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Welcome to Southernstar-Africa! Discover South Africa's Rich History My Story Read More I Was Born On the 15 November 1960 in Germany and was Brought up in South Africa,Have Three of my Own Children and One child that I brought up as my Own Child,Two staying In South Africa and Two Staying with me in Germany. My Nick Name is Andy,and have a Profile on Facebook My Face book Profile Andy Willi Dezius | Create your badge I Speach - English / German and Africans , and also read and wright the 3 Languages , I am at the moment a Truck Driver in Germany. To my Profiles , here are a few things to tell you about me , I was Born in Germany, and was brought up in South Africa. My Homepages are about South Africa and South African Music, I have had Goodtimes and also Bad times when I lived in South Africa. I created this Homepage to Remember me , of my life , and the Wonderfull things I got to see in my Life . And to share it with people and friends on the Internet , So I say thankyou to WIX .com in Germany, and people who supported me to with my Homepage, the southernstar-africa.de.tl..... WELCOME -WELKOM-WILLKOMMEN TO MY WEBSITE ABOUT SOUTH AFRICA Get to Know Us Southernstar-africa is a Homepage and Website based on South Africa,The Life and Culture and Wildlife and as Well of our Lives ,when we were still Liveing in South Africa .This Homepage has Information on South African History,on the Wildlife and the Big Five Game of South Africa. You Can find Pictures ,Links ,News,Recipes,Joke ,South African Ghost Stories and many other things that mite Intrest you,and also for School Projects,Some Pages are not for childrens View. You will find link banner on top of the webpages,at the bottom of the website,and on the left side of the page,you will also see alot of pages are link to other sites ,on the Net,and as well linked to partner and our own websites and Homepages... Featured Project Aucun post publié dans cette langue actuellement Dès que de nouveaux posts seront publiés, vous les verrez ici. All Videos All Videos Lire la vidéo Partager Chaîne entière Cette vidéo Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copiez le lien Lien copié Search videos Rechercher une vidéo... Lecture en cours South Africa Travel Documentary - Road trip along the Garden Route | Highlights [4K] 34:58 Lire la vidéo Lecture en cours 10 Best Places to Visit in South Africa - Travel Video 11:41 Lire la vidéo Lecture en cours SOUTH AFRICA TRAVEL | The 15 BEST Places To Visit In South Africa (+ Travel Tips) 17:51 Lire la vidéo Lecture en cours HIGH UP in the East Cape Drakensberg: So Many INSANE Mountain Passes! | Drakensberg pt.1 24:30 Lire la vidéo South African History A brief history of South Africa Africa is considered to be the cradle of mankind. There is evidence that some of the earliest people lived in southern Africa. Modern humans have lived here for more than 100 000 years. The hunter-gatherer San roamed widely over the area and the pastoral Khoi-Khoi wandered in the well-watered parts where grazing was available. Within the last millennium great changes have taken place in the southernmost part of Africa. Tribes from central Africa moved southwards into the eastern and central parts of the area known today as South Africa. By the 13th century iron-age people had settled in the northern part of the Kruger National Park area. They traded widely - artifacts from as far away as China have been found amongst the ruins of their settlements. Pastoralists, these people also cultivated the land and had mastered the techniques of mining and metallurgy. Among the archeological finds from this area there are some remarkable golden animal figures. By the middle of the 17th century trading ships from Europe were sailing the seven seas and the Dutch East India Company sent out Jan van Riebeeck and a small group of men to build a fort and set up a halfway station for the ships going to the trading posts in the East. Originally they bartered with the Khoikhoi, but soon conflict arose about cattle theft and grazing grounds. Within 10 years after the establishment of the victualling post at the Cape the first farmers had been given land to cultivate and before the turn of the century some settlers began to migrate north and east. Slaves from Africa and the East were imported to carry out the strenuous labour. Diseases like smallpocks diminished the Khoisan population and a mixed- race group consisting of descendants of the Khoisan, slaves, excites and white colonists was formed. The newcomers brought Christianity and Islam to the Cape. The colonists, mainly of Dutch, German and French Huguenot descent began to lose their sense of identification with Europe and the Afrikaner nation came into being. By the end of the 18th century these migrant farmers had come into contact with the Xhosa speaking inhabitants of the Eastern Cape and skirmishes between them ensued. In 1806 when the Napoleonic wars were raging in Europe the Cape became a British colony. Some 5000 British settlers were placed on the eastern frontier in 1820 in an unsuccessful effort to provide a buffer against the Xhosas. In 1857 a mass starvation occurred amongst the Xhosa as a result of a prophecy that the whites would return to the sea if the blacks would slaughter their cattle and destroy their crops. During the early 19th century the great Zulu warrior king, Shaka, had risen to power. The resulting conquests had caused what was known as the mfecane and large parts of the interior were denuded of inhabitants. Into these parts now moved the white farmers who had become dissatisfied with British rule and the emancipation of slaves in 1834. A group of these Voortrekkers moved east into the area today known as KwaZulu-Natal. After several battles between the Zulus and the Trekkers the British, fearing conflict to spread, annexed Natal where they already had a small settlement. The Trekkers then established themselves in two republics, the Orange Free State and the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek between the Orange and the Limpopo rivers. By the middle of the 19th century the small refreshment post at the Cape had grown into an area of white settlement that covered the whole of what is today the Republic of South Africa. During the latter half of the 19th century vast deposits of diamonds and gold were discovered in South Africa resulting in the founding of Kimberley and Johannesburg. This had a dramatic economic and political effect, eventually leading to the Anglo-Boer War between Britain and the two Boer republics [1899-1902]. Many blacks had hoped that the British victory would result in franchise rights for them, but when the Union of South Africa consisting of the four former colonies came into being in 1910 they were barred from parliament and repressives measures to entrench white power soon followed. In an act of unity the African National Congress [ANC] was founded in Bloemfontein in 1912 and protests against these laws ensued. The period after the First World War was marked by strike action and the formation of unions. In the 1930's black Cape voters were removed from the common voters' roll, laws were passed to stem black urbanization and force municipalities to segregate black Africans and white residents. The 1940's saw South Africa participating in World War II under the premiership of Smuts. Strong opposition to the war by the Afrikaners resulted in more support for Malan and the subsequent rise to power of the Nationalist Party. Meanwhile in 1944 the ANC Youth League was formed with Nelson Mandela as its secretary. The result being an almost 50 year long conflict between this organisation and the Nationalist Party. After the war came a time of rapid industrialisation, but skilled work remained with the whites. In 1948 the Nationalist Party gained power which they would not relinquish until 1994. Separate Development [Apartheid] became the official government policy. The result was an increase of unity amongst resistance groups which included black, coloured, Indian and white organisations. In 1961 South Africa became a republic and left the Commonwealth. By the end of that year Umkhonto we Sizwe [The Spear of the Nation] started with acts of sabotage and the UN had called upon its members to institute economic sanctions against South Africa. Mandela, Sisulu and other leaders of the resistance groups were arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment on Robben Island. In 1976 the youth of Soweto marched against unacceptable educational conditions, police fired at them and violence broke out. A state of emergency was declared. By the late 1980's under increasing international pressure the government had no option but to start negotiations with Mandela. In 1990 Mandela was set free and in 1993 after further negotiations an interim constitution was agreed to by 21 political parties. In 1994 the first democratic election was held and Mandela became president. Recent Projects Aucun post publié dans cette langue actuellement Dès que de nouveaux posts seront publiés, vous les verrez ici. 14 Prominent figures in South Africa's History 8 Major Historical Events 5 Projects Completed 2 Ongoing Projects Nine Provinces in South Africa WESTERN CAPE - NORTHERN CAPE - MPUMALANGA - NORTH WEST - KWA ZULU NATAL - LIMPOPO - ORANGE FREE STATE - GAUTENG - EASTERN CAPE South Africa is officially known as the Republic of South Africa and is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa, South Africa borders Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Swaziland, and surrounds the independent country of Lesotho; Exploring South Africa has a coastline that stretches more than 2500 kilometers and spans two oceans; namely the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean. South Africa covers an area of over 1 210 000 km², making it the 25th-largest country in the world. Whatever type of holiday you enjoy, South Africa can accommodate you! Young or old, whether you are looking for adventure, in the form of bungee jumping or wildlife big 5 safaris; or if you just want to relax and soak up the sun on one of the many blue flag beaches and stunning game lodges, South Africa offers it all! South African Flora is particularly rich in plant biodiversity; plant lovers will find more than 20,000 different plants species - approximately 10% of all the known plant species on Earth are found within South Africa's borders, most commonly associated with South Africa are the Protea family of fynbos. An abundance of wildlife roams in the many game parks in South Africa; the most famous and well known of which is the Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga – the “Big 5” can be spotted there if you are lucky! South Africa is also blessed with a large variety of birdlife, and may beautifully coloured birds. Instagram Call Email a.dezius@gmail.com Follow Southernstar-Africa Info Facebook Instagram Twitter Blogger Our Main Website in Germanys Riseingsouthernstar- Africa Link Our Homepage has 180 sites on 4 homepages to visit,3000 pictures and over 150 linked website on all 4 homepages and Bloggers on South Africa with alot of Information ,linked to 4 homepages that was build up from our team,it took 2 years of hard work to set these Homepages on the web,for viewer to see ,and share around the World... BACK TO TOP

South Africa Maps PRETORIA Pretoria is a city in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive ,administrative and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is divided into three sections: pretoria west, east and north. Pretoria is contained within the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality as one of several constituent former administrations ,among which also Centurion and Soshanguve. Pretoria itself is sometimes referred to as "Tshwane" due to a long-running and controversial proposed change of name, which has yet to be decided, as of 2012. Pretoria is named after Andries Pretorius.Pretoria in South Africa is popularly known as The Jacaranda City due to the thousands of Jacaranda trees planted in its streets, parks and gardens http://visitpretoria.co.za/General/map-of-pretoria View Larger Map JOHANNESBURG Johannesburg , is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa.The city is one of the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the world, and is also the world's largest city not situated on a river, lake, or coastline. It claims to be the lightning capital of the world, though this title is also claimed by others. While Johannesburg is not one of South Africa's three capital cities, it is the seat of the Constitutional Court, which has the final word on interpretation of South Africa's new post-Apartheid constitution. The city is the source of a large-scale gold and diamond trade, due to its location on the mineral-rich Witwatersrand range of hills. Johannesburg is served by O.R. Tambo International Airport, the largest and busiest airport in Africa and a gateway for international air travel to and from the rest of Southern Africa. More recently Lanseria International Airport has started international flights, and is situated conveniently on the opposite side of the metropolis. View Larger Map DURBAN Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. It is also the third largest city in South Africa after Johannesburg and Cape Town. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism because of the city's warm subtropical climate and extensive beaches. The municipality, which includes neighbouring towns, has a population of almost 3.5 million, making the combined municipality the biggest city on the east coast of the African continent. Archaeological evidence from the Drakensberg mountains suggests that the Durban area has been inhabited by communities of hunter-gatherers since 100,000 BC. These people lived throughout the area of present day KwaZulu-Natal until the expansion of Bantu farmers and pastoralists from the north saw their gradual displacement,incorporation or extermination. View Larger Map CAPE TOWN Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa after Johannesburg, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality. The city is famous for its harbour as well as its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, including such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape Point. Cape Town is also Africa's most popular tourist destination. Located on the shore of Table Bay, Cape Town was originally developed by the Dutch East India Company as a victualling (supply) station for Dutch ships sailing to Eastern Africa, India, and the Far East. Jan van Riebeeck's arrival on 6 April 1652 established the first permanent European settlement in South Africa. View Larger Map PORT ELIZABETH Port Elizabeth is one of the largest cities in South Africa, situated in the Eastern Cape Province, 770 km (478 mi) east of Cape Town. The city, often shortened to PE and nicknamed "The Friendly City" or "The Windy City", stretches for 16 km along Algoa Bay, and is one of the major seaports in South Africa. Port Elizabeth was founded as a town in 1820 to house British settlers as a way of strengthening the border region between the Cape Colony and the Xhosa. It now forms part of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality which has a population of over 1.3 million. During the Second Boer War, the port was an important transit point for soldiers, horses and materials headed to the front by railway. While the city itself did not see any conflict, many refugees from the war moved into the city. These included Boer women and children interned by the British in a concentration camp. Following that war, the Horse Memorial was erected to honour the tens of thousands of horses and mules that died during the conflict. View Larger Map PIETERBURG-POLOKWANE Polokwane, meaning "Place of Safety", is a city in the Polokwane Local Municipality and the capital of the Limpopo province, South Africa. It is also often referred to by its former name,Pietersburg. Polokwane is a major urban centre, the biggest and most important north of Gauteng. Polokwane was one of the host cities of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.In the 1840s, Voortrekkers under the leadership of Andries Potgieter established Zoutpansbergdorp, a town 100 km to the north west. This settlement had to be abandoned because of clashes with the local tribes. They founded a new town in 1886 and named it Pietersburg in honour of Voortrekker leader Petrus Jacobus Joubert. The British built a concentration camp at Pietersburg during the Boer War to house almost 4,000 Boer women and children. The town officially became a city on April 23, 1992; on February 25, 2005, the government declared the official name of the city as Polokwane, a name that was generally in use by the speakers of Northern Sotho. View Larger Map PORT SHEPSTONE Port Shepstone is situated on the mouth of the largest river on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, the Mzimkulu River ,the great home of all rivers. 120 kilometres (75 mi) south of Durban, it is the administrative, educational and commercial centre for southern Natal. Port Shepstone was founded in 1867 when marble was discovered nearby and is named after Sir Theophilus Shepstone of the Natal government of the 1880s. William Bazley built a harbour and the first coaster entered the harbour on the May 8, 1880. In 1882 a party of 246 Norwegian immigrants settled here and played a large part in the development of the area. After the opening of the railway to Durban in 1901 the harbour fell in disuse and eventually the river silted up again making it impossible to use. The 27,000 candela lighthouse still stands at the mouth of the Mzimkulu River. View Larger Map EAST LONDON East London is a city on the southeast coast of South Africa, situated at 32.97°S and 27.87°E in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality of the Eastern Cape province. The city lies on the Indian Ocean coast, largely between the Buffalo River and the Nahoon River, and hosts the country's only river port. East London today has a population of over 400 000, with over 1.4 million in the metropolitan area.The city formed around the only river port in South Africa and was originally known as Port Rex. This settlement on the West Bank was the nucleus of the town of East London, which was elevated to city status in 1914. During the early to mid-19th century frontier wars between the British settlers and the local Xhosa inhabitants, East London served as a supply port to service the military headquarters at nearby King William’s Town, about thirty miles away. A British fort, Fort Glamorgan, was built on the West Bank in 1847, and annexed to the Cape Colony that same year. This fort is one of a series of forts the British built, that include Fort Murray, Fort White, Fort Cox Fort Hare and Fort Beaufort, in the border area that became known as British Kaffraria. View Larger Map BLOEMFONTEIN Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals ,the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital. As the capital of the Orange Free State Republic the growth and maturing of the Republic resulted in the growth of the town. Numerous public buildings that remain in use today were constructed. This was largely facilitated by the excellent governance of the Republic ,which acquired the term model republic ,and the compensation from the British for the loss of the diamond rich Griqualand area.In 1899 the city was the site of the Bloemfontein Conference, which failed to prevent the outbreak of the Second Boer War. The conference was a final attempt to avert a war between Britain and the South African Republic. With its failure the stage was set for war, which broke out on 11 October 1899. View Larger Map KIMBERLEY Kimberley is the capital of the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. It is located approximately 110 km east of the confluence of the Vaal and Orange Rivers. The city has considerable historical significance due its diamond mining past and the siege during the Second Boer War. Notable personalities such as Cecil Rhodes and Barney Barnato made their fortunes here, and the roots of the De Beers company can also be traced to the early days of the mining town.In 1866, Erasmus Jacobs found a small brilliant pebble on the banks of the Orange River, on the farm De Kalk leased from local Griquas, near Hopetown, which was his father's farm. He showed the pebble to his father who sold it. The pebble was purchased from Jacobs by Schalk van Niekerk, who later sold it. It proved to be a 21.25 carat (4.25 g) diamond, and became known as the Eureka. Three years later Schalk van Niekerk sold another diamond also found in the De Kalk vicinity, the Star of South Africa for £11,200. View Larger Map MPUMALANGA Mpumalanga from Eastern Transvaal on 24 August 1995), is a province of South Africa. The name means east or literally "the place where the sun rises" in Swazi, Xhosa, Ndebele and Zulu. Mpumalanga lies in eastern South Africa, north of KwaZulu-Natal and bordering Swaziland and Mozambique. It constitutes 6.5% of South Africa's land area. In the north it borders on Limpopo, to the west Gauteng, to the southwest the Free State and to the south KwaZulu-Natal. The capital is Nelspruit ,recently renamed to Mbombela. Prior to 1994, Mpumalanga was part of Transvaal Province. The Drakensberg Escarpment divides Mpumalanga into a westerly half consisting mainly of high-altitude grassland called the Highveld and an eastern half situated in low altitude subtropical Lowveld/Bushveld, mostly savanna habitat. The southern half of the Kruger National Park is situated in the latter region. The Drakensberg exceeds heights of 2000m in most places with this central region of Mpumalanga being very mountainous. These regions have alpine grasslands and small pockets of Afromontane Forest. The Lowveld is relatively flat with interspersed rocky outcrops. The Lebombo Mountains form a low range in the far east forming the border with Mozambique. View Larger Map LIMPOPO Limpopo is the northern most province of South Africa. It was named after the Limpopo River; "Limpopo" means "waterfalls" in Zulu and other Nguni languages. The capital is Polokwane, formerly named Pietersburg. The province was formed from the northern region of Transvaal Province in 1994, and initially named Northern Transvaal. The following year, it was renamed Northern Province, which remained the name until 2003, when the name of the province was formally changed to the name of its most important river–on the border with Zimbabwe and Botswana–after deliberation by the provincial government and amendment of the Constitution. A notable consideration for the name was Mapungubwe, the area where the most ancient gold-using civilisation of the province was discovered a few years earlier. The province contains much of the Waterberg Biosphere, a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve. The Waterberg Biosphere, a massif of approximately 15,000 km2 (5,800 sq mi), is the first region in the northern part of South Africa to be named as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. The massif was shaped by hundreds of millions of years of riverine erosion to yield diverse bluff and butte landforms.The Waterberg ecosystem can be characterised as a dry deciduous forest or Bushveld. Within the Waterberg, archaeological finds date to the Stone Age. Nearby are early evolutionary finds related to the origin of humans. Pictures of South Africa Translate Company Gestbook Riseingsouthernstar-Africa Radio Eendrag .......... riseingsouthernstar africa THE RISEING SOUTHERNSTAR OF AFRICA Home Our Site Map South African History The Nine Provinces Wild Life South Africa South African Culture Genocide South Africa Our Top List South Africa Maps Our Petitions Site Weskaap AWB Radio Stations Sam-South African Music South Africa Maps Our South African Maps and Pictures PRETORIA Pretoria is a city in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive ,administrative and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is divided into three sections: pretoria west, east and north. Pretoria is contained within the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality as one of several constituent former administrations ,among which also Centurion and Soshanguve. Pretoria itself is sometimes referred to as "Tshwane" due to a long-running and controversial proposed change of name, which has yet to be decided, as of 2012. Pretoria is named after Andries Pretorius.Pretoria in South Africa is popularly known as The Jacaranda City due to the thousands of Jacaranda trees planted in its streets, parks and gardens http://visitpretoria.co.za/General/map-of-pretoria View Larger Map JOHANNESBURG Johannesburg , is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa.The city is one of the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the world, and is also the world's largest city not situated on a river, lake, or coastline. It claims to be the lightning capital of the world, though this title is also claimed by others. While Johannesburg is not one of South Africa's three capital cities, it is the seat of the Constitutional Court, which has the final word on interpretation of South Africa's new post-Apartheid constitution. The city is the source of a large-scale gold and diamond trade, due to its location on the mineral-rich Witwatersrand range of hills. Johannesburg is served by O.R. Tambo International Airport, the largest and busiest airport in Africa and a gateway for international air travel to and from the rest of Southern Africa. More recently Lanseria International Airport has started international flights, and is situated conveniently on the opposite side of the metropolis. View Larger Map DURBAN Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. It is also the third largest city in South Africa after Johannesburg and Cape Town. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism because of the city's warm subtropical climate and extensive beaches. The municipality, which includes neighbouring towns, has a population of almost 3.5 million, making the combined municipality the biggest city on the east coast of the African continent. Archaeological evidence from the Drakensberg mountains suggests that the Durban area has been inhabited by communities of hunter-gatherers since 100,000 BC. These people lived throughout the area of present day KwaZulu-Natal until the expansion of Bantu farmers and pastoralists from the north saw their gradual displacement,incorporation or extermination. View Larger Map CAPE TOWN Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa after Johannesburg, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality. The city is famous for its harbour as well as its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, including such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape Point. Cape Town is also Africa's most popular tourist destination. Located on the shore of Table Bay, Cape Town was originally developed by the Dutch East India Company as a victualling (supply) station for Dutch ships sailing to Eastern Africa, India, and the Far East. Jan van Riebeeck's arrival on 6 April 1652 established the first permanent European settlement in South Africa. View Larger Map PORT ELIZABETH Port Elizabeth is one of the largest cities in South Africa, situated in the Eastern Cape Province, 770 km (478 mi) east of Cape Town. The city, often shortened to PE and nicknamed "The Friendly City" or "The Windy City", stretches for 16 km along Algoa Bay, and is one of the major seaports in South Africa. Port Elizabeth was founded as a town in 1820 to house British settlers as a way of strengthening the border region between the Cape Colony and the Xhosa. It now forms part of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality which has a population of over 1.3 million. During the Second Boer War, the port was an important transit point for soldiers, horses and materials headed to the front by railway. While the city itself did not see any conflict, many refugees from the war moved into the city. These included Boer women and children interned by the British in a concentration camp. Following that war, the Horse Memorial was erected to honour the tens of thousands of horses and mules that died during the conflict. View Larger Map PIETERBURG-POLOKWANE Polokwane, meaning "Place of Safety", is a city in the Polokwane Local Municipality and the capital of the Limpopo province, South Africa. It is also often referred to by its former name,Pietersburg. Polokwane is a major urban centre, the biggest and most important north of Gauteng. Polokwane was one of the host cities of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.In the 1840s, Voortrekkers under the leadership of Andries Potgieter established Zoutpansbergdorp, a town 100 km to the north west. This settlement had to be abandoned because of clashes with the local tribes. They founded a new town in 1886 and named it Pietersburg in honour of Voortrekker leader Petrus Jacobus Joubert. The British built a concentration camp at Pietersburg during the Boer War to house almost 4,000 Boer women and children. The town officially became a city on April 23, 1992; on February 25, 2005, the government declared the official name of the city as Polokwane, a name that was generally in use by the speakers of Northern Sotho. View Larger Map PORT SHEPSTONE Port Shepstone is situated on the mouth of the largest river on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, the Mzimkulu River ,the great home of all rivers. 120 kilometres (75 mi) south of Durban, it is the administrative, educational and commercial centre for southern Natal. Port Shepstone was founded in 1867 when marble was discovered nearby and is named after Sir Theophilus Shepstone of the Natal government of the 1880s. William Bazley built a harbour and the first coaster entered the harbour on the May 8, 1880. In 1882 a party of 246 Norwegian immigrants settled here and played a large part in the development of the area. After the opening of the railway to Durban in 1901 the harbour fell in disuse and eventually the river silted up again making it impossible to use. The 27,000 candela lighthouse still stands at the mouth of the Mzimkulu River. View Larger Map EAST LONDON East London is a city on the southeast coast of South Africa, situated at 32.97°S and 27.87°E in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality of the Eastern Cape province. The city lies on the Indian Ocean coast, largely between the Buffalo River and the Nahoon River, and hosts the country's only river port. East London today has a population of over 400 000, with over 1.4 million in the metropolitan area.The city formed around the only river port in South Africa and was originally known as Port Rex. This settlement on the West Bank was the nucleus of the town of East London, which was elevated to city status in 1914. During the early to mid-19th century frontier wars between the British settlers and the local Xhosa inhabitants, East London served as a supply port to service the military headquarters at nearby King William’s Town, about thirty miles away. A British fort, Fort Glamorgan, was built on the West Bank in 1847, and annexed to the Cape Colony that same year. This fort is one of a series of forts the British built, that include Fort Murray, Fort White, Fort Cox Fort Hare and Fort Beaufort, in the border area that became known as British Kaffraria. View Larger Map BLOEMFONTEIN Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals ,the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital. As the capital of the Orange Free State Republic the growth and maturing of the Republic resulted in the growth of the town. Numerous public buildings that remain in use today were constructed. This was largely facilitated by the excellent governance of the Republic ,which acquired the term model republic ,and the compensation from the British for the loss of the diamond rich Griqualand area.In 1899 the city was the site of the Bloemfontein Conference, which failed to prevent the outbreak of the Second Boer War. The conference was a final attempt to avert a war between Britain and the South African Republic. With its failure the stage was set for war, which broke out on 11 October 1899. View Larger Map KIMBERLEY Kimberley is the capital of the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. It is located approximately 110 km east of the confluence of the Vaal and Orange Rivers. The city has considerable historical significance due its diamond mining past and the siege during the Second Boer War. Notable personalities such as Cecil Rhodes and Barney Barnato made their fortunes here, and the roots of the De Beers company can also be traced to the early days of the mining town.In 1866, Erasmus Jacobs found a small brilliant pebble on the banks of the Orange River, on the farm De Kalk leased from local Griquas, near Hopetown, which was his father's farm. He showed the pebble to his father who sold it. The pebble was purchased from Jacobs by Schalk van Niekerk, who later sold it. It proved to be a 21.25 carat (4.25 g) diamond, and became known as the Eureka. Three years later Schalk van Niekerk sold another diamond also found in the De Kalk vicinity, the Star of South Africa for £11,200. View Larger Map MPUMALANGA Mpumalanga from Eastern Transvaal on 24 August 1995), is a province of South Africa. The name means east or literally "the place where the sun rises" in Swazi, Xhosa, Ndebele and Zulu. Mpumalanga lies in eastern South Africa, north of KwaZulu-Natal and bordering Swaziland and Mozambique. It constitutes 6.5% of South Africa's land area. In the north it borders on Limpopo, to the west Gauteng, to the southwest the Free State and to the south KwaZulu-Natal. The capital is Nelspruit ,recently renamed to Mbombela. Prior to 1994, Mpumalanga was part of Transvaal Province. The Drakensberg Escarpment divides Mpumalanga into a westerly half consisting mainly of high-altitude grassland called the Highveld and an eastern half situated in low altitude subtropical Lowveld/Bushveld, mostly savanna habitat. The southern half of the Kruger National Park is situated in the latter region. The Drakensberg exceeds heights of 2000m in most places with this central region of Mpumalanga being very mountainous. These regions have alpine grasslands and small pockets of Afromontane Forest. The Lowveld is relatively flat with interspersed rocky outcrops. The Lebombo Mountains form a low range in the far east forming the border with Mozambique. View Larger Map LIMPOPO Limpopo is the northern most province of South Africa. It was named after the Limpopo River; "Limpopo" means "waterfalls" in Zulu and other Nguni languages. The capital is Polokwane, formerly named Pietersburg. The province was formed from the northern region of Transvaal Province in 1994, and initially named Northern Transvaal. The following year, it was renamed Northern Province, which remained the name until 2003, when the name of the province was formally changed to the name of its most important river–on the border with Zimbabwe and Botswana–after deliberation by the provincial government and amendment of the Constitution. A notable consideration for the name was Mapungubwe, the area where the most ancient gold-using civilisation of the province was discovered a few years earlier. The province contains much of the Waterberg Biosphere, a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve. The Waterberg Biosphere, a massif of approximately 15,000 km2 (5,800 sq mi), is the first region in the northern part of South Africa to be named as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. The massif was shaped by hundreds of millions of years of riverine erosion to yield diverse bluff and butte landforms.The Waterberg ecosystem can be characterised as a dry deciduous forest or Bushveld. Within the Waterberg, archaeological finds date to the Stone Age. Nearby are early evolutionary finds related to the origin of humans. View Larger Map Voortrekker str, Pretoria : Hope These Google Maps helped you find the Information of South Africa, and maybe make a dream come true ,to visit South Africa, Thankyou for Visiting our Map Page,Greetings Andy,and have a great day,and visit us soon again on our Website http://riseingsouthernstar-africa.de.tl Start Now Sam-South African Music SAM SAM-SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC BLOG ON GOOGLE In April 2014 the Google Blogger was openened ,through the high visit of friends and visitors, Online around the world and Thankyou to our supporters AND FRIENDS. We support and promote our friends that was at that time playing in some of the local upcoming bands, and give our other local musicians a way through which they could share their music to their South African fans, and hopefully internationally. Read more Information On SAM and Dj.Night Hawk... Style: “Dance and Disco music with South African boere and Afrikaanse Music ” Best known for: “soft and Loving music from South Africa ‘South African Boerer Music’ (to share with my friend on Facebook and Friends around the world on Radio Eendrag).” Tune of the year: “(Afrikaanse Remix)’ Bok Van Blerk,Steve Hofmeyr and many more South African afrikaanse se Singers‘” From: “Germany Limburg.” Breakthrough DJ/ 2014: “Straight to the top! with support of his Fb fan .” 2014 has been an exciting year for Dj Night Hawk, Andy Dezius. In Janaury he secured a headline on facebook and build many websites and blogger to share on the world wide web and had the South African Boere Volk and friends supporting him all the way and supporting his Facebook Profile to support the South African White People, ‘Go Hard’ received more than two million views on his blogger and website. This was followed by 'Many ways that he had supported the White People of South Africa. DJ Night Hawks ,Andy Dezius career began when he was spotted by many of his Facebook Friends to go so far and open a South African Music group,blogger and Homepage to share with his friends and the world wide web ,and they supported him all the way . DJ Night Hawk took the aspiring under his wings. “He brought it into a music show on facebook by shareing youtube videos and his fan and friends love it.” “I’m really happy . It’s an honour to share my Website.” Read more SAM-SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC South African Music is a South African Homepage based with a Online Music Radio Station Radio Eendrag , from South Africa that is stationed in Cape Town , and is also a South African Music Time shareing Homepage to share with People all around the World for Young and Old, It was founded in March 2014 in Germany. SAM-South African Music homepage is looking for South African Music Artists ,to be added to their homepage ..Please inbox Andy Or at our Contact page .. or leave a message in our gestbook ..Thankyou . If you are a South African band .. Singer or Music Artist would like to be added..greetings SAM-SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC. Read more What do we Advitise and what do we share with our Friends We support and promote our friends that was at that time playing in some of the local upcoming bands, and give our other local musicians a way through which they could share their music to their South African fans, and hopefully internationally. We have also opened a new Radio Eendrag blogger on Google We welcome ALL OUR FRIENDS AND FANS and hope you to follow us on Radio Eendrag.. google blog http://radio-eendrag.blogspot.de/ Read more Read more Radio Eendrag Playlist 2014 RSS Live now: 1 min. ago Fredi Nest - S My - Meer En Meer 1h. 38min. ago Down The Mississippi 17h. 8min. ago Theuns Jordaan - Vreemde Stad - Sonvanger 1d. 7h. 1min. ago Unknown Artist - Unknown Album (8/24/2009 10:45:21 Am) - Track 3 1d. 22h. 9min. ago Vrystaat Limousine.mp3 2d. 12h. 26min. ago Unknown Artist - Unknown Album (12/20/2008 9:15:29 Pm) - Track 5 3d. 1h. 47min. ago Boerevry 3d. 16h. 33min. ago Hanne 4d. 5h. 41min. ago Take On Me.mp3 4d. 20h. 32min. ago Daar Gaan Sy 5d. 9h. 18min. ago From This Moment 5d. 9h. 57min. ago 12tonight.mp3 6d. 19min. ago Bonnie Tyler - Greatest Hits - It`s A Heartache 6d. 14h. 58min. ago Kimberley Se Trein 7d. 4h. 27min. ago Reik Na Die Sterre.mp3 7d. 19h. 50min. ago Kalahari Kinders 8d. 11h. 14min. ago Tiny Bubbles.mp3 9d. 2h. 4min. ago Stampie Boude.mp3 9d. 18h. 6min. ago Michael Lindt - Sal Vir Altyd Bly - Horison Van My Droom 10d. 9h. 11min. ago Wie Stoot So 11d. 26min. ago Take On Me.mp3 11d. 14h. 13min. ago Dreams 12d. 3h. 48min. ago Yeppa.mp3 12d. 18h. 22min. ago Livin On A Prayer 13d. 8h. 51min. ago Bonnie Tyler - Bitterblue - Bitterblue 14d. 3min. ago Bobby Van Jaarsveld - Vat My Saam - Vat My Saam 14d. 15h. 44min. ago Kaptein Span Die Seile 15d. 5h. 41min. ago 03 Robbie Williams Something Beautiful.mp3 15d. 21h. 19min. ago Rabbedoe.mp3 16d. 12h. 3min. ago Dreams 17d. 1h. 51min. ago Jaloers Bokkie.mp3 17d. 17h. 9min. ago Ons Soek Net Country.mp3 18d. 6h. 59min. ago Boerenooi 18d. 21h. 34min. ago Vrystaat Limousine.mp3 19d. 11h. 24min. ago Kaptein Span Die Seile 20d. 1h. 40min. ago 9 To 5 20d. 8h. 15min. ago Michael Lindt - Sal Vir Altyd Bly - Horison Van My Droom 20d. 17h. 41min. ago Take Me Back 21d. 9h. 30min. ago Kniee Lam 22d. 47min. ago Ken Jy Die Land Waar Die Boervolk Woon 22d. 16h. 22min. ago Abba - Sos 23d. 6h. 40min. ago Droomvrou 23d. 22h. 8min. ago Macarena 24d. 13h. 35min. ago On The Wings Of A Nightingale.mp3 25d. 3h. 9min. ago 13boys Of Summer.mp3 25d. 17h. 11min. ago Stampie Boude.mp3 25d. 21h. 46min. ago Liefde Is My Nooi Se Naam 25d. 21h. 49min. ago Macarena 25d. 22h. 2min. ago Maria - 25 Gatswaai Treffers - Everlasting Love 25d. 22h. 3min. ago Moeder Se Gebede 25d. 22h. 26min. ago Tina Turner - Privare Dancer 25d. 22h. 38min. ago Tina Turner - The Best 26d. 5h. 41min. ago Because Its Lovedon Kelly 26d. 8h. 8min. ago Die Lewe Sonder Jou 26d. 18h. 54min. ago Skommel Daai Ding.mp3 27d. 8h. 1min. ago Do You Speak English 27d. 22h. 2min. ago Vier Woorde.mp3 28d. 11h. 32min. ago Steve Hofmeyer - Dis Hoe Dit Is 29d. 22min. ago Ramkat.mp3 29d. 13h. 56min. ago Im Alive 30d. 2h. 39min. ago 8 01 Heidi.mp3 30d. 16h. 7min. ago Macarena Mambo 30d. 23h. 8min. ago Cascada - Perfect Day - What Hurts The Most (yannous Candelight Mix) 31d. 4h. 49min. ago 54 5de Straat.mp3 31d. 18h. 28min. ago Sonja Herholdt Harlekyn.mp3 32d. 7h. 8min. ago Boesmanland 32d. 20h. 5min. ago Dana Winner - Sproetjies 33d. 8h. 58min. ago Bette Davis Eyes 33d. 22h. 19min. ago Unknown Artist - Unknown Album (8/24/2009 10:45:21 Am) - Track 3 34d. 5h. 1min. ago Its Raining Man 34d. 11h. 40min. ago Artist - Title - Ge Korsten-sonder Jou We have also opened a new Music blogger on Google We welcome ALL OUR FRIENDS AND FANS and hope you to follow us on SAM-South African Music google blog http://sam-southafricanmusic.blogspot.de/ Read more Radio Eendrag is Searcing for Top Djs.All over the World .To give a Live Steam ,World Wide .Ülease Contact Radio Eendrag ,We will be Happy if you are Interested to Broadcast for us.We are looking for Top Djs around the world .Become a Team Member. See More SAM-SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC SAM-SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC has added a new Homepage .This page is about Dj Night Hawk as a Music Share Programm.Dj.Night Hawk also shares Radio Eendrag Live and there Auto Dj that run 24/7 World Wide , on 8 Blogs in Germany and 8 Website and Homepages, to share with Friends and Fans. Dj.Night Hawk also shares Youtube Video on a Friday Night for 1 Hour Music Videos to share with Facebook Members And Friends.and soon will share many more Music as for Video,Music and Picture ,Welcome to Dj.Night Hawk. Read more WE NEVER SLEEP WE ARE 24/7 If not live on the Chanel then as Auto Dj....This is what we call Interainment. If you Love our Homepages ,Blogs or Groups on Facebook ,Follow us and Advitise with us.We are here to share with our friends world wide and your Friends and Family.We stand what we do .South African Music is not Known yet all over the world yet .It Great Music and songs. Read more BACK TO TOP

Kwa Zulu Natal Welcome to the KwaZulu Natal Known as the Zulu Kingdom Appropriately named "South Africa's Garden Province ", the lush and green province forms the east coast of South Africa from the Mozambique boundary southwards to Port Edward. Enticing, spectacular and fascinating, the province is a subtropical coastline, with savannah heading east towards majestic Drakensberg mountain range in the west. KwaZulu Natal's beaches are along the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, and are some of South Africa's most popular holiday spots. It is a multi-cultural showpiece destination. Kwa-Zulu Natal is also known as the Zulu Kingdom and has eight different destinations, each offering its own unqiue set of experiences. It is a kaleidoscope showing you natural wonders, ultra-modern facilities, fascinating glimpses of a multi-coloured people, a history rich in heroic deeds, bloody battles and ultimately reconciliation, and this is all set against a majestic backdrop of sun, sea, mountains and sky. Durban is a sophisticated cosmopolitan city of over three million people. A city where east meets west it is known as the home of Africa's best managed, busiest port. It is an exciting city in which to play, shop, experience the nightlife and relax. It is a city in which to do business also. The world-class International Convention Centre has hosted an historic line-up of events including conferences of a global scale. Also known as the playground of the Zulu Kingdom, there are so many things to keep you busy in Durban, such as a marine world, the wharf, the BAT centre, fine restaurants, entertainment and shopping, craft markets, beachfront stalls, theatres and clubs, township tours, nature sanctuaries and parks, the Botanical Gardens and so much more. You can sail, swim, run, play tennis or stroll along or relax on the sun-drenched beaches. Battlefields - Shaka, Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi and General Louis Botha were all famous military strategists who walked through this place many years ago. Lone forts and small graveyards on these undulating landscapes with rocky outcrops make visible the secrets and sorrows of great battles, sighed and whispered by the wind. The Battlefield sites, historic towns and national monuments are testimony to the critical, blood-soaked conflicts which are the legacy of this place. Tours can be taken of the Battlesites, but if you wish to take on a more adventurous route you can go white-water rafting down the rapids of the mighty Tugela, sail on the Chelmsford Dam or hunt in the designated hunting reserves. This region offers all these pursuits. The elephant coast is a pristine eco-wonderland boasting 21 different ecological systems. Some of the world's highest natural dunes, brilliant coral reefs, fever tree and palm savannahs, papyrus swamps and rolling acacia bushveld can be found in this land of natural and cultural diversity. It is home to the Zulu and Tsonga people as well as the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, declared South Africa's first World Heritage Site. Accommodation ranges from luxury game lodges to Zulu homestays and camping. The sea, lakes and beach provide more adventure. Scuba diving and snorkelling enable you to watch the 1200 different species of marine life abounding in these waters. And taking a turtle tours is a must. Angling is a great sport, whether from the 200 kilometers of unspoilt beach, on the lakes or the deep sea. While at sea you might even be lucky enough to spot a whale or two. Historical venues are the Ghost Mountains and Dingaan's grave. The Zulu and Tsonga people will share these places with you and tell you more about their history as well as their traditional way of life. The South Coast is a very popular holiday destination, with it's sub-tropical forests, blue lagoons, golden beaches, rocky coves, warm Indian Ocean and sunny weather. There are three beaches which have International 'Blue Flag' status, namely Ramsgate, Marina Beach and Lucien. The South Coast is also known to many as 'The Golf Coast' because of its nine excellent 18-hole golf course, two of white are rated amongst the top 12 in the country. The Umtamvuna Nature Reserv conserves plants found nowhere else in the world, and you can view 400 species of birds along this coastline. Scuba diving is a popular past time and you will find excellent diving areas at Aliwal Shoal and Protea Banks. You can also go