter time and seven hours in advance of United States eastern standard time throughout the year. There are no time zone differences within the country. Electricity: 220/230 volts AC at 50 cycles per second. Three pronged plugs are universal, so take an adapter. Most hotel rooms have 110 volt outlets for electric shavers and small appliances. Banking, currency and money: The South African unit of currency is called the Rand and it is divided into 100 cents. Coins come in denominations of 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, R1, R2 and R5, and notes in denominations of R10, R20, R50, R100 and R200. South Africa has a very sophisticated banking sector and automatic teller machines (ATM’s) are widely available in the main cities and towns, although only a R1000-00 at a time may be drawn at an ATM. Credit Cards are widely accepted, except at gas stations. Traveller’s cheques (American and Visa) and credit cards (American Express, Visa and Master Card) are widely recognised and accepted. Road Travel: There is a well-maintained network of roads and motorways in populous regions. Traffic drives on the left. In non-residential areas, speed limits are 120kph, and 60kph in urban areas. Petrol stations are usually open all week, 07h00 to 19h00, and some are open 24 hours. Petrol must be paid for in cash. Wearing of seat belts is compulsory, and driving under the influence of alcohol is a serious offence. It is required that you carry a valid driver's license at all times whilst driving. Malaria & Health Malaria Many of the main tourist areas in South Africa are malaria-free, however, the Kruger National Park, the Lowveld of Mpumalanga and Limpopo, and the northern part of KwaZulu-Natal do pose a malaria risk in the summer months. Health care professionals recommend you take malaria prophylaxis. Consult your doctor for advice concerning malaria prophylaxis, and remember that the treatment requirements differ for different areas. A simple blood test can determine if you have malaria or not. Get tested when you get home. It’s just a pinprick and a drop of blood gets examined under a microscope. It will cut out the possibility of symptoms developing months later, and the faster you catch it, the better. The most important and most effective way of preventing Malaria is to prevent mosquito bites. The following preventative measures can be taken: always use mosquito repellent wear long pants, closed shoes and light long-sleeved shirts in the evenings and at night sleep under a mosquito net in endemic areas use insect repellent containing di-ethyl toluamide or DEET thin clothing should be sprayed with repellent, especially around the elbow and ankles apply insect repellents to exposed skin areas every 4-6 hours screened mosquito proof windows and doors guard against mosquitos entering your room. General Health Medical facilities: South African medical facilities are good in urban areas and in the vicinity of game parks, but they may be limited elsewhere. Pharmacies are well-stocked and equivalents to most American medicines are available. South Africa has some of the best doctors and hospitals in the world. Make sure you get travel insurance since quality healthcare is not cheap. Drinking water: South Africa’s tap (faucet) water is of a high quality and is both palatable and safe to drink straight from the tap. It is treated so as to be free of harmful micro-organisms, except in informal or shack settlements. In some areas, the water is mineral-rich, and you may experience a bit of gastric distress for a day or two. Bottled mineral water is readily available. Drinking water straight from rivers and streams could put you at risk of waterborne diseases, especially downstream of human settlements. Sun exposure: The African sun can be harsh, and you should wear sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat whenever you are out of doors, particularly between 10am and 4pm, regardless of whether there is cloud cover or not. Immunizations and vaccinations: You will need to make an appointment with your personal physician or travel clinic at least one month prior to departure to review pertinent health precautions including necessary vaccinations and medications. Make sure your doctor knows you are travelling to South Africa, not just Africa, so he can prescribe the right medication. Safari Packing Guide Equipment, Personal Care, Safari Clothing & Documentation Equipment: Binoculars Video camera Bird and animal check lists Camera in a dust resistant case, with a zoom, plenty of film, memory sticks, batteries etc Personal Care: Sunscreen / block Insect repellent Moisturizer Lip balm Water bottle Sunglasses A small first aid kit, for personal use, possibly containing a mild pain killer for headaches, Immodium for diarrhea, topical antibiotic for cuts, bites or sores, adhesive pads for blisters, a sufficient supply of any prescription medication you are on, etc A small bag to carry these essentials with you whilst on a game drive / walk Safari Clothing: Safari hat with a brim Long and short sleeved cotton shirts T-shirts Cotton shorts Cotton long trousers Jeans Sweater, jersey, pullover, safari jacket or windbreaker for the evenings Down jacket if you are susceptible to the cold Skirts, dresses, slacks for elegant eveningwear Swimwear Bandannas or handkerchiefs Woollen gloves Underwear and socks Walking boots, safari-type shoes, trainers, sandals and / or rubber thongs Neutral colours such as khaki, beige, olive, green and brown are the preferred colours to wear on safari, as you are less conspicuous to the animals, and therefore less threatening to them. Non-synthetic, comfortably fitting, cotton clothing breathes more easily, keeping you cooler under the hot African sun. Shorts and T-shirts are normally the order of the day, and are replaced with long sleeved shirts and trousers at night for warmth and protection from insect bites. Documentation: Valid passport Valid visa ID photo (eg driver's licence) Air tickets Expense money Travel insurance Recommended innoculations / Valid international Health Certificates. Travellers entering South Africa from countries where yellow fever is endemic are often required to present their yellow World Health Organization (WHO) vaccination record or other proof of inoculation. Photocopies of the above documentation, carried in a place separate to the original documents For up to date information on entry requirements and assistance with applying for visas, please visit the South African Department of Home Affairs website. A Typical Day At A Private Game Lodge Luxury game lodges provide a host of activities for you to enjoy on your safari, such as game drives, hiking, fishing, bird watching, canoeing, swimming, reading in the library, going to the gym or indulging yourself at the health spa. Many of the luxury safari lodges also offer adventure filled activities and various safari packages such as balloon safaris, tent camp-outs, area tours, quad biking, micro-light trips, golf, star gazing, horse riding, fly fishing, deep-sea fishing, 4 x 4 trails, children’s wildlife educationals, bush walks, helicopter trips, visits to traditional cultural villages, and then of course, more game viewing. In the mornings... In the mornings and evenings, open-topped vehicles will transport you on game drives accompanied by professional rangers and trackers. Morning game drives or walks start at dawn, after a quick snack, to catch the animals when they are most active and visible. Daily walking safaris, accompanied by rangers and trackers, are also normally offered. In the heat of the day... After your early morning game drive, you can look forward to a late breakfast or brunch, followed by some time for relaxation during the heat of the day. The animals become inactive during this part of the day and you won't be missing out on any action whilst relaxing at the lodge. Later in the afternoon / evening, it will become time for another game drive or walk, after which you can spend a magnificent African evening under the stars enjoying a sundowner on the deck of your game lodge. Just relaxing... And if none of this is on your personal agenda for the day, you may simply spend the day working out at the gymnasium, reading in the library or relaxing beside the swimming pool. Or spend the day indulging yourself at the health spa. Magical evenings... The tranquil surroundings of the African bushveld after an evening safari will give you a healthy appetite for the sumptuous cuisine being prepared for the evening meal. The day's eventful sightings will probably be the main topic of conversation as everyone unwinds in front of warm log fires at night, watching tribal dancers displaying their rhythm and dance. And before you know it, you will be preparing for bed to be well rested for when you wake up to another day of African adventure and enchantment. Wildlife Conservation The natural surroundings you will be visiting are home to our magnificent animal kingdom, and their environment needs to be respected. The lives of the animals depend on the health of their land. The animals themselves need to be respected and treated in a manner which does not frighten or disturb them: Animals do not like new and unexpected noises, and when you call or shout loudly, they become nervous and feel threatened. They will run for cover, robbing you of the enjoyment of watching them. Do not disturb their natural activities, such as hunting for food. To them It means danger in one form or another, and means that they may become aggressive towards you to protect themselves. They may especially become fierce when protecting their young ones. Do not tease, corner, or throw objects at the animals, as once again, they may feel threatened and attempt to protect themselves, at your expense. Don't shine bright lights on the animals at night, as this frightens them, disrupts their nocturnal activities, and causes them to become disorientated. Don't litter the environment. The animals might attempt to eat what you threw away, and it might choke or poison them. The environment is extremely sensitive, and off-road driving causes erosion and other problems that the animals then have to live with, adapt to, or move away from in search of new homes. Please remember that the dry African bush ignites easily, and a fire can kill many animals. Please refrain from smoking on game drives. Wildlife Animal History SPRINGBOK / SPRINGBUCK The springbok (Afrikaans and Dutch: spring = jump; bok = antelope or goat) (Antidorcas marsupialis) is a medium-sized brown and white gazelle that stands about 70 to 90 cm (28 to 35 in) high. Springbok males weigh between 33 and 50 kg (73 and 110 lb) and the females between 25 and 40 kg (55 and 88 lb). They can reach running speeds of up to 90 km/h (56 mph),to 96 km/h (60 mph) and can leap 4 m(13 feet) into the air and can long jump of up to 15 m (50 feet). Springbok inhabit the dry inland areas of south and southwestern Africa. Their range extends from the northwestern part of South Africa through the Kalahari desert into Namibia and Botswana. Springbok occur in numbers of up to 2,500,000 in South Africa;it is the most plentiful antelope. They used to be very common, forming some of the largest herds of mammals ever documented, but their numbers have diminished significantly since the 19th century due to hunting and fences from farms blocking their migratory routes. In South Africa springbok inhabit the vast grasslands of the Free State and the open shrublands of the greater and smaller Karoo. They inhabit most of Namibia ; the grasslands of the south, the Kalahari desert to the east,the dry riverbeds of the northern bushveld of the Windhoek region as well as the harsh Namib Desert on the West Coast. In Botswana they mostly live in the Kalahari Desert in the southwestern and central parts of the country. KUDU Greater kudus have a narrow body with long legs, and their coats can range from brown/bluish-grey to reddish-brown. They possess between 4–12 vertical white stripes along their torso. The head tends to be darker in colour than the rest of the body, and exhibits a small white chevron which runs between the eyes. Male greater kudus tend to be much larger than the females, and vocalize much more, utilizing low grunts, clucks, humming, and gasping. The males also have large manes running along their throats, and large horns with two and a half twists, which, were they to be straightened, would reach an average length of 120 cm (47 in), with the record being 187.64 cm (73.87 in). They diverge slightly as they slant back from the head. The horns do not begin to grow until the male is between the age of 6–12 months, twisting once at around 2 years of age, and not reaching the full two and a half twists until they are 6 years old; occasionally they may even have 3 full turns. Males weigh 190–270 kg (420–600 lb), with a maximum of 315 kg (690 lb), and stand about 180 cm (71 in) tall at the shoulder. The body length is 185–245 cm (6.07–8.04 ft). The tail is 30–55 cm (12–22 in) long. The ears of the greater kudu are large and round. Females weigh 120–210 kg (260–460 lb) and on average stand 120 cm (47 in) tall at the shoulder; they are hornless, without a beard or nose markings. ELAND Giant eland are typically between 220–290 cm (7.2–9.5 ft) in length, stand approximately 150 to 175 cm (4.9 to 5.74 ft) at the shoulder, and weigh 440–900 kg (970–2,000 lb). Despite its common name, it is of very similar size to the common eland. The smooth coat is reddish-brown to chestnut, usually darker in males than females, with several well-defined vertical white stripes on the torso. A crest of short black hair extends down the neck to the middle of the back, and is especially prominent on the shoulders. The slender legs are slightly lighter on their inner surfaces, with black and white markings just above the hooves. There are large black spots on the upper forelegs. The bridge of the nose is charcoal black, and there is a thin, indistinct tan-coloured chevron between the eyes. The lips are white, along with several dots along the jaw-line. A pendulous dewlap, larger in males then females, originates from between the jowls and hangs to the upper chest, with a fringe of hair on its edge. The tail is long, and ends with a dark tuft of hair. Both sexes have tightly spiralled horns, which are relatively straight. In males the horns form a wide "V" and can grow to 120 cm (3.9 ft) in length, slightly longer than on females. HYENAS Hyenas or Hyaenas are the animals of the family of suborder feliforms of the Carnivora. It is the fourth smallest biological family in the Carnivora (consisting of four species), and one of the smallest in the mammalia. Despite their low diversity, hyenas are unique and vital components to most African and some Asian ecosystems. Although phylogenetically close to felines and viverrids, hyenas are behaviourally and morphologically similar to canines in several aspects (see Convergent evolution); both hyenas and canines are non-arboreal, cursorial hunters that catch prey with their teeth rather than claws. Both eat food quickly and may store it, and their calloused feet with large, blunt, non-retractable nails are adapted for running and making sharp turns. However, the hyenas' grooming, scent marking, defecating habits, mating and parental behaviour are consistent with the behaviour of other feliforms.Although long reputed to be cowardly scavengers, hyenas, especially spotted hyenas, kill as much as 95% of the food they eat, and have been known to drive off leopards or lionesses from their kills. Hyenas are primarily nocturnal animals, but may venture from their lairs in the early morning hours. With the exception of the highly social spotted hyena, hyenas are generally not gregarious animals, though they may live in family groups and congregate at kills. Hyenas first arose in Eurasia during the Miocene period from viverrid-like ancestors, and developed into two distinct branches; the lightly built dog-like hyenas and the robust bone-crushing hyenas. Although the dog-like hyenas thrived 15 million years ago (with one taxon having colonised North America), they died out after a change in climate along with the arrival of canids into Eurasia. Of the dog-like hyena lineage, only the insectivorous aardwolf survived, while the bone-crushing hyenas (whose extant members are the spotted, brown and striped hyena) became the undisputed top scavengers of Eurasia and Africa. Hyenas feature prominently in the folklore and mythology of human cultures with which they are sympatric. Hyenas are mostly viewed with fear and contempt, as well as being associated with witchcraft, as their body parts are used as ingredients in traditional medicine. Among the beliefs held by some cultures, hyenas are thought to influence people’s spirits, rob graves, and steal livestock and children BLUE WILDE BEEST The blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), also called the common wildebeest or the white-bearded wildebeest, is a large antelope and one of two species of wildebeest. It grows to 115–145 cm shoulder height and attains a body mass of 168–274 kg. They range the open plains, bushveld, and dry woodlands of Southern and East Africa, living for more than twenty years. The male is highly territorial, using scent markings and other devices to protect his domain. The largest population is in the Serengeti, numbering over one million animals. They are a major prey item for lions, hyenas, and crocodiles. It has a beefy muscular front-heavy appearance with a distinctive robust muzzle, it strides with relatively slender legs and moves gracefully and quietly most of the time, belying the reputation for stampeding in herds; however the stampeding characteristic may sometimes be observed. Blue wildebeest are found in open and bush-covered savanna in south and east Africa, thriving in areas that are neither too wet nor too arid. They can be found in places that vary from overgrazed areas with dense bush to open woodland floodplains. Wildebeests prefer the bushveld and grasslands of the southern savanna.The terrestrial biome designations for these preferred habitats are savanna, grassland, open forest and scrub forest. PLAINS ZEBRA The plains zebra (Equus quagga, formerly Equus burchelli), also known as the common zebra or Burchell's zebra, is the most common and geographically widespread species of zebra.It ranges from the south of Ethiopia through East Africa to as far south as Angola and eastern South Africa. The plains zebra remains common in game reserves, but is threatened by human activities such as hunting for its meat and hide, as well as competition with livestock and encroachment by farming on much of its habitat. The Plains zebra and perhaps the mountain zebra belong to the subgenus Hippotigris, but Grévy's zebra is the sole species of subgenus Dolichohippus. The latter resembles an ass, while the former two are more horse-like. All three belong to the genus Equus along with other living equids. Recent phylogenetic evidence suggests that Grévy's zebras (and perhaps also mountain zebras) are with asses and donkeys in a separate lineage from the Plains zebra. In areas where Plains zebras are sympatric with Grévy's zebras, it is not unusual to find them in the same herds and fertile hybrids occur. In captivity, Plains zebras have been crossed with mountain zebras. The hybrid foals lacked a dewlap and resembled the plains zebra apart from their larger ears and their hindquarters pattern. CHEETAH The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is a large-sized feline (family Felidae) inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. It is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx. The cheetah achieves by far the fastest land speed of any living animal—between 112 and 120 km/h (70 and 75 mph) in short bursts covering distances up to 500 m (1,600 ft), and has the ability to accelerate from 0 to over 100 km/h (62 mph) in three seconds. This cat is also notable for modifications in the species' paws. It is one of the only felids with semi-retractable claws, and with pads that, by their scope, disallow gripping.Thus, cheetahs cannot climb upright trees, although they are generally capable of reaching easily accessible branches. The cheetah has unusually low genetic variability. This is accompanied by a very low sperm count, motility, and deformed flagella.Skin grafts between unrelated cheetahs illustrate the former point in that there is no rejection of the donor skin. It is thought that the species went through a prolonged period of inbreeding following a genetic bottleneck during the last ice age. This suggests that genetic monomorphism did not prevent the cheetah from flourishing across two continents for thousands of years. The cheetah likely evolved in Africa during the Miocene epoch (26 million to 7.5 million years ago), before migrating to Asia. Recent research has placed the last common ancestor of all existing populations as living in Asia 11 million years ago, which may lead to revision and refinement of existing ideas about cheetah evolution. IMPALA Impala range between 75 and 95 cm (30 and 37 in) tall. Average mass for a male impala is 40 to 80 kg (88 to 180 lb), while females weigh about 30 to 50 kg (66 to 110 lb). They are normally reddish-brown in color (hence the Afrikaans name of "Rooibok"), have lighter flanks and white underbellies with a characteristic "M" marking on the rear. Males, referred to as rams, have lyre-shaped horns, which can reach up to 90 centimeters in length. Females, referred to as ewes, have no horns. The black impala, found in very few places in Africa, is an extremely rare type. A recessive gene causes the black colouration in these animals. Impalas are an ecotone species "living in light woodland with little undergrowth and grassland of low to medium height". They have an irregular distribution due to dependence relatively flat lands with good soil drainage and water.While they stay to water in the dry season, they can go weeks without drinking if there is enough green fodder. Impalas are adaptable foragers. They usually switch between grazing and browsing depending on the season. During wet seasons when grasses are freshthey graze. During dry seasons it browses foliage, shoots, forbs and seeds. It may switch between grazing and browsing depending on the habitat. Leopards, cheetahs, lions and wild dogs prey on impala. Impala, as well as other small- to medium-sized African antelopes, have a special dental arrangement on the front lower jaw similar to the toothcomb seen in strepsirrhine primates, which is used during grooming to comb the fur and remove ectoparasites. LIONS The lion (Panthera leo) is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg (550 lb) in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger. Wild lions currently exist in Sub-Saharan Africa and in Asia with an endangered remnant population in Gir Forest National Park in India, having disappeared from North Africa and Southwest Asia in historic times. Until the late Pleistocene, about 10,000 years ago, the lion was the most widespread large land mammal after humans. They were found in most of Africa, across Eurasia