abseiling in the Oribi Gorge. The scenery around here is absolutely breathtaking. The North Coast is also known as the Dolphin Coast and stretches from Zimbali to the mighty Tugela River. You will find the bottle nose dolphin frolicking in these waters close to shore, all year round. There are so many things to do here, such as dining at fine restaurants, partying at the nightclubs, taking a golf course or taking to the air in a microlight. You can stroll along the coast on horseback during low tide, or enjoy some angling. As for the history aficionados you will be interested to know that Shaka Zulu is buried at Kwa-Dukuza, and Albert Luthuli, the Nobel laureate, is buried nearby. You can visit historic battle sites such as the Ultimatum Tree, Ndondakusuka or Fort Pearson, or you can walk a 'muti' trail through the Harold Johnson Nature Reserve. The Zulu people are indigenous to this part of the land, but the North Coast is also home to a large Indian community. You will find Indian temples and you can sample their spicy food. Pietermaritzburg Midlands is home to quaint antique shops, markets, restaurants, art galleries, museums and a casino. This is where the annual Duzi Canoe Marathon starts, as is beginning and end for the Comrades Marathon. Take a picnic to the magnificent Howick Falls, or try your hand at some trout or bass fishing. For the more adventurous you can paraglide off Bulwer Mountain or slide across the canopy of Karkloof's indigenous forests. The Drakensberg Mountains are named by the Zulu 'Ukhahlamba' or the 'Barrier of Spears' and by the Dutch Voortrekkers 'The Dragon Mountain'. With their awe-inspiring basalt cliffs, snowcapped in winter, towering over riverine bush, lush yellowwood forests and cascading waterfalls, the Drakensberg Mountains form a massive barrier separating Kwa-Zulu Natal from the Kingdom of Lesotho. The only road access is via Sani Pass, which at the top boasts the highest pub on Africa, at 3000 metres above sea level. This 243 000 hectare mountainous region known as the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, has been preserved and venerated for eons since the San people or bushmen roamed these slopes. These mountains combine sheer natural beauty with a wealth of biological diversity. Tens of thousands of paintings depicting the daily life of the bushmen can be found on the rock faces. In December 2000 the park received international recognition and was declared KwaZulu Natal's second World Heritage Site. The adventurous may try climbing it or abseiling, white water rafting or taking a helicopter ride to view the mountains from above. There are also hiking routes for the less adventurous where you can view the large variety of animals and plantlife. KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (/kwɑːˌzuːluː nəˈtɑːl/ , also referred to as KZN; nicknamed "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu ) and Natal Province were merged. It is located in the southeast of the country, with a long shoreline on the Indian Ocean and sharing borders with three other provinces and the countries of Mozambique , Eswatini and Lesotho . Its capital is Pietermaritzburg , and its largest city is Durban . It is the second-most populous province in South Africa, with slightly fewer residents than Gauteng . Two areas in KwaZulu-Natal have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites : the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park . These areas are extremely scenic as well as important to the surrounding ecosystems. During the 1830s and early 1840s, the northern part of what is now KwaZulu-Natal was established as the Zulu Kingdom while the southern part was, briefly, the Boer Natalia Republic before becoming the British Colony of Natal in 1843. The Zulu Kingdom remained independent until 1879. KwaZulu-Natal is the birthplace of many notable figures in South Africa's history, such as Albert Luthuli , the first non-white and the first person from outside Europe and the Americas to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (1960); Pixley ka Isaka Seme , the founder of the African National Congress (ANC) and South Africa's first black lawyer; John Langalibalele Dube , the ANC's founding president; Harry Gwala , ANC member and anti-apartheid activist; Mac Maharaj , grammy award winning group Ladysmith Black Mambazo , grammy award winning DJ Black Coffee , ANC member, anti-apartheid activist and Little Rivonia Trial defendant ; Mangosuthu Buthelezi , the founder of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP); Anton Lembede , the founding president of the ANC Youth League ; Jacob Zuma , the former President of South Africa ; Bhambatha , a 19th-century Zulu chief who became an anti-apartheid icon; and Shaka Zulu . Geography A view of the Mngeni River valley near Howick Falls At around 92,100 km2 (35,600 sq mi) in area, KwaZulu-Natal is roughly the size of Portugal. It has three different geographic areas and is the eastern most province in the country. The lowland region along the Indian Ocean coast is extremely narrow in the south, widening in the northern part of the province, while the central Natal Midlands consists of an undulating hilly plateau rising toward the west. Two mountainous areas, the western Drakensberg Mountains and northern Lebombo Mountains form, respectively, a solid basalt wall rising over 3,000 m (9,800 ft) beside Lesotho border and low parallel ranges of ancient granite running southward from Eswatini. The area's largest river, the Tugela , flows west to east across the center of the province. The coastal regions typically have subtropical thickets and deeper ravines; steep slopes host some Afromontane Forest . The midlands have moist grasslands and isolated pockets of Afromontane Forest. The north has a primarily moist savanna habitat, whilst the Drakensberg region hosts mostly alpine grassland . The province contains rich areas of biodiversity of a range of flora and fauna. The iSimangaliso Wetland Park and the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites . The iSimangaliso Wetland Park, along with uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park and Ndumo, are wetlands of international importance for migratory species and are designated as Ramsar sites . South Africa signed the 1971 Ramsar Convention to try to conserve and protect important wetlands because of their importance to habitats and numerous species. The former Eastern Cape enclave of the town of Umzimkulu and its hinterland have been incorporated into KwaZulu-Natal following the 12th amendment of the Constitution of South Africa . The amendment also made other changes to the southern border of the province. The northwesterly line of equal latitude and longitude traverses the province from the coast at Hibberdene (30°34′35″S 30°34′35″E ) to northeast Lesotho . The province became the first to include a portion of road that is made of partial plastic, the equivalent of nearly 40,000 recycled milk cartons. Climate Upland savannah near Pietermaritzburg Mangrove forest at the Umgeni River estuary in Durban KwaZulu-Natal has a varied yet verdant climate thanks to diverse, complex topography. Generally, the coast is subtropical with inland regions becoming progressively colder. Durban on the south coast has an annual rainfall of 1009 mm, with daytime maxima peaking from January to March at 28 °C (82 °F) with a minimum of 21 °C (70 °F), dropping to daytime highs from June to August of 23 °C (73 °F) with a minimum of 11 °C (52 °F). Temperature drops towards the hinterland, with Pietermaritzburg being similar in the summer, but much cooler in the winter. Ladysmith in the Tugela River Valley reaches 30 °C (86 °F) in the summer but may drop below freezing point on winter evenings. The Drakensberg can experience heavy winter snow, with light snow occasionally experienced on the highest peaks in summer. The Zululand north coast has the warmest climate and highest humidity, supporting many sugar cane farms around Pongola. Sports Provincial sport teams Soccer African Warriors (Phuthaditjhaba ) Carara Kicks F.C. (Welkom ) Bloemfontein Celtic (Bloemfontein )(now has been sold) Free State Stars (Bethlehem ) Roses United Bloemfontein Young Tigers Rugby Cheetahs (Bloemfontein ) Currie Cup : Free State Cheetahs (Bloemfontein ) Griffons (Welkom ) Cricket Knights (Bloemfontein ) Borders KwaZulu-Natal borders the following areas of Mozambique, Eswatini and Lesotho: Maputo Province, Mozambique (far northeast) Lubombo District, Eswatini (northeast, east of Shiselweni) Shiselweni District, Eswatini (northeast, west of Lubombo) Mokhotlong District, Lesotho (southwest, north of Thaba-Tseka) Thaba-Tseka District, Lesotho (southwest, between Mokhotlong and Qacha's Nek) Qacha's Nek District, Lesotho (southwest, south of Thaba-Tseka) Domestically, it borders the following provinces: Mpumalanga (north) Free State (west) Eastern Cape (southwest) See also: Parks of KwaZulu-Natal , List of cities and towns in KwaZulu-Natal , and List of municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal The KwaZulu-Natal Province is divided into one metropolitan municipality and ten district municipalities . The district municipalities are in turn divided into 44 local municipalities . The local seat of each district municipality is given in parentheses: In 2012, the Ingonyama Trust owns 32% of the land in KwaZulu-Natal, in many municipalities. This amounts to about three million hectares, occupied by over 4 million people. The Zulu king is the chairman of the Trust. Metropolitan municipalities eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban ) District municipalities Amajuba District (Newcastle ) Newcastle Dannhauser eMadlangeni Uthukela District (Ladysmith ) Emnambithi/Ladysmith Indaka Umtshezi Okhahlamba Imbabazane Zululand District (Ulundi ) Ulundi Nongoma Abaqulusi uPhongolo eDumbe uMkhanyakude District (Mkuze ) Jozini Hlabisa Umhlabuyalingana Mtubatuba The Big 5 False Bay King Cetshwayo District (Richards Bay ) [formerly uThungulu] uMhlathuze Umlalazi Nkandla Mbonambi Ntambanana Mthonjaneni uMzinyathi District (Dundee ) Msinga Nqutu Umvoti Endumeni uMgungundlovu District (Pietermaritzburg ) Msunduzi uMshwathi uMngeni Richmond Mkhambathini Mpofana Impendle iLembe District (kwaDukuza ) KwaDukuza Ndwedwe Mandeni Maphumulo Ugu District (Port Shepstone ) Ray Nkonyeni uMdoni uMuziwabantu Umzumbe Harry Gwala District (Ixopo ) Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma Ubuhlebezwe Greater Kokstad Umzimkhulu Coastline A beach on the North Coast The coastline is dotted with small towns, many of which serve as seasonal recreational hubs. The climate of the coastal areas is humid and subtropical, comparable to southern Florida in the United States, but not quite as hot and rainy in the summer. As one moves further north up the coast towards the border of Mozambique, the climate becomes almost purely tropical. North of Durban is locally referred to as "The North Coast ", while south is "The South Coast ". The Kwazulu-Natal Tourist board includes towns such as Margate , Port Shepstone , Scottburgh and Port Edward in its definition of the South Coast, while Ballito , uMhlanga , Zimbali and Salt Rock are North Coast resort towns. San Lameer Resort Beaches of world-class quality are to be found along virtually every part of South Africa's eastern seaboard, with some of the least-developed gems found in the far southern and far northern ends of the province. Marina Beach (and its adjoining resort San Lameer) was recognised in 2002 as a Blue Flag beach . Some visitors come for the annual late autumn or early winter phenomenon on the KwaZulu-Natal coast of the "sardine run ". Referred to as "the greatest shoal on earth", the sardine run occurs when millions of sardines migrate from their spawning grounds south of the southern tip of Africa northward along the Eastern Cape coastline toward KwaZulu-Natal. They follow a route close inshore, often resulting in many fish washing up on beaches. The huge shoal of tiny fish can stretch for many kilometres; it is preyed upon by thousands of predators, including game fish , sharks , dolphins and seabirds . Usually, the shoals break up and the fish disappear into deeper water around Durban. Scientists have been unable to answer many questions surrounding this exceptional seasonal event. Interior The interior of the province consists largely of rolling hills from the Valley of a Thousand Hills to the Midlands . Their beauty has inspired literature. Alan Paton , in the novel Cry, the Beloved Country , wrote: There is a lovely road that runs from Ixopo into the hills. These hills are grass-covered and rolling, and they are lovely beyond any singing of it. The road climbs seven miles (11 km) into them, to Carisbrooke; and from there, if there is no mist, you look down on one of the fairest valleys of Africa. About you there is grass and bracken and you may hear the forlorn crying of the titihoya , one of the birds of the veld. Below you is the valley of the Umzimkulu , on its journey from the Drakensberg to the sea; and beyond and behind the river, great hill after great hill; and beyond and behind them, the mountains of Ingeli and Griqualand East . History Further information: Zulu Kingdom , Natalia Republic , Colony of Natal , Natal Province , and KwaZulu On Christmas Day 1497, Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama saw the coast of Natal and named the site after the Portuguese word for Christmas, Natal . The Nguni branch of the Bantu occupied this area from the early 1300s[10] The first European settlers, mostly British, established Port Natal , a trading post. They made almost no attempt to develop the interior, whose inhabitants had been decimated by the Zulu king, Shaka . The Afrikaner Voortrekkers entered the area via the Drakensberg passes in 1837. These Afrikaners defeated the Zulus at the Battle of Blood River in 1838 and thereafter established the Republic of Natal. Thus, the territory was once part of a short-lived Boer republic between 1839 and 1843 until its annexation by Britain. Many Afrikaner inhabitants left for the interior after the annexation and were replaced by immigrants, mainly from Britain. From 1860 onwards, increasing numbers of Indians, mainly Tamils ,[11] were brought in by the British mainly to work in the sugar plantations on the coast. The colony acquired Zululand (the area north of the Tugela River) after the Zulu War of 1879. The lands north of the Buffalo River were added in 1902. Boer forces entered the area during the South African War (1899 to 1902) – also known as the second Boer War – and laid siege to Ladysmith . They failed to build on their initial advantage and for three months the line between the opposing forces followed the course of the Tugela River . In 1910, the colony became a province of the Union of South Africa and in 1961 of the Republic of South Africa. When the homeland of KwaZulu, which means "Place of the Zulu" was re-incorporated into the Natal province after the end of apartheid in 1994, the province of Natal, which had existed between 1910 and 1994, was renamed KwaZulu-Natal. The province is home to the Zulu monarchy; the majority population speak Zulu . It is the only province in South Africa that has the name of its dominant ethnic group as part of its name. As with Eastern Cape , most White South Africans in KwaZulu-Natal are of British descent and less than a quarter of whites in the province are of Boer/Afrikaner descent.[12] [13] [14] Provincial coat of arms The lion and wildebeest supporters are symbols of, respectively, KwaZulu and Natal, the regions joined to create KwaZulu-Natal. Besides its importance as a symbol of the Zulu monarchy, the lion is also featured in the state emblems of the India and the United Kingdom which together represent the three largest people groups in KwaZulu-Natal and also represents the unity between them. The zig-zag stripe represents the Drakensberg which is green in summer, but snowcapped in winter and the star represents the Star of Bethlehem , due to Vasco da Gama naming the region "Natalia" (a reference to the birth of Christ) on Christmas Day in 1497. The strelitzia flower on the shield symbolizes the province's beauty, while the assegai and knobkierrie behind the shield represent protection and peace. The base of the crown element is a type of headdress traditionally worn by Zulu elders that represents wisdom and maturity; the element itself is a Zulu-style grass hut. The motto is Masisukume Sakhe, Zulu for "Let us stand up and build". Law and government The KwaZulu-Natal parliament building, located in Pietermaritzburg Provincial government KwaZulu-Natal's provincial government sits in Pietermaritzburg . The foundation stone of the new legislative building was laid on 21 June 1887, to commemorate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee . The building was completed two years later. On 25 April 1889, the Governor of Natal, Sir Arthur Havelock , opened the first Legislative Council session in the new building. This was the former site of St Mary's Church, built in the 1860s. The congregation built a new church in 1884 at the corner of Burger Street and Commercial Road. The old building was demolished in 1887 to provide space for the legislative complex. When governance was granted to Natal in 1893, the new Legislative Assembly took over the chamber used by the Legislative Council since 1889. Further extensions to the parliamentary building were made. The building was unoccupied until 1902, when it was used without being officially opened, due to the country's being engulfed in the Anglo-Boer war . The war forced the Legislative Assembly to move the venue of its sittings, as its chamber was used as a military hospital. The Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council buildings have both been protected as provincial landmarks . They formed a colonial Parliament of two houses: a Council of 11 nominated members and an Assembly of 37 elected members. The Natal Parliament was disbanded in 1910 when the Union of South Africa was formed, and the Assembly became the meeting place of the Natal Provincial Council. The council was disbanded in 1986. The Provincial Legislature consists of 80 members. Current composition Composition of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature The African National Congress (ANC) holds power in the provincial legislature, winning the province with a convincing overall majority in South Africa's 2019 elections . After the election, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) regained the title of the official opposition in the province. Zulu monarchy KwaZulu-Natal is the home to the Zulu monarch , currently King Misuzulu Zulu kaZwelithini. As of 2015, the king is provided a stipend of 54 million South African rands by the provincial governmentHe is also the chairman of the Ingonyama Trust , which controls 32% of the area of the province. Economy Sugar cane in Midlands South. KwaZulu-Natal has the second largest regional economy in the country after Gauteng . Durban is a rapidly growing urban area and is by most measures the busiest port in Africa. A good railway network links the city to other areas of Southern Africa. Sugar refining is Durban's main industry. Sheep, cattle, dairy, citrus fruits, corn , sorghum , cotton, bananas, and pineapples are also raised. There is an embryonic KwaZulu-Natal wine industry. Other industries (located mainly in and around Durban) include textile, clothing, chemicals , rubber, fertiliser , paper, vehicle assembly and food-processing plants, tanneries, and oil refineries. To the north, Newcastle is the province's industrial powerhouse, with Mittal Steel South Africa (previously ISPAT/ISCOR) and the Karbochem synthetic rubber plant dominating the economy. In 2002, Newcastle became the largest producer of chrome chemicals in Africa with the completion of a chrome-chemical plant, a joint-venture project between Karbochem and German manufacturing giant Bayer. Other large operations include a diamond-cutting works, various heavy engineering concerns, the Natal Portland Cement (NPC) slagment cement factory, and the Newcastle Cogeneration Plant (old Ingagane Power Station). This was recommissioned as Africa's first gas-fired power station by Independent Power Southern Africa (IPSA), and it supplies the Karbochem Plant with electricity. The textile industry is a major employer in the Newcastle area, with over 100 factories belonging to ethnic Taiwanese and Chinese industrialists. Maize, livestock and dairy farmers operate on the outskirts of the city. Coal is also mined in the Newcastle area. Offshore mining of heavy mineral sands including minerals with a concentration of significant economic importance at several locations, such as rutile , ilmenite and zircon are threatening the marine ecology of KwaZulu-Natal's coast, including the Tugela Banks; the fishing economy of the prawn and nurse fisheries are also threatened. Ecology tourism is increasingly important to the economy of KwaZulu-Natal. The area's rich biodiversity and efforts at conservation have been recognised. Tourists have come to see the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park , declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites . These two major parks and that of Ndumo have wetlands of international importance listed as Ramsar sites for conservation. Civil society and politics Prominent civil society organisations based in the province of KwaZulu-Natal include: Abahlali baseMjondolo (shackdwellers') movement, the Diakonia Council of Churches, the Right2Know campaign, and the Unemployed People's Movement. Evictions and political controversy The government in KwaZulu Natal has been under sustained controversy for their eviction of shackdwellers and mistreatment by provincial police structures that has resulted in more than 200 arrests of Abahlali members in the first last three years of its existence and repeated police brutality in people's homes, in the streets and in detention. See also: Attack on Kennedy Road The attack on Kennedy Road informal settlement by an armed mob in 2009 in [Durban] put local and provincial government under sustained scrutiny. It was reported by members of the Abahlali baseMjondolo movement that the attackers were affiliated with the local branch of the African National Congress and it was claimed that the attack was carefully planned and sanctioned by the provincial police department. Academic research seems to confirm that the attackers self-identified as ANC members and that ANC leaders at Municipal and Provincial level later provided public sanction for the attack. See also: Marikana Land Occupation (Durban) Despite a court interdict, the eThekwini municipality, with the support of the provincial SAPS, repeatedly evicted shack dwellers in Durban's Cato Crest. The General Council of the Bar has also expressed concern over the evictions. Ecology Natal plum There are various game reserves found in the province; one notable example is Hluhluwe–Imfolozi Park , where the southern white rhinoceros was saved from extinction. In many of these larger reserves, large animals ranging from several antelope species to elephant , Cape buffalo and hippopotamus can be found. Predators include lions , leopards , and Cape wild dogs . The scaly yellowfish (Labeobarbus natalensis) is a fish found in the Tugela River system as well as in the Umzimkulu , Umfolozi and the Mgeni . It is a common endemic species in KwaZulu-Natal Province and it lives in different habitats between the Drakensberg foothills and the coastal lowlands. Carissa macrocarpa (Natal plum) is a shrub native to South Africa, where it is commonly called the "large num-num". In the Zulu language or isiZulu, as well as in the Bantu tribes of Uganda, it is known as the Amathungulu or umThungulu oBomvu. In Afrikaans, the fruit is called noem-noem. Education Universities The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) has five campuses in the province.[33] It was formed on 1 January 2004 after the merger between the University of Natal and the University of Durban-Westville .[34] Other universities are: University of Zululand Durban University of Technology Mangosuthu University of Technology University of South Africa Colleges AAA School of Advertising Berea College of Technology Berea Technical College CTU Training Solutions Central Technical College Damelin College Eduvos Ethekwini college ICESA Education iStudent MANCOSA Management and Leadership Academy Pax college Regent Business School Richfield Graduate institute of Technology Stadio institute of Higher Education (Embury institute for higher education) The Business School at Varsity College Oval International Education Sport Major sports events Comrades Marathon , an annual marathon run between Pietermaritzburg and Durban. Midmar Mile , a mile-long swimming race held annually at Midmar Dam . Dusi Canoe Marathon , an annual canoe marathon starting in Pietermaritzburg and ending in Durban. Durban July , South Africa's premier annual horse racing event at Greyville Racecourse, Durban. Mr Price Pro, a premier international surfing event at Durban during winter (previously known as the "Gunston 500"). Provincial sports teams Football (soccer) The South African Premier Soccer League (PSL) currently features the following teams from the province: AmaZulu , Golden Arrows and Royal AM (Durban) Thanda Royal Zulu (Richards Bay) Maritzburg United (Pietermaritzburg) Royal AM Durban Rugby union United Rugby Championship The Sharks Currie Cup Sharks BACK TO TOP