from western Europe to India, and in the Americas from the Yukon to Peru.The lion is a vulnerable species, having seen a possibly irreversible population decline of thirty to fifty percent over the past two decades in its African range. Lion populations are untenable outside designated reserves and national parks. Although the cause of the decline is not fully understood, habitat loss and conflicts with humans are currently the greatest causes of concern. Within Africa, the West African lion population is particularly endangered. Lions live for ten to fourteen years in the wild, while in captivity they can live longer than twenty years. In the wild, males seldom live longer than ten years, as injuries sustained from continual fighting with rival males greatly reduce their longevity. They typically inhabit savanna and grassland, although they may take to bush and forest. Lions are unusually social compared to other cats. A pride of lions consists of related females and offspring and a small number of adult males. Groups of female lions typically hunt together, preying mostly on large ungulates. Lions are apex and keystone predators, although they scavenge as opportunity allows. While lions do not typically hunt humans, some have been known to do so. AFRICAN ELEPHANT The African elephant is the largest living terrestrial animal. Its thickset body rests on stocky legs and it has a concave back.Its large ears enable heat loss. Its upper lip and nose forms a trunk. The trunk acts as a fifth limb, a sound amplifier and an important method of touch. The African elephant's trunk ends in two opposing lips, whereas the Asian elephant trunk ends in a single lip. African elephants are bigger than Asian elephants. Males stand 3.2–4.0 m (10–13 ft) tall at the shoulder and weigh 4,700–6,048 kg (10,000–13,330 lb), while females stand 2.2–2.6 m (7.2–8.5 ft) tall and weigh 2,160–3,232 kg (4,800–7,130 lb). The largest individual recorded stood four metres to the shoulders and weighed ten tonnes Elephants have four molars; each weighs about 5 kg (11 lb) and measures about 30 cm (12 in) long. As the front pair wears down and drops out in pieces, the back pair shifts forward, and two new molars emerge in the back of the mouth. Elephants replace their teeth six times. At about 40 to 60 years of age, the elephant no longer has teeth and will likely die of starvation, a common cause of death. Their tusks are firm teeth; the second set of incisors become the tusks. They are used for digging for roots and stripping the bark off trees for food, for fighting each other during mating season, and for defending themselves against predators. The tusks weigh from 23–45 kg (51–99 lb) and can be from 1.5–2.4 m (5–8 ft) long. Unlike Asian elephants, both male and female African elephants have tusks. They are curved forward and continue to grow throughout the elephant's lifetime. The enamel plates of the molars are fewer in number than in Asian elephants. WHITE RHINOS There are two subspecies of white rhinos; as of 2005, South Africa has the most of the first subspecies, the southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum). The population of southern white rhinos is about 14,500, making them the most abundant subspecies of rhino in the world. However, the population of the second subspecies, the critically endangered northern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni), is down to as few as four individuals in the wild, with the possibility of complete extinction in the wild having been noted since June 2008.Six are known to be held in captivity, two of which reside in a zoo in San Diego. There are currently four born in a zoo in the Czech Republic which were transferred to a wildlife refuge in Kenya in December 2009, in an effort to have the animals reproduce and save the subspecies. The rhino receives its name not from its colour, but from the Dutch settlers that gave it the name "whyde", meaning wide referring to the animals square mouth. Confusion in translation then led to the to the name "white" being adopted The white rhino has an immense body and large head, a short neck and broad chest. This rhino can exceed 3,500 kg (7,700 lb), have a head-and-body length of 3.5–4.6 m (11–15 ft) and a shoulder height of 1.8–2 m (5.9–6.6 ft). The record-sized white rhinoceros was about 4,500 kg (10,000 lb). On its snout it has two horns. The front horn is larger than the other horn and averages 90 cm (35 in) in length and can reach 150 cm (59 in). The white rhinoceros also has a prominent muscular hump that supports its relatively large head. The colour of this animal can range from yellowish brown to slate grey. Most of its body hair is found on the ear fringes and tail bristles with the rest distributed rather sparsely over the rest of the body. White rhinos have the distinctive flat broad mouth which is used for grazing. BLACK RHINOS The name black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) was chosen to distinguish this species from the white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum). This can be confusing, as those two species are not really distinguishable by color. There are four subspecies of black rhino: South-central (Diceros bicornis minor), the most numerous, which once ranged from central Tanzania south through Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique to northern and eastern South Africa; South-western (Diceros bicornis bicornis) which are better adapted to the arid and semi-arid savannas of Namibia, southern Angola, western Botswana and western South Africa; East African (Diceros bicornis michaeli), primarily in Tanzania; and West African (Diceros bicornis longipes) which was declared extinct in November 2011. The native Tswanan name Keitloa is used to describe a South African variation of the black rhino in which the posterior horn is equal to or longer than the anterior horn. An adult black rhinoceros stands 150–175 cm (59–69 in) high at the shoulder and is 3.5–3.9 m (11–13 ft) in length. An adult weighs from 850 to 1,600 kg (1,900 to 3,500 lb), exceptionally to 1,800 kg (4,000 lb), with the females being smaller than the males. Two horns on the skull are made of keratin with the larger front horn typically 50 cm long, exceptionally up to 140 cm. Sometimes, a third smaller horn may develop. The black rhino is much smaller than the white rhino, and has a pointed mouth, which they use to grasp leaves and twigs when feeding. During the latter half of the 20th century their numbers were severely reduced from an estimated 70,000 in the late 1960s to only 2,410 in 1995 BLACK BACKED JACKAL The black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas), also known as the silver-backed or red jackal,is a species of jackal which inhabits two areas of the African continent separated by roughly 900 km. One region includes the southern-most tip of the continent, including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. The other area is along the eastern coastline, including Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia. It is listed by the IUCN as least concern, due to its widespread range and adaptability, although it is still persecuted as a livestock predator and rabies vector. The fossil record indicates the species is the oldest extant member of the genus Canis. Although the most lightly built of jackals, it is the most aggressive, having been observed to singly kill animals many times its own size, and its intrapack relationships are more quarrelsome. Black-backed jackals are small, foxlike canids which measure 38–48 cm in shoulder height and 68-74.5 cm in length. The tail measures 30–38 cm in length. Weight varies according to location; East African jackals weigh 7-13.8 kg (15-30 lb). Male jackals in Zimbabwe weigh 6.8-9.5 kg (15-21 lb), while females weigh 5.4–10 kg (12-22 lb). Their skulls are elongated, with pear-shaped braincases and narrow rostra.The black-backed jackal's skull is similar to that of the side-striped jackal, but is less flat, and has a shorter, broader rostrum. Its sagittal crest and zygomatic arches are also heavier in build. Its carnassials are also larger than those of its more omnivorous cousin. Black-backed jackals are taller and longer than golden jackals, but have smaller heads. HIPPOPOTAMAS The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" (ἱπποπόταμος), is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae (the other is the Pygmy Hippopotamus.) After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest extant artiodactyl. The hippopotamus is semi-aquatic, inhabiting rivers, lakes and mangrove swamps, where territorial bulls preside over a stretch of river and groups of 5 to 30 females and young. During the day they remain cool by staying in the water or mud; reproduction and childbirth both occur in water. They emerge at dusk to graze on grass. While hippopotamuses rest near each other in the water, grazing is a solitary activity and hippos are not territorial on land. Despite their physical resemblance to pigs and other terrestrial even-toed ungulates, their closest living relatives are cetaceans (whales, porpoises, etc.) from which they diverged about million years ago.The common ancestor of whales and hippos split from other even-toed ungulates around million years ago]The earliest known hippopotamus fossils, belonging to the genus Kenyapotamus in Africa, date to around million years ago. The hippopotamus is recognizable by its barrel-shaped torso, enormous mouth and teeth, nearly hairless body, stubby legs and tremendous size. It is the third largest land mammal by weight (between 1½ and 3 tonnes), behind the white rhinoceros (1½ to 3½ tonnes) and the three species of elephant (3 to 9 tonnes). The hippopotamus is one of the largest quadrupeds (four legged mammals) and despite its stocky shape and short legs, it can easily outrun a human. Hippos have been clocked at 30 km/h (19 mph) over short distances. The hippopotamus is one of the most aggressive creatures in the world and is often regarded as one of the most dangerous animals in Africa. There are an estimated 125,000 to 150,000 hippos throughout Sub-Saharan Africa; Zambia (40,000) and Tanzania (20,000–30,000) possess the largest populations CROCODILE A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae (sometimes classified instead as the subfamily Crocodylinae). The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e. the true crocodiles, the alligators and caimans (family Alligatoridae) and the gharials (family Gavialidae), as well as the Crocodylomorpha, which include prehistoric crocodile relatives and ancestors. Member species of the family Crocodylidae are large aquatic reptiles that live throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. Crocodiles tend to congregate in freshwater habitats such as rivers, lakes, wetlands and sometimes in brackish water. They feed mostly on vertebrates - fish, reptiles, and mammals, and sometimes on invertebrates - molluscs and crustaceans, depending on species. They first appeared during the Eocene epoch, about 55 million years ago Size greatly varies between species, from the dwarf crocodile to the saltwater crocodile. Species of Palaeosuchus and Osteolaemus grow to an adult size of just 1 metre (3.3 ft) to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft). Larger species can reach over 4.85 metres (15.9 ft) long and weigh well over 1,200 kilograms (2,600 lb). Crocodilians show pronounced sexual dimorphism, with males growing much larger and more rapidly than females.Despite their large adult sizes, crocodiles start their lives at around 20 centimetres (7.9 in) long. The largest species of crocodile is the saltwater crocodile, found in eastern India, northern Australia, throughout South-east Asia, and in the surrounding waters. Two larger certifiable records are both of 6.2 metres (20 ft) crocodiles. The first was shot in the Mary River in the Northern Territory of Australia in 1974 by poachers, and measured by wildlife rangers. The second crocodile was killed in 1983 in the Fly River, Papua New Guinea. In the case of the second crocodile it was actually the skin that was measured by zoologist Jerome Montague, and as skins are known to underestimate the size of the actual animal, it is possible this crocodile was at least another 10 cm longer MEERKAT The meerkat or suricate, Suricata suricatta, is a small mammal belonging to the mongoose family. Meerkats live in all parts of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, in much of the Namib Desert in Namibia and southwestern Angola, and in South Africa. A group of meerkats is called a "mob", "gang" or "clan". A meerkat clan often contains about 20 meerkats, but some super-families have 50 or more members. In captivity, meerkats have an average life span of 12–14 years, and about half this in the wild. The meerkat is a small diurnal herpestid (mongoose) weighing on average about 731 grams (1.61 lb) for males and 720 grams (1.6 lb) for females. Its long slender body and limbs give it a body length of 25 to 35 centimetres (9.8 to 14 in) and an added tail length of 17 to 25 centimetres (6.7 to 9.8 in). Its tail is not bushy like all other mongoose species, but is rather long and thin and tapers to a black or reddish colored pointed tip. The meerkat uses its tail to balance when standing upright, as well as for signaling. Its face tapers, coming to a point at the nose, which is brown. The eyes always have black patches around them and it has small black crescent-shaped ears that can close to exclude soil when digging. Like cats, meerkats have binocular vision, a large peripheral range, depth perception, and eyes on the front of their faces. LEOPARD The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its range of distribution has decreased radically because of hunting and loss of habitat. It is now chiefly found in sub-Saharan Africa; there are also fragmented populations in the Indian subcontinent, Sri Lanka, Indochina, Malaysia, Indonesia, and China. Because of its declining range and population, it is listed as a "Near Threatened" species on the IUCN Red List. Compared to other members of the Felidae family, the leopard has relatively short legs and a long body with a large skull. It is similar in appearance to the jaguar, but is smaller and more slightly built. Its fur is marked with rosettes similar to those of the jaguar, but the leopard's rosettes are smaller and more densely packed, and do not usually have central spots as the jaguars do. Both leopards and jaguars that are melanistic (completely black or very dark) are known as black panthers. The species' success in the wild is in part due to its opportunistic hunting behavior, its adaptability to habitats, its ability to run at speeds approaching 58 kilometres per hour (36 mph), its unequaled ability to climb trees even when carrying a heavy carcass, and its notorious ability for stealth. The leopard consumes virtually any animal that it can hunt down and catch. Its habitat ranges from rainforest to desert terrains. Baboons are African and Arabian Old World monkeys belonging to the genus Papio, part of the subfamily Cercopithecinae. The five species are some of the largest nonhominoid members of the primate order; only the mandrill and the drill are larger. Previously, the closely related gelada (genus Theropithecus) and the two species (mandrill and drill) of genus Mandrillus were grouped in the same genus, and these Old World monkeys are still often referred to as baboons in everyday speech. They range in size and weight depending on species. The Guinea baboon is 50 cm (20 in) and weighs only 14 kg (30 lb) while the largest chacma baboon can be 120 cm (47 in) and weigh 40 kg (90 lb). monkey is a apes . There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys usually have tails. Tailless monkeys may be called "apes", incorrectly according to modern usage; thus the tailless Barbary macaque is called the "Barbary ape". The New World monkeys are classified within the parvorder of Platyrrhini, whereas the Old World monkeys (superfamily Cercopithecoidea) form part of the parvorder Catarrhini, which also includes the hominoids (apes, including humans). Thus, as Old World monkeys are more closely related to hominoids than they are to New World monkeys, the monkeys are not a unitary (monophyletic) group. Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of apes in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitats of the two species: Common chimpanzee, Pan troglodytes (West and Central Africa) Bonobo, Pan paniscus (forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo) Chimpanzees are members of the Hominidae family, along with gorillas, humans, and orangutans. Chimpanzees split from the human branch of the family about four to six million years ago. The two chimpanzee species are the closest living relatives to humans, all being members of the Hominini tribe (along with extinct species of Hominina subtribe). Chimpanzees are the only known members of the Panina subtribe. The two Pan species split only about one million years ago. Lycaon pictus is a canid found only in Africa, especially in savannas and lightly wooded areas. It is variously called the African wild dog, African hunting dog, Cape hunting dog, painted dog, painted wolf, painted hunting dog, spotted dog, or ornate wolf.The African wild dog is an endangered species due to habitat loss and predator control killing. It uses very large territories (and so can persist only in large wildlife protected areas), and it is strongly affected by competition with larger carnivores that rely on the same prey base, particularly the lion and the Spotted Hyena. While the adult wild dogs can usually outrun the larger predators, lions often will kill as many wild dogs and cubs at the brooding site as they can but do not eat them. One on one the hyena is much more powerful than the wild dog but a large group of wild dogs can successfully chase off a small number of hyenas because of their teamwork The Warthog or Common Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) is a wild member of the pig family that lives in grassland, savanna, and woodland in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the past it was commonly treated as a subspecies of P. aethiopicus, but today that scientific name is restricted to the Desert Warthog of northern Kenya, Somalia, and eastern Ethiopia. The common name comes from the four large, wart-like protrusions found on the head of the warthog, which serve as a fat reserve and are used for defense when males fight. Afrikaans-speaking people call the animal "vlakvark", meaning "pig of the plains". The Warthog is medium-sized as a wild suid species. The head-and-body length ranges in size from 0.9 to 1.5 m (3.0 to 4.9 ft) in length and shoulder height is from 63.5 to 85 cm (25.0 to 33 in). Females, at 45 to 75 kg (99 to 170 lb), are typically a bit smaller and lighter than males, at 60 to 150 kg (130 to 330 lb). A warthog is identifiable by the two pairs of tusks protruding from the mouth and curving upwards. The lower pair, which is far shorter than the upper pair, becomes razor sharp by rubbing against the upper pair every time the mouth is opened and closed. The upper canine teeth can grow to 25.5 cm (10.0 in) long, and are of a squashed circle shape in cross section, almost rectangular, being about 4.5 cm (1.8 in) deep and 2.5 cm (0.98 in) wide. A tusk will curve 90 degrees or more from the root, and will not lie flat on a table, as it curves somewhat backwards as it grows. The tusks are used for digging, for combat with other hogs, and in defense against predators the lower set can inflict severe wounds. The African buffalo, affalo, nyati, mbogo or Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer), is a large African bovine. It is not closely related to the slightly larger wild Asian water buffalo, but its ancestry remains unclear. Owing to its unpredictable nature, which makes it highly dangerous to humans, it has not been domesticated unlike its Asian counterpart the domestic Asian water buffalo. Contrary to popular belief, the African buffalo is not the ancestor of domestic cattle, and is only distantly related to other larger bovines. The African buffalo is a very robust species. Its shoulder height can range from 1 to 1.7 m (3.3 to 5.6 ft) and its head-and-body length can range from 1.7 to 3.4 m (5.6 to 11 ft). Compared with other large bovids, it has a long but stocky body (the body length can exceed the Wild water buffalo, which is rather heavier and taller) and short but thickset legs, resulting in a relatively short standing height. The tail can range from 70 to 110 cm (28 to 43 in) long. Savannah-type buffaloes weigh 500 to 910 kg (1,100 to 2,000 lb), with males normally larger than females, reaching the upper weight range. In comparison, forest-type buffaloes, at 250 to 455 kg (550 to 1,000 lb), are only half that size. Its head is carried low; its top is located below the backline. The front hooves of the buffalo are wider than the rear, which is associated with the need to support the weight of the front part of the body, which is heavier and more powerful than the back. The giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant. Its species name refers to its camel-like appearance and the patches of color on its fur. Its chief distinguishing characteristics are its extremely long neck and legs, its horn-like ossicones and its distinctive coat patterns. It stands 5–6 m (16–20 ft) tall and has an average weight of 1,600 kg (3,500 lb) for males and 830 kg (1,800 lb) for females. It is classified under the family Giraffidae, along with its closest extant relative, the okapi. There are nine subspecies, which are distinguished by their coat patterns.Fully grown giraffes stand 5–6 m (16–20 ft) tall, with males taller than females.The average weight is 1,600 kg (3,500 lb) for an adult male and 830 kg (1,800 lb) for an adult female. Despite its long neck and legs, the giraffe's body is relatively short. Located at both sides of the head, the giraffe's large, bulging eyes give it good all round vision from its great height. Giraffes see in color and their senses of hearing and smell are also sharp.The animal can close its muscular nostrils to protect against sandstorms and ants.The giraffe's prehensile tongue is about 50 cm (20 in) long. It is purplish-black in color, perhaps to protect against sunburn, and is useful for grasping foliage as well as for grooming and cleaning the animal's nose. The upper lip of the giraffe is also prehensile and useful when foraging. The lips, tongue and inside of the mouth are covered in papillae to protect against thorns. The phrase Big Five game was coined by white hunters and refers to the five most difficult animals in Africa to hunt on foot.The term is still used in most tourist and wildlife guides that discuss African wildlife safaris. The collection consists of the lion, African elephant, cape buffalo, leopard, and rhinoceros.The members of the Big Five were chosen for the difficulty in hunting them and the degree of danger involved, rather than their size. The big five are among the most dangerous, yet most popular species for big game hunters to hunt.Safari Club International, an organization dedicated to trophy hunters, offers a trophy for hunting all five species, called the "African Big Five Grand Slam," along with 14 other Grand Slams for other species, and a total of more than 40 different awards.The 1990 and later releases of South African rand banknotes feature a different Big Five animal on each denomination. African Big Five Game Species African elephant African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) The African elephant (Loxodonta africana) is a very large herbivore having thick, almost hairless skin, a long, flexible, prehensile trunk, upper incisors forming long curved tusks of ivory, and large, fan-shaped ears. There are two distinct species of African elephant: African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) and the African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana). The elephants are difficult because despite their large size, they are able to hide in tall grass and are more likely to charge than the other species.African elephants (also known as savanna elephants) are the species of elephants in the genus Loxodonta (Greek for 'oblique-sided tooth), one of the two existing genera in Elephantidae. Although it is commonly believed that the genus was named by Georges Cuvier in 1825, Cuvier spelled it Loxodonte. An anonymous author romanized the spelling to Loxodonta and the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) recognizes this as the proper authority.Fossil members of Loxodonta have only been found in Africa, where they developed in the middle Pliocene. The African elephant is the largest living terrestrial animal. Its thickset body rests on stocky legs and it has a concave back.Its large ears enable heat loss.Its upper lip and nose forms a trunk. The trunk acts as a fifth limb, a sound amplifier and an important method of touch. The African elephant's trunk ends in two opposing lips,whereas the Asian elephant trunk ends in a single lip. African elephants are bigger than Asian elephants. Males stand 3.2–4.0 m (10–13 ft) tall at the shoulder and weigh 4,700–6,048 kg (10,000–13,330 lb), while females stand 2.2–2.6 m (7.2–8.5 ft) tall and weigh 2,160–3,232 kg (4,800–7,130 lb). The largest individual recorded stood four metres to the shoulders and weighed ten tonnes.A male African bush elephant in NamibiaElephants have four molars; each weighs about 5 kg (11 lb) and measures about 30 cm (12 in) long. As the front pair wears down and drops out in pieces, the back pair shifts forward, and two new molars emerge in the back of the mouth. Elephants replace their teeth six times. At about 40 to 60 years of age, the elephant no longer has teeth and will likely die of starvation, a common cause of death. Their tusks are firm teeth; the second set of incisors become the tusks. They are used for digging for roots and stripping the bark off trees for food, for fighting each other during mating season, and for defending themselves against predators. The tusks weigh from 23–45 kg (51–99 lb) and can be from 1.5–2.4 m (5–8 ft) long. Unlike Asian elephants, both male and female African elephants have tusks.They are curved forward and continue to grow throughout the elephant's lifetime. The enamel plates of the molars are fewer in number than in Asian elephants. Black rhinoceros Black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) The black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) is a large, thick-skinned herbivore having one or two upright horns on the nasal bridge. Rhinoceros may refer to either black or white rhinoceros. Among Big Five game hunters, the black rhinoceros is preferred, although it is now critically endangered.The Black Rhinoceros or Hook-lipped Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), is a species of rhinoceros, native to the eastern and central areas of Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Angola. Although the Rhino was referred to as black, it is actually more of a grey/brown/white color in appearance.The other African rhinoceros is the White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum). These common names are misleading, as those two species are not really distinguishable by color. The word white in the name "White Rhinoceros" is a mistranslation of the Dutch word wijd for wide, referring to its square upper lip, as opposed to the pointed or hooked lip of the Black Rhinoceros. These species are now sometimes referred to as the Square-lipped (for White) or Hook-lipped (for Black) Rhinoceros. An adult Black Rhinoceros stands 132–180 cm (52–71 in) high at the shoulder and is 2.8–3.8 m (9.2–12 ft) in length, plus a tail of about 60 cm (24 in) in length.An adult typically weighs from 800 to 1,400 kg (1,800 to 3,100 lb), however unusually large male specimens have been reported at up to 2,199–2,896 kg (4,850–6,380 lb).The females are smaller than the males. Two horns on the skull are made of keratin with the larger front horn typically 50 cm (20 in) long, exceptionally up to 140 cm (55 in).The longest known horn measured nearly 1.5 m (4.9 ft) in length.Sometimes, a third smaller horn may develop. These horns are used for defense, intimidation, and digging up roots and breaking branches during feeding. Skin color depends more on local soil conditions and the rhinoceros' wallowing behavior than anything else, so many black rhinos are typically not truly black in color. The Black Rhino is smaller than the White Rhino, and has a long, pointed, and prehensile upper lip, which it uses to grasp leaves and twigs when feeding.White Rhinoceros have square lips used for eating grass.The Black Rhinoceros can also be distinguished from the White Rhinoceros by its smaller skull and ears.Their thick layered skin protects the rhino from thorns and sharp grasses. Their skin harbors external parasites, such as mites and ticks, which are eaten by oxpeckers and egrets that live with the rhino. Such behaviour was originally thought to be an example of mutualism, but recent evidence suggests that oxpeckers may be parasites instead, feeding on rhino blood.Black rhinos have poor eyesight, relying more on hearing and smell. Their ears possess a relatively wide rotational range to detect sounds. An excellent sense of smell alerts rhinos to the presence of predators. Cape buffalo African cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) The African or cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a large horned bovid. Buffalo are sometimes reported to kill more people in Africa than any other animal, although the same claim is also made of hippos and crocodiles.It is considered the most dangerous of the Big Five, reportedly causing the most hunter deaths,with wounded animals reported to ambush and attack pursuers. Lion Lion (Panthera leo) The lion (Panthera leo) is a large carnivorous feline of Africa and northwest India, having a short, tawny coat, a tufted tail, and, in the male, a heavy mane around the neck and shoulders. Lions are desirable to hunters because of the very real danger involved. A lion may attack without provocation, and is considered by many to be the best of the Big Five.Lion hunting is challenging because of the habitat and temperament of the lion. Lions live in the savanna where tall grasses, shrubs and bushes obscure and provide them cover and camouflage. This thick undergrowth is commonly referred to as jess. As lions are ambush hunters, they use this natural cover to stalk close as possible before making a final charge to catch their prey. Lions do not generally avoid confrontation, but will usually face the challenger. Lions are unpredictable and may charge when sufficiently annoyed or confronted by danger. These factors together make lion hunting a challenge to hunters.Lions are hunted by three methods: baiting, stalking and hounding. The hunting method is dependent on firstly the law, then the number of lions in a given area, terrain, the professional hunter or concession owner or the hunting outfitter, their expertise and the client.Baiting involves the hunter lying in wait in a natural or constructed blind. Prior to the lion hunt, a prey species is hunted beforehand for use as bait. The bait is then secured to a tree or secure structure in an area which is known to be frequented by lions; usually this will be close to a watering hole. The bait is checked regularly until there are signs the carcass has been visited by a lion. Then a blind is constructed, usually 30–50 yd (27–46 m) from the bait where the hunting party can remain concealed, usually from early evening until early morning the next day.Stalking involves driving along trails in areas where lions are known to inhabit. Once fresh faeces are sighted, the hunting party (which includes trackers) dismounts. The trackers follow tracks and spoor signs while scanning for the lion. When the lion is spotted, the professional hunter and the client will stalk in close until they reach a good shooting position. Hunting lions by stalking is conducted in daylight hours when there is sufficient light to spot the lion, which would usually be resting. Night stalking using electric light sources is banned in most countries. Lions hunted with lights may not be listed as trophies by Safari Club International.Hounding, the least used method today, uses dogs, and may include a fighting pack and a tracking pack. The hunting party will drive in known lion territory until fresh spoor is spotted, at which time the dogs are released. The pack follows the scent trail of the lion. Once the lion is encountered, the pack attempts to hold the lion at bay until the hunting party arrives to dispatch the lion. Like stalking, hounding is usually conducted during daylight hours. The lion will usually stand and fight rather than flee.Many concessions in Africa have been known to release captive lions into enclosed areas where they may be hunted with or without the client's approval and/or knowledge. Sometimes the lion is drugged to slow it down, making it an easier target. Many hunters and hunting organizations consider this unethical and an affront to fair chase practices of the hunt. The lion has thin skin and does not require the use of a big bore rifle. Furthermore, lions are evidently susceptible to hydrostatic shock when impact velocities are above 3,000 ft/s (910 m/s). Lion require at a minimum a .300 Winchester Magnum. However, certain jurisdictions require a minimum a .375 H&H Magnum or a 9.3x62mm Mauser as a minimum caliber. A few professional hunters are known to carry 12-gauge semiautomatic shotguns loaded with buckshot as a back-up weapon when hunting lion. Leopard Leopard (Panthera pardus) The leopard (Panthera pardus) is a large, carnivorous feline having either tawny fur with dark rosette-like markings or black fur. Of the Big Five, it is most difficult to acquire hunting licenses for leopards. The leopard is sometimes considered the most difficult of the Big Five to hunt because of their nocturnal and secretive nature. They are wary of humans and will take flight in the face of danger. The leopard is solitary by nature, and is most active between sunset and sunrise, although it may hunt during the day in some areas. Leopards can be found in the savanna grasslands, brush land and forested areas in Africa. Leopard hunting uses the same methods as hunting for lions. Baiting, hounding and stalking are the most common methods used today to hunt the cat.Baiting is the method most often used to hunt leopard. This requires the finding and then following of spoor in an area known to be frequented by a leopard. Once a suitable area is located, a prey species is hunted and used as bait. Because of the nocturnal nature of the cat, the blind needs to be constructed close to the bait, as shooting will more than likely be during the night. The client and the professional hunter will spend the night in the blind waiting for the leopard to come to the carcass.Hounding with dogs to hunt leopard requires the hunting party to locate an area where a leopard has been recently active, as in the baiting method. Once such an area is located, the dogs (usually bloodhounds or ridgebacks) are released. The dogs attempt to pick up the scent and follow it to the leopard. The leopard will usually flee from the loudly baying dogs and take refuge in a tree or in an area out of their reach. The dogs will hold the leopard at bay in this manner until the hunting party arrives to dispatch the leopard.Stalking is rarely used to hunt leopard, as it is extremely time-consuming, tedious and has a very low success rate. A month-long hunt using the spot and stalk method may not be successful at even sighting a leopard.The male leopard is less than half the size of a male lion. The leopard is the smallest of the big cats, and rarely exceeds 200 lb (91 kg).There is a concerted effort to stop the hunting of the leopard due to the rarity of it and any subsequent big cat. History of the Kruger National Park Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers 19,485 square kilometres (7,523 sq mi) and extends 360 kilometres (220 mi) from north to south and 65 kilometres (40 mi) from east to west.To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere, an area designated by the United Nations Education and Scientific Organisation (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere"). Sabi Game Reserve (1898 - 1926) In 1895, Jakob Louis van Wyk introduced in the Volksraad of the old South African Republic, a motion to create the game reserve which would become the Kruger National Park. That motion, introduced together with another Volksraad member by the name of R. K. Loveday, and accepted for discussion in September 1895 by a majority of one vote, resulted in the proclamation by Paul Kruger president of the Transvaal Republic, on March 26, 1898, of a “Government Wildlife Park.” This park would later be known as the Sabi Game Reserve and was expanded into the Kruger National Park in 1926.The park was initially created to control hunting.and protect the diminished number of animals in the park. James Stevenson Hamilton became the first warden of the reserve in 1902. The reserve was located in the southern one-third of the modern park.Shingwedzi Reserve, now in northern Kruger National Park, was proclaimed in 1903.In 1926, Sabie Game Reserve, the adjacent Shingwedzi Game Reserve, and farms were combined to create Kruger National Park.During 1923, the first large groups of tourists started visiting the Sabie Game Reserve, but only as part of the South African Railways' popular "Round in Nine" tours. The tourist trains used the Selati railway line between Komatipoort on the Mozambican border and Tzaneen in Limpopo Province. The tour included an overnight stop at Sabie Bridge (now Skukuza) and a short walk, escorted by armed rangers, into the bush. It soon became a highlight of the tour and it gave valuable support for the campaign to proclaim the Sabie Game Reserve as a national park. 1926 - 1946 After the proclamation of the Kruger National Park in 1926, the first three tourist cars entered the park in 1927, jumping to 180 cars in 1928 and 850 cars in 1929.Warden James Stevenson-Hamilton retired on the 30th April 1946, after 44 years as warden of the Kruger Park and its predecessor, the Sabi Game Reserve.1946 - 1994 He was replaced by Colonel J. A. B. Sandenburg of the South African Air Force.During 1959, work commenced to completely fence the park boundaries. Work started on the southern boundary along the Crocodile River and in 1960 the western and northern boundaries were fenced, followed by the eastern boundary with Mozambique. The purpose of the fence was to curb the spread of diseases, facilitate border patrolling and inhibit the movement of poachers.The Makuleke area in the northern part of the park was forcibly taken from the Makuleke people by the government in 1969 and about 1500 of them were relocated to land to the South so that their original tribal areas could be integrated into the greater Kruger National Park. In 1996 the Makuleke tribe submitted a land claim for 19,842 hectares (198.42 km) in the northern park of the Kruger National Park.The land was given back to the Makuleke people, however, they chose not to resettle on the land but to engage with the private sector to invest in tourism, thus resulting in the building of several game lodges.Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and Limpopo National Park in Mozambique were incorporated into the a peace park, the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. Geography The park lies in the north-east of South Africa,in the eastern parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces. Phalaborwa, Limpopo is the only town in South Africa that borders the Kruger National Park. It is one of the largest national parks in the world, with an area of 19,485 square kilometres (7,523 sq mi) The park is approximately 360 kilometres (220 mi) long,and has an average width of 65 kilometres (40 mi).At its widest point, the park is 90 kilometres (56 mi) wide from east to west. To the north and south of the park two rivers, the Limpopo and the Crocodile respectively, act as its natural boundaries. To the east the Lebombo Mountains separate it from Mozambique. Its western boundary runs parallel with this range, roughly 65 km distant. The park varies in altitude between 200 m in the east and 840 m in the south-west near Berg-en-Dal. The highest point in the park is here, a hill called Khandzalive. Several rivers run through the park from west to east, including the Sabie, Olifants, Crocodile, Letaba, Luvuvhu and Limpopo rivers. Climate The climate of the Kruger National Park and Lowveld is subtropical. Summer days are humid and hot with temperatures often soaring to above 38 °C (100 °F). The rainy season is from September until May. The dry winter season is the ideal time to visit this region for various reasons. There is less chance of contracting malaria and the days are milder. Viewing wildlife is more rewarding as the vegetation is more sparse and animals are drawn to the waterholes to drink every morning and evening. Flora and fauna Vegetation Plant life in the park consists of four main areas: Thorn Trees and Red Bush-willow veld,This area lies between the western boundary and roughly the centre of the park south of the Olifants River. Combretums, such as the red bush-willow (Combretum apiculatum), and Acacia species predominate while there are a great number of marula trees (Sclerocarya caffra). The Acacias are dominant along the rivers and streams, the very dense Nwatimhiri bush along the Sabie River between Skukuza and Lower Sabie being a very good example.Knob-thorn and Marula Veld,South of the Olifants River in the eastern half of the park, this area provides the most important grazing-land. Species such as red grass (Themeda triandra) and buffalo grass (Panicum maximum) predominate while the knob-thorn (Acacia nigrescens), leadwood (Combretum imberbe) and marula (Sclerocarya caffra) are the main tree species. Red Bush-willow and Mopane Veld This area lies in the western half of the park, north of the Olifants River. The two most prominent species here are the red bush-willow (Combretum apiculatum) and the mopane tree (Colophospernum mopane)Shrub Mopane Veld Shrub mopane covers almost the entire north-eastern part of the park.There are a number of smaller areas in the park which carry distinctive vegetation such as Pretoriuskop where the sickle bush and the silver cluster-leaf Terminalia sericae are prominent. The sandveld,communities near Punda Maria are equally definitive, with a wide variety of unique species. Birds Out of the 517 species of birds found at Kruger, 253 are residents, 117 non-breeding migrants, and 147 nomads.MammalsAll the Big Five game animals are found at Kruger National Park, which has more species of large mammals than any other African Game Reserve (at 147 species). There are webcams set up to observe the wildlife.The park stopped culling elephants in 1989 and tried translocating them, but by 2004 the population had increased to 11,670 elephants, by 2006 to approximately 13,500 and by 2009 to 11,672. The park's habitats can only sustain about 8,000 elephants. The park started using annual contraception in 1995, but has stopped that due to problems with delivering the contraceptives and upsetting the herds. Kruger supports packs of the endangered African Wild Dog, of which there are thought to be only about 400 in the whole of South Africa.Kruger National Park holds over 48 tons of ivory in storage. According to Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), it is allowed to sell 30 tons.Following approval by CITES, 47 metric tons of stockpiled ivory from Kruger were auctioned on November 6, 2008. The sale fetched approximately US$6.7 million which will be used towards increasing anti-poaching activity. The average price for the 63 lots on auction was US$142/kg. In 2002, Kruger National Park,The park is the site of the popular eyewitness viral video Battle at Kruger. BACK TO TOP

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HOTELS IN SOUTH AFRICA South Africa is a country with a rich cultural heritage and breathtaking beauty. Whether you're looking for a luxurious or a budget-friendly stay, there are plenty of hotels to choose. From the bustling of Johannesburg to the stunning beaches of Cape Town, there's something for everyone. Let us help you find the perfect hotel for your South African adventure. B&BS in South Africa 1680 South Africa B&Bs. Good availability and great rates for bnbs in South Africa. … Guest Houses in South Africa 4961 South Africa guest houses. Good availability and great rates for guest … Hotels in Port Elizabeth Find hotels in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Book online, pay at the hotel. Good rates … Hotels in East London Find hotels in East London, South Africa. Book online, pay at the hotel. Good rates … Service Name Service Name Service Name Service Name Vereeniging 47 Hotels Find hotels in Vereeniging, South Africa. Book online, pay at the hotel. Good rates … Durban South Coast 1381 Ho… On average, 3-star hotels in Durban South Coast cost £48 per night, and 4-star … Port Shepstone 1112 Hotels Find hotels in Port Shepstone, South Africa. Book online, pay at the hotel. Good rates … Port St Johns 19 Hotels Find hotels in Port St Johns, South Africa. Book online, pay at the hotel. Good rates … These are the 10 best hotels in South Africa right now The Dreamiest Luxury Lodges in South Africa | Travel Insider These are the 10 best hotels in South Africa right now Africa’s Top 10 Ultra-Luxurious Hotel Suites | Best Africa Accommodation Top 15 luxury hotels in South Africa with amazing views - Briefly.co.za Luxury Hotels in South Africa 2019/2020 | Sovereign One&Only Cape Town Hotel Review, South Africa | Travel Sheraton Pretoria Hotel - Arcadia, Pretoria, South Africa booking and map. These are the 10 best hotels in South Africa right now 5 Top Luxury Hotels in South Africa - 79985 Fairmont Zimbali Resort, Durban - Hotel Essence Photography The best hotels in South Africa The Palace of the Lost City – Sun City Resort and Casino – South Africa ... 5-Sterne-Hotels in Kapstadt 5-Sterne-Hotels in Greater Johannesburg 5-Sterne-Hotels in Overberg District 5-Sterne-Hotels in Johannesburg 5-Sterne-Hotels in Pretoria 5-Sterne-Hotels in Kapstadt Zentrum 5-Sterne-Hotels in Sandton 5-Sterne-Hotels in Durban 5-Sterne-Hotels in Overstrand 5-Sterne-Hotels in Camps Bay 5-Sterne-Hotels in Waterberg 5-Sterne-Hotels in Port Elizabeth 5-Sterne-Hotels in Knysna 5-Sterne-Hotels in Bloemfontein 5-Sterne-Hotels in East London 5-Sterne-Hotels in Stellenbosch 5-Sterne-Hotels in Plettenberg Bay 5-Sterne-Hotels in Saldanha Bay Municipality 5-Sterne-Hotels in Hermanus 5-Sterne-Hotels in Maruleng BACK TO TOP