WELCOME Our Site Map Grow Your Vision Welcome to the Sitemaps ,their are a lot of Sites below were you can view on South Africa. If one of the sites intrest you ,just click on VIEW MORE Button , It will take you to one of our Main site.So Enjoy South Africa. The Great Trek The Voortrekker Monument The Battle of Bloodriver The First Boere War White Genocide South Africa South African Culture South African Culture Part 2 South African Tribes Bank Notes and Coin South African Sport South African Poems and Jokes Ghost Story South Africa Gauteng Mpumalanga Nine Provinces of South Africa Wildlife South Africa The Big 5 Safari Tours Kruger National Park South African Animal Gallery Wildlife Projects History of South Africa About Southernstar-Africa Maps South African Foods Western Cape Northern Cape Free State KwaZulu Natal North West Limpopo Eastern Cape Radio SAM Broadcasting Studios The 11 languages of South Africa South African Maps South Africa Maps Part 2 Projects South Africa Southernstar-Africa School Projects Extra Sites and Links Grow With Partners Our Services South African Blog Our Radio Stations Jokes and Poems Easy Blog Hiking in South Africa Camping in South Africa Tourist Attraction South African Art Travel Tips South Africa South African Rugby 11 Languages Groups Forum Member Book a Room Partner Links Raiseing Southernstar Africa Gauteng The name Gauteng is derived from the Sotho-Tswana gauta, Gauteng Sotho pronunciation: [xɑ́.ú.ˈtʼè.ŋ̀] khow-oo-T'EH-ng; Sotho-Tswana for 'place of gold'; Zulu : eGoli or iGoli [îːˈgóːlì] ) is one of the nine provinces of South Africa . Situated on the Highveld , Gauteng is the smallest province by land area in South Africa . Although Gauteng accounts for only 1.5% of the country's land area, it is home to more than a quarter of its population (26%). Highly urbanised, the province contains the country's largest city, Johannesburg , which is also one of the largest cities in the world. Gauteng is the wealthiest province in South Africa and is considered the financial hub of not only South Africa but the entire African continent; VIEW MORE Mpumalanga "Eastern Transvaal" redirects here. For the rugby team formerly known as "Eastern Transvaal", see Falcons (rugby team) . For the team formerly called "South Eastern Transvaal" representing Mpumalanga, see Pumas (Currie Cup) . Mpumalanga (/əmˌpuːməˈlɑːŋɡə/ ) is a province of South Africa . The name means "East", or literally "The Place Where the Sun Rises" in the Nguni languages . Mpumalanga lies in eastern South Africa, bordering Eswatini and Mozambique . It shares borders with the South African provinces of Limpopo to the north, Gauteng to the west, the Free State to the southwest, and KwaZulu-Natal to the south. The capital is Mbombela NINE PROVINCES SOUTH AFRICA VIEW MORE South Africa’s nine provinces are the Eastern Cape, the Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, the Northern Cape, North West and the Western Cape. The nine provinces of South Africa South Africa has nine provinces, each with its own history, landscape, population, languages, economy, cities and government. South Africa’s nine provinces are the Eastern Cape, the Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, the Northern Cape, North West and the Western Cape. Before 1994, South Africa had four provinces: the Transvaal and Orange Free State – previously Boer republics – and Natal and the Cape, once British colonies. VIEW MORE South African Endangered Wildlife Wild Life South Africa - Kruger National Park - Wildlife Animal History 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. VIEW MORE Big Five Even though you know that Africa and South Africa are so much more than the Big Five, the familiar images soon begin playing in your mind: lions roaring; elephants trumpeting; buffalos lurking in long grass; rhinos standing stately under a thorn tree; leopards prowling in the gathering darkness. You’ve seen the Big Five in books and you’ve seen them on TV. But it’s time to come and see them for yourself. The real thing. In person. And there’s no better place for this than South Africa, which offers the most exciting, memorable and exhilarating experience of your life – coming face to face with the Big Five. Origin of the name How did these five animals – the lion, elephant, buffalo, rhinoceros and leopard – come to be called the Big Five? It was originally a hunting term used by the so-called ‘great white hunters’ in the hunting heyday of the 19th and early 20thcenturies, when professional hunters bagged as many trophies as possible in as short a time as possible. Considered a rite of passage for seasoned travellers, everybody from American presidents to European royalty and heads of state came to Africa to shoot a large, dangerous animal. The Big Five quickly became known as the most dangerous animals to hunt on foot, and the name stuck – although now ‘shooting’ is done through a camera lens. VIEW MORE Safari Tours 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. VIEW MORE Kruger National Park Where nearly 2 million hectares of unrivaled diversity of life forms fuses with historical and archaeological sights – this is real Africa. The world-renowned Kruger National Park offers a wildlife experience that ranks with the best in Africa. Truly the flagship of the South African National Parks, this enormous and magnificent park is one of the most popular public-entry game parks in the world. Few visitors leave South Africa without visiting the Kruger National Park or one of the private reserves along its borders but it is also frequented by locals in their own vehicles, as you can drive yourself around and stay overnight in one of the many public rest camps . There are also a few exclusive private lodges that have been granted concessions within the Kruger National Park. Kruger has 12 main rest camps, 5 bushveld camps, 2 bush lodges and 4 satellite camps. The world-renowned Kruger National Park offers a wildlife experience that ranks with the best in Africa. Established in 1898 to protect the wildlife of the South African Lowveld, this national park is unrivalled in the diversity of its life forms and a world leader in advanced environmental management techniques and policies. Kruger is home to an impressive number of species: 336 trees, 49 fish, 34 amphibians, 114 reptiles, 507 birds and 147 mammals. VIEW MORE South African Animal Gallery Welcome to Delta Rain, we hope you will join us for an unforgettable African experience. We provide quality, exciting and affordable mobile and mokoro safaris in the Okavango delta, throughout Botswana and further through southern Africa. Delta Rain is based at our own camp 'Sitatunga' located close to Maun Botswana. WHAT IS MAMMALMAP? The aim of MammalMAP is to update the distribution records of all African mammal species. Through collaborations with professional scientists, conservation organisations, wildlife authorities and citizen scientists across Africa, we consolidate all reliable and identifiable evidence (camera trap records, photographs) of current mammal locations into an open-access digital database. The database software automatically generates online distribution maps of all recorded species which are instantly visible and searchable. VIEW MORE Wildlife Projects Wildlife Backgrounds and Glitters Riseingsouthernstar-africa Wallpaper This site is dedicated to providing free animal print wallpaper for royalty free use. Animal wallpapers come in all different patters, including Zebra, Leopard, Cheetah,Snakeskin,and Land Scapes almost any animal print you want you can find here to download for your computer desktop wallpaper for free.. Wallpapers are one of the best things you can use to customize your desktop well. In one way or the other, it somehow influences our mood as we look at it, it may inspire you to do better or just help you relax for a while. In any ways, these wallpapers can help in personalizing your desktop background... VIEW MORE History South Africa 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. 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. VIEW MORE The Great Trek The Great Trek (Afrikaans : Die Groot Trek was a northward migration of Dutch-speaking settlers who travelled by wagon trains from the Cape Colony into the interior of modern South Africa from 1836 onwards, seeking to live beyond the Cape's British colonial administration. The Great Trek resulted from the culmination of tensions between rural descendants of the Cape's original European settlers, known collectively as Boers , and the British Empire . VIEW MORE Trekboers making camp (1804) by Samuel Daniell . Before the arrival of Europeans, the Cape of Good Hope area was populated by Khoisan tribes The first Europeans settled in the Cape area under the auspices of the Dutch East India Company (also known by its Dutch initials VOC), which established a victualling station there in 1652 to provide its outward bound fleets with fresh provisions and a harbour of refuge during the long sea journey from Europe to Asia In a few short decades, the Cape had become home to a large population of "vrijlieden", also denoted as "vrijburgers" (free citizens), former Company employees who remained in Dutch territories overseas after completing their contracts. The Voortrekker Monument The Voortrekker Monument is located just south of Pretoria in South Africa . The granite structure is located on a hilltop, and was raised to commemorate the Voortrekkers who left the Cape Colony between 1835 and 1854. It was designed by the architect Gerard Moerdijk . On 8 July 2011, the Voortrekker Monument was declared a National Heritage Site by the South African Heritage Resource Agency . The idea to build a monument in honour of the Voortrekkers was first discussed on 16 December 1888, when President Paul Kruger of the South African Republic attended the Day of the Covenant celebrations at Danskraal in Natal . However, the movement to actually build such a monument only started on 4 April 1931 when the Sentrale Volksmonumentekomitee (SVK; Central People's Monuments Committee) was formed to bring this idea to fruition. Construction started on 13 July 1937 with a sod-turning ceremony performed by the chairman of the SVK, Advocate Ernest George Jansen , on what later became known as Monument Hill. On 16 December 1938 the cornerstone was laid  by three descendants of some of the Voortrekker leaders: Mrs. J.C. Muller (granddaughter of Andries Pretorius ), Mrs. K.F. Ackerman (great-granddaughter of Hendrik Potgieter ) and Mrs. J.C. Preller (great-granddaughter of Piet Retief ). The monument was inaugurated on 16 December 1949 by Prime Minister D. F. Malan .[citation needed ] The total construction cost of the monument was about £ 360,000, most of which was contributed by the South African government. A large amphitheatre , which could seat approximately 20,000 people, was erected to the north-east of the monument in 1949. VIEW MORE Battle of Blood River The Battle of Blood River 16 December 1838) was fought on the bank of the Ncome River , in what is today KwaZulu-Natal , South Africa between 464 Voortrekkers ("Pioneers"), led by Andries Pretorius , and an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 Zulu . The trekkers—called Voortrekkers after 1880—had to defend themselves after the betrayal murder of chief Trekker leader Piet Retief and his entire entourage, and ten days later the Weenen/Bloukrans massacre where "not a soul was spared. Dingane had agreed that, if Retief could recover approximately 700 head of cattle stolen from the Zulus by the Tlokwa , he would let them have land upon which to establish farms. On 6 February 1838, two days after the signing of a negotiated land settlement deal between Retief and Dingane at UmGungundlovu , written by Jan Gerritze Bantjes (1817–1887) which included Trekker access to Port Natal , which the British also had interest in, Dingane invited Retief and his party into his royal residence for a beer-drinking farewell. VIEW MORE 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 southern part of the African continent was dominated in the 19th century by a set of epic struggles to create within it a single unified state. British aggression into southern Africa was fuelled by three prime factors: first, the desire to control the trade routes to India that passed around the Cape; second, the discovery in 1868 of huge mineral deposits of diamonds around Kimberley on the joint borders of the South African Republic (called the Transvaal by the British), Orange Free State and the Cape Colony, and thereafter in 1886 in the Transvaal of a major gold find, all of which offered enormous wealth and power; and thirdly the race against other European colonial powers, as part of a general colonial expansion in Africa. VIEW MORE White Genocide South Africa The genocide of white South Africans is heating up.Last week, South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) finally told its members to stop singing the song "Kill the Boer" -- that is, murder white South Africans. (Boer is Afrikaans for "farmer," Vryheidsvlag - Afrikaner Peoples Front / Afrikaner Volksfront In South Africa there is a political movement or party called the "Afrikaner Volksfront" (Popular Front), which aims to set up an independent Boer state. They use a flag very similar to the Transvaal "Vierkleur", but the red stripe is replaced with an orange one. This flag is called "Vryheidsvlag" (freedom flag). The "Volksrepubliek Werkgroep" (People's Republic working group) made a proposal for a constitution of this imagined state. In article 19.16.3 it is written: VIEW MORE South African Culture 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 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. VIEW MORE South african Culture Part 2 Oranje-blanje-blou Oranje-blanje-blou (Afrikaans for Orange, white and blue) refers, of course, to the old South African flag used between 1928 and 1994. This song was popular especially among Afrikaners when this flag flew over South Africa. Die Vlaglied / The Song of the Flag Another flag song, this time abut 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".Afrikaans music was primarily influenced by Dutch folk styles, along with French and German influences, in the early twentieth century. Zydeco-type string bands led by a concertina were popular, as were elements of American country music, especially Jim Reeves. Bushveld music based on the Zulu were reinterpreted by such singers as Marais and Miranda. Melodramatic and sentimental songs called trane trekkers (tear jerkers) were especially common. 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. VIEW MORE South Africa Tribes South Africa is known for its ethnic and cultural diversity. Therefore, there is no single culture of 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). VIEW MORE Banknotes and Coin The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) released the upgraded Mandela banknotes and fourth decimal coin series on 3 May 2023. The upgraded banknotes and fourth decimal coin series have new designs and enhanced security features that utilise the latest technological advancements to protect the integrity of our currency and maintain public trust. The upgraded banknotes continue to pay homage to South Africa's first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela, with his portrait featured on the front of all five denominations while the Big 5 animals are depicted as a family. The fourth decimal coin series is based on the theme of deep ecology, which celebrates the interconnectedness of humans and other living organisms as an integral part of the environment. VIEW MORE South African Sport The most popular sports in South Africa are soccer, rugby and cricket in South Africa" Other sports with significant support are hockey,swimming, athletics, golf, boxing, tennis and netball. Sports in South Africa have a passionate following, although they remain largely divided along ethnic lines.Football (soccer) is the most popular sport in South Africa, particularly amongst blacks who constitute the majority of the population. The national football team is nicknamed Bafana Bafana (meaning the boys, the boys). South Africa hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the first one hosted in Africa.Cricket is the second most popular sport in South Africa, and is traditionally the sport of the Anglo-African and Indian South African communities, although it is now followed by members of all races. The national cricket team is nicknamed The Proteas. South African Foods The cuisine of South Africa is sometimes called "rainbow cuisine", as it has had a variety of multicultural sources and stages.The cuisine can be generalized as: Cookery practiced by indigenous people of Africa such as the Sotho and Nguni-speaking people. Cookery that emerged from several waves of colonialisation and immigration introduced during the colonial period by people of Dutch, German, French and Indonesian descent (since 1652) Afrikaner, British descent (since 1805 and 1820 Settlers) and their slaves or servants - this includes the cuisine of the so-called Cape Malay people, which has many characteristics of Indonesia and cooking styles from neighbouring colonial cultures such as Portuguese Mozambique. world clocks VIEW MORE VIEW MORE Western Cape - CAPE TOWN Western Cape, South Africa, is a dream destination for those seeking a balance between natural beauty and cultural richness. The province offers breathtaking landscapes ranging from rugged coastlines to towering mountains dotted with charming towns and villages. Visitors can stroll through the vibrant streets of Cape Town, indulge in wine tasting in the renowned Cape Winelands, or witness the stunning diversity of flora and fauna in the UNESCO-listed Table Mountain National Park. Other highlights include whale watching in Hermanus, hiking the scenic trails of the Cederberg Mountains, and experiencing the vibrant local music scene in the city of Stellenbosch. Northern Cape The Northern Cape is the largest and most sparsely populated province of South Africa . It was created in 1994 when the Cape Province was split up. Its capital is Kimberley . The Northern Cape is the largest and most sparsely populated province of South Africa . It was created in 1994 when the Cape Province was split up. Its capital is Kimberley . It includes the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park , part of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and an international park shared with Botswana . It also includes the Augrabies Falls and the diamond mining regions in Kimberley and Alexander Bay . Free State The Free State is one of the nine provinces of South Africa and is centrally located. It represents 10.6% of the total land area of the country. The Free State is one of the nine provinces of South Africa and is centrally located. It represents 10.6% of the total land area of the country. It boasts wide horizons, blue skies, mountains and goldfields. The province covers an area of 129 464 km2 and is roughly the size of Nicaragua. In 2011, the province had a population of 2.7 million with four district municipalities and one metropolitan municipality. The Free State is situated on the flat, boundless plains in the centre of South Africa. It borders most of the other provinces, the exceptions being Limpopo and the Western Cape. To the east, it has an international boundary with Lesotho nestling in the hollow of its beanlike shape, and the escarpment separates it from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu ) and Natal Province were merged. It is located in the southeast of the country, Rough and ready, smart and sophisticated, rural and rustic: there’s no doubt that KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is eclectic. It’s a region where glassy malls touch shabby suburbs, and action-packed adventurers ooze adrenaline while laid-back beach bods drip with suntan lotion. Mountainscapes contrast with flat, dry savannahs, while the towns’ central streets, teeming with African life, markets and noise, are in stark contrast to the sedate tribal settlements in rural areas. Here, too, is traditional Zululand, whose people are fiercely proud of their culture. North West North West, a province in South Africa, is a hidden gem known for its breathtaking landscapes. North West, a province in South Africa, is a hidden gem known for its breathtaking landscapes. From the rugged mountains of the Magaliesberg to the rolling hills of the Bushveld, visitors will love its natural beauty. Its area is also home to a rich cultural heritage, with several traditional villages offering visitors the chance to learn about the customs and traditions of the local communities. North West is also known for its wildlife. Several game reserves and parks offer unforgettable game drives and safaris, where visitors can spot the Big Five and other exotic animals. With its stunning landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and abundant wildlife, North West is an ideal destination for travelers seeking an authentic South African experience. Limpopo Limpopo is a land of spectacular natural beauty in South Africa, boasting stunning landscapes of rugged mountains, rolling savannahs, and wild bushveld. It is home to several game reserves and national parks, including Kruger National Park, one of the largest and most diverse game reserves in Africa. The region is also rich in culture and history, with many traditional villages and archaeological sites to explore. Visitors can experience the vibrant local culture, taste delicious local cuisine, and enjoy a wide range of adventure activities, such as hiking, wildlife safaris, and hot air balloon rides. The 11 languages of South Africa South Africa’s constitution recognises 11 official languages: Sepedi (also known as Sesotho sa Leboa ), Sesotho, Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga, Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa and isiZulu. South Africa’s constitution recognises 11 official languages: Sepedi (also known as Sesotho sa Leboa ), Sesotho, Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga, Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa and isiZulu. For centuries South Africa’s official languages were European – Dutch, English, Afrikaans. African languages, spoken by at least 80% of the people, were ignored. In 1996 South Africa’s new constitution gave official protection to all of the country’s major languages.South Africa has about 34 historically established languages. Thirty are living languages, and four extinct Khoesan languages. SEND Eastern Cape The Eastern Cape of South Africa is a unique and captivating destination, offering a range of experiences for visitors to the region. Nature lovers will be amazed by the beauty of the Wild Coast, with its rugged coastline, unspoiled beaches, and breathtaking views. Game reserves such as the Addo Elephant National Park offer visitors the opportunity to see some of the region's most iconic wildlife, including elephants, lions, and rhinos. At the same time, birdwatchers will enjoy exploring