South African Culture South African Culture CULTURE IN SOUTH AFRICA http://riseingsouthernstar-africa.de.tl/South-Africa-Maps.htm South African Languages We're not called the rainbow nation for nothing. South Africa has 11 official languages, and scores of unofficial ones. English is the most commonly spoken language in official and commercial public life but only the fifth most spoken home language.The country's democratic Constitution, which came into effect on 4 February 1997, recognises 11 official languages, to which the state guarantees equal status. South African Sport In South Africa soccer, rugby and cricket are their main Sports " Other sports with significant support are hockey,swimming, athletics, golf, boxing, tennis and netball. Although soccer commands the greatest following among the youth, other sports like basketball, surfing, and skateboarding are increasingly popular. South African Foods The cuisine of South Africa is sometimes called "rainbow cuisine", as it has had a variety of multicultural sources and stages.These colonists brought European cookery styles with them. The Afrikaners have their succulent potjiekos, tamatiebredie ,tomato bredie, or stews of lamb and mutton with tomato and onion sauce, with or without rice. South African Poems The poetry of South Africa covers a broad range of themes, forms and styles.This article discusses the context that contemporary poets have come from and identifies the major poets of South Africa, their works and influence.And their Amaizing poems of the Voortrekkers Days, and the Poems of Today. South African Flag Songs Another flag song, this time about the former South African flag called "Die Vlaglied" / "The Song of the Flag" which was composed by CJ Langenhoven, the composer of the former South African National Anthem "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" / "The Call of South Africa". South African Coat of Arms The South African National Seal with its symbols on the original South African Coat of Arms places the white South African nation alongside the other Great Israel Nations of the West and identifies them as THE ANCIENT TRIBE OF JUDAH. The Coat of Arms heraldry aligned with thesc scriptures gives Judah’s latter-day geographical location as South Africa. Since this latter-day discovery, the White South Africans can easily be identified as the Biblical tribe of Judah whose ultimate destination was skillfully guided by the Creator and their identity concealed for it only to be revealed long after their arrival on theAfrican continent. South African Music Afrikaans music was primarily influenced by Dutch folk styles, along with French and German influences, in the early twentieth century. In 1979 the South African Music scene changed from the Tranetrekkers to more lively sounds and the introduction of new names in the market with the likes of Anton Goosen, David Kramer, Koos du Plessis, Fanie de Jager, and Laurika Rauch. Afrikaans music is currently one of the most popular and best selling industries on the South African music scene. South African Jokes Here You can find a few South African Jokes. South African Ghost Stories The ghosts of South Africa couldn't be more varied. You'll find killers, victims, poltergeists, spooky drivers, as well as battlefield and road death spirits. Each one gives you a little insight into South Africa's story. But most of all, they provide for cracking good entertainment. South African Recipes South African cooking has its roots in the many cultures that have visited the country over time. Therefore you will find the main dishes include a mixture of Eastern flavours, Western tastes and a healthy dose of bushveld ingredients. South African Links South African Boere Links South African Art South Africa is home to some of the most ancient and beautiful art in the world - the rock art of the ancestors of today's Bushman or San. It is also the scene of a host of diverse and challenging contemporary artists producing important new work. South African Tribes There are 11 official languages in South Africa and Xhosa is known to be listed as one of those languages. Approximately 18 percent of South Africa’s population speaks the language, and when doing the maths, that makes it around 7.9 million people. Xhosa is marked by a number of tongue-clicking sounds. South African Travel Guide South Africa is located at the southern tip of Africa. It is bordered by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland and Lesotho ,which is completely surrounded by South Africa. It is a vast country with widely varying landscapes and has 11 official languages, as well as an equally diverse population. South Africa is renowned for its wines and is one of the world's largest producers of gold. Ons Tuis Blad Tuis blad is a webpage to Try and Help to solve the Crimes in South Africa,People that have been killed,Farm Murders,Missing Childeren and many other Cases and Crimes,that have happened Dayly in the past,and that still has not been Solve till today .So if you no of a Crime or a case ON MISSING CHILDREN We would like to Help,and if you would like me to put it on Tuis Blad, that what has happened and not solved till today,let us no ,we are glad to put it on our page free of change ,and willing to help.send me a e-mail at damiande@web.de or leave a message on my Gestbook,and we will contact you. Start Now South African Travel Guide South African Travel Guide South Africa is located at the southern tip of Africa. It is bordered by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland and Lesotho ,which is completely surrounded by South Africa. It is a vast country with widely varying landscapes and has 11 official languages, as well as an equally diverse population. South Africa is renowned for its wines and is one of the world's largest producers of gold. South Africa has the strongest economy in Africa, and is an influential player in African politics. In 2010, South Africa hosted the first Football World Cup to be held on the African continent. Flying to South Africa Flights to South Africa are rarely a bargain, but shop around because prices fall substantially if you are willing to make a connection in the Middle East. The national airline is South African Airways (SAA) (www.flysaa.com ). There are frequent direct and indirect flights by numerous major airlines from destinations throughout Europe and North America, including British Airways with daily flights to Johannesburg and Cape Town, and Delta which flies to Johannesburg from Atlanta. Flights are most expensive around Christmas when flights tend to fill up quickly. SAA has two daily services between Johannesburg and London and up to 44 daily flights between Cape Town and Johannesburg. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic still run non-stop flights from London to Cape Town. Several other carriers connect to Cape Town with one stop, including Dubai-based Emirates and Qatar Airways via Doha, as well as several European lines such as KLM via Amsterdam. Most routes fly overnight and South Africa is at most two hours ahead of the UK, so there’s no problem with jet lag. Air notes: SAA ended direct flights between London and Cape Town in August 2012 and now routes passengers via Johannesburg. The move was inconvenient for most leisure travellers, who see Cape Town as the destination and tend to skip Jo’burg altogether. Flight times: Flights to Cape Town from London are at least 11 hours 30 minutes and to Johannesburg 11 hours. From New York to Cape Town is at least 22 hours, to Johannesburg at least 15 hours. Departure tax: None. Travel by rail South Africa’s railway network is sadly under-developed and there is little cohesion between neighbouring countries. That makes arriving by train unfeasible, unless you can afford the luxurious Rovos Rail which runs occasionally to and from Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, Swakopmund in Namibia, Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and the long haul up to Cairo. Driving to South Africa ​ There are several borders you can cross to get into South Africa if you are entering the country by car and border posts are open daily. The main border posts are: • Namibia Vioolsdrif / South Africa, open 24 hours • Mozambique Komatiepoort / South Africa, 0700-2200 • Botswana Tlokweng / South Africa, 0700-2200 • Zimbabwe Beitbridge / South Africa, 0600-2200 • Swaziland Oshoek / South Africa, 0700-2200 ​ Coach operator Intercape runs regularly to and from points in Namibia, Botswana, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. By road note: Distances are very long and roads are not always well maintained, sometimes making arriving by road an adventure, not a doddle. Getting to South Africa by boat ​ Cape Town, Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth all have major ports and it is possible to travel by ferry from these destinations. For more information regarding the ports, contact Transnet National Ports Authority Cruise ships: ​ Several international cruise liners call at Cape Town or Durban. ​ Cape Town International Airport Airport Code: CPT. Location: Cape Town International Airport is located 22km (15.5 miles) east of Cape Town. Money: Bureaux de change and ATMs are available in all terminals. There is a bank in International... Johannesburg O.R. Tambo International Airport Airport Code: JNB. Location: Johannesburg O.R. Tambo International Airport is located 22km (14 miles) east of Johannesburg. Money: There are ATMs, banks and bureaux de change within the terminals. Port Elizabeth Airport ​ Airport Code: PLZ. Location: Port Elizabeth Airport is situated within the boundaries of the city of Port Elizabeth, 5km (3... Money: There is an ATM situated between the arrivals and departures halls. The information desk operates a... Durban King Shaka International Airport ​ Airport Code: DUR. Location: The airport is located 35km (22 miles) north of central Durban. Money: Standard Bank offers exchange services and ATMs. A VAT refund facility is available in Departures.... Passports: To enter South Africa, a passport valid for at least 30 days after the intended date of departure is required by all nationals referred to in the chart above. Passports must have at least two blank pages for entry stamps - visitors have been refused entry by airport immigration officials for flouting this regulation. Passport note: Yellow fever certificates are required if the journey starts from or passes through a country with yellow fever. Visas: Visas for South Africa are not required by nationals referred to in the chart above for stays of up to 90 days on holiday. Citizens of most other countries do not require a visa for holidays of up to 30 days. Visa note: The Home Affairs website (www.home-affairs.gov.za/ministry.html) has comprehensive details on visa requirements and exemptions and the relevant forms for downloading. If you are one of the very few travellers subject to visa requirements, you should apply for your visa at least a month before you intend to travel, and wait for it to be issued before you travel. No visas are issues at South African points of entry. If you arrive without the necessary paperwork, immigration officials are obliged to refuse you entry. Types and cost: Visa fees will be charged in the local currency in any of the few countries that actually require one. Temporary residence permits include Business Permits at R1,520 and Study Permits at R425. Validity: Dependent on length of stay requested. Permits may be extended if done so 30 days prior to expiry of original permit. Application to: No visa is needed for transit passengers. You can leave the airport if there is time between connecting flights, but it’s a long way into the city in both Johannesburg and Cape Town, so it’s probably not worth it. There are hotels within strolling distance if you need to stay at the airport overnight. Temporary residence: If you intend to work in South Africa, including any voluntary or paid employment or studies, you must apply for a work, work-seeker’s or study permit before you arrive. Working days: The processing period for visas and transit visas is 10 calendar days. Sufficient funds: Are required, but Home Affairs does not specify what it considers to be sufficient. Extension of stay: You can apply to extend your stay before your existing permit expires, at your nearest Home Affairs customer service centre in South Africa. Entry with pets: An import permit costing R110 is required for all pets, applied for through the Directorate of Animal Health in South Africa. A 14-day quarantine period applies to dogs from many countries. Cats are exempt from quarantine. Animals must be vaccinated against rabies except from the UK, Australia and New Zealand. It’s worth checking first whether you will be allowed to take pets back into your home country again after they have been in South Africa. Last updated: 01 October 2012 • There has been a marked increase in strike action in South Africa in recent weeks, with some demonstrations becoming violent. You should avoid demonstrations, rallies and large public gatherings as a precaution and exercise caution when travelling on highways, where some violence has been directed at truck drivers. Check local media sites for up to date information on strike action or demonstrations that may be taking place in your area. Visitors to South Africa should avoid areas where strikes are underway, particularly in the mining sector, as violence can erupt quickly and may extend beyond the immediate area. • There is a very high level of crime, but the most violent crimes occur in townships and isolated areas away from the normal tourist destinations. • The standard of driving is variable and there are many fatal accidents. • Most visits to South Africa are trouble-free. • There is an underlying threat from terrorism. Attacks, although unlikely, could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by expatriates and foreign travellers. • You should get comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. • You should have two blank pages in your passport on arrival. Currency information: Rand (ZAR; symbol R) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of R200, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denominations of R5, 2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10 and 5 cents. Credit cards: MasterCard and Visa are preferred. American Express and Diners Club are also widely accepted. ATMs are available in all towns, cities and shopping malls and most petrol stations, and accept international cards. Almost all hotels, shops, restaurants, national parks and game reserves accept credit cards. They are now acceptable at most petrol stations too, but since that is a relatively new measure, it’s worth checking before you fill up. ATM: ATMs are available in all towns, cities and shopping malls and most petrol stations, and accept international cards. Be alert when using ATMs, and do not accept help from anybody as conmen are adept at switching cards. Check your statements afterwards for a few weeks too, as cloning machines are occasionally planted in ATMs. More obviously, be aware of who is hanging around and don’t withdraw money if your instinct tells you not to. Travellers cheques: Valid at banks, hotels, restaurants and some tourist-orientated shops. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller's cheques in Pounds Sterling or US Dollars. Banking hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1530, Sat 0830-1100. Currency restriction: The import and export of local currency is limited to R5000 in cash. The import and export of foreign currency is unlimited provided it is declared upon arrival. Currency exchange: Money can be changed at banks, bureaux de change and some hotels. Proof of identity may be requested so take your passport. Visitors are restricted to bringing in and taking out a maximum of R5,000 in cash. South Africa duty free The following goods may be imported into South Africa by passengers over 18 years of age without incurring customs duty: • 200 cigarettes and 20 cigars and 250g of tobacco. • 1L of spirits or liquor and 2L of wine. • 50mL of perfume and 250mL of eau de toilette. • Other goods up to a value of R3,000. Additional goods up to R12,000 are charged duty of 20%. Note: Most retail purchases include VAT of 14%, which foreign tourists can claim back at the airport by presenting the original tax invoices and completing the necessary forms. Restricted items South African bank notes in excess of R5,000, gold coins, coin and stamp collections and unprocessed gold; endangered species of plants or wildlife, including articles made from them, plants and plant products, such as seeds, flowers, fruit, honey, margarine and vegetable oil; animals, birds, poultry and related products. Medicines (excluding sufficient for one month for own personal treatment accompanied by a letter or certified prescription from a registered physician). Banned imports: Narcotics; automatic, military and unnumbered weapons, explosives or fireworks; poisons, meat, cigarettes with a mass of more than 2kg per 1 000, counterfeit goods, unlawful reproductions of any works subject to copyright and prison-made goods, processed cheese and other dairy products. Banned exports: Goods that require an export licence include acacia trees, mineral ores, Tigers Eye gemstones, and a variety of industrial chemicals and metals. Air: Several airlines operate domestic routes with regular links between Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, George, Nelspruit and Port Elizabeth and relatively frequent flights to several smaller towns and cities too. Main operators are South Africa Airways (SAA) air fares are not particularly cheap, and price wars have taken several airlines that attempted to introduce more affordable flights out of business. But since South Africa is a big country with long distances between its major tourist centres, it generally makes sense to fly. Public transport at the airports is mostly inadequate, but the long-awaited sparkly new Gautrain (http://join.gautrain.co.za ) from O.R. Tambo airport in Johannesburg is a quick and efficient way to reach the city centre, some useful points in the northern suburbs and Pretoria. Cape Town airport has a cheap shuttle service called MyCiTi (http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/MyCiti) that runs into the city centre 0510-2200. Flight times: Flights from Johannesburg to Cape Town take 2 hours 15 minutes and from Johannesburg to Durban take 1 hour 10 minutes. Road: Roads between the major centres are generally well maintained and well signposted, so getting around by road isn’t a problem, except for some of the daunting distances. The Fifa 2010 World Cup saw a major investment in improving the road system, particularly around Johannesburg and Cape Town. One blot on the horizon for Jo’burgers is the threat of an electronic tolling system on motorways surrounding the city, with legal challenges under way in a bid to have the whole thing scrapped. That will have only a minor effect on visitors, however, who may find themselves paying a small surcharge to car hire companies. One welcome change was a belated move by the petrol stations to accept credit cards, ending the hassle of having to carry cash to pay for your fuel. Car theft and hijacking is a problem, so it is advisable to keep doors locked and avoid picking up hitchhikers. ​ Side of road: Left Road quality: Roads and national highways link all the major areas and the only untarred roads are in rural areas and in some game reserves. Heavy rains and sometimes dodgy workmanship have left many urban roads riddled with serious potholes, however. Road signs are in English. Road classification: National highways are denoted with an 'N' and some are toll roads. Car hire: Dozens of car hire firms are operating, including the major international players, and even the smaller airports have a rank of car hire desks. At peak periods it’s worth booking in advance. Drivers must be at least 18 years old, and most car hire companies will only accept an unendorsed license that has been valid for a minimum of 1 year. Taxi: ​ Available in all towns, hotels and airports, generally with meters fitted, although some still operate without or prefer not to use them. They are not particularly cheap, and it’s often cheaper to haggle over the price in advance. Taxis do not cruise and must be ordered by phone or at a taxi rank. Bike: ​ Let’s be honest, South African motorists can be pretty careless, and many drive without a licence or insurance. That makes hiring a bike in the cities a dangerous idea. But it’s a great country for mountain biking, with plenty of guided tours available. A couple of companies including Bike Rentals rent out motorbikes in Cape Town and Cape Town Cycle rents out bikes and mountain bikes. Coach: Coaches criss-cross the country between all major towns and cities and a web of tiny off-the-beaten-track towns too. Operators include Intercape ,www.greyhound.co.za , and Translux .translux.co.za. operates as a hop-on hop-off, door-to-door bus service between 180 backpacking hostels, running along the coast between Cape Town and Durban, then up to Johannesburg. Coach tickets can also be bought through Computicket (www.computicket.co.za ), which has online booking and kiosks in some shopping malls. Regulations: The legal driving age is 18 and driving licences must be carried at all times. The speed limit on highways is 120kph (75mph), 80-100kph (50-62mph) on national roads and 60kph (37mph) in urban areas. Driving is on the left, seatbelts must be worn, and it is illegal to use a mobile phone without a hands-free kit. Breakdown service: The AA ( www.aa.co.za ). Yellow SOS telephones are available on major routes, but very sporadically. Documentation: Foreign licences are valid if they are in English with a photograph of the holder, but the AA recommends an International Driving Permit to prevent potential complications. Getting around towns and cities: ​ Public transport is generally dreadful. Although there are bus networks in all main towns reliability is dubious. Routes for the minibus taxis used by local commuters are too confusing to even try to explain to a short-term visitor. Rail: Intercity services with trains between Johannesburg, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town. Trains are frustratingly slow and the facilities including the dining car and trolley service are very basic by European standards. Sleeper cars are available in tourist class, with shared showers. Economy class just buys you a reclining seat. Children under four travel free. Children aged four to 12 pay half fare. Cape Town’s Metrorail (tel: 0800 656 463 www.capemetrorail.co.za ) runs a pleasant coastal route from Cape Town to Simon’s Town that passes through quaint Kalk Bay. Luxury trains: Premier Classe The Blue Train (www.bluetrain.co.za ) and offer luxurious cabins and gourmet food in elaborate dining cars and run between Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban. The recently-constructed Gautrain ( http://join.gautrain.co.za ) runs overground and underground connecting Johannesburg, Pretoria and O.R. Tambo International Airport. By water: The main ports of Cape Town, Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth are industrial or geared towards international cruise liners rather than domestic ferry routes. Start Now South African languages South African languages We're not called the rainbow nation for nothing. South Africa has 11 official languages, and scores of unofficial ones. English is the most commonly spoken language in official and commercial public life but only the fifth most spoken home language.The country's democratic Constitution, which came into effect on 4 February 1997, recognises 11 official languages, to which the state guarantees equal status. The culture of South Africa is known for its ethnic and cultural diversity. The South African black majority still has a substantial number of rural inhabitants who lead largely impoverished lives. It is among these people, however, that cultural traditions survive most strongly; as blacks have become increasingly urbanised and Westernised, aspects of traditional culture have declined. Urban blacks usually speak English or Afrikaans in addition to their native tongue. There are smaller but still significant groups of speakers of Khoisan languages, not included in the eleven official languages, but are one of the eight other officially recognised languages. There are small groups of speakers of endangered languages, most of which are from the Khoi-San family, that receive no official status; however, some groups within South Africa are attempting to promote their use and revival. Members of middle class, who are predominantly white but whose ranks include growing numbers of black, coloured and Indian people, have lifestyles similar in many respects to that of people found in Western Europe, North America and Australasia. Members of the middle class often study and work abroad for greater exposure to the markets of the world.Indian South Africans preserve their cultural heritage, languages and religious beliefs, being either Christian, Hindu or Muslim and speaking English, with Indian languages like Hindi, Telugu, Tamil or Gujarati being spoken less frequently as second languages. The first Indians arrived on the Truro ship as indentured labourers in Natal to work the Sugar Cane Fields, while the rest arrived as traders. A post-apartheid wave of South Asian (including Pakistani) immigration has also influenced South African Indian culture. There is a much smaller Chinese South African community, made up of early immigrants, apartheid-era immigrants from Taiwan, and post-apartheid immigrants from mainland China. Afrikaans is the third most common language in South Africa. It is spoken by 13.5% of the population, or people , mainly "coloured" and white South Africans. The language has its roots in 17th century Dutch, with influences from English, Malay, German, Portuguese, French, and some African languages. One of the first works of written Afrikaans was Bayaan-ud-djyn, an Islamic tract written in Arabic script by Abu Bakr.Initially known as Cape Dutch, Afrikaans was largely a spoken language for people living in the Cape, with proper Dutch the formal, written language.Afrikaans came into its own with the growth of Afrikaner identity, being declared an official language with English , of the Union of South Africa in 1925. The language was promoted alongside Afrikaner nationalism after 1948 and played an important role in minority white rule in apartheid South Africa. The 1976 schoolchildren's uprising was sparked by the proposed imposition of Afrikaans in township schools.Afrikaans is spoken mainly by white Afrikaners, coloured South Africans and sections of the black population. Although the language has European roots, today the majority of Afrikaans-speakers are not white.Most Afrikaans speakers live in the Western Cape, where it is the language of just less than half (48.4%) of the provincial population. It is also common in Gauteng, where 12.2% of the provincial population consider Afrikaans to be their home language.Afrikaans is the dominant language in the Northern Cape, spoken by more than half (53%) of the provincial population. Afrikaans is spoken by 12.4% of the Free State's population, 10.4% of the people of the Eastern Cape, and 8.8% of the people of North West. English English has been both a highly influential language in South Africa, and a language influenced, in turn, by adaptation in the country's different communities. Around half of the country's people have a speaking knowledge of English.English was declared the official language of the Cape Colony in 1822 (replacing Dutch), and the stated language policy of the government of the time was one of Anglicisation. On the formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910, which united the former Boer republics of the Transvaal and Orange Free State with the Cape and Natal colonies, English was made the official language together with Dutch, which was replaced by Afrikaans in 1925.Today, English is South Africa's lingua franca, and the primary language of government, business, and commerce. The new education curriculum makes two languages compulsory at school, with English the language of learning and teaching at most schools and tertiary educations. According to the 2011 census, English is spoken as a home language by almost 5- million people (or 8.2% of the population). South Africa's Asian people, most of whom are Indian in origin, are largely English-speaking, although many also retain their languages of origin. There is also a significant group of Chinese South Africans, also largely English-speaking but who also retain their languages of origin as well.South African English is an established and unique dialect, with strong influences from Afrikaans and the country's many African languages. For example: "The old lady has been tuning me grief all avie, after she bust me and the okes gooi-ing yooees in her tjor", would translate as: "My mother has been shouting at me all afternoon after she caught my friends and I doing U-turns in her car."As a home language, English is most common in Gauteng, where more than a third (32.8%) of all English-speaking South Africans are found, making up 13% of the provincial population. Just less than a third (27.3%) of English speakers live in KwaZulu Natal, where it is the language of 13% of the people in the province, and 23.5% in the Western Cape, where it is spoken by 19.7% of the provincial population. isiNdebele isiNdebele, the language of the Ndebele people, is one of South Africa's four Nguni languages. The Ndebele were originally an offshoot of the Nguni people of KwaZulu- Natal, while the languages amaNala and amaNzunza are related to those of Zimbabwe's amaNdebele people.Like the country's other African languages, isiNdebele is a tonal language, governed by the noun, which dominates the sentence.isiNdebele is a minority language, spoken by only 2% of South Africa's population, or just over 1-million people. It is largely found in Mpumalanga, where 37% of its speakers are found, or 10% of the provincial population. More than a third of isiNdebele speakers reside in Gauteng, but make up only 3% of the province's population. Home language to: 2.1% of the population . Linguistic lineage: Niger-Congo > Atlantic-Congo > Volta- Congo > Benue-Congo > Bantoid > Southern > Narrow Bantu > Central > S group > Nguni > isNdebele Alternate and historical names: Tabele, Tebele, Ndebele, Sindebele, Northern Ndebele isiXhosa South Africa's second-largest language, isiXhosa is spoken by 16% of all South Africans, or 8-million people. It is a regional language, with a third of its speakers living in the Eastern Cape, where it is the language of almost 78% of the provincial population. It's also strong in the bordering Western Cape, where 17% of all isiXhosa speakers live, making up nearly a quarter (24%) of the provincial population.There are a fair number of isiXhosa speakers in the Free State (7.5%), Gauteng (6.6%), North West (5.5%) and the Nothern Cape (5.3%) and Gauteng, but it is not widely spoken in the other provinces.isiXhosa is one of the country's four Nguni languages. It too is a tonal language, governed by the noun, which dominates the sentence. While it shares much of its words and grammar with isiZulu, 15% of its vocabulary is estimated to be of Khoekhoe (Khoisan, or Khoi and Bushman) origin. Home language to: 16% of the population . Linguistic lineage: Niger-Congo > Atlantic-Congo > Volta- Congo > Benue-Congo > Bantoid > Southern > Narrow Bantu > Central > S group > Nguni > isiXhosa Alternate and historical names: Xhosa, Xosa, Koosa Dialects: Gealeka, Ndlambe, Gaika (Ncqika), Thembu, Bomvana, Mpondomse (Mpondomisi), Mpondo, Xesibe, Rhathabe, Bhaca, Cele, Hlubi, Mfengu. isiZulu isiZulu is the most common language in South Africa, spoken by nearly 23% of the total population, or 11.6-million people. It's the language of South Africa's largest ethnic group, the Zulu people, who take their name from the chief who founded the royal line in the 16th century. The warrior king Shaka raised the nation to prominence in the early 19th century. The current monarch is King Goodwill Zwelithini.A tonal language and one of the country's four Nguni languages, isiZulu is closely related to isiXhosa. It is probably the most widely understood African language in South Africa, spoken from the Cape to Zimbabwe. The writing of Zulu was started by missionaries in what was then Natal in the 19th century, with the first Zulu translation of the bible produced in 1883.isiZulu is an extremely regional language, with 77.8% of its speakers to be found in KwaZulu-Natal. More than 18% of isiZulu speakers are to be found in Gauteng, the second province in which it is in the majority, with its speakers making up 19.5% of the provincial population. In Mpumalanga it is spoken by nearly a quarter of the population, who make up 7.6% of all South African isiZulu speakers. The presence of the language in the remaining six provinces is negligible. Home language to: 22.7% of the population . Linguistic lineage: Niger-Congo > Atlantic-Congo > Volta- Congo > Benue-Congo > Bantoid > Southern > Narrow Bantu > Central > S group > Nguni > isiZulu Alternate and historical names: Zulu, Zunda Dialects: Lala, Qwabe Sesotho sa Leboa Sesotho sa Leboa, or Northern Sotho, is referred to as Sepedi in the Constitution. However, this is inaccurate, as Sepedi is just one of some 30 dialects of the Northern Sotho language, and linguists do not consider that the two are not interchangeable. Sesotho sa Leboa is the fourth most common language in South Africa, spoken as a home language by 9.1% of the population, or 4.6-million people. It is one of South Africa's three Sotho languages, with different dialect clusters found in the area where it is spoken.Sesotho sa Leboa is the language of Limpopo, where it is spoken by more than half of the provincial population. In fact, 61% of all people who speak Sesotho sa Leboa live in Limpopo. It is also found in Gauteng, where nearly third (27.8%) of Sesotho sa Leboa speakers are to be found, making up 10.5% of the population. In Mpumalanga, 9.3% of the population speak Sesotho sa Leboa, or 8% of all speakers of the language.Confusion in the Constitution: According to the Parliamentary Monitoring Group, the language was mentioned correctly as Sesotho sa Leboa in the interim Constitution of 1993. However, when the final version of the Constitution came into law in 1996, the language had been changed to Sepedi. The reason for the change has not been established. References to Sesotho sa Leboa were retained in the nine other translations.The Pan South African Language Board (Pansalb), set up by the government to promote multilingualism and language rights, supports the use of Sesotho sa Leboa, but says it also uses both words in certain structures to avoid conflict. Home language to: 9.1% of the population . Linguistic lineage: Niger-Congo > Atlantic-Congo > Volta- Congo > Benue-Congo > Bantoid > Southern > Narrow Bantu > Central > S group > Sotho-Tswana > Sotho > Northern Sotho Alternate and historical names: Pedi, Sepedi, Northern Sotho, Sesotho sa Leboa Dialects: Masemola (Masemula, Tau), Kgaga (Kxaxa, Khaga), Koni (Kone), Tswene (Tsweni), Gananwa (Xananwa, Hananwa), Pulana, Phalaborwa (Phalaburwa, Thephalaborwa), Khutswe (Khutswi, Kutswe), Lobedu (Lubedu, Lovedu, Khelobedu), Tlokwa (Tlokoa, Tokwa, Dogwa), Pai, Dzwabo (Thabine-Roka-Nareng), Kopa, Matlala-Moletshi. Dialects Pai, Kutswe, and Pulana are more divergent and sometimes called "Eastern Sotho". Sesotho, Sesotho sa Leboa and Setswana are largely mutually intelligible, but have generally been considered separate languages. Sesotho Sesotho is another of South Africa's three Sotho languages, spoken by 7.6% of the country's population, or 3.8-million people.It is the language of the Free State, which borders the kingdom of Lesotho, a country entirely surrounded by South African territory. Sesotho is spoken by 62.6% of the Free State population, with almost half of all Sesotho-speaking South Africans living there.It is also found in Gauteng, where it is spoken by 11% of the provincial population, which is more than a third (36%) of all Sesotho-speaking South Africans. In North West it is spoken by 5.7% of people who live there.Sesotho was one of the first African languages to be rendered in written form, and it has an extensive literature. Sesotho writing was initiated by the missionaries Casalis and Arbousset of the Paris Evangelical Mission, who arrived at Thaba Bosiu in 1833.The original written form was based on the Tlokwa dialect, but today is mostly based on the Kwena and Fokeng dialects, although there are variations.The first work of Sesotho literature was Thomas Mofolo's classic novel Chaka, which was completed in 1910 and published in 1925, with the first English translation produced in 1930. The book reinvents the legendary Zulu king Shaka, portraying him as a heroic but tragic figure, a monarch to rival Shakespeare's Macbeth. Home language to: 7.6% of the population . Linguistic lineage: Niger-Congo > Atlantic-Congo > Volta- Congo > Benue-Congo > Bantoid > Southern > Narrow Bantu > Central > S group > Sotho-Tswana > Sotho > Sesotho Alternate and historical names: Suto, Suthu, Souto, Sisutho, Southern Sotho Dialects: Sesotho, Sesotho sa Leboa and Setswana are largely mutually intelligible, but have generally been considered separate languages. Setswana Setswana is largely found in North West, a province bordering the country of Botswana, where the language dominates. One of South Africa's three Sotho languages, it is the country's sixth most common home language, being spoken by 8% of the total population, or just over 4-million people.Setswana is spoken by 63.4% of all North West residents, where 53.8% of all Setswana- speaking South Africans live. It is also found in the Northern Cape, where it is spoken by 33% of the provincial population, as well as in Gauteng (9.1%) and the Free State (5.2%).Setswana was the first Sotho language to have a written form. In 1806, Heinrich Lictenstein wrote Upon the Language of the Beetjuana (as a British protectorate, Botswana was originally known as Bechuanaland). In 1818, Dr Robert Moffat from the London Missionary Society arrived among the Batlhaping in Kudumane, and built Botswana's first school. In 1825 he realised that he must use and write Setswana in his teachings, and began a long translation of the Bible into Setswana, which was finally completed in 1857.One of most famous Setswana speakers was the intellectual, journalist, linguist, politician, translator and writer Sol T Plaatje. A founder member of the African National Congress, Plaatje was fluent in at least seven languages, and translated the works of Shakespeare into Setswana. Home language to: 8% of the population . Linguistic lineage: Niger-Congo > Atlantic-Congo > Volta- Congo > Benue-Congo > Bantoid > Southern > Narrow Bantu > Central > S group > Sotho-Tswana > Tswana Alternate and historical names: Chuana, Coana, Cuana, Tswana, Sechuana, Beetjuans Dialects: Hurutshe, Kwena, Ngwato, Ngwaketse, Tlhaping, Rolong, Tlokwa, Kgatla, Lete (originally a non-Tswana tribe). Other dialects include Khurutshe, Kubung, and Nare. Sesotho, Sesotho sa Leboa and Setswana are largely mutually intelligible, but are separate languages. Tshivenda Tshivenda is generally regarded as a language isolate among S-group languages. While the Nguni group, for example, has four languages (isiZulu, isiXhosa, siSwati and isiNdebele), the Venda group has only one – Tshivenda. It is the tongue the Venda people, who are culturally closer to the Shona people of Zimbabwe than to any other South African group.Another of South Africa's minority languages, it is spoken by 2.4% of South Africans, or a little more than 1.2-million people. It is concentrated in the province of Limpopo, where almost 74% of Tshivenda speakers live, or 16.7% of the provincial population. Another 22.5% of Tshivenda speakers live in Gauteng, where they make up 2.3% of the population.Tshivenda shares features with Shona and Sesotho sa Leboa, with some influence from Nguni languages. The Tshipani variety of the language is used as the standard. The language requires a number of additional characters or diacritical signs not found on standard keyboards. For this reason, Translate.org.za, an NGO promoting open-source software in indigenous languages, has produced a special program to enable Tshivenda speakers to easily type their language.The Venda people first settled in the Soutpansberg Mountains region, where the ruins of their first capital, Dzata's, can still be found. Home language to: 2.4% of the population . Linguistic lineage: Niger-Congo > Atlantic-Congo > Volta- Congo > Benue-Congo > Bantoid > Southern > Narrow Bantu > Central > S group > Tshivenda Alternate and historical names: Venda, Chivenda Dialects: Phani, Tavha-Tsindi, Ilafuri, Manda, Guvhu, Mbedzi, Lembetu Xitsonga The Tsonga people came to South Africa long after most other African people, settling in the Limpopo River valley.Their language, Xitsonga, is spoken by 4.5% of the national population, or around 2.3- million people. It is found in Limpopo (39.8% of Xitsonga speakers and 17% of the provincial population), Gauteng (34.9% of speakers and 6.6% of the population) and Mpumalanga (18.3% and 10.4%).It is also found in eastern Limpopo and Mumalanga, areas near the border of the country of Mozambique, as well as in southern Mozambique and southeastern Zimbabwe.Xitsonga is similar to Xishangana, the language of the Shangaan people, with some Nguni influences. Home language to: 4.5% of the population . Linguistic lineage: Niger-Congo > Atlantic-Congo > Volta- Congo > Benue-Congo > Bantoid > Southern > Narrow Bantu > Central > S group > Tswa-Ronga > Xitsonga Alternate and historical names: Tsonga, Shitsonga, Thonga, Tonga, Shangana, Shangaan Dialects: Luleke (Xiluleke), Gwamba (Gwapa), Changana, Hlave, Kande, N'walungu (Shingwalungu), Xonga, Jonga (Dzonga), Nkuma, Songa, Nhlanganu (Shihlanganu). "Tsonga" can be used to describe Xishangana (Shangana or Changana), Tswa, and Ronga, although it is often used interchangeably with Xishangana, the most prestigious of the three. All are recognised as languages, although they are mutually intelligible. Indigenous creoles and pidgins Tsotsi taal, an amalgam of Afrikaans, English and a number of African languages, is widely spoken in urban areas, mainly by males. The word "tsotsi" means "gangster" or "hoodlum" – given the association with urban criminality – while "taal" is Afrikaans for "language".Otherwise known as Iscamtho, tsotsi taal developed in cities and townships to facilitate communication between the different language groups. It is a dynamic language, with new words and phrases added regularly. Fanagalo is a pidgin that developed on South Africa's gold mines, to allow communication between white supervisors and African labourers during the colonial and apartheid era.It is essentially a simplified version of isiZulu and isiXhosa – about 70% of the lexicon is from isiZulu – and incorporates elements from English, Dutch, Afrikaans and Portuguese. Start Now 230708food4 foodsmallw 110209food4 211207food2 230409food4 biltongstokkies fooda12 230409food7 211207food1 foodspread braai koeksusters windowslivew South African Coat of Arms South African Coat of Arms COAT OF ARMS PROVES JUDAH IS SOUTH AFRICA ! THE COAT OF ARMS, LINKED TO THE SONG OF SOLOMON ,PROVES SOUTH AFRICA TO BE THE HOUSE OF JUDAH. Revealed to Pamela Cornah In the year of our Lord 2009 “SET ME AS A SEAL UPON THY HEART, AS A SEAL UPON THY ARM As Britain and America prove their Israel Identity by their National Heraldry in symbols, which was pre-designed for them in the Word of God thousands of years ago and divinely linked to their National seals of today, thereby enabling them to prove that they are the descendants of the Ancient Ten Tribes of Israel, so The Great God of the white man also predestined the tribe of Judah, allowing them also to prove their Israel identity in South Africa. The South African National Seal with its symbols on the original South African Coat of Arms places the white South African nation alongside the other Great Israel Nations of the West and identifies them as THE ANCIENT TRIBE OF JUDAH. The Coat of Arms heraldry aligned with thesc scriptures gives Judah’s latter-day geographical location as South Africa. Since this latter-day discovery, the White South Africans can easily be identified as the Biblical tribe of Judah whose ultimate destination was skillfully guided by the Creator and their identity concealed for it only to be revealed long after their arrival on theAfrican continent. Thus in 1688 the tribe of Judah arrived in ships at their new location as promised by God, under the names of the European Huguenots and the 1820 British settlers. Together they grew into the self sufficient and independent nation of white South Africa. The Holy Spirit inspired the National Seal of South Africa, the Coat of Arms. This amazing Emblem was so skillfully encrypted without the artist ever being aware of its monumental significance. This picture emblem was unwittingly designed especially to pinpoint the hidden location of Jesus Christ’s own tribe, The House Judah, in the latter days, declaring her history and her future up and to the time of His return. This history of South Africa is depicted and linked by the pictures on its COAT OF ARMS to the magnificent love story of Jesus Christ for His own tribe, as related by King Solomon in the biblical love story of the SONG OF SOLOMON. THE ENCRYPTION’S ON THE GREAT SEAL OF SOUTH AFRICA The lion of the tribe of Judah.THE SONG OF SOLOMON 1-13. A bundle of myrrh is my well beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breast. Neck amour with studs.THE SONG OF SOLOMON 1-1O-11….thy neck with chains of gold. We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver Two standing buck feeding among the lilies each with a foot behind the shield or wall.SONG OF SOLOMON 2-9. My beloved is like a roe or a hart.