the region's many wetlands and estuaries. Aside from this, guests can explore the region's rich cultural heritage, with ancient rock art sites such as the Cederberg Wilderness Area and the Bhisho Massacre Monument, which commemorate the historic struggle against apartheid. With its stunning natural landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and diverse range of activities, the Eastern Cape is a destination that offers something for everyone. Radio SAM Broadcasting Studios We built ‘Radio SAM Broadcaster Germany’ for YOU…….. For you to NEVER miss that amazing event. We strive to, at all times, try to take the hassle out of finding out where that favourite artist is performing, have a look at some other artists also performing, and at what venue it is going to be held, at what time, and maybe it will be the end of life as you know it. We love radio! Radio SAM Broadcaster Germany makes life a little easier for everyone who feels the same way. We offer you the opportunity to listen to internet radio from all over the world in a particularly uncomplicated manner and free of charge. With the push of a button, you can also record it very easily thanks to Radio SAM Broadcaster Germany. Don't you ever want to miss your favorite internet radio radio again? Our tools make it possible! You can put together your own program in the Radio SAM Broadcaster Germany player, in the app and directly on our website. This is then conveniently recorded and saved for you. If you just want to listen to your favorite online radio stations, VIEW MORE South African Maps Here are some places you can visit in South Africa 1 2 : Cape Town Kruger National Park Stellenbosch Knysna Namaqualand Johannesburg Hermanus Blyde River Canyon Each of South Africa’s regions truly has its own distinct personality, offering a captivating blend of cosmopolitan cities, enthralling animals, rich history and remote wilderness. From the bustling streets of Cape Town and the wild-game viewing in Kruger National Park to the charming valleys of the Winelands, every place here enchants. VIEW MORE South African Maps Part 2 PRETORIA Pretoria is a city in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, South Africa Maps PRETORIA Pretoria is a city in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive ,administrative and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is divided into three sections: pretoria west, east and north. Pretoria is contained within the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality as one of several constituent former administrations ,among which also Centurion and Soshanguve. Pretoria itself is sometimes referred to as "Tshwane" due to a long-running and controversial proposed change of name, which has yet to be decided, as of 2012. VIEW MORE About Southernstar-Africa Hi, thanks for dropping by! We are a school project organization that aims to educate children about the history of South Africa We are a school project organization that aims to educate children about the history of South Africa. Our focus is on the people who shaped the country's past and present. Our team consists of passionate educators who are dedicated to providing the best learning experience for the children. We provide various services such as interactive workshops, field trips, and educational materials. Join us in exploring the rich history of Southernstar-Africa VIEW MORE South African Poems and Jokes 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. The South African literary landscape from the 19th century to the present day has been fundamentally shaped by the social and political evolution of the country, particularly the trajectory from a colonial trading station to an apartheid state and finally toward a democracy. Primary forces of population growth and economic change which have propelled urban development have also impacted on what themes, forms and styles of literature and poetry in particular have emerged from the country over time. South Africa has had a rich history of literary output. Fiction and poetry specifically has been written in all of South Africa's eleven official languages While it has been recorded that literature by black South Africans only emerged in the 20th century, this is only a reflection of published works at the time, not of the reality that black South Africans were writing and reciting in oral forms. The first generation of mission-educated African writers sought to restore dignity to Africans by invoking and reconstructing a heroic African past. SEND Grow With Partners Use this website to find other interesting web sites related to South Africa and the subject matter of this Homepage. Additional useful links to web sites of interest are listed in sections on pages where they are relevant. Should you choose one of these links you will be leaving the Southernstar - Africa Homepage. Southernstar-Africa is not responsible for the content or reliability of web sites linked from this site, and does not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them. We cannot guarantee that these links will work all of the time, and we have no control over the availability of linked pages. You are Welcome to copy pictures of the Wild Life Animals.Please do not Copy the codes,of this website of my Gest book ,it is copyright 2024,Designed by A Dezius,what the Picture Grafics and colour layouts concirns. VIEW MORE Projects South Africa Stay updated with our latest projects and historical insights. Project South Africa is assigning resources to tasks we add, and what we do about South Africa, with Information about South Africa. VIEW MORE Ghosts South Africa Cape Town – The Castle of Good Hope turns 350 this year – and to mark the occasion, the Independent Media group will take readers on an intriguing journey of discovery, with South Africa’s oldest existing building as its focal point. Cape Town – The Castle of Good Hope turns 350 this year – and to mark the occasion, the Independent Media group will take readers on an intriguing journey of discovery, with South Africa’s oldest existing building as its focal point. Over the years, the Castle has been many things to different people, a place of pleasure and pain. To the first white settlers it was a refreshment station for ships from their home country. To the indigenous people it eventually became a symbol of dispossession – of land, livestock and, ultimately, dignity. But back to the Castle… Perhaps appropriately, it had its origins in something that was commonplace along the southernmost tip of Africa: a violent storm… followed by a shipwreck. On March 25, 1647, a Dutch Indiaman, De Nieuwe Haerlem, on its way to Holland from the East Indies, ran aground in the vicinity of present-day Milnerton – and although there were no casualties, its sinking was destined to change the course of history. A junior merchant named Leendert Janszen was instructed to stay behind with about 60 crew to look after the cargo while fellow crew members boarded other ships in the fleet and continued their journey to Holland. While waiting to be picked up, Janszen and other members of the party grew vegetables, caught fish and bartered fresh meat from indigenous inhabitants. It proved to be a trial run for something more permanent. VIEW MORE Our Services KRUGER NATIONAL PARK 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.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. VIEW MORE 03 First-Rate Materials We have strict standards when it comes to what we produce and never compromise on quality. This is especially true when it comes to the first-rate materials we use. Our customers deserve the highest level of products on the market, and we work tirelessly to maintain those standards. BACK TO TOP

Hello Welcome to our website dedicated to South Africa! Here you will find a wealth of information about the country's rich history, diverse culture, and stunning wildlife. Browse through our many pages to discover all that South Africa has to offer. My Story I was Born in Germany and Brought up in South Africa , Most of my Life I Spent in South Africa. Why ? My Perants Immigrated to South Africa in 1964 South Africa is a country of great diversity, with a rich and culture. My blog is dedicated to sharing my experiences of living and working in this beautiful country. From the bustling cities to the stunning natural landscapes, there is so much to explore and discover. Join me on journey as I share my insights and stories about life in South Africa. What Did I do with my life in South Africa ? In South Africa, I visited several schools, when I was Younger and worked on many Projects and Jobs. I also stayed at in many Provinces as well in Citys and Towns, and did alot of sightseeing and Places I Visited in South Africa and Around the World. What Laugauges do I Speak - Read and Write : AFRIKAANS - GERMAN - ENGLISH Coat of Arms Dezius Place I Lived in South Africa Gauteng Pretoria - Centurion - Maintainviw - Hercules - Hillbrow - Malvern - Brixton - Berea - Baspfontain - Johannesburg - Boksburg - Benoni. Kwazulu Natal Ammanzentotti - Richards Bay -Ilovo Beach - Pamula Limpopo Pietersberg - Tzaneen - Warm Baths - Loius Trichard Western Cape - Capetown Fish Hoek MY FAMILY HISTORY DEZIUS HISTORY View More ABOUT DEZIUS View More Decius - Dezius AKA Gaius Messius Quintus Trajanus Decius Born: 201 AD Birthplace: Budalia, Pannonia, Serbia Died: 251 AD Location of death: Abrittus, Moesia Cause of death: War Gender: Male Religion: Pagan Race or Ethnicity: White Occupation: Royalty Nationality: Ancient Rome Executive summary: Roman Emperor, 249-51 AD Roman emperor, the first of the long succession of distinguished men from the Illyrian provinces, was born at Budalia near Sirmium in lower Pannonia in AD 201. About 245 the emperor Philip the Arab entrusted him with an important command on the Danube, and in 249 (or end of 248), having been sent to put down a revolt of the troops in Moesia and Pannonia, he was forced to assume the imperial dignity. He still protested his loyalty to Philip, but the latter advanced against him and was slain near Verona. During his brief reign Decius was engaged in important operations against the Goths, who crossed the Danube and overran the districts of Moesia and Thrace. The details are obscure, and there is considerable doubt as to the part taken in the campaign by Decius and his son (of the same name) respectively. The Goths were surprised by the emperor while besieging Nicopolis on the Danube; at his approach they crossed the Balkans, and attacked Philippopolis. Decius followed them, but a severe defeat near Beroë made it impossible to save Philippopolis, which fell into the hands of the Goths, who treated the conquered with frightful cruelty. Its commander, Priscus, declared himself emperor under Gothic protection. The siege of Philippopolis had so exhausted the numbers and resources of the Goths, that they offered to surrender their booty and prisoners on condition of being allowed to retire unmolested. But Decius, who had succeeded in surrounding them and hoped to cut off their retreat, refused to entertain their proposals. The final engagement, in which the Goths fought with the courage of despair, took place on swampy ground in the Dobrudja near Abritum (Abrittus) or Forum Trebonii and ended in the defeat and death of Decius and his son. Decius was an excellent soldier, a man of amiable disposition, and a capable administrator, worthy of being classed with the best Romans of the ancient type. The chief blot on his reign was the systematic and authorized persecution of the Christians, which had for its object the restoration of the religion and institutions of ancient Rome. Either as a concession to the senate, or perhaps with the idea of improving public morality, Decius endeavored to revive the separate office and authority of the censor. The choice was left to the senate, who unanimously selected Valerian (afterwards emperor). But Valerian, well aware of the dangers and difficulties attaching to the office at such a time, declined the responsibility. The invasion of the Goths and the death of Decius put an end to the abortive attempt. Contact I'm always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect. a.dezius@gmail.com Places I Work in South Africa "I've had the pleasure of working in some amazing places in South Africa. From bustling cities to serene countryside, each location has its own unique charm and character. I've gained valuable experience and made lasting connections in my time there and I'm excited to see where my career takes me next." Gordon Verhoef and Krause - Painter and Sandblasting Company on Post Office Towers South African Prison Service - as Warden and Trademan Subcontractor On Chrome Carrier - Truckdriver Interlink - for South African Platium - Coal - Mines Shoprite fresh market - Truck Driver to warehouses and stores Chamberlains Hardware - Deliveries to shores and customers S-press - Deliveries with all kinds of goods that we transported Spedition Menke and Frankenbach - On the Auto carriers MY TRUCKER WEBSITES View More View More Places I Have Visited in South Africa Gauteng Alberton Atteridgeville Benoni Boksburg Bronkhorstspruit Brakpan Carletonville Centurion Cullinan Edenvale Ga-Rankuwa Germiston Hammanskraal Heidelberg Henley on Klip Nigel Parkhurst Pretoria Randburg Randfontein Roodepoort Rosebank Sandton Soshanguve Soweto Springs Tembisa Vanderbijlpark Vereeniging Winterveldt Johannesburg Kempton Park Krugersdorp Mabopane Mamelodi Magaliesburg Meyerton Midrand Limpopo Capricorn Blouberg Lepele-Nkumpi Molemole Polokwane Mopani Ba-Phalaborwa Greater Giyani Greater Letaba Greater Tzaneen Maruleng Sekhukhune Elias Motsoaledi Ephraim Mogale Fetakgomo Tubatse Makhuduthamaga Vhembe Makhado Musina Collins Chabane Thulamela Waterberg Bela-Bela Lephalale Modimolle–Mookgophong Mogalakwena Thabazimbi Kwazulu Natal Mpumalanga Amajuba District Newcastle Dannhauser eMadlangeni Uthukela (Ladysmith ) Emnambithi/Ladysmith Indaka Umtshezi Okhahlamba Imbabazane Zululand (Ulundi ) Ulundi Nongoma Abaqulusi uPhongolo eDumbe uMkhanyakude (Mkuze ) Jozini Hlabisa Umhlabuyalingana Mtubatuba The Big 5 False Bay Harry Gwala District (Ixopo ) Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma Ubuhlebezwe Greater Kokstad Umzimkhulu King Cetshwayo [formerly uThungulu] uMhlathuze Umlalazi Nkandla Mbonambi Ntambanana Mthonjaneni uMzinyathi (Dundee ) Msinga Nqutu Umvoti Endumeni uMgungundlovu (Pietermaritzburg ) Msunduzi uMshwathi uMngeni Richmond Mkhambathini Mpofana Impendle iLembe (kwaDukuza ) KwaDukuza Ndwedwe Mandeni Maphumulo Ugu (Port Shepstone ) Ray Nkonyeni uMdoni uMuziwabantu Umzumbe Ehlanzeni Bushbruckridge Mbombela Nkomazi Thaba Chweu Umjindi Gert Sibande Albert Luthuli Dipaleseng Govan Mbeki Lekwa Mkhondo Msukaligwa Pixley ka Seme Nkangala Delmas Dr JS Moroka Emalahleni Highlands Steve Tshwete Thembisile Western Cape North West Central Karoo Beaufort West Bergrivier CoastPiketberg Bitou RoutePlettenberg Bay Breede Valley Cape Winelands Worcester Cape Agulhas Overberg Bredasdorp Cederberg Coast Clanwilliam City of Cape Town Cape Town Drakenstein Cape Winelands Paarl George Garden Route Hessequa Garden RouteRiversdale Kannaland Local Municipality Mossel Bay Garden Route Oudtshoorn Overstrand Overberg Hermanus Prince Albert Karoo Saldanha Bay West Coast Vredenburg Stellenbosch Cape Winelands Stellenbosch Swartland West Coast Malmesbury Swellendam Overberg Swellendam Theewaterskloof Overberg Caledon Witzenberg Cape Winelands Worcester Beaufort West City of Cape Town Cape Town Garden Route George Overberg Bredasdorp . West Coast Beaufort West Knysna Garden Route Knysna Laingsburg Central Karoo Laingsburg Cape Winelands Ashton Matzikama West Coast Vredendal Bojanala Platinum Moretele Madibeng Rustenburg Kgetlengrivier Moses Kotane Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati Naledi Mamusa Greater Taung Kagisano-Molopo Lekwa-Teemane Ngaka Modiri Molema Mahikeng Ratlou Tswaing Ditsobotla Ramotshere Dr Kenneth Kaunda JB Marks Matlosana Maquassi Hills Cities and towns Mahikeng Klerksdorp Rustenburg Potchefstroom Brits Orkney Lichtenburg Bloemhof Christiana Coligny Koster Letsopa Ledig Mogwase Ottosdal Schweizer-Reneke Stilfontein Ventersdorp Vryburg Wolmaransstad Zeerust Mmakau Mothibistad Reivilo Eastern Cape Northern Cape Port Elizabeth and the western region The Central Eastern Cape and East London The Eastern Cape Drakensberg The Wild Coast region Addo Elephant National Park East London Grahamstown The Grahamstown Festival Port Elizabeth Port St Johns Qunu and the Nelson Mandela Youth and Heritage Centre Nelson Mandela and the Qunu connection Free State Frances Baard Sol Plaatje Dikgatlong Magareng Phokwane John Taolo Gaetsewe Moshaweng Ga-Segonyana Gamagara Namakwa District Richtersveld Nama Khoi Kamiesberg Hantam Karoo Hoogland Khâi-Ma Pixley ka Seme Ubuntu Umsobomvu Emthanjeni Kareeberg Renosterberg Thembelihle Siyathemba Siyancuma ZF Mgcawu Kai !Garib Dawid Kruiper !Kheis Tsantsabane Kgatelopele Fezile Dabi District Moqhaka Ngwathe Metsimaholo Mafube Thabo Mofutsanyana District Setsoto Dihlabeng Maluti-a-Phofung Nketoana Phumelela Mantsopa Lejweleputswa District Masilonyana Tokologo Tswelopele Matjhabeng Nala Xhariep District Letsemeng Kopanong Mohokare Kimberley Upington Douglas Barkly West Colesberg De Aar Jan Kempdorp Kathu Kuruman Postmasburg Prieska Springbok Victoria West Warrenton Orania Carnarvon Garies Griekwastad Groblershoop Hartswater Keimoes Kakamas Pofadder Port Nolloth Strydenburg Sutherland Vanderkloof My Radio Stations Blogs Websites Projects I worked on , as a Hobby and free time.Links to share with young and old. 12 years of my work to share with you and passion with others. From Radio Station with Top Music to blogs and homepages, let my creativity share and inspire and maybe intrest you on my Projects and hobbies. enjoy if you like and let me No, Thankyou an GREETING FROM Andreas from Germany. We built ‘Radio SAM Broadcaster Germany’ for YOU…….. For you to NEVER miss that amazing event. We strive to, at all times, try to take the hassle out of finding out where that favourite artist is performing, have a look at some other artists also performing, and at what venue it is going to be held, at what time, and maybe it will be the end of life as you know it. We love radio! Radio SAM Broadcaster Germany makes life a little easier for everyone who feels the same way. We offer you the opportunity to listen to internet radio from all over the world in a particularly uncomplicated manner and free of charge. With the push of a button, you can also record it very easily thanks to Radio SAM Broadcaster Germany. Don't you ever want to miss your favorite internet radio radio again? Our tools make it possible! You can put together your own program in the Radio SAM Broadcaster Germany player, in the app and directly on our website. This is then conveniently recorded and saved for you. If you just want to listen to your favorite online radio stations, you can of course do so here: You can click through the music genres or topics you want and you will find enough material to stream continuously for days! Here, the many German channels are just a few clicks away from the small regional channel from Italy. Thanks to the radio cloud, you don't even have to turn on your computer or smartphone to record, you don't even have to be at home. The scheduled shows are simply saved in the cloud, where you can easily stream them or download them for later use. Radio programs and tips - radio plays and more That's all well and good, but you don't even know what you want to hear in the wide landscape of internet radio? No wonder, after all, there are many of programs on all sorts of genres. Our editorial team therefore studies the radio program every week and always has a few tips ready to make your choice easier: There is also something for the little listeners on a separate page for children. Do you want to let off steam in the wide world of internet radio? Radio SAM Broadcaster Germany makes this particularly easy for you. You can listern completely free of charge and without obligation. In your own account under “Radio SAM Broadcaster Germany” you can start immediately, put together your own program and use the free radio cloud storage of two hours. In the download area you will find the Radio SAM Broadcaster Germany players for PC and Mac and the app is available for free download in the app store for iOS, Android or Windows Phone. Radio SAM Germany Our Main Website: https://radio-sam-music.de.tl/HOME.htm Radio SAM Germany Live On Line Radio: https://liveonlineradio.net/de/radio-sam-germany Radio SAM Germany Online Radio Box:https://onlineradiobox.com/de/samgermany/?cs=de.samgermany&played=1 Radio SAM Germany Zeno Fm: https://www.zeno.fm/player/radio-sam-germanymasterinputstation?fbclid=IwAR2hz5yAvSPjEUAlnYvSiAQApVFD1F8gaugxw9V5bLXOCK87L-xGIPG7Sl4 Radio SAM Blogger: https://radio-sam-germany-music.blogspot.com/ Radio Voortekker Stereo: Zeno Media Fm: https://zeno.fm/radio-voortrekker-germany/ Radio Voortrekker Stereo Website: https://radio-voortrekker-stereo.page.tl/ Radio Voortrekker Blogger: https://radio-voortrekker-stereo-germany.blogspot.com/ https://radio-top-ten-germany.blogspot.com/ https://radio-top-ten.de.tl/ https://zeno.fm/radio-top-ten-germany/ https://radio-springbokk.de.tl/Tuisblad.htm https://zeno.fm/radio-springbok https://radio-springbok-germany.blogspot.com/ https://radio-springbokk.de.tl/ https://radio-sam-oldies-rock.de.tl/Home.htm https://zeno.fm/radio-sam-oldies-rock https://zeno.fm/radio-sam-country-germany/ https://radiosamcountry.de.tl/Home.htm https://sam-live-germany.de.tl/ https://sam-live-germany.de.tl/Livestream.htm https://zeno.fm/radio-sam-live/ https://radiosamlive.blogspot.com/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/215924126998460 https://radio-sam-music-charts.page.tl/Home.htm https://zeno.fm/radio-sam-music-charts/ https://radio-sam-music-charts.page.tl/Home.htm View More Our Second E-Mail: a.dezius@gmail.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/radiosambroadcastergermany/ Tweeter: https://twitter.com/RadioSAMBroadc1 Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/andreas.dezius/ Streema: https://streema.com/radios/Radio_SAM_Music_Radio_SAM_International_Music Zeno Media Fm: https://zeno.fm/radio-sam-broadcaster-germany4xqvqt35p48uv/ Online Radio Box: Our Main Websites: https://radio-sam-broadcaster.de.tl/Home.htm Our English Website: https://radio-sam-broadcaster-germany.page.tl/ Our Blogspot: https://radiosambroadcastergermany.blogspot.com/ https://onlineradiobox.com/de/saminternationalmusic/?cs=de.saminternationalmusic&played=1 https://radio-sam-international-music.blogspot.com/ https://radiosaminternationalmusic.de.tl/ https://radiosaminternationalmusic.de.tl/Home.htm https://zeno.fm/radio-international-music/ https://radio-international-music.page.tl/ https://zeno.fm/radio-sam-international-music/ https://radio-sam-music-club.de.tl/Home.htm https://radio-sam-germany.de.tl/ https://radio-sam-music.blogspot.com/ https://radio-sam-music.de.tl/Home.htm https://zeno.fm/radio-sam-germany-master-input-station/ https://onlineradiobox.com/de/samgermany/?cs=de.samgermany&played=1 https://radio-afrikaans-stereo.blogspot.com/ https://radio-afrikaans-stereo.page.tl/Tuis.htm# https://radio-afrikaans-stereo.page.tl/ https://zeno.fm/radio-afrikaans-stereo/ Our Radio Bloggers https://radio-sam-international-music.blogspot.com/ https://radio-afrikaans-stereo.blogspot.com/ https://afrikaanse-mense-europa.blogspot.com/ https://radio-sam-germany-music.blogspot.com/ https://radiosam-music-club.blogspot.com/ https://dj-nighthawk-entertainment.blogspot.com/ https://mrptv-livesouthafrica.blogspot.com/ https://radio-eendrag-germany.blogspot.com/ https://djnighthawkgermany.blogspot.com/ https://radio-sam-broadcaster.blogspot.com/ https://radio-voortrekker-stereo-germany.blogspot.com/ https://radio-springbok-germany.blogspot.com/ https://radiosamlive.blogspot.com/ https://radio-sam-germany-music.blogspot.com/ https://radio-top-ten-germany.blogspot.com/ Countries I Visited Around the World Europe / World wide - Countries and Regions Narobi Mombasa Switzerland France Belguim Holland - Amsterdam - Hoek van Holland Germany South Africa View More Decius - Dezius: Name Meaning Decius Family History Decius Name Meaning Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland. Similar surnames: Darius , Debus , Lucius , Deus , Denis , Declue , Deis , Deiss , Decoux Decius Mus Addressing the Legions Overview Around 1616 Peter Paul Rubens engaged in a large tapestries series project about the heroic Roman consul Decius Mus. This panel, which is a small sketch or modello for the larger composition, depicted the first episode of that story, which normally consisted of seven or eight scenes. In his History of Rome, Livy describes an episode in the war between the Romans and the Samnites, the inhabitants of the plains of Latium (south-central Italy), against their Roman rulers in 340 BC. The Roman forces led by co-consuls Decius Mus and Titus Manlius were outnumbered and in danger of defeat when an apparition visited them both at night and declared that victory would come to the army whose leader lost his life. Decius Mus, thus, vowed that he would sacrifice himself to ensure Roman victory. In the Gallery’s painting, Rubens depicts Decius Mus recounting the apparition to his soldiers the following morning. With his right arm raised and left hand holding the commander’s staff, he strikes a powerful pose that conveys the gravitas of the vision as his men listen with rapt attention. The soldiers hold the signa, or legionary standards, of the Roman republic—the Roman eagle, or Aquila; the open palm, a symbol for virtue; and the standard inscribed SPQR, the symbol of the Roman Republic—and lend historical legitimacy to scene. Rubens maintained an abiding fascination with Greco-Roman antiquity throughout his career. This interest manifested in his fidelity to ancient literary and pictorial sources and in the subject matter he chose. The lion-scalp trim on Decius Mus’s boots, his armor with its torso-molded breastplate ornamented with griffins, and even the lappets on his skirt adorned with alternating lion and human heads were all drawn from historic sources. Rubens was profoundly influenced by the ancient philosopher Justus Lipsius’s writings about the great Stoic philosopher, Seneca, who hailed Decius Mus a model for military and political leadership due to his constancy, virtue, and nobility. Rubens underscored these Stoic ideals by placing Decius Mus on a marble dais whose square shape emblematized fortitude. The Emperor Decius 249-251 Gaius Messuis Quintus Decius (201-251) was a native of the middle Danube region, either Illyricum or Pannonia (modern Hungary). In 248,while possibly a prefect of Rome, Decius was appointed by Emperor Philip to restore order along the lower Danube, an area which was under attack by the Goths and where Roman troops where in revolt. After a successful restoration of the region, his troops urged him to accept the imperial title and challenge Philip. With the support of his troops he then marched to northern Italy where he defeated and killed Philip near Verona in September of 249. After defeating Philip, he also killed Phillips sons. Soon after his defeat of Philip, the Senate named Decius emperor and granted him the title of Trajunus. Return to "Roman Empire" Chronology Return to "Early Church" Chronology Because of the political instability, military and economic crisis, and the social upheavals in the Roman Empire during the third century, one of Decius’ main objectives was to restore the stability of the empire’s past. In early AD 250, in an effort to unite the Empire against the threat of the Gothic invasion in the Balkans and the Sassanian Persians in the East and also as an attempt to restore the old virtues of Rome, Decius commanded that all citizens of the empire demonstrate their loyalty to the state gods and his divine reign through public sacrifice. Decius then set up sacrificial commissions in all cities and villages to supervise the execution of the sacrifices and to deliver written certificates to all citizens who performed the sacrifices. A citizen’s refusal was regarded as a threat to the religious unity of the Roman Empire and a denial of the general goodwill to the sovereign. Consequently, any citizen who refused to perform the sacrifices was subject to arrest, imprisonment, and execution. Although it is debated whether or not this was a strategic attack against the Christian community, Decius’ enforcement of the edict initiated the first general persecution of Christians in the empire’s history. Previous to Decius’ time, Christian persecutions had been spontaneous and local. Roman Emperors, beginning with Nero, were threatened by the rapid expansion of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire. For this reason, Christians often became victims of urban riots and were made scapegoats for disasters and local troubles, as was the case of Nero’s persecution of Christians blaming them for the great fire of Rome in AD 64. By the time of Decius, the Christian community was no longer a small association of uneducated lower class citizens but had become a cross-section of Roman society including members on all levels of the social scale. Because of this, Christianity posed a much greater threat than in earlier years. However, Decius’ persecutions had a devastating impact on the Christian community. Many Christians recanted their faith and performed the sacrifices, others purchased false certificates to evade persecution, and many others fled. Those who refused to perform the sacrifices were imprisoned, tortured, and executed, including bishops Fabian of Rome, Babylos of Antioch, and Alexander of Jerusalem. As Christian persecution increased, crisis on the Danubian frontier in AD 250 prevented the end of the religion. In late AD 250, Decius followed his son Herennuis’ campaign to the front and led an attack against the Goths and defeated Kniva, the king of the Goths, but Decius’ army was severely checked. Soon after, Decius suffered a major defeat at Beroea and was forced to flee for safety. By early spring AD 251, because of Decius’ military diversion at the Danubian front, Christian persecution abated and had ended in Carthage and Rome. The faithful Christians readmitted the apostates and restored steadfast faith and zeal to the entire Christian community. In midsummer of AD 251, Decius led another attack against the Goths and was defeated and killed at Abrittus in the Dobrudja, becoming the first Roman emperor to die in battle against foreign invaders. Decius’ successors Trebonianus Gallus and Valerian continued his persecution of Christians but never reached the same level of general persecutions. Decius: The Years 249-251 Messalla 07/01/2020 Roman history , The Crisis of the Third Century (238-284) , The Roman Empire Bust of Decius (Capitoline Museums, Rome). After defeating Philippus Arabs at Verona in September of 249, Gaius Messius Quintus Decius had become the new ruler of the vast Roman Empire. The new emperor built the thermae Decianae or Baths of Decius on the Aventine Hill in Rome and was possibly also responsible for construction of the obscure Porticus Decii. His decision to have the Colosseum restored, which had been damaged in a fire, may have been an attempt to bolster his popularity. The people still remembered Philippus’ spectacular Ludi Saeculares of the previous year and expected much the same from Decius. From the beginning, Decius’ rule was insecure and threatened by internal and external factors. The rebellion by Jotapianus in Syria soon faltered and the man’s head was brought to Decius to prove it, but the mysterious Silbannacus may still have been stirring up trouble in Germania before he too was taken care of. A much more serious development was that a Germanic tribe known as the Franks had appeared on the Rhine border not too long ago. The Franks were banging on Rome’s door and would soon strike deep into the heart of the Empire. Their brethren the Alemanni were a threat as well, and so were the Goths, Carpi, Sarmatians and other tribes on the Danube border. View of the Colosseum. Decius must have kept a wary eye on the Persians too. They had made peace with Philippus, but Philippus was dead and King Shapur needed little encouragement to stage a new invasion. Finally, Decius soon had to deal with a new enemy, an enemy that was not even human. It is quite possible that early in Decius’ reign, the epidemic that is known as the Plague of Cyprian spread from Ethiopia to the Roman province of Egypt. From there it would find its way to other provinces and ultimately Rome and claim tens, if not hundreds of thousands of lives. In these precarious circumstances, the new emperor needed as much support from the immortal gods as he could get. The Edict Early in his rule, Decius issued an Edict which ordered the entire free population of the Roman Empire to sacrifice to the ‘ancestral gods’ on his behalf. Although the text of the edict itself has been lost, we can reconstruct it fairly well. This is in large part thanks to so-called libelli which have been found in Egypt and which date from June and July of 250. A libellus was basically a receipt which proved that the holder had respected the Edict and had made the required sacrifices. Provincial and local authorities set up sacrificial committees and summoned families to sent representatives to sacrifice on behalf of the whole family. They were required to appear before the committees and make a libation, burn some incense or sacrifice an animal and eat from the meat. Christ as the Good Shepherd. The obligation to sacrifice to the ‘ancestral gods’ was rather vague, perhaps deliberately. The 50-70 million inhabitants of the Empire, most of them Roman citizens since Caracalla’s Constitutio Antoniniana of 212 , did not necessarily have to sacrifice to the traditional Roman gods. They could also pick local favourites. Jews were likely exempted from the Edict, as it was clear that these staunch monotheists would never sacrifice to ‘gods’ (plural). Christians, on the other hand, were not exempted, and the Edict would prove to be extremely problematic for them. Already in about 112, the governor of Pontus and Bithynia, Plinius the Younger, was told that there were certain rites that true Christians would never perform, such as invoking the traditional gods and offering incense or wine to images of (divine) emperors.The church father Tertullianus (ca. 155-240) concurred. In his Apologeticus, he cites Plinius’ observations and concludes more than once that Christians categorically do not sacrifice. The Apologeticus was written in 197 , and in 249, little more than 50 years later, many Christians likely still felt the same. This must certainly have been true for the Church authorities, the patriarchs and bishops. So how did the Christian communities in the Empire respond to Decius’ Edict? There will certainly have been Christians who saw no problems with offering a little incense for the emperor’s wellbeing, but other must have experienced a deep spiritual crisis. Some openly refused and were lynched, executed or locked up, others fled and waited for the storm to pass. There were also Christians who simply bribed the provincial and local authorities to obtain their libelli without ever having made a sacrifice. And then there were those who lapsed and made a token sacrifice, albeit dejected and half-heartedly. We cannot how many people were in each of the categories mentioned, but we may reasonably assume that the number of deadly victims of the Decian persecution cannot have been more than a few hundred.[3] Most victims were likely from the eastern provinces, for the simple reason that this part of the Empire had the largest Christian populations. Saint Babylas in the church of San Babila in Milan. While later Christian writers tended to exaggerate the Decian persecutions and the number of martyrs, we should beware not to underestimate the seriousness of the event. Decius’ Edict was in any case without precedent and his persecution does seem to have hit the administration of the Church very hard. The bishop of Rome, Pope Fabianus (236-250), was executed or died in prison on 20 January 250. In 251, bishop Alexander of Jerusalem passed away in prison as well. Saint Babylas, the patriarch of Antiochia, was imprisoned and died in captivity in 253. The bishop of Carthage, the same Cyprianus who gave his name to the aforementioned Plague of Cyprian, went into hiding (he would later die a martyr’s death in 258), while patriarch Dionysius of Alexandria fled to the desert of Libya. Rome, Jerusalem, Antiochia, Carthage and Alexandria were all cities with sizeable Christian populations. Although there is no evidence that Decius specifically targeted Christians with his Edict, the fact that provincial and local authorities went after bishops and patriarchs may have been an attempt ‘to bite the head off the snake’. The events regarding Fabianus, Alexander, Babylas, Cyprianus, Dionysius, and certainly their deaths, imprisonments or flights may be considered historical. Another famous victim of the persecution was the Christian teacher Origenes, who may have corresponded with Decius’ predecessor Philippus. However, there are plenty of stories about alleged martyrs that need to be taken with a pinch of salt. The historicity of saints such as Minias , Reparata , Fusca and Maura is problematic, while the tale of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus is pure fiction. War against the Goths The emperor Trajanus crosses the Danube (plaster cast from Trajan’s column). In the summer of 250, Decius named his eldest son Herennius Etruscus his Caesar. As is attested by numerous coins, he also began styling himself Trajanus, after the famous Roman emperor (98-117) who had conquered Dacia. Decius had good reasons for doing so, as hostile tribes had once again crossed the Danube. They invaded the province of Moesia Inferior and began pillaging their way to Thrace further to the south. The invaders were most likely Goths (‘Scythians’ in Zosimus’ account), although these may have been joined by bands of Carpi and Sarmatians. Decius and his son hastened to the region to intercept them. The emperor was going to follow in Trajanus’ footsteps, as his illustrious predecessor had campaigned here as well. The most detailed account of the Gothic and Roman campaigns is given by the sixth century historian Jordanes, who was himself of Gothic descent. It should be noted that he wrote some 300 years after the facts, but there is not good reason to reject his base narrative. The Goths were led by their king Cniva, who decided to split his army into two smaller forces. The first column probably attacked the city of Marcianopolis (now Devnya in Bulgaria), which had been named after Trajanus’ sister. The attack was likely unsuccessful. According to Jordanes, the second column comprised 70.000 men, a number that is no doubt inflated. This part of the army was commanded by the king himself. Cniva first attacked Novae, which was defended by the governor of Moesia Inferior, Trebonianus Gallus (Legio I Italica was stationed here). Gallus managed to repel the Gothic attack, so Cniva decided to march further south and advanced on Nicopolis, a city founded by the great Trajanus himself. Map of Moesia Inferior and Thrace (source: Ancient World Mapping Center. “À-la-carte”; CC BY 4.0 ). History of Villa Decius By now the emperor had arrived in Moesia, along with his son and his army. Cniva therefore withdrew into the Balkan Mountains (Haemus Mons) and advanced on Philippopolis, which was defended by the governor of Thrace, Titus Julius Priscus. Decius gave chase, but his army was ambushed near Beroea and almost annihilated. The emperor fled north with the few survivors, took refuge with Gallus and began raising a new army. In the meantime, Cniva could focus on taking Philippopolis. The city was captured and sacked, and the fourth century historian Ammianus Marcellinus suggests that 100.000 people were killed. This is no doubt an exaggeration and even Ammianus himself seemed sceptical of the claim, but the city was certainly thoroughly pillaged. Somehow Titus Julius Priscus had managed to strike a deal with Cniva, as he was not killed and – likely with Gothic support – even proclaimed himself emperor. Perhaps Cniva hoped to get away with his loot while Decius focussed on defeating his rival for the throne. As it turned out, Priscus was swiftly murdered, probably by his own men. With Priscus out of the way, Decius succeeded in cutting off the Gothic retreat. The final confrontation took place near Abritus in 251. The battle was probably fought in June, and – if we follow Zosimus’ account – likely involved a number of large skirmishes. The emperor managed to rout two Gothic warbands, but did not realise that he was being lured into the marshes. There Decius was defeated and killed, along with Herennius Etruscus and most of his soldiers. The emperor’s body was never recovered. His Gothic campaign had ended in disaster and Decius became the first Roman emperor to be killed in battle against a foreign enemy. Some sources claim that he had been betrayed by Trebonianus Gallus, who was said to have refused to come to the emperor’s aid. The story sounds like mere gossip, but it was easy to blame Gallus, as the troops in the region soon proclaimed him the new Augustus. While Decius was in the Danube region fighting the Goths, a certain Julius Valens Licinianus had revolted against him in Rome, in 250 or 251. This revolt had been quickly crushed, and now that Decius was dead, the Senate had little choice but to recognise Gallus as the new emperor, along with Decius’ other son, Hostilianus. Gallus’ son Volusianus became a Caesar. The death of an emperor on the battlefield marked the darkest day of the Crisis of the Third Century so far. But even darker days were soon to follow. Jost Ludwig Dietz came to Kraków from Hungary in 1508. Who could have expected then that that young lad would soon become one of the most influential persons in the city? That he would leave a remembrance that would shape the image of Kraków to the same extent as the Royal Wawel Castle. Justus Ludovicus Decius- as this is how the Alsatian started to be called in Poland – was a protégé of his compatriot, Jan Jacob Boner, a royal banker, the founder and manager of the largest commercial empire in contemporary Europe – the Wieliczka and Bochnia salt mines. Through his positions as secretary, bookkeeper and trusted deputy, Decius quickly became a consummate diplomat, practised financier and a highly positioned royal dignitary. A secretary of King Sigismund the Old since 1520, and soon his advisor and the principal of crown mints, due to many talents, literary and historical dissertations, many journeys and scientific predilections, he enjoyed the respect and friendship of the most outstanding European humanists. He knew Martin Luther and Desiderius Erasmus. He also maintained close contacts with the Habsburg court. Already by 1519 he had obtained noble status from the King, and somewhat later he was received to the House of Tęczyński. In 1528 Justus Decius purchased parts of Przegorzały and Wola Chełmska villages near Kraków in order to build a suburban villa following the example of a fashionable paradis terrestiare in the environs of Florence and Rome – estates that were meeting places and places of rest and philosophical debate. He employed three Italian architects for the designing and construction of building: Giovanni Cini of Siena, Zenobius Gianotti of Rome and Filippo of Fiesole. Located on the picturesque eastern slope of Sowiniec, surrounded by an extensive renaissance garden, the palace was completed in 1535. Soon it became the venue for meetings of representatives of different cultures and nationalities, the exchange of opinion and for creative confrontation between various convictions. After the death of the patron of the house, in 1545, the estate was inherited by his son, Justus junior, known as the leading dissenter in the capital of the Republic of Poland. The Arcadian estate in the Wola district, already known as Wola Justowska, was again full of guests. Those followers of religious innovation, the disciples of Luther and Calvin, found an atmosphere of tolerance and freedom at Villa Decius, and who knows, perhaps even an idyllic foretaste of eternity . In 1590 Sebastian Lubomirski, the founder of the fortune of his House, bought the estate. He rebuilt the palace to meet the needs of his family. In 1630 a new storey, with a large impressive hall heightened the Villa. Two alcove towers were added and linked by a three-story arcade loggia. Most probably the renaissance treatise of Sebastiano Serlio inspired the change. Matteo Trapoli – the personal architect of the Lubomirskis, supervised the reconstruction works. The first outbuilding of the Villa, known today as the Łaski House , also comes from that period. The Lubomirskis were gradually becoming one of the first aristocratic Houses of the Republic of Poland and the small palace finally turned out to be too little. Therefore they moved to new much grander residences at Wiśnicz and Łańcut. The eighteenth century was less favourable to Villa Decius. The estate often changed owner, and these did not always husband it appropriately. Under the Sanguszkos who presumably renovated the building and introduced changes into the interior, the whole second floor collapsed. Despite the size of the catastrophe, Andrzej Morzkowski – provincial royal official in Barcice – purchased the estate. Later, this time fortunately, the Villa passed into the hands of the Wielowiejskis. The first of the three great ladies to reside at Villa Decius in the nineteenth century came from the Wielowiejski family. Already in the 1820s Joanna Ledóchowska née Wielowiejska transformed the destroyed and walled up Villa into a summer residence in accordance with her likes and Zeitgeist. The garden underwent the most significant change, it was converted into an English landscape park following the contemporary fashion. Such surroundings gave the Villa a romantic and somewhat enigmatic touch. In the 1840s Henrietta Kuczkowska née Ankwicz took an interest in the estate. She came back to Poland after many years spent in Rome, where her parents kept open house, inviting the distinguished notables of the Polish emigré community. It is no secret that Miss Henrietta Ankwicz was the muse and the youthful beloved of Adam Mickiewicz, who portrayed her as Ewa in the third part of Dziady . After she had come back to Poland at the side of her second husband, Kazimierz Kuczkowski, Henrietta tried to maintain intimate contacts with the aristocracy paying no heed to their difficult financial situation. However, due to that carefree attitude the Villa underwent yet another costly reconstruction. An impressive front staircase appeared, the towers received balconies, an attic was added over the loggia. Once again the Villa was embellished, yet eventually the married couple went into debt. They tried to save the situation by selling off the palace furniture and Gobelin tapestry, and by selling licenses for tree felling in the Wolski grove. In the end, a Viennese banker, J. G. Schuller, purchased the declining estate for more than a million zlotys. In the 1870s Villa Decius once again recovered its former splendour due to Marcelina Czartoryska, the Villa’s last aristocratic owner. The daughter of Michał Radziwiłł and Emilia née Worcelli, she was raised in Vienna, where she began her musical studies under Carl Czerny. She took lessons from Frederic Chopin in Paris, becoming with time one of the best performers of his works. In Paris she befriended many personalities from among the eminent Polish émigré community, as well as French literary and artistic circles. Her guests included such figures as Charles Gounod, Paul Delaroche, and Eugene Delacroix. In 1867 the Duchess returned to Poland for good and took up residence in Kraków at Villa Decius. Her house soon became the leading salon in the city, the mainstay of patriotism and Polish character. A fire at the residence in 1882 forced Czartoryska into a temporary removal to the city centre. Soon, after the reconstruction of the Villa supervised by Tadeusz Stryjeński, the Duchess returned to the palace in the Wola district. That restoration gave Villa Decius its neo-renaissance form and its current layout of rooms. Moreover, she added the impressive wooden stairway leading from the hall on the ground floor to higher storeys which still exists