( roe – hart =Buck) standing behind our wall, A white woman leaning on a rock holding an anchor.SONG OF SOLOMON 1-8 ….O thou fairest among women Two identical buckSONG OF SOLOMON 4-5. Thy two breasts are like two young roes (Buck) that are twins, which feed among the lilies. An apple tree.SONG OF SOLOMON 2-3.As the Apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. A wagon of wood.SONG OF SOLOMON 3-9. King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon. A Green verdant bed upon which the pictograph is placed.SONG OF SOLOMON 1-16. …also our bed is green. Twin buck that are like the two buck that feed amongst the lilies.SONG OF SOLOMON 4-5. Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are like twins, which feed among the lilies. THE SYMBOLS EXPLAINED BY DIVINE REVELATION THE ENCRYPTIONS EXPLAINED ON THE GREAT SEAL OF SOUTH AFRICA THE ROYAL LION. Jesus Christ is called the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, revealing the accepted National Christian Protestant religion officially accepted by the white South African Nation. NECK ARMOUR South Africans shown as an arms bearing nation Who are adequately able to protect themselves from attack. THE TWO BUCK: Depict One Tribe speaking the two different languages spoken by the white South African people. One Nation with two official languages.ENGLISH: The International language spoken by all the twelve tribes of Israel. AFRIKAANS: The other official South African language which is the personal means of communication amongst the South African tribe of Judah. A WOMAN HOLDING AN ANCHOR AND LEANING ON A ROCK: THE WOMAN: This woman is the symbol for the Nation of Anglo Israel and as Predicted by God she was to be a seafaring nation depicted by the anchor thus showing the arrival of the Israel tribe of Judah on the southern shores of Africa by sea in ships. These new arrivals were known as the Huguenots and the 1820 settlers. THE ROCK UPON WHICH THE WOMAN LEANS: Shows the arrival of the Christian Protestant nation Israel/Judah on the Southern shores of Africa dependent and trusting in Jesus Christ The Rock of Ages. THE TWO IDENTICAL BUCK : Show the descendants of the original white settlers In South Africa to be an Identical people although speaking two different languages.. THE APPLE TREE: This apple tree depicts a particular a group of people among the South African Sons especially singled out from amongst the Judah/ South African people who are chosen as Christ’s own beloved Sweetheart. Christ Jesus says he loves to sit in the shadow of this apple tree, The fruit of these sons is sweet to his taste. THE WOODEN WAGON: The wooden chariot not only depicts The mode of transport that King Solomon’s tribe was to use to open up the vast frontiers of the wilderness of South Africa. It also tells of the way being paved with love for these South African daughters of Jerusalem. THE LATIN MOTTO ON THE COAT OF ARMS: “ EX UNITATE VIRUS”The English translation: UNITY IS STRENGTH. The Afrikaans translation: EEN DRACHT MAACHT MAGT. This motto is an instruction and an encouragement to the English and Afrikaans speaking tribe of Judah to unite thereby assuring their prosperity and strength and enabling them to withstand their enemies. THE LILY This lily represents a group of people who are especially chosen out from amongst the South African tribe of Judah, these South Africans are the beloved of Jesus Christ who HE compares to a lily while the rest of the tribe is compared to thorns. KING SOLOMON’S CENTRAL THEME: PARADISE LOST. The Song of Solomon, describes the white South African people as a white tanned and beautiful people. They are a nation who achieved their highest goals and aspirations when they were prepared to fight against the odds for their divinely selected future. A tribe pre-destined to reside in South Africa for the purpose of assuring the survival of the white tribe of Judah. This was achieved by them upholding their high moral standards and their instinctive ideals for race separation. Although a beautiful white nation says Solomon, they unfortunately did not hold the charge and leaned toward the inclusion of the black indigenous savages of Africa integrating them into their white nation. When these South Africans fell on easy and wealthy times, they let down their guard. While good men slept, the enemy was allowed to move in and slowly corrode away at their white God-given sovereignty and independence until they lost all and again sold themselves into a savage bondage from which there is no escape if Gods rescue plan is not accepted. Now hear their sad lament in the Song of Solomon as they witness their own demise “BUT MY OWN VINYARD I HAVE NOT KEPT”. GODS PLAN OF RESTORATION. THE BANNER OF THE ARMY IDENTIFIED. GODS PLAN FOR RESTORATION. MY BELOVED IS WHITE AND RUDDY THE CHIEFEST OF TEN THOUSAND. SAYS THE SONG OF SOLOMON. HIS BANNER OVER ME WAS LOVE – I AM THE APPLE OF HIS EYE CAPE PROVINCEORANGE FREE STATETRANSVAAL In the Song of Solomon a restoration plan for a terrible mistake that has been made by the majority of white South Africans is advised. The story that King Solomon relates is the story of the “THE WELL BELOVED” a story of the minority who did not disobey their God-given charge. They hold the white line. They are called “chosen” the “only one “ amongst all the South African people who have not lost sight of God’s Goals for His own Tribe of Judah. A band of people who offer their lives to defend Gods truth” EACH AFTER HIS OWN KIND.” But as is the way of Gods adversary, the evil one came and defamed these gallant warriors and worked at stopping the majority of whites from supporting this plan for The Nations recovery, making people believe strange new religious beliefs even doubting the existence of The Tri Une God and defaming the name of the Saviour Jesus Christ. Consequently the ”Beloved” few is smote and wounded by the watchmen of the city, they rob the extreme right-wing of their God-given status, leaving her despised and in the care of undeserving weak men. This Beloved in South Africa is described as an army with banners . This Army with its magnificent Banner which represents the South African Protestant Christianity, The only original flag belonging to South Africa, given birth by mother South Africa, It is a banner, a flag born out of the struggle to preserve the sovereignty of the white man in South Africa. This Banner of love over his chosen, is perfected by the Three Sevens representing, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This is the flag of the well beloveds army. ‘ I CHARGE YOU O DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM THAT YE STIR NOT UP NOR AWAKE MY LOVE UNTIL HE PLEASE’ that Statement is a promise of a fearful awakening of this Army by Go, who is very protective of His true Beloved, the extreme right-wing people of South Africa. The Companions in the Song of Solomon ask a question. “What is thybeloved more than the other beloved? THE DIVINE ANSWER.. MY BELOVED IS WHITE AND RUDDY, THE CHIEFEST AMONG TEN THOUSAND. My dove, my undefiled, is the one, she is the only one of her mother South Africa. She ALONE is the choice one of her that bore her. Christ sings out the praises of His beloved. He says that He loves to sit under this apple tree. When she is ready, He prepares to awake her from her sleep. HIS ARMY RESPONDS I AM MY BELOVED’S AND HIS DESIRE IS TOWARDS ME. I AM THE APPLE OF HIS EYE . BORN IN SOUTH AFRICA, BORN ON HOME SOIL , THIS BANNER AND THESE BRAVE MEN ARE BIRTHED BY MOTHER SOUTH AFRICA. THE CALL. In the Song of Solomon God’s army calls to their white brothers to come and suck the breasts of their mother South Africa.“You will be welcomed with a kiss and not be despised under God’s banner” assures King Solomon. The King Jesus Christ’s left hand would then be under your head and His right hand would embrace you. THE PROMISE OF PROTECTION AND VICTORY. “Christ’s love for this ruddy and white army is a jealous cruel and protective love”, says Solomon. He says, the coals of this love have a vehement flame. He say. no matter what floods this extreme right wing Army has had to endure, HIS love for them cannot be quenched, and at the right time this vehement and jealous love for the Well Beloved, who are chosen above all the Daughters of Jerusalem in South Africa, will ignite the flames of war – They are Guaranteed of HIS protection. I charge you O daughters of Jerusalem, That you Stir not up nor awake My beloved until he please. When this beloved awakes from her sleep as promised, Her task will be to tread out the Vintage where Grapes of God’s Wrath are stored THIS INCREDIBLE STORY IN PICTOGRAPH ON THE THE GREAT SEAL OF SOUTH AFRICAN COAT OF ARMS. ALL HAIL TO THE ONLY AND MOST MAGNIFICENT GOD! A PEOPLE ARE PRIVALIGED TO SERVE THIS JESUS CHRIST, WHO TELLS AND SHOWS HIS PEOPLE ALL THE DETAILS OF HIS GREAT PLANS AND TRUTHS BY WORDS AND PICTURES PLANED AND DESIGNED IN THE HEAVENS FOR EACH ONE OF HIS TRIBES, DISPELING ALL OTHER MYTHS AND ASSURING US IN SOUTH AFRICA OF HIS ABSOLUTE LOVE FOR THE “WELL BELOVED”, THE EXTREME RIGHT WING. DETAILING IT FOR THE WORLD TO SEE ON OUR COAT OF ARMS.THIS MAGNIFICENT LOVE STORY AND THE HISTORY OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH IN SOUTH AFRICA IS SUNG IN THE BOOK OF SOLOMON AND LINKED BY PICTURES TO THE GREAT SEAL OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN COAT OF ARMS Coat of arms of the Cape Colony The coat of arms of the Cape Colony was the official heraldic symbol of the Cape Colony as a British colony from 1875 to 1910, and as a province of South Africa from 1910 to 1994. It is now obsolete. The adoption of the arms was a belated response to a British government request, in 1869, for a design for a flag badge to identify the colony. The laying of the foundation stone of the new parliament building in May 1875 was considered as a good opportunity to introduce it. A Cape Town attorney with a keen interest in heraldry, Charles Aken Fairbridge (1824-1893), was accordingly asked to design arms for the Colony. The foundation stone of the colonial parliament was laid on 12 May 1875. According to the Cape Argus newspaper, "among the conspicuous features of the spectacle was the new colonial flag, hoisted aloft above the corner stone, with the heraldic shielding, surroundings and mottoes blazoned on the Union Jack and the Royal Standard floating in the breeze from the loftiest flagstaff in the centre". Queen Victoria formally granted the arms by Royal Warrant a year later, on 29 May 1876. After the Cape became a province of the Union of South Africa in 1910, the provincial administration took over the arms. They were used as provincial arms until the Cape was divided into three smaller provinces in 1994. The original blazon was: Gules, a lion rampant between three annulets Or; on a chief Argent as many hurts each charged with a fleur de lis of the second [i.e. Or]. Crest: the figure of Hope proper vested Azure, resting the dexter arm on a rock and supporting with the sinister hand an anchor Sable entwined with a cable also proper. Supporters: dexter a gnu and sinister an oryx (gemsbok) both proper. Motto: SPES BONA. The symbolism of the arms is obvious. The lion is a South African animal, and also appears in the arms of the two colonial powers which ruled at the Cape, Netherlands and Great Britain. The rings were taken from the arms of the founder of the colony, Jan van Riebeeck. The fleur-de-lis represent the contribution of the Huguenots to the early history of the country. The crest is the Lady of Good Hope, grasping an anchor, first introduced as a symbol of the colony in 1715.The supporters, a gnu (wildebeest) and an oryx (gemsbok), are two typical South African animals. The motto, "Spes Bona" simply means “Good Hope”. New artwork was introduced in 1952. Hope's dress was changed to white, and she was given a blue mantle. The arms were recorded in this form at the College of Arms in July 1955, and registered at the Bureau of Heraldry in 1967. The Free State The coat of arms of the Orange Free State was the official heraldic symbol of the Orange Free State as a republic from 1857 to 1902, and later, from 1937 to 1994, as a province of South Africa. It is now obsolete.The Orange Free State was established as a republic in 1854. It needed official symbols, and its first state president, Josias Hoffman decided to have them professionally designed in the Netherlands. At his request, King Willem III of the Netherlands had a flag and coat of arms designed by the Hoge Raad van Adel during 1855, and sent them out to South Africa. As the Orange Free State was named after the Orange River which, in turn, had been named after the Dutch royal family, the arms depicted a wavy orange fess (stripe) representing the river, and three bugle horns, which are the badge of the House of Orange. By the time the designs reached Bloemfontein, in January 1856, Hoffman had resigned and been succeeded by Jacobus Boshof. Apparently unaware that state symbols were being designed in the Netherlands, Boshof had had a Great Seal designed and manufactured, and approved by the Volksraad (legislature). The seal depicted a tree of liberty, sheep, a lion, and an ox-wagon. When Boshof placed the flag and coat of arms designs before the Volksraad on 28 February 1856, the legislators decided that,The design of the flag sent by the King of the Netherlands shall be adopted, and to the coat of arms sent by the above shall be added the already existing arms in the Great Seal of the State, with omission of the orange stripe. The coats of arms, as actually adopted, then displayed the design of the Great Seal between the three bugle horns. This hybrid design was officially introduced on the republic's third anniversary, 23 February 1857, and was used until the republic ceased to exist on 31 May 1902. As the Orange River Colony (1902-10), the territory had a different coat of arms, granted by King Edward VII of the United Kingdom. When the colony became a province of the Union of South Africa in 1910, the provincial administration took over the Orange River Colony arms, which it used until 1925. In 1937, after a twelve-year period without official arms, the provincial administration adopted the old republican arms, and they were used as the provincial arms until the Orange Free State was reconstituted as the Free State Province in 1994. Coat of arms of the Transvaal The coat of arms of the Transvaal was the official heraldic symbol of the South African Republic from 1866 to 1877 and again from 1881 to 1902, and later the symbol of the Transvaal Province from 1954 to 1994. It is now obsolete. The South African Republic was established in 1857. On 18 February 1858, the Volksraad (legislature) resolved that the new state should have the following coat of arms: On a silver field there shall be placed a wagon and a golden anchor, while an eagle shall rest upon the arms. On the right hand side of the arms a man in national costume with a gun and accessories. On the left hand side a lion. The earliest known appearance of the arms was on banknotes issued in 1866. The crudely drawn arms were depicted as a shield with a lion, an anchor, and a man in the upper half, an ox-wagon in the lower half, and the motto 'Eendragt maakt magt' on a riband across the top. This rendition also appeared on the Staatscourant (government gazette) from 1867. A better version, in which the shield was divided into sections, an eagle was perched on top, and three flags were draped down each side, first appeared on the postage stamps in 1869, and this became the preferred rendition. From 1871, this too appeared on the banknotes,and from 1872 it was on the masthead of the Staatscourant. The arms were in abeyance during the British occupation of the Transvaal, from 1877 to 1881. Revived in 1881, they became obsolete again when the republic ceased to exist in 1902. In 1950, the Transvaal provincial administration decided to adopt the old arms as provincial arms and commissioned chief archivist Dr Coenraad Beyers to investigate and report on the most suitable version.The arms were apparently introduced in 1954,and they were used until the province ceased to exist in 1994. The arms were recorded at the College of Arms in July 1955, and registered at the Bureau of Heraldry in October 1967. The official blazon is: An oval shield per fess, the chief divided per pale; dexter Gules, a natural lion contourne couchant gardant Or; sinister Azure, a bearded man in national dress wearing a hat and bandolier, and holding in the left hand a gun resting upon the ground; in base Vert, a Voortrekker wagon proper; on an inescutcheon Argent an anchor Sable, cabled Gules. Perched on the shield an eagle displayed Or. Behind the shield and draped below on both sides three flags of the South African Republic, green, red, white and blue. Motto: EENDRACHT MAAKT MAGT Coat of arms of Natal The coat of arms of Natal was the official heraldic symbol of Natal as a British colony from 1907 to 1910, and as a province of South Africa from 1910 to 1994. It is now obsolete. As a British colony, Natal's first official symbol was a Public Seal, authorised by Queen Victoria in 1846, and also used as a flag badge from 1870. The seal (illustrated right) depicted the British royal coat of arms in the upper half; in the lower half was an ornamental frame enclosing a scene of two wildebeest (gnu) galloping across a plain. The wildebeest became the popular symbol of Natal, and when the government decided in 1905 to obtain an official coat of arms, the wildebeest were the obvious choice for the design. The arms, designed by G. Ambrose Lee, the York Herald at the College of Arms, were granted by King Edward VII by Royal Warrant on 16 May 1907. After Natal became a province of the Union of South Africa in 1910, the provincial administration took over the arms. They were used as provincial arms until Natal was reconstituted as KwaZulu-Natal in 1994 In their original form, as used by the colonial government, the arms consisted only of a shield, blazoned as follows: Azure, in front of mountains and on a plain two black wildebeesten in full course at random all proper. The provincial administration embellished the arms by placing an imperial crown (so-called 'Tudor crown') above the shield, and a riband inscribed 'Natal' below it. The arms were recorded in this form at the College of Arms in July 1955, and registered at the Bureau of Heraldry in January 1969. As the 'Tudor crown' was no longer the official heraldic version of the crown in 1955, and Natal did not want to change to the new St Edward's crown, the 'Tudor crown' above the arms was modified to make it unique to Natal. The fleurs de lis of the 'Tudor crown' were replaced by crosses, but in general appearance the crown looked the same. Coat of arms of the Orange River Colony The coat of arms of the Orange River Colony was the official heraldic symbol of the Orange River Colony as a British colony from 1904 to 1910, and then of the Orange Free State province of South Africa from 1910 to 1925. It is now obsolete. The Orange Free State republic became a British colony at the end of the Anglo-Boer War in May 1902. The republic's official arms were discontinued, and on 10 December 1904, by Royal Warrant, King Edward VII granted a new coat of arms to the colony. The springbok was chosen as the principal charge in the arms. Although it had made its appearance in heraldry nearly thirty years earlier (in the crest of the arms granted to Edward Randles of Port Natal in 1875), this appears to have been the first time that the animal was used as a charge on a shield. When the colony became a province of the Union of South Africa in 1910, the provincial administration took over the arms, which it used until 1925. In 1937, after a twelve-year period without official arms, the provincial administration adopted the old republican arms, which were used as the provincial arms until the Orange Free State was reconstituted as the Free State Province in 1994. The official blazon is: Argent, on a mound a springbuck and ona chief Azure the Imperial Crown all proper. Gauteng Province (1996) South African heraldry reaches back for more than 350 years, inheriting European (especially Dutch and British) heraldic traditions. Arms are borne by individuals, official bodies, local authorities, military units, and by a wide variety of organisations. South Africa has had its own heraldic authority since 1963, to provide armigers with legal protection, and to promote high standards of armorial practice. Cape Town (1899) South Africa (1910) Origins and history The first known armorial display in South Africa took the form of stone beacons bearing the Portuguese royal arms, which were erected along the coast by navigators who explored the sea route in the 1480s.Some of these beacons still survive. 17th-18th centuries Heraldry was introduced into the region by the Dutch, when they founded the first European colony, at the Cape of Good Hope, in 1652.Under Dutch law, everyone has the right to assume and bear arms, and many settlers bore personal arms, some of which are still borne by their descendants today, The official arms of the Netherlands, and those of the Verenigde Oost Indische Compagnie, which ran the colony, were also used.There do not appear to have been any other corporate arms during the Dutch colonial period, but there is evidence of some use of military unit arms in the 1780s.Civic arms were introduced in 1804. 