today. With the death of Duchess Czartoryska in 1894, the halcyon days of Villa Decius came to an end. During the First World War it was used as army quarters. Later the Villa was changed into a tenement building. The Second World War deepened the devastation of the building – the Villa housed the Nazi police headquarters. After the war the building housed successively a school for auditors of co-operatives, a boarding school and a tuberculosis ward of the Dr. Anka Hospital. In the 1970s the building fell into complete ruin and it was hard to imagine that it would ever come back to life. Nevertheless, in 1996 Villa Decius once again opened wide its doors. Restored due to the efforts of the City of Kraków, the Villa regained its former splendour. Willa Decjusza. Architektura i dzieje – Zbigniew Beiersdorf (plik PDF) Decius Last Name Facts Where Does The Last Name Decius Come From? nationality or country of origin The last name Decius is held by more people in Haiti than any other country or territory. For other possible spellings of Decius click here . How Common Is The Last Name Decius? popularity and diffusion The surname is the 153,186th most frequent family name worldwide, held by around 1 in 2,538,187 people. Decius occurs mostly in The Americas, where 98 percent of Decius reside; 89 percent reside in Caribbean and 89 percent reside in Gallo-Caribbean. It is also the 189,934th most frequent first name globally, held by 1,594 people. The surname is most commonly held in Haiti, where it is carried by 2,552 people, or 1 in 4,186. In Haiti Decius is most common in: Artibonite, where 39 percent live, Ouest, where 31 percent live and Nord, where 14 percent live. Apart from Haiti this last name exists in 11 countries. It also occurs in The United States, where 9 percent live and Germany, where 2 percent live. Decius Family Population Trend historical fluctuation The frequency of Decius has changed through the years. In The United States the number of people bearing the Decius surname rose 2,822 percent between 1880 and 2014. Decius Last Name Statistics demography In The United States those bearing the Decius last name are 17.82% more likely to be registered with the Democrat Party than the national average, with 71.05% registered to vote for the political party. Decius earn somewhat more than the average income. In United States they earn 6.45% more than the national average, earning $45,932 USD per year. Peter Paul Rubens Decius Mus Relating His Dreams, ca. 1617 Oil on panel transferred to canvas (1773) in turn transferred to masonite (c. 1954-55), 80.7 x 84.5 cm Samuel H. Kress Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C, 1957.14.2 (1394) Catalog Entry by Peter C. Sutton The story of Decius Mus is told by Livy (8.6, 9-10). Publis Decius Mus (the Elder) was a consul and commander of the Roman legions fighting the Latins at Capua. He and his fellow commander, Titus Manlius, both had a dream informing them that one of the two armies engaged in the conflict would have to sacrifice its commander to the gods of the underworld and to Mother Earth, but as a consequence the opposing army would be completely defeated. Each general conveyed the dream to his officers. After consulting a soothsayer who performed a sacrificial offering to the gods, it was determined that Decius Mus must make the ultimate sacrifice. At the command of the highest priest, Decius covered his head with a toga and consecrated himself to the infernal gods with a solemn and dreadful vow. He then threw himself into battle and was killed. Fulfilling the prophecy, the Romans attacked with renewed strength and routed their enemy. In the present sketch, which is the first in a series of five modelli for tapestry designs, Decius Mus wearing a bright red cloak stands on a pedestal to address five of his officers whose ensigns and standards bristle against the sky. Closest to the dais, the young warrior in shadow wears armor over a dark red tunic and has a green cloak over his shoulder. The soldier with his back to the viewer wears a leopard skin over a blue tunic. The soldier on the far right wears an elaborately decorated helmet and bright red cloak and carries a labarum. An eagle hovers above Decius, and at the base of his pedestal is a still life consisting of his helmet, complete with a gilded relief of the Roman wolf with Romulus and Remus in a circular decoration, his shield with an apotropaic head encircled with radiating bolts of lightning, and weapons. The other four modelli for the series depict the interpretation of the animal sacrifice by the soothsayer, the modello for which is in the Oskar Reinhardt Collection, Winterthur (Held 1980, no. 2); the consecration of Decius Mus by the high priest, present location unknown (a copy is in Munich; Held 1980, #3); the death of Decius Mus, in the Museo del Prado, Madrid (Held 1980, no. 3a); and the obsequies of Decius Mus, in the Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, Munich (Held 1980, no. 4). A series of cartoons in the princes of Liechtenstein collection now in Vienna were executed after the modelli and have been variously attributed to either or both Rubens and his pupil, Anthony van Dyck. Rubens was a descendant of a famous tapestry manufacturer (Hendrick Pype, called Pypelinckx, d. 1580) and in 1630 married the daughter of a prominent tapestry dealer; thus, he was closely allied with this flourishing Flemish industry. The Decius Mus series was the first of his large tapestry series. It was commissioned on November 9, 1616, by a Genoese businessman, Franco Cattaneo, from the Antwerp tapestry merchants Jan Raes and Frans Sweerts, in a document that specified that Rubens should design the series and be the judge of the quality of the final product—a testament to his expertise in the field. Rubens himself mentioned the tapestries in letters to Sir Dudley Carlton in May 1618. As Emil Kieser (1933) and Wolfgang Stechow (1968) observed, the subject of the history of Decius Mus had never before been depicted in an art cycle. It undoubtedly appealed to Rubens because, as he pictured it, the story was one of unflinching heroic stoicism, valor, and a profound trust in the wisdom of the gods. In all probability the subject was suggested by the learned artist and avowed Stoic to Cattaneo prior to the drafting of the contract in November 1616. Rubens also probably was attracted to the theme by the occasion it presented to display his extensive knowledge of the costumes, customs, and appearances of antiquity. Much of Rubens's time in Italy had been spent researching ancient Roman civilization and its relics. He also had a renowned command of ancient literature. As early as 1608 Rubens had contributed drawings of Roman sculptures to illustrate his brother Philip's book of essays on Roman expressions referring to civilian and military apparel. The Decius Mus series thus offered him for the first time a grand stage on which to display his expertise. It surely is not a matter of chance that, as H. D. Rodee (1967) first observed, Rubens's Decius Mus series is more archaeologically correct than any of the master's other later treatments of Roman history subjects. Even the composition of the present work is derived from ancient Roman examples, namely the allocutio designs of leaders addressing their troops that appear on the Arch of Constantine (see Kieser 1933, p. 126). Rubens later returned to the allocutio composition when he executed The Emblem of Christ Appearing to Constantine in 1622 in his second venture into tapestry design, the Life of Constantine series. As Julius Held observed (1980, vol. 1, p. 25), Rubens surely knew Justus Lipsius's De Militia romana libri quinque (3rd ed., Antwerp, 1602), which discusses the classical allocutio and gives examples of the associations of antique military leaders and military signs. Held (ibid.) further observed that one of the ensigns features a prominent outstretched hand that appears frequently on Roman coins and which Caspar Gevartius in the Pompa Introitus ([Antwerp, 1641-42], p. interpreted as a "symbol of warlike valor and trust." The painting in Vienna corresponds to the present modello in most salient regards, but its major change is the conversion of the design to a more upright, narrower format. Thus in the large version, the left side of the frame is much closer to the figure of the general, his hand almost touches the ensigns, and the figure of the eagle is eliminated. A black chalk drawing in the Albertina, Vienna, no. 8238, was published by Ludwig Burchard and R.A. d'Hulst (Antwerp 1956, no. 81) as an original study by Rubens for the present design but was correctly demoted to a copy by J. Müller-Hofstede (1966, p. 449) and Held (1980, vol. 1, p. 25). Dezius Name Meaning Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland. Similar surnames: Darius , Debus , Deus , Denis , Deis , Deiss , Lenius , Dinius , Deziel What does Decius Mundus mean? (Question) What does "Decius Mundus" mean in Latin? This was the name of the Roman who tricked Paulina into having sex with him in Josephus' Antiquities, Book 18. It looks like the characters in Josephus' stories of Paulina and Fulvia have allegorical meanings. In Paulina's story, Decius Mundus fell in love with Paulina, a convert to Anubis' cult, but Paulina was married to Saturninus. So Mundus' female servant Ida paid Anubis' priests to fool Paulina into thinking that Mundus was the god Anubis and into having sex with him. Then in Fulvia's story, three Jewish swindlers tricked Fulvia, a convert to Judaism, into making a Temple donation, which they stole. I see Paulina's name as referring to the apostle Paul, who gathered donations from gentiles for Jerusalem's Church. Ida's name alludes to Judas, as both were involved in payments to or from priests for betrayal. I suppose that "Decius Mundus" means something about "Tenth" and "World", referring to tithing. This is because tithing involved taking a "tenth" of income, and in particular tithing the gentiles or "nations" for Jerusalem's Church as its spiritual "Temple". In the Loeb edition, a footnote points out the similarity of the Mundus and Paulina episode to the older story of the Egyptian king Nectanebus II and Olympias, supposedly fathering Alexander the Great under the appearance of Zeus Ammon. This name derives from the Latin “decem, meaning “ten”, ... Cognates include, Ancient Greek déka ‎(δέκα). Decimus is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, usually abbreviated D. Although never especially common, Decimus was used throughout Roman history from the earliest times to the end of the Western Empire and beyond, surviving into modern times. The Latin personal name “Decimus”, means “the tenth born, or born in December”, which was originally given to the tenth child of the family or the tenth or youngest between ten members of the same family of the same name. Decimus is the Latin word for tenth, and it falls into a class of similar praenomina including the masculine names Quintus, Sextus, Septimus, Octavius, and Nonus, as well as the feminine names Prima, Secunda, Tertia, Quarta, Quinta, Sexta, Septima, Octavia, and Nona. It is generally believed that the name was originally given to a tenth child, a tenth son, or a tenth daughter. However, it has also been argued that Decimus and the other praenomina of this type could refer to the month of the year in which a child was born. Publius Decius Mus (Konsul 340 v. Chr.) Publius Decius Mus († 340 v. Chr. am Vesuv?) war ein Politiker der römischen Republik und gelangte 340 v. Chr. als erster seiner Familie zum Konsulat. Sein Amtskollege war Titus Manlius Imperiosus Torquatus. Im Jahr 352 gehörte er zu einer Kommission (quinqueviri mensarum) zur Bekämpfung der Verschuldung des Volkes.Als Militärtribun soll er 343 v. Chr. das von den Samniten umzingelte römische Heer gerettet haben.340 v. Chr. wurde er Konsul. Durch seinen Opfertod für Rom (Devotio) in der Schlacht am Vesuv gegen die Latiner erlangte er besondere Berühmtheit.Doch dürfte dies nur eine Übertragung vom Sohn auf den Vater sein; seinem gleichnamigen Sohn und Enkel wird in der Überlieferung die gleiche Selbstopferung zugeschrieben. Publius Decius Mus (Konsul 279 v. Chr.) Publius Decius Mus († 279 v. Chr. bei Asculum?) war ein Politiker der römischen Republik und Konsul 279 v. Chr. Er erlitt 279 v. Chr. in der Schlacht bei Asculum eine Niederlage gegen Pyrrhos. Wie sein Großvater und Vater soll er sein Leben in der Schlacht durch devotio geopfert haben.Sehr unsicher ist die Überlieferung, dass er im Jahr 265 v. Chr. Suffektkonsul gewesen sei, was die devotio-Handlung umso mehr unglaubwürdig erscheinen lässt. Gaius Messius Quintus Traianus Decius (* ca. 190 oder 200/201 in Budalia bei Sirmium, heute Sremska Mitrovica, in der römischen Provinz Pannonia inferior; † 1. Hälfte Juni 251 bei Abrittus, heute Rasgrad in Bulgarien) war Kaiser des Römischen Reichs von 249 bis 251, der erste in einer längeren Reihe fähiger Männer aus den illyrischen Provinzen. Allerdings war Decius im Gegensatz zu den meisten späteren „illyrischen Kaisern“ bereits der Aufstieg in den Senat gelungen; seine Familie zählte offenbar zur Reichsaristokratie und er stammte damit anders als viele spätere Herrscher nicht aus einfachen Verhältnissen. Decimus Iunius Brutus Albinus Decimus Iunius Brutus Albinus (* um 81 v. Chr.; † September 43 v. Chr.) war ein römischer Politiker und Soldat. Er war ein langjähriger Offizier und enger Vertrauter Gaius Iulius Caesars, unter dem er Karriere machte. Aus nicht bekannten Gründen schloss er sich der Verschwörung gegen den Diktator an und gehörte zu den prominentesten Caesarmördern. Bald nach dem gelungenen Attentat (15. März 44 v. Chr.) ging er in seine Provinz Gallia cisalpina und verweigerte gegen Jahresende deren Übergabe an den Konsul Marcus Antonius. Von diesem daraufhin in Mutina belagert, wurde er im April 43 v. Chr. von den neuen Konsuln und Octavian (dem späteren Kaiser Augustus) befreit. Er verfolgte den geschlagenen Antonius, doch Octavian vollzog einen politischen Kurswechsel und ließ ihn wie alle Caesarmörder ächten. Auf der Flucht wurde er gefangen und auf Antonius’ Befehl getötet. Decius Vibellius Decius Vibellius war ein kampanischer Ritter aus dem Geschlecht der Vibellier, das vermutlich in Capua angesiedelt war. Er war mit dem Oberkommando über die kampanische Legion betraut, die durch den Konsul Publius Valerius Laevinus um 282 v. Chr. wegen des Pyrrhoskrieges als römische Schutzmacht in die Stadt Rhegion gelegt worden war. Hier missbrauchte er nach einiger Zeit seine Stellung, indem er die Stadt um 280 v. Chr. eigenmächtig in Besitz nahm. Er wurde nach der Einnahme der Stadt, vermutlich durch den Konsul Gaius Genucius Clepsina 270 v. Chr., zusammen mit den restlichen Angehörigen der Legio Campana nach Rom verbracht, wo er sich durch Selbstmord seiner öffentlichen Hinrichtung auf dem Forum entzog. What did your Decius ancestors do for a living? In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the US named Decius. 17% of Decius men worked as a Laborer and 34% of Decius women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Decius were Broker and Saw Dry Works View Census data for Decius | Data not to scale Decius Family Origin Where is the Decius family from? You can see how Decius families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Decius family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1861 and 1920. The most Decius families were found in the USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 9 Decius families living in Pennsylvania. This was 100% of all the recorded Decius's in the USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Decius families in 1880. Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Decius surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations. Decius(noun) Emperor of Rome who was proclaimed emperor against his will; his reign was notable for his severe persecution of Christians (201-251) Decius Trajan Decius, was Roman Emperor from 249 to 251. In the last year of his reign, he co-ruled with his son Herennius Etruscus until they were both killed in the Battle of Abrittus. Decius Roman emperor from 249 to 251; was a cruel persecutor of the Christians; perished in a morass fighting with the Goths, who were a constant thorn in his side all through his reign. Examples from the Web for decius During the battle, Decius devoted himself, as his father had done before. History of Julius Caesar Vol. 1 of 2 |Napoleon III, Emperor of the French, 1808-1873. Decius said, "Stretch him thus naked, and beat him with strong clubs." The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church |lfric When Emperor Decius heard of this, he sent a company of four hundred soldiers to capture Christophorus. Mary, Help of Christians |Various They were accused before Decius, and they confessed themselves to be Christians. Curious Myths of the Middle Ages |Sabine Baring-Gould BACK TO TOP

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Battle of Blood River The Battle of Blood River 16 December 1838) was fought on the bank of the Ncome River , in what is today KwaZulu-Natal , South Africa between 464 Voortrekkers ("Pioneers"), led by Andries Pretorius , and an estimated 25,000 to 30,000[2] Zulu . Estimations of casualties amounted to over 3,000 of King Dingane 's soldiers dead, including two Zulu princes competing with Prince Mpande for the Zulu throne. Three Voortrekker commando members were lightly wounded, including Pretorius. The year 1838 was the most difficult period for the Voortrekkers from when they left the Cape Colony, till the end of the Great Trek. They faced many difficulties and much bloodshed before they found freedom and a safe homeland in their Republic of Natalia. This was only achieved after defeating the Zulu Kingdom, at the Battle of Blood River, which took place on Sunday 16 December 1838. This battle would not have taken place if the Zulu King had honoured the agreement that he had made with the Voortrekkers to live together peacefully. The Zulu king knew that they outnumbered the Voortrekkers and decided to overthrow them and that led to the Battle of Blood river. In January 1840 Prince Mpande finally defeated King Dingane in the Battle of Maqongqe and was subsequently crowned as new king of the Zulu by his alliance partner Andries Pretorius. After these two battles, Dingane's prime minister and commander in the Battle of Blood River, General Ndlela , was strangled to death by Dingane for high treason. General Ndlela had been the personal protector of Prince Mpande, who after the Battles of Blood River and Maqongqe, became king and founder of the Zulu. Background The trekkers—called Voortrekkers after 1880[4] —had to defend themselves after the betrayal murder of chief Trekker leader Piet Retief and his entire entourage, and ten days later the Weenen/Bloukrans massacre where "not a soul was spared. Dingane had agreed that, if Retief could recover approximately 700 head of cattle stolen from the Zulus by the Tlokwa , he would let them have land upon which to establish farms. On 6 February 1838, two days after the signing of a negotiated land settlement deal between Retief and Dingane at UmGungundlovu , written by Jan Gerritze Bantjes (1817–1887) which included Trekker access to Port Natal , which the British also had interest in, Dingane invited Retief and his party into his royal residence for a beer-drinking farewell. The accompanying request for the surrender of Trekker muskets at the entrance was taken as normal protocol when appearing before the king. While the Trekkers were being entertained by Dingane's dancing warriors/soldiers, Dingane suddenly accused the visiting party of witchcraft and ordered his men: "Bulalani abathakathi" (Kill the sorcerers...). Dingane's soldiers bludgeoned Retief's party to death. Immediately after the UmGungundlovu massacre, Dingane sent out his impis (regiments) to attack several Trekker encampments at night time, killing an estimated 500 men, women, children, and servants, most notably at Blaukraans . Help arrived from farmers in the Cape Colony, and the Trekkers in Natal subsequently requested the pro-independence Andries Pretorius to leave the Cape Colony, in order to defend the Voortrekkers who had settled in Natal. After the Battle of Blood River, the Dingane-Retief treaty written by Jan Gerritze Bantjes was found on Retief's bodily remains,[9] providing a driving force for an overt alliance against Dingane between Prince Mpande and Pretorius.Pretorius. War strategies of the generals On 26 November 1838, Andries Pretorius (1798–1853) was appointed as Commander of 64 wagons and 464+ heavily armed Boer combatants directed against Dingane at UmGungundlovu with Jan Gerritze Bantjes (1817–1882) as his war secretary. By December 1838, Prince Mpande and 17,000 followers had already fled from Dingane, who was seeking to assassinate Mpande.[10] In support of Prince Mpande as Dingane's replacement, Pretorius' strategy was to target Dingane only. To allow Prince Mpande to oust King Dingane through military might, Pretorius had first to weaken Dingane's personal military power base in UmGungundlovu. Dingane's royal residence at UmGungundlovu was naturally protected against attack by hilly and rocky terrain all around, as well as an access route via Italeni passing through a narrow gorge called a defile . Earlier on 9 April 1838, a Trekker horse commando without ox wagons, thereafter called the "Flight Commando", had unsuccessfully attempted to penetrate the UmGungundlovu defense at nearby Italeni valley, resulting in the loss of several Trekker lives. Trekker leader Hendrik Potgieter had abandoned all hope of engaging Dingane in UmGungundlovu after losing the battle of Italeni, and subsequently had migrated with his group out of Natal. To approach UmGungundlovu via the Italeni defile with ox wagons would force the wagons into an open column, instead of an enclosed laager as successfully employed defensively at Veglaer on 12 August 1838. The military commander during Dingane's attack on Veglaer was Ndlela kaSompisi . The highly experienced general Ndlela had served under Shaka , and was also prime minister and chief advisor under Dingane. Ndlela with his 10,000 troops had retreated from Veglaer, after three days and nights of fruitless attempts to penetrate the enclosed Trekker wagon laager. General Ndlela personally protected Prince Mpande from Dingane's repeated assassination plans. King Dingane desired to have his half brother Mpande, the only prince with children, eliminated as a threat to his throne.[10] Prince Mpande was married to Msukilethe, a daughter of general Ndlela. General Ndlela, like Pretorius the promoter of Prince Mpande, was responsible for Dingane's UmGungundlovu defense during the Trekkers' second attack attempt under Pretorius in December 1838. Given general Ndlela's previous defense and attack experience at Italeni and Veglaer during April 1838 and August 1838 respectively, Ndlela's tactical options were limited. Proven UmGungundlovu defense tactics were to attack Trekker commandos in the rocky and hilly terrain on the narrowing access route at Italeni, thereby neutralising the advantages mounted riflemen had over spear-carrying foot soldiers.