19th century British military forces occupied the colony during the Napoleonic Wars, and the Netherlands handed it over permanently to Great Britain in 1814. This brought the colony within the jurisdiction of the English College of Arms, the Scottish Lord Lyon and the Irish Ulster Office. British law regards arms as an honour which must be granted or recognised by one or other of these authoritie, but as Roman-Dutch law was retained in the colony, it remained legal to simply assume arms at will. Those who wanted formal grants of arms could apply to one of the three British authorities. As with language, music, and other cultural aspects, then, British and Cape Dutch (Afrikaner) heraldry existed separately side by side. This is still the case, though there has been some cross-pollination during the past half-century. European settlement spread to other parts of the region in the 1830s, as a result of Afrikaner dissatisfaction with British rule. Eventually, the region crystallised into four White-ruled territories: two British colonies and two Afrikaner republics. Their governments adopted official arms. Britain conquered the two Afrikaner republics in the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902), and the four territories united in 1910 to form the Union of South Africa. As self-government developed during the first half of the 20th century, some official attention began to be paid to heraldry. In 1935, the Union government introduced a system of voluntary registration of "badges" by the Department of the Interior. It applied only to associations and institutions, such as schools and clubs, and several dozen of the more than 1300 items registered over the years were coats of arms.The Department of Education, Arts & Sciences took over as registrar in 1959. The rise of Afrikaner nationalism during the 1930s and 1940s drew heavily on culture and tradition, and several books and articles on Afrikaner family history and heraldry were published during that period. Unfortunately, as later research showed, the heraldic sources were generally not very reliable. After an Afrikaner nationalist government took office in 1948, with a republic high on its agenda, steps were taken to bring order to the armorial chaos. Between 1949 and 1953, the four provincial administrations introduced systems of registering civic arms to protect them against usurpation. The defence force established its own heraldry office in 1954. In 1955, an inter-departmental conference recommended the formation of an official heraldic authority, and a committee appointed in 1956 recommended adopting the Swedish model, of a nominated council and an executive bureau, under the auspices of the state archives service. The 1950s also saw an unprecedented number of English and Scottish grants of arms, to municipalities, corporate bodies, the Anglican dioceses, and a few individuals. With a republic in the offing, there may have been a feeling that it was "now or never". South Africa became a republic and left the Commonwealth in 1961. A Heraldry Act was passed in 1962,and the Bureau of Heraldry and Heraldry Council were established in 1963. The Bureau took over from the Department of Education, Arts & Sciences and the provincial administrations as registering authority, and in addition to registering corporate and civic arms, it registers official and personal arms too. Arms have to be heraldically correct to qualify for registration, which remains voluntary. Matriculation, i.e. re-registration of personal arms for armigers' descendants, was authorised in 1969.Thousands of arms have been registered and matriculated over the years. From 1963 to 1969, the Heraldry Act also provided for arms to be granted by the state president to official bodies and by the provincial administrators to local authorities. Grants were subject to Heraldry Council approval and were registered by the Bureau.The Act has never authorised the Bureau to grant arms, only to register them. Since 1963, the Bureau has introduced many innovations, including lines of partition, charges drawn from South African fauna and flora and the African heritage and, in the early 1970s, a highly stylised, Finnish-influenced, artistic style. Usage of arms Roman-Dutch law allows everyone to assume and bear arms, as long as no one else's rights are infringed in the process.Social status, or service to the country, are not requirements as they are in some other countries. There is therefore a wide range of armigers,including: individual persons national and provincial governments local authorities, e.g. municipalities, city councils, divisional councils, district councils government departments and agencies (though current government "branding" policy requires them to use the national arms instead) defence force units (army, air force, navy, military health service) corporations hospitals churches (especially Anglican and Roman Catholic) professional institutes and associations schools, colleges, technikons, and universities social and sports clubs. Regulation There is little regulation of heraldry in South Africa. Arms which have been registered at the Bureau are protected to the extent that a registered owner can take legal action against anyone who usurps or misuses his arms. In the case of the arms of the national and provincial governments, defence force units, and municipalities, offenders can also be prosecuted and fined,and ridiculing or showing contempt for the national arms is punishable by imprisonment. Registration of arms is entirely voluntary. Start Now BACK TO TOP

North West North West (South African province) North West (Tswana : Bokone Bophirima; Afrikaans : Noord-Wes [ˈnuərt.vɛs] ) is a province of South Africa . Its capital is Mahikeng . The province is located to the west of the major population centre of Gauteng and south of Botswana . History North West was incorporated after the end of apartheid in 1994, and includes parts of the former Transvaal Province and Cape Province , as well as most of the former bantustan of Bophuthatswana . It was the scene of political violence in Khutsong , Merafong City Local Municipality in 2006 and 2007, after cross-province municipalities were abolished and Merafong Municipality was transferred entirely to North West. Merafong has since been transferred to Gauteng province in 2009 This province is the birthplace of prominent political figures: Lucas Mangope , Moses Kotane , Ahmed Kathrada , Abram Onkgopotse Tiro , Ruth Mompati , J. B. Marks , Aziz Pahad , and Essop Pahad , among others. Law and government The Provincial Government consists of a premier , an executive council of ten ministers, and a legislature. The provincial assembly and premier are elected for five-year terms, or until the next national election. Political parties are awarded assembly seats based on the percentage of votes each party receives in the province during the national elections. The assembly elects a premier, who then appoints the members of the executive council. The premier of North West Province as of 7 September 2021 is Bushy Maape of the African National Congress . He replaced Job Mokgoro as premier after Mokgoro resigned in August 2021. Geography Hamerkop Kloof between Rustenburg and Pretoria on north-facing slopes of Magaliesberg Much of the province consists of flat areas of scattered trees and grassland. The Magaliesberg mountain range in the northeast extends about 130 km (about 80 miles) from Pretoria to Rustenburg . The Vaal River flows along the southern border of the province. Climate Temperatures range from 17° to 31 °C (62° to 88 °F) in the summer and from 3° to 21 °C (37° to 70 °F) in the winter. Annual rainfall totals about 360 mm (about 14 in), with almost all of it falling during the summer months, between October and April. Borders North West borders the following districts of Botswana : Kgatleng – far northeast South-East – northeast Southern – north Kgalagadi – northwest Domestically, it borders the following provinces: Limpopo – northeast Gauteng – east Free State – southeast Northern Cape – southwest North West Province is traversed by the northwesterly line of equal latitude and longitude. Municipalities Main article: List of municipalities in the North West North West Province districts and local municipalities The North West Province is divided into four district municipalities . The district municipalities are in turn divided into 18 local municipalities : District municipalities Bojanala Platinum District Moretele Madibeng Rustenburg Kgetlengrivier Moses Kotane Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Naledi Mamusa Greater Taung Kagisano-Molopo Lekwa-Teemane Ngaka Modiri Molema District Mahikeng Ratlou Tswaing Ditsobotla Ramotshere Dr Kenneth Kaunda District JB Marks Matlosana Maquassi Hills Cities and towns Population 200,000+ Mahikeng Klerksdorp Rustenburg Population 50,000+ Potchefstroom Population 25,000+ Brits Orkney Lichtenburg Population 10,000+ Bloemhof Christiana Coligny Koster Letsopa Ledig Mogwase Ottosdal Schweizer-Reneke Stilfontein Ventersdorp Vryburg Wolmaransstad Zeerust Population < 10,000 Mmakau Mothibistad Reivilo Economy The Bridge of Time facing the Entertainment Centre, Sun City The mainstay of the economy of North West Province is mining, which generates more than half of the province's gross domestic product and provides jobs for a quarter of its workforce. The chief minerals are gold, mined at Orkney and Klerksdorp ; uranium, mined at Klerksdorp; platinum , mined at Rustenburg and Brits ; and diamonds, mined at Lichtenburg , Christiana , and Bloemhof . About 85% of all money-making activities take place between Klerksdorp and Potchefstroom. The economic heart of the province is Klerksdorp. The northern and western parts of the province have many sheep farms and cattle and game ranches. The eastern and southern parts are crop-growing regions that produce maize (corn), sunflowers, tobacco, cotton, and citrus fruits. The entertainment and casino complex at Sun City and Lost City also contributes to the provincial economy. The majority of the province's residents are Tswana people who speak Tswana , as in neighbouring Botswana . Smaller groups include Afrikaans , Sotho , and Xhosa speaking people. English is spoken primarily as a second language. Most of the population belong to Christian denominations. (Figures according to Census 2001 released in July 2003). According to the 2007 community survey 90.8% of the province's population was Black (mostly Tswana -speaking), 7.2% as White (mostly Afrikaans speaking), 1.6% as Coloured and 0.4% as Asian . The 2007 community survey showed the province had a population of just over 3 million. The province's white population is very unevenly distributed. In the southern and eastern municipalities, the white percentage in double figures such as the Tlokwe and Matlosana where the white percentages were 27% and 12% respectively. The province has the lowest number of people aged 35 years and older (5.9%) who have received higher education. Since 1994 the number of people receiving higher education has increased. After the disbanding of the bantustans , many people migrated to the economic centres of Cape Town and Gauteng . Education The province had two universities: the North-West University , which was formerly called the University of Bophuthatswana (founded in 1979), in Mmabatho ; and Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education (founded in 1869; became a constituent college of the University of South Africa in 1921 and an independent university in 1951). These two universities have now merged and the new institution is called North-West University. As part of the Department of Education's proposed plans for higher education, the existing four higher learning institutions will be merged to form two. During 2003, as part of the Year of Further Education and Training project, three mega institutions, Taletso, ORBIT and Vuselela, were established to provide technical and vocational training to the youth. These institutions have been incorporated into many of the former education and technical colleges and manpower centres. Sports Basketball North West Eagles (Potchefstroom ) Rugby union Platinum Leopards (Rustenburg ) Soccer Platinum Stars (dissolved) (Rustenburg) Netball North West Flames (Potchefstroom) Softball Generations Softball club (Klerksdorp ) BACK TO TOP

South Africa Tribes South Africa Tribes South Africa is known for its ethnic and cultural diversity. Therefore, there is no single culture of South Africa. Art of South Africa Eland, rock painting, Drakensberg, South Africa The oldest art objects in the world were discovered in a South African cave. Dating from 75,000 years ago, these small drilled snail shells could have no other function than to have been strung on a string as a necklace. South Africa was one of the cradles of the human species. One of the defining characteristics of our species is the making of art (from Latin 'ars' meaning worked or formed from basic material). The scattered tribes of Khoisan peoples moving into South Africa from around 10000 BC had their own fluent art styles seen today in a multitude of cave paintings. They were superseded by Bantu/Nguni peoples with their own vocabularies of art forms. In the 20th century, traditional tribal forms of art were scattered and re-melded by the divisive policies of apartheid.New forms of art evolved in the mines and townships: a dynamic art using everything from plastic strips to bicycle spokes. The Dutch-influenced folk art of the Afrikaner Trekboers and the urban white artists earnestly following changing European traditions from the 1850s onwards also contributed to this eclectic mix, which continues to evolve today. Art Of South Africa Architecture The architecture of South Africa mirrors the vast ethnic and cultural diversity of the country and its historical colonial period. In addition, influences from other, distant, countries, have contributed to the variety of the South African architectural landscape. Herbert Baker, among the country's most influential architects, designed the Union Buildings in Pretoria. Other buildings of note include the Rhodes memorial and St George's Cathedral in Cape Town, and St John's College in Johannesburg. Cape Dutch architecture was prominent in the early days (17th century) of the Cape Colony, and the name derives from the fact that the initial settlers of the Cape were primarily Dutch. The style has roots in mediaeval Holland, Germany, France and Indonesia. Houses in this style have a distinctive and recognisable design, with a prominent feature being the grand, ornately rounded gables, reminiscent of features in townhouses of Amsterdam built in the Dutch style. The rural landscape of South Africa is populated with traditional African architecture . South Africans have been referred to as the 'rainbow nation', a title which epitomises the country's cultural diversity. The population of South Africa is one of the most complex and diverse in the world. Of the 45 million South Africans, nearly 31 million are Black, 5 million White, 3 million Coloured and one million Indian. The population density is 32.9 people per km². The Black population is divided into four major ethnic groups, namely Nguni, Sotho, Shangaan-Tsonga and Venda. There are numerous subgroups of which the Zulu and Xhosa (two subgroups of the Nguni) are the largest. The majority of the White population is of Afrikaans descent (60%), with many of the remaining 40% being of British descent. Most of the Coloured population live in the Northern and Western Cape provinces, whilst most of the Indian population lives in KwaZulu Natal. The Afrikaner population is concentrated in the Gauteng and Free State provinces and the English population in the Western and Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal. There are eleven official languages in South Africa, namely English, Afrikaans, Ndebele, Sepedi, Xhosa, Venda, Tswana, Southern Sotho, Zulu, Swazi and Tsonga. View more information about each (see below), including the origins of the language and where it is spoken in South Africa. Also see South Africanisms and useful Xhosa phrases and Zulu phrases. ​ South Africa's Official Languages ​ Xhosa (isiXhosa) Language Xhosa Ladies There are 11 official languages in South Africa and Xhosa is known to be listed as one of those languages. Approximately 18 percent of South Africa’s population speaks the language, and when doing the maths, that makes it around 7.9 million people. Xhosa is marked by a number of tongue-clicking sounds. Those that speak the language are usually involved in an ethnic group known as the amaXhosa, and to them this language is known as isiXhosa. An interesting fact is that the word “Xhosa” is derived from the Khoisan language, which means “angry men”. A majority of the languages in South Africa which involve tongue-clicking, originate from the Khoisan. Xhosa is known to fall under Bantu language, and is also a representative of South-western’s Nguni family. With this fact, South Africa’s known to be Xhosa’s native land, and especially the Eastern Cape - where the language is spoken everywhere. The Zulu people of South Africa have their own name for the Xhosa people, and this is KwaXhosa. When translated KwaXhosa simply means “land of Xhosa”. Visiting the Western Cape and Gauteng one will also see many Xhosa people and hear them speak. Because Xhosa and Zulu are both classed as a Bantu language, if these two classes were to communicate with one another, often they will understand each other. Xhosa Woman Xhosa has been grouped into quite a few dialects, and although the dialects are still being debated, the accepted dialect groups are: Xhosa (original), Gcaleka, Bhaca, Ngqika, Thembu, Mpondomise, Mfengu, Mpondo and Bomvana. Xhosa is unusual, at the same time it is an attractive sounding language. To many, the language is difficult to learn mainly because the consonants are uncommon and also densely populated. The sounds are aggressive, which consists of English sounds, 15 clicks, ejectives and also an implosive. What learners battle with are the 15 clicks, and these are divided into 3 groups: the dental clicks - where the tongue presses against the person’s teeth. The end result should be “tut-tut”, alveolar clicks – where the tongue presses against the palate. The end result should be a sound resembling cork popping out of a bottle, and then the lateral click - where the tongue presses against the side of the mouth. The end result should be the sound one makes when calling a horse. Learning to speak the language can be very challenging, but also very rewarding. The next time you decide to travel to South Africa’s Eastern Cape don’t forget to stop an amaXhosa and ask him / her to instruct you on a couple of phrases. There is no doubt that they will be eager to teach you a thing or two and share their historical language with you. Zulu (IsiZulu) Language Zulu Woman IsiZulu or Zulu is one of the official languages of South Africa. 10 million people speak the language and most of these people live in South Africa. 24% of South Africans, Zulu is considered to be their home language and 50% of the South Africa’s inhabitants understand the language. Zulu falls under the Nguni group and is one of the Bantu languages. Xhosa and Zulu are the only two languages mutually understandable. The Zulu nation came into existence around the 14th century. Although there are many Bantu migrants, back then Zulu language adopted many of the sounds that make up the language from the San and from the Khoi. The San and the Khoi were the first residents in South Africa. Evidence of this is the Zulu’s clicking consonants used in their language. Other indigenous languages before were all oral languages until missionaries from Europe arrived. This was the time Zulu became written - when missionaries that had arrived jotted down the interesting facts concerning this language using a Latin alphabet. The year was 1883, and this was the year the first book containing the Zulu language was produced - A Bible. Zulu Woman John Dube resided in Natal at the time established what was called Ohlange Institute in the year 1901. The Ohlange Institute was known to be South Africa’s very first educational foundation. John Dube was considered a great pioneer in the Zulu language and wrote the first Zulu paperback titled “Insila Kashaka”. Other names in Zulu literature had included Oswald-Mbuyiseni Mtshali, Reginald Dhlomo and Benedict-Wallet Vilakazi. The mentioned novelists specialised in creating historically-based novels telling the life stories of known Zulu leaders - Dingane and Shaka (also known as Shaka Zulu). Zulu anthologies came into production in the year 1935 and in the later years with writers JC Dlamini, BWV Vilkazi and OEH Nxumalo. Written Zulu today is under Kwazulu Natal Zulu-Language Jurisdiction Board. Zulu is now a language that has become wide spread in Africa. It is especially spoken in KwaZulu Natal, which is also known as “Land of-the Zulu”. The language can also be heard in Mpumalanga and Gauteng. Other countries in Africa where this language is spoken are Swaziland and Lesotho, which are also South Africa’s very close neighbours. South African English has adopted many Zulu words into its vocabulary. Some of the words include ubantu (humanity), donga (ditch), indaba (conference) and muti (medicine). Two Zulu animal names are used in Standard English, and these are the Impala (proper name) and the Mamba (poisonous snake). If you are considering learning a South African language, Zulu would probably be suggested by many. The main reason is that the language is not difficult to understand and it is widely used and understood. Afrikaans Language Afrikaans Language Monument outside Paarl The Afrikaans language is one of South Africa’s official languages and a majority of South Africa’s population uses this as their first or second language. Afrikaans is a born language and attached is a fascinating history. The language is widely spoken in Namibia and spoken partly in Zimbabwe, Botswana and other countries. According to many English South Africans, Afrikaans is said to be a language that is dying, but this language has made its mark in society and the culture backing this language is rich. The word Afrikaans in Dutch means “African”. Afrikaans was created in Cape Town, which is home to various nationalities. The nationalities that make up the population of South Africa are Indonesians, Madagascans, Khoikoi, Dutch Settlers and West Africans. Afrikaans has become a new form of Dutch. Afrikaans’s original dialect is referred to many as Kitchen Dutch, Cape Dutch or African Dutch. In the late 19th century Afrikaans was recognised as the separate language when Dutch was considered. 1961 was the year when Afrikaans became one of the 11 official languages with English. This gave the Dutch language the boot straightaway, although many people still speak the language around the country. South African School Children What make Dutch and Afrikaans different are grammar and the vocabulary. Afrikaans is considered to be a language containing “regular” grammar. This is ascribed to certain influences by Dutch-creole languages. A huge sum of vocabulary shows evidence of South-Hollandic Dutch origins. The Afrikaans language does contain words from English, Khoi, Xhosa, Asian Malay, Malagasy, San, Portuguese and French, although many of these words do sound extremely and noticeably different. The dialect in the North-eastern was a form of Afrikaans, and from this written-standard was developed. Afrikaans is spoken as a first language by 60 percent of white people and about 90 percent of coloured people. Many South African races use Afrikaans as their second language, and many black South Africans use it as their third language. Afrikaans has been labelled by many critics as a very "ugly language", but apart from this the language has gained popularity in many countries in the world. Universities in Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Russia and Poland are also teaching Afrikaans. In the year 1975 the Afrikaans-Language Monument (photo above) was built near the town of Paarl in the Western Cape. The structure was extremely impressive and was created to remember the statement of Afrikaans for being a language on its own. The Afrikaans language had definitely made its mark, and if you are unable to learn a phrase or two when visiting this country ... "môre is nog 'n dag" (tomorrow is another day) or plainly: the opportunity will always be there. Venda ​ Venda (Luvenda / Tshivenda) Language This language known as Luvenda, Venda or Tshivenda, originated from the Bantu language and is also related to Niger and Congo languages. Those that speak Venda are part of South Africa’s population, and it is one of the 11 official South African languages. Around 666 000 of Tshivenda speakers live in the Northern parts of South Africa’s Limpopo Province. Those that speak Tshivenda have a Royal Family and there are also traditions that relate to this. If the son wants to become a Chief or a King, the son’s mother must be “legible”, and only this way will the son sit on the throne of his dearly departed Chief or King. Mothers are required to be part of the Royal Family and this will promise that children have royal blood. The Tshivenda culture allows a sister and a brother from different mothers to marry. This is another promise that only royal blood will take the throne. The people of Tshivenda show women the greatest respect, and because of this women are allowed to become Queens and Chiefs of their tribes. Followers show the Tshivenda women the same great respect, and in turn they show respect to their fellow males. In the Tshivenda tradition, a Khoro takes place every Sunday. This is a Tshivenda Tribal Council. Here Chiefs and senior citizens get together and have discussions concerning the community. The Tshivenda people are very proud of all their traditions and introduce their standards and morals every new generation. Music is one of the most important activities in the life of a Tshivenda person. They have music for every event in their lives. There is music for worship, sadness, joy, work and sadness. Drum beats accompany most of their music, and exceptions are made for songs, and the songs are usually murmured. Drums are extremely important for the Tshivenda people, making it symbolic. The Tshivendas dance to the beat of their drums, and this is the peoples’ different changes through life. Cooking is done in a traditional way, and usually by the Tshivenda speaker. The traditional meal is Tshidzimba, which is a mixture of groundnuts, beans and mielie grains. Summer is the time the Tshivenda people plant seeds, and this is also known to be the best time when they work. There is always something for the hard-working people to look forward to after working all day in the fields and that is music, a few drinks and dancing. Ndebele Language Ndebele Dolls Many South African African people can speak Ndebele and it is in fact a beautiful language if you know how to speak and understand it well. It is a Bantu language that is spoken by Ndebele South Africans (the Ndebele people are also sometimes referred to as amaNdebele). People of the Ndebele culture and language can be found throughout Gauteng. Their language may be separated into the chief dialects; these are Southern Ndebele and Northern Ndebele. The last census was taken around the year of 1996 and it was then reported that there are approximately 500,000 individuals in the country of South Africa that are able to speak the Ndebele language and who belong to this cultural group. These people often get confused with the Ndebele speaking people in Zimbabwe or Botswana, but their language has more in common with Zulu and not Ndebele. Most of the people that speak Southern Ndebele are situated in and around the Limpopo province. There are also a few Ndebele residents staying in Polokwane and Mokopane, but there will not be many of them, maybe just a handful. This language is generally only spoken amongst people of the Ndebele culture and it is not taught at any schools, therefore the language is falling away and can only be carried through generations. Many of the young children of the Southern Ndebele speak Northern Sotho because it is said to be a lot more adaptable and more useful than any other. Lovely Ndebele Woman in traditional Dress Mpumalanga and Gauteng is where most of the Northern Ndebele people can be found. The language of Ndebele was not considered to be an important language and neither was it considered to be necessary, so the children were taught to speak Zulu and Northern Ndebele instead, as it was more common than Ndebele. Besides all this, the Ndebele families were still different from the Zulu families and this brought on their separation by the Apartheid government. Ndebele got its very own radio station, which was simply named “Radio Ndebele” and then later renamed “Ikhwekhwezi” which means “star” if translated into English. Many people will say that the radio station has played a big role in trying to keep the Ndebele language alive and to keep the pronunciation and vocabulary the same; however there have been a few Afrikaans and Northern Sotho words added to the language. Sepedi (Northern Sotho) Language Sepedi Woman Sepedi is also sometimes referred to as Sesotho sa Laboa or Northern Sotho. The language of Sepedi is spoken by approximately 4,208,980 individuals and it is one of the eleven official languages in South Africa. The Sepedi language is usually spoken in Mpumalanga, Gauteng and the Limpopo province, but a little bit of it is also spoken in Botswana. This language is a part of the Bantu Group which belongs to the Niger-Congo and it is very closely connected with the Setswana and Sesotho languages. As many religions and cultures do, Sepedi has their own traditions. Many people take a liking to this culture and language because of their wedding ceremonies. The bride and grooms closest family members will get together to discuss the wedding and most importantly, the lebola. What happens here is the bride’s family, normally her mother and father, request certain items from the groom’s parents in exchange for their daughter. The items that are normally asked for are things like money and livestock, but they can literally ask for anything. If they would like a bottle of brandy, they can ask for that, or a television, whatever they ask for, the groom’s parents cannot refuse otherwise their son may not marry whom he wishes to marry. A Sepedi wedding is not held at a church, but rather at the bride’s or groom’s home. When the bride is dressed and ready for her wedding, she has to go to the river and collect enough water and wood for the ceremony. Her dress will be made from a cow’s hide and is called a Dintepa; the groom can wear a suit for the big day. When the bride has collected enough water and wood and completed her other tasks, she is now ready to walk to her husband-to-be, but while she is walking her grandmother sweeps the floor in front of her to “clear her way”. When the couple is married and everyone has been to congratulate them and the ceremony is done, a cow or sheep will be slaughtered and the meat is equally divided to both the families. Then the fun starts; the music played at Sepedi weddings is normally that of kiba music, which only the men are allowed to dance to. Setswana Setswana is commonly known as Tswana, and is actually Botswana’s national language. However, the majority of Tswana or Setswana speakers are found in South Africa. It is the Northern Cape that is the source of the Setswana and Afrikaans speakers. When travelling to ... Setswana (Tswana) Language Batwane Woman in Traditional Dress Setswana is commonly known as Tswana, and it is Botswana’s national language. The majority of Tswana or Setswana speakers are however found in South Africa. It is the Northern Cape that is the source of the Setswana and Afrikaans speakers. When travelling to Zimbabwe and Namibia one is also able to bump into many Setswana speakers. Being a Bantu language means Setswana is related to other Sotho languages. These are Southern Sotho and Sesotho-sa Leboa (Northern Sotho). Not long ago, Tswana was known by many as Beetjuans, Coana, Chuana (relation of Bechuanaland), Sechuana, Cuana. There seem to be a few of its own obstacles in the Tswana language when talking it, and this is because all of the Sotho languages have close relations with each other, moreover, there are different dialects found in certain parts of the African continent. If you come across a Setswana speaker, be sure to say “Dumela!” This simply means “Hello!”. As with many other languages, Setswana has it own slang. Separate words: “O-a-re-eng?” is pronounced wah-reng simply means “How is it going?” an easier and much shorter version would be, “Go jwang”, and this simply means “How’s it?” Wealth is measured among the Setswana speakers by the number of cattle they have in their possession. The more cattle a Setswana speaker owns, that person is moving closer to making “Setswana Forbes”. The Setswana Forbes is a list containing all the names of the wealthy. The division between a rich Setswana and a poor Setswana is distinct, and division continues to grow. The world’s western ways have penetrated this culture, and this has led to the elimination of the Setswana speaker’s traditional clothing. However, many other cultures have survived this abolishment and they get to keep their traditional ways. Traditional healers, or sangomas, and music play a very important part in this culture. The music involved in Setswana consists on only string instruments and human voices. The Setswana people don’t really use drums in their music, and this comes to no surprise, because only one musical group ever came into existence. The Kgwanyape Band released their album “Mepatho-ya Malobe” in 1993. Many people question the credibility and the integrity of the sangomas of the Setswana people. There are arguments that these sangomas have no qualifications. Then again, there should not only be concerns about the Setswana sangomas, but sangomas in other cultures as well. If you are considering seeing a sangoma when travelling, keep in mind that travel and time for certain herbs are added to the fee. Most sangomas call on their ancestors when consulting you, so all you have to do is hope that the ancestors are smiling on that day. Southern Sesotho This Bantu language originates from the Bantu-Nguni era and is also known as Suto, Souto, Sisutho as well as Suthu. The dialects originates from Suto, Pedi as well as Tswana which are intelligible but at the same time is also considered to be separate languages ... Southern Sesotho Language Southern Sesotho This Bantu language originates from the Bantu-Nguni era and is also known as Suto, Souto, Sisutho as well as Suthu. The dialects originates from Suto, Pedi as well as Tswana but at the same time is considered to be a separate language. Being one of the eleven official languages of South Africa, Southern Sesotho is spoken by more than five million of the South African population as well as peoples in Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia and Zambia. In Lesotho, Southern Sesotho is one of the two official languages and is spoken by more than 85% of inhabitants. According to scholars, the original written form of this language was based on the dialect from Tlokwa and today it is mostly based on the dialects from the Kwena and Fokeng. To describe the language is quite a task, as it is regarded to have nine vowels which are collapsed in five letters each. This, when compared to other languages of this nature is quite a large amount. The language consists of 35 consonants, which include two semi-vowels, for non-homogenous doubled eloquent and a tri-click. Southern Sesotho Southern Sesotho would generally be classified in the group of the Niger-Congo family. While this complicated language will be a foreign tongue to you, when you do master and understand it when it is spoken, like all foreign languages, you will begin to appreciate the beauty thereof. The words have a flow to the sound when it is spoken by a Sesotho speaking person and one will easily pay attention to the intricacies in tone as well as the nasalization. In this language, the words for father - ntate and mother - mme are also used to address elders and shows respect for them. Children are encouraged to have good manners, be polite and always have to be willing to know their values. The overall attitude that this culture has toward the growing youth is “Lefura la ngwana ke ho rungwa”, translated means, Children benefit from serving their elders. Marriages are pre-arranged between families; which can lead to a girl being married as young as twelve. This has however changed with time and they are now free to pick their partners. Swati (Sewati / Swazi / siSwati) Language Swazi Dancers Swati might not sound familiar to you, but rather Sewati, Swazi or siSwati as these are all the same language, just in different names. Swati is a part of the Nguni Group and it is one of the many Bantu languages. It is mainly spoken by people in South Africa and Swaziland. Swati one of the official languages of South Africa and many schools teach this language to the students only if they would like to learn it, while at other schools it is a compulsory subject to take. It is a similar language to Ndebele, Xhosa and Zulu and they are often confused by people that are unaware of the differences these four languages have. Swati is easiest when divided into its four dialects, which are Hhoho, Nandzini, Shiselweni and Shiselweni again. These are the four divisions that correspond with the four appropriate districts of the country. There are mainly two different strains of the siSwati language. The normal kind of siSwati that is spoken is done so mainly in the South and North West, the other kind of Swati is mainly spoken far into the Deep South, this type is highly influenced by Zulu, so it is not really considered to be proper siSwati. Often considered to be the second dialect that is spoken is Swati. During the year of 1750, the Swazi successors in South Africa decided to relocate, going north in the direction of KwaZulu Natal and then from there they went north-west in the direction of the Ususthu River. They chose to move to this river because it provided them with shelter and protection from the warriors and the King Shaka Zulu. They found it so enjoyable that there are still some Swazi’s staying there today. Swazi Elder The Swazi people are known to have many traditional events, but they are most commonly known for their Incwala and Umhlanga. At these events you will see the entire culture of Swazi’s in their colourful outfits with red feathers, carrying shields and wearing multicoloured necklaces. Another one of their great traditional festivals is the eight day reed dance (see photo above). This is a ceremony held normally in the last days of August till the first few days of September for all the single women. All the unmarried women will do their dance for the Queen Mother and hand over the reeds that had specially cut for the occasion. The reason for this ceremony is to “protect the women’s chastity” and to praise the Queen Mother. On the last day of the celebration, the King will have his cattle slaughtered and the women may then help themselves to the meat and take it back home with them to enjoy further. Tsonga Language Shangaan Woman The language of Tsonga is mainly spoken throughout southern Africa by the Shangaan - Tsonga culture. The main area where Tsonga is spoken is in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland and South Africa. Tsonga is a part of Bantu branch when it comes to the Niger-Congo languages. The speakers of this language are often referred to as Shangaans, but the Tsongas say this is incorrect as that term should only be used for the Tsonga people who are living in Mozambique. Even though the Tsonga speakers are spread throughout Southern Africa, the majority of them live in the Limpopo province in South Africa. There are approximately 1,646,000 Tsonga speakers in Limpopo. Tsonga is one of South Africa’s eleven official languages as it is spoken by so many of its residents. The language of Tsonga does not use the English alphabet, even though they are mainly based in South Africa, in actual fact they make use of the Latin alphabet. It is not an easy language to learn if you were not Tsonga born; they use specific sounds to spell, using a combination of different letters. The letters they use are not a part of the European language, but are just used to determine the language. Shangaan Woman Counting from one to ten is as follows; Nwe (1), Mbirhi (2), Nharhu (3), Mune (4), Ntlhanu (5), Ntsevu (6), Nkombo (7), Nhungu (8), Nkaye (9), Khume (10) A few examples of what sentences look like when they are put together in Tsonga are like this; “Va ndzi tiva” - They know me “Ndza ku rhandza” - I love you “Ha ku tiva” - We know you “Wa ndzi rhandza” - You love me Numerous dialects of the language Tsonga are used as far south as Kwazulu Natal and as far north as Zimbabwe, or the Save River in Zimbabwe. Most of the dialects are equally comprehensible, they do indeed have noticeable differences, which are geographical and based on the pressure from the colonial era. There are three popular distinct dialects, these are Xironga, which is mainly spoken in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, as well as the areas around it; Chihlengwe / Xitshwa, verbal in Mozambique and Zimbabwe, and then xiTsonga, which is the language spoken in the country of South Africa. All of these dialects have different pronunciation, for example the Tsonga that’s spoken in South Africa, when they say “xi” it is pronounced as “shi”. BACK TO TOP

South African history has been dominated by the interaction and conflict of several diverse ethnic groups. The aboriginal Khoisan people have lived in the region for millennia. Most of the population, however, trace their history to immigration since. Indigenous Africans in South Africa are descendants of immigrants from further north in Africa who first entered what are now the confines of the country roughly one thousand years ago. White South Africans are descendants of later European settlers, mainly from the Netherlands and Britain. The Coloureds are descended at least in part from all of these groups, as well as from slaves from the then East Indies, and there are many South Africans of Indian and Chinese origin, descendants of labourers who arrived in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. ​ The history South Africa is taken here more broadly to cover the history not only of the current South African state but of other polities in the region, including those of the Khoisan, the several Bantu kingdoms in the region before colonisation, the rule of the Dutch in the Cape and the subsequent rule of the British there and in Natal, and the so-called Boer republics, including the Orange Free State and the South African Republic. South Africa was under an official system of racial segregation and white minority rule from 1948 known as Apartheid, until its first egalitarian elections in 1994, when the ruling African National Congress came to dominate the politics of the country. ​ The Early Settlers The Early Settlers . Jan van Riebeeck and the 90 men who landed with him in 1652 at the Cape of Good Hope, under instructions by the Dutch East India Company to build a fort and develop a vegetable garden for the benefit of ships on the Eastern trade route. The Great Trek The Great Trek was a movement of Dutch-speaking colonists up into the interior of southern Africa in search of land where they could establish their own homeland, independent of British rule. The determination and courage of these pioneers has become the single most important element in the folk memory of Afrikaner Nationalism. On 16 December 1838 the Battle of Blood River On 16 December 1838 the Battle of Blood River took place near the Ncome River in KwaZulu Natal. The battle was between the Zulu's and the Voortrekkers.The battle began at dawn and was over by midday. More than 3000 Zulu casualties were counted around the laager. Only, 3 Voortrekkers (including Voortrekker leader Pretorius) were wounded, none were killed. The Ncome River became red with the blood of the slain. Hence the river became known as "Blood River". The Anglo-Zulu War The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom.Following the imperialist scheme by which Lord Carnarvon had successfully brought about federation in Canada, it was thought that a similar plan might succeed with the various African kingdoms, tribal areas and Boer republics in South Africa. In 1874, Sir Henry Bartle Frere was sent to South Africa as High Commissioner for the British Empire to bring the scheme into being. The First Boer War The First Boer War (Dutch: Eerste Boerenoorlog, Afrikaans: Eerste Vryheidsoorlog, literally First Freedom War) also known as the First Anglo-Boer War or the Transvaal War, was fought from 16 December 1880 until 23 March 1881 The Second Boer War The Second Boer War (Dutch: Tweede Boerenoorlog, Afrikaans: Tweede Vryheidsoorlog or Tweede Boereoorlog) was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic (Transvaal Republic) and the Orange Free State. The Voortrekker Monument The Voortrekker Monument is located just south of Pretoria in South Africa. This massive granite structure is prominently located on a hilltop, and was raised to commemorate the Voortrekkers who left the Cape Colony between 1835 and 1854.On 8 July 2011 the Voortrekker Monument, designed by the architect Gerard Moerdijk, was declared a National Heritage Site by the South African Heritage Nicolaas Pieter Johannes ("Niklaas" or "Siener") Janse van Rensburg (August 30, 1864 - March 11, 1926) was a Boer from the South African Republic - also known as the Transvaal Republic - and later a citizen of South Africa who was considered by some to be a prophet of the Boere. He was born on the farm Palmietfontein in the Potchefstroom district as son of Willem Jacobus Janse van Rensburg and Anna Catharina Janse van Rensburg. The Day of the Vow The Day of the Vow (Afrikaans: Geloftedag or Dingaansdag) is the name of a religious public holiday in South Africa until 1994, when it was renamed the Day of Reconciliation-The holiday is December 16. Commemorating a famous Boer victory over the Zulu, the anniversary and its commemoration are intimately connected with various streams of Afrikaner nationalism The Voortrekkers The Voortrekkers (Afrikaans and Dutch for pioneers, literally "those who trek ahead", "fore-trekkers") were emigrants during the 1830s and 1840s who left the Cape Colony (British at the time, but founded by the Dutch) moving into the interior of what is now South Africa. The Great Trek consisted of a number of mass movements under a number of different leaders including Louis Tregardt, Hendrik Potgieter, Sarel Cilliers, Pieter Uys, Gerrit Maritz, Piet Retief and Andries Pretorius. General Jacobus Herculaas de la Rey General Jacobus Herculaas de la Rey (22 October 1847 – 15 September 1914), known as Koos de la Rey, was a Boer general during the Second Boer War and is widely regarded as being one of the strongest military leaders during that conflict.He is generally regarded as the bravest of the Boer generals during the Second Boer War and as one of the leading figures of Boer independence. 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