[11] Ndlela had to let Pretorius come close to UmGungundlovu at Italeni and lure the Trekkers into attack. Ndlela was not to attack the Trekkers when they were in a defensive wagon laager position, especially not during the day. The problem for Pretorius was that he had somehow to find a way to make Dingane's soldiers attack him in a defensive laager position at a place of his choice, far away from UmGungundlovu and Italeni. On 6 December 1838, 10 days before the Battle of Blood River, Pretorius and his commando including Alexander Biggar as translator had a meeting with friendly Zulu chiefs at Danskraal , so named for the Zulu dancing that took place in the Zulu kraal that the Trekker commando visited. With the intelligence received at Danskraal, Pretorius became confident enough to propose a vow to God, which demanded the celebration, by the commando and their posterity, of the coming victory over Dingane. The covenant included that a church would be built in honour of God, should the commando be successful and reach UmGungundlovu alive in order to diminish the power of Dingane. Building a church in Trekker emigrant context was symbol for establishing a settled state. After the meeting with friendly Zulu chiefs at Danskraal, Pretorius let the commando relax and do their washing for a few days at Wasbank till 9 December 1838. From Wasbank they slowly and daily moved closer to the site of the Battle of Blood River, practising laager defence tactics every evening for a week long. Then, by halting his advance towards UmGungundlovu on 15 December 1838, 40 km before reaching the defile at Italeni, Pretorius had eliminated the Italeni terrain trap. Location and preparation On Saturday, 15 December 1838, after the Trekker wagons crossed the Buffalo River 10 km SW of the actual battle site and still 80 kilometres (50 mi) from their target UmGungundlovu, an advance scouting party including Pretorius got news of a large Zulu force in rugged terrain to the east trying to lure the Boers into a trap as had been the case in April the same year with fatal consequences. While Cilliers wanted to ride out and attack, Pretorius declined the opportunity to engage Dingane's soldiers away from their base as had been the trap at Italeni valley. Instead, Pretorius decided on a fortified laager on the terrain of his own choosing in the hope that general Ndlela would attack Pretorius on his terms rather than the other way around. As the site for the defensive wagon laager, Pretorius chose a defensible position close to a vertical 8m descent into a deep hippo pool in the Ncombe River providing excellent protection on two sides. The wide-open area to the front of the laager provided absolutely no cover for an attacking force. The battle was set with the laager protected on two flanks. As usual, the ox-wagons were drawn into the typical protective enclosure or laager. Movable wooden barriers and ladders which could be quickly opened for cavalry were fastened between the wagon wheels to prevent intruders, with two smoothbore, short barrel artillery pieces positioned at the corners. Andries Pretorius had brought a 6-pound naval carronade with him from the Cape, mounted on a gun carriage improvised from a wagon axle, and named Grietjie. The other ordnance piece is unknown in the original, but the reproduction depicts a 4-pound smoothbore cannon by then obsolete in most European armies. Both were used to fire devastating grapeshot . As evening approached, a thick mist settled over the wagon site above which the sky was clear. According to Afrikaner traditions, the Zulu were afraid to attack at the night due to superstitions and the eerie glow of lamps which the Boers hung on sjamboks [whip-stocks] around the laager. Whether or not there is any truth in this, historian S.P. Mackenzie has speculated that the Zulu held back until what they perceived as the necessary numbers had arrived. Some of the Zulus only arrived near sunrise by following the tracks of the wagons. Due to some recent heavy rains the Ncombe River was swollen making crossing the river difficult. During the night of 15 December, six Zulu regiments, an estimated 20,000 (or more) Zulu soldiers led by Dambuza (Nzobo), crossed the Ncome River and started massing around the encampment, while the elite forces of senior general Ndlela did not cross the river, thereby splitting the army in two. Battle On 16 December, dawn broke on a clear day, revealing that "all of Zululand sat there", according to one Trekker eyewitness. General Ndlela and his crack troops, the Black and White Shields, remained on the other side of the river, observing Dambuza's men at the laager from a safe position across the hippo pool. According to the South African Department of Art and Culture: In ceremonies that lasted about three days, izinyanga zempi, specialist war doctors, prepared izinteleze medicines which made warriors invincible in the face of their opponents. This could partly help explain why Dambuza's forces were sitting on the ground close to the wagon laager when the Trekkers first saw them. An artist's impression of the Battle of Blood River. Dambuza's regiments repeatedly stormed the laager but could not break through. The attackers were hindered by a change introduced during Shaka's rule that replaced most of the longer throwing spears with short stabbing spears. In close combat the stabbing spear provided obvious advantages over its longer cousin. A Zulu eyewitness said that their first charge was mown down like grass by the Boer muskets. As Bantjes wrote in his jous like being newly born for us - the sky was clear, the weather fine and bright. We hardly saw the twilight of the break of day or the guards, who were still at their posts and could just make out the distant Zulus approaching. All the patrols were called back into the laager by firing alarm signals from the cannons. The enemy came forward at full speed and suddenly they had encircled the area around the laager. As it got lighter, so we could see them approaching over their predecessors who had already been shot back. Their rapid approach (though terrifying to witness due to their great numbers) was an impressive sight. The Zulus came in regiments, each captain with his men behind (as the patrols had seen them coming the day before) until they had surrounded us. I could not count them, but I was told that a captive Zulu gave the number at thirty-six regiments, each regiment calculated to be "nine hundred to a thousand men" strong. The battle now began and the cannons unleashed from each gate, such that the battle was fierce and noisy, even the discharging of small arms fire from our marksmen on all sides was like thunder. After more than two hours of fierce battle, the Commander in Chief gave orders that the gates be opened and mounted men sent to fight the enemy in fast attacks, as the enemy near constantly stormed the laager time and again, and he feared the ammunition would soon run out. With the power of their firearms and with their ox wagons in a laager formation and some effective tactics, the Boers fought off the Zulu. Buckshot was used to maximise casualties. Mackenzie claims that 200 indigenous servants looked after the horses and cattle and helped load muskets, but no definite proof or witness of servants helping to reload is available. Writing in the popular Afrikaans magazine Die Huisgenoot , a Dr. D.J. Kotze said that this group consisted of fifty-nine "non-white helpers and followers" instead of the commonly stated two hundred. After two hours and four waves of attack, with the intermittent lulls providing crucial reloading and resting opportunities for the Trekkers, Pretorius ordered a group of horsemen to leave the encampment and engage the Zulu in order to induce the disintegration of their formations. The Zulu withstood the charge for some time, but rapid losses led them to scatter. The Trekkers pursued their fleeing enemies and hunted them down for three hours. Cilliers noted later that "we left the Kafirs lying on the ground as thick almost as pumpkins upon the field that has borne a plentiful crop. Bantjes recorded that about 3,000 dead Zulu had been counted, and three Trekkers were wounded. During the chase, Pretorius was wounded in his left hand by an assegaai (Zulu spear). Of the 3,000 dead Zulu soldiers, two were princes, leaving Ndlela's favourite Prince Mpande as frontrunner in the subsequent battle for the Zulu crown. Four days after the Battle of Blood River, the Trekker commando arrived at King Dingane's great kraal UmGungundlovu (near present-day Eshowe ), only to find it deserted and in ashes. The bones of Retief and his men were found and buried, where a memorial stands today. Up to this day 16 December is a public holiday in South Africa; before 1994 it was known as "the Day of the Vow ", "the Day of the Covenant" and "Dingaan's Day"; but today it is "the Day of Reconciliation ". Aftermath The conflict between Dingane and the Trekkers continued for one more year after the Battle of Blood River. The idea of a decisive victory may have been planted in Pretorius' mind by a Zulu prisoner, who said that most of Dingane's warriors had either been killed or fled. The same prisoner led some of the Trekker party into a trap at the White Umfolozi River , eleven days after the battle at Ncome River. This time the Zulu were victorious. Only when Dingane's brother, Mpande , openly joined the Trekker side with his sizeable army, was Dingane finally defeated in January 1840. Following the Battle of Maqongqe in January 1840, the forces of Mpande did not wait for Pretorius' cavalry to arrive, and they attacked the remaining regiments of Dingane, who were again under the command of General Ndlela. Ndlela strayed from normal fighting tactics against Mpande, sending in his regiments to fight one at a time, instead of together in ox horn formation. Maquongqe Dingane had to flee Natal completely, but before he did so, he had Ndlela slowly strangled by cow hide for high treason, on the grounds that he had fought for Mpande, with the same disastrous result for Dingane as at Ncome-Blood River. Dambusa, Dingane's other general, had already been executed by Mpande and Pretorius when he fell into their hands before the battle. Pretorius approved and attended the crowning of Zulu King Mpande in Pietermaritzburg . They agreed on the Tugela River as the border between Zululand and the Republic of Natalia . Legacy From the Day of the Vow, Afrikaners consider the site and the commemoration of the day as sacred. Historian S.P. Mackenzie doubts the reported number of Zulu deaths. He compares Zulu casualties at Ncome to battles at Italeni , Isandlwana , and Rorke's Drift . Mackenzie acknowledges that the casualty count was not impossible. Yet, in a similar victory on 15 October 1836 by Trekkers under Hendrik Potgieter over some 9,000 Matabele , the latter suffered only 350 casualties. In 1879, 600 British soldiers with breech-loading rifles caused 2,000 Zulu casualties, perhaps 1,000 killed over three hours before being overrun. Ncome/Blood River monument Laager at the Blood River Memorial A church, called "the Church of the Vow ", was built in the Natal town of Pietermaritzburg in 1841, where Pretorius settled on the farm "Welverdient" (English: "Well-earned"), a gift from the Trekkers. A monument was erected on the site of the battle in 1947, consisting of an ox wagon executed in granite by the sculptor Coert Steynberg . In 1971 a laager of 64 ox wagons cast in bronze (by Unifront Foundry in Edenvale – Fanie de Klerk and Jack Cowlard) was erected, and unveiled on 16 December 1972. A stone representation at the Voortrekker Monument of the Laager formed at the Battle of Blood River The Ncome monument on the east side of the river commemorates the fallen Zulu warriors. While the Blood River Memorial is associated with Afrikaner nationalism, the Ncome monument was intended as a symbol of reconciliation—but has become connected with Zulu nationalism. At 16 December 1998 inauguration of the most recent version of the monument, the Zulu politician and then Minister of Home Affairs , Mangosuthu Buthelezi , apologised to the Afrikaner nation for the death of Piet Retief and the subsequent suffering. At the same time Buthelezi also noted the suffering of the Zulus during Apartheid . He stressed that South Africans needed to consider the day as "a new covenant which binds us to the shared commitment of building a new country. Today two complexes mark the battle site: the Ncome Monument and Museum Complex east of the Ncome River, and the Blood River Monument and Museum Complex to the west. Ndlela monument South Africa's ex-president, Jacob Zuma , attended the official inauguration of the Ndlela monument in Eshowe, Kwazulu-Natal. President Cyril Ramaphosa's 2019 speech On the Day of Reconciliation 2019, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa described the Voortrekkers as invaders and the Zulu army as "Freedom Fighters Dirk Hermann, managing director of the trade union Solidarity , criticised this historical claim as inaccurate and as a "criminalisation of Afrikaner history", and emphasised the reconciliatory message of politician Mangosuthu Buthelezi . Day of the Vow The Day of the Vow (Afrikaans : Geloftedag) is a religious public holiday in South Africa . It is an important day for Afrikaners , originating from the Battle of Blood River on 16 December 1838, before which about 400 Voortrekkers made a promise to God that if he rescued them out of the hands of the approximately 20,000 Zulu warriors they were facing, they would honour that day as a sabbath day in remembrance of what God did for them. Initially called Dingane's Day or Dingaan's Day (Afrikaans : Dingaansdag), 16 December was made an annual national holiday in 1910, before being renamed Day of the Vow in 1982. In 1994, after the end of Apartheid , it was officially replaced by the Day of Reconciliation , an annual holiday also on 16 December. However, many descendants still celebrate it as promised in the vow. The day of the Vow traces its origin as an annual religious holiday to The Battle of Blood River on 16 December 1838. The besieged Voortrekkers took a public vow (or covenant) together before the battle, led by Sarel Cilliers . In return for God's help in obtaining victory, they promised to build a house and forever honour this day as a sabbath day of God. They vowed that they and their descendants would keep the day as a holy Sabbath. During the battle, a group of about 470 Voortrekkers defeated a force of about 20,000 Zulu. Three Voortrekkers were wounded, and some 3,000 Zulu warriors died in the battle. Two of the earlier names given to the day stem from this prayer. Officially known as the Day of the Vow, the commemoration was renamed from the Day of the Covenant in 1982. Afrikaners colloquially refer to it as Dingaansdag (Dingane 's Day), a reference to the Zulu ruler of the defeated attackers. No verbatim record of the vow exists. The version often considered to be the original vow is in fact W.E.G. Louw's ca. 1962 translation into Afrikaans of G.B.A. Gerdener's reconstruction of the vow in his 1919 biography of Sarel Cilliers (Bailey 2003:25). The wording of the Vow is: Afrikaans : Hier staan ons voor die Heilige God van Hemel en aarde om ʼn gelofte aan Hom te doen, dat, as Hy ons sal beskerm en ons vyand in ons hand sal gee, ons die dag en datum elke jaar as ʼn dankdag soos ʼn Sabbat sal deurbring; en dat ons ʼn huis tot Sy eer sal oprig waar dit Hom behaag, en dat ons ook aan ons kinders sal sê dat hulle met ons daarin moet deel tot nagedagtenis ook vir die opkomende geslagte. Want die eer van Sy naam sal verheerlik word deur die roem en die eer van oorwinning aan Hom te gee. English: We stand here before the Holy God of heaven and earth, to make a vow to Him that, if He will protect us and give our enemy into our hand, we shall keep this day and date every year as a day of thanksgiving like a sabbath, and that we shall build a house to His honour wherever it should please Him, and that we will also tell our children that they should share in that with us in memory for future generations. For the honour of His name will be glorified by giving Him the fame and honour for the victory. The official version of the event is that a public vow was taken - The Covenant Vow on Sunday, 09th.Dec.1838 - It was at this Wasbank laager where Pretorius, Landman and Cilliers formulated "The Vow" and recorded by Jan Gerritze Bantjes (pages 54–55 of his journal - location of Wasbank, S28° 18' 38.82 E30° 8' 38.55). The original Bantjes words from the journal read as follows; "Sunday morning before service began, the Commander in Chief (Pretorius) asked those who would lead the service to come together and requested them to speak with the congregation so that they should be zealous in spirit, and in truth, pray to God for His help and assistance in the coming strike against the enemy, and tell them that Pretorius wanted to make a Vow towards the Almighty (if all agreed to this) that "if the Lord might give us victory, we hereby promise to found a house (church) as a memorial of his Great Name at a place (Pietermaritzburg) where it shall please Him", and that they also implore the help and assistance of God in accomplishing this vow and that they write down this Day of Victory in a book and disclose this event to our last posterities in order that this will forever be celebrated in the honour of God." This bound future descendants of the Afrikaner to commemorate the day as a religious holiday (sabbath) in the case of victory over the Zulus by promising to build a church in God's honour. By July 1839 nothing had yet been done at Pietermaritzburg regarding their pledge to build a church, and it was Jan Gerritze Bantjes himself who motivated everyone to keep that promise. In 1841 with capital accumulated by Bantjes at the Volksraad, the Church of the Vow at Pietermaritzburg was eventually built - the biggest donor being the widow, Mrs. H.J.van Niekerk in Sept.1839. As the original vow was never recorded in verbatim form, descriptions come only from the Bantjes Journal written of Jan Gerritze Bantjes with a dispatch written by Andries Pretorius to the Volksraad on 23 December 1838; and the recollections of Sarel Cilliers in 1871. A participant in the battle, Dewald Pretorius also wrote his recollections in 1862, interpreting the vow as including the building of churches and schools (Bailey 2003:31). Jan G. Bantjes (1817–1887), Clerk of the Volksraad and Pretorius' secretary-general, indicates that the initial promise was to build a House in return for victory. He notes that Pretorius called everyone together in his tent, (the senior officers) and asked them to pray for God's help. Bantjes writes in his journal that Pretorius told the assembly that he wanted to make a vow, "if everyone would agree" (Bailey 2003:24). Bantjes does not say whether everyone did agree. Perhaps the fractious nature of the Boers dictated that the raiding party held their own prayers in the tents of various leading men (Mackenzie 1997:73). Pretorius is also quoted as wanting to have a book written to make known what God had done to even "our last descendants" Pretorius in his 1838 dispatch mentions a vow (Afrikaans gelofte) in connection with the building of a church, but not that it would be binding for future generations. we here have decided among ourselves...to make known the day of our victory...among the whole of our generation, and that we want to devote it to God, and to celebrate [it] with thanksgiving, just as we...promised [beloofd] in public prayer — Andries Pretorius, Contrary to Pretorius, and in agreement with Bantjes, Cilliers in 1870 recalled a promise (Afrikaans : belofte), not a vow, to commemorate the day and to tell the story to future generations. Accordingly, they would remember: the day and date, every year as a commemoration and a day of thanksgiving, as though a Sabbath...and that we will also tell it to our children, that they should share in it with us, for the remembrance of our future generations — Sarel Cilliers, Cilliers writes that those who objected were given the option to leave. At least two persons declined to participate in the vow. Scholars disagree about whether the accompanying English settlers and servants complied (Bailey 2003). This seems to confirm that the promise was binding only on those present at the actual battle. Mackenzie (1997) claims that Cilliers may be recalling what he said to men who met in his tent. Up to the 1970s, the received version of events was seldom questioned, but since then scholars have questioned almost every aspect. They debate whether a vow was even taken and, if so, what its wording was. Some argue that the vow occurred on the day of the battle, others point to 7 or 9 December. Whether Andries Pretorius or Sarel Cilliers led the assembly has been debated; and even whether there was an assembly. The location at which the vow was taken has also produced diverging opinions, with some rejecting the Ncome River site for (Bailey 2003). But despite some doubts, the Vow or Promise took place on the 9th Dec 1838 close to the Wasbank River as it states in Jan Bantjes 's journal and certainly not at the site of The Battle of Blood River, 16th Dec 1838. Commemorations Church of the Vow, Pietermaritzburg Disagreements exist about the extent to which the date was commemorated before the 1860s. Some historians maintained that little happened between 1838 and 1910. Historian S.P. Mackenzie argues that the day was not commemorated before the 1880s. Initial observations may have been limited to those associated with the battle at Ncome River and their descendants. While Sarel Cilliers upheld the day, Andries Pretorius did not (Ehlers 2003). In Natal Informal commemorations may have been held in the homes of former Voortrekkers in Pietermaritzburg in Natal. Voortrekker pastor Rev. Erasmus Smit [af ; nl ] announced the "7th annual" anniversary of the day in 1844 in De Natalier newspaper, for instance. Bailey mentions a meeting at the site of the battle in 1862 (Bailey 2003:29,32). In 1864, the General Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church in Natal decreed that all its congregations should observe the date as a day of thanksgiving. The decision was spurred by the efforts of two Dutch clergymen working in Pietermaritsburg during the 1860s, D.P.M. Huet [af ] and F. Lion Cachet [af ; nl ]. Large meetings were held in the church in Pietermaritzburg in 1864 and 1865 (Bailey 2003:33). In 1866, the first large scale meeting took place at the traditional battle site, led by Cachet. Zulus who gathered to watch proceedings assisted the participants in gathering stones for a commemorative cairn. In his speech Cachet called for the evangelisation of black heathen. He relayed a message received from the Zulu monarch Cetshwayo . In his reply to Cetshwayo, Cachet hoped for harmony between the Zulu and white Natalians. Trekker survivors recalled events, an institution which in the 1867 observation at the site included a Zulu (Bailey 2003:35). Huet was of the same opinion as Delward Pretorius. He declared at a church inauguration in Greytown on 16 December 1866 that its construction was also part of fulfilling the vow (Bailey 2003:35). In the Transvaal Die Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek declared 16 December a public holiday in 1865, to be commemorated by public religious services. However, until 1877, the general public there did not utilise the holiday as they did in Natal. Cricket matches and hunts were organised, some businesses remained open, and newspapers were sold. The name Dingane's Day appeared for the first time in the media, in an 1875 edition of De Volksstem. That newspaper wondered whether the lack of support for the holiday signalled a weakening sense of nationalism (Bailey 2003:37,38). After the Transvaal was annexed by the British in 1877, the new government refrained from state functions (like Supreme Court sittings) on the date (Bailey 2003:41). The desire by the Transvaal to retrieve its independence prompted the emergence of Afrikaner nationalism and the revival of 16 December in that territory. Transvaal burgers held meetings around the date to discuss responses to the annexation. In 1879 the first such a meeting convened at Wonderfontein on the West Rand. Burgers disregarded Sir G.J. Wolseley, the governor of Transvaal, who prohibited the meeting on 16 December. The following year they held a similar combination of discussions and the celebration of Dingane's Day at Paardekraal (Bailey 2003:43). Paul Kruger , president of the Transvaal Republic, believed that failure to observe the date led to the loss of independence and to the first Anglo-Boer war as a divine punishment. Before initiating hostilities with the British, a ceremony was held at Paardekraal on 16 December 1880 in which 5,000 burghers [citizens] piled a cairn of stones that symbolised past and future victories (over the Zulu and the British). After the success of its military campaign against the British, the Transvaal state organised a Dingane's Day festival every five years. At the first of these in 1881, an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 people listened to speeches by Kruger and others (Gilliomee 1989). At the third such festival in 1891, Kruger emphasised the need for the festival to be religious in nature (Ehlers 2003). In the Free State The Free State government in 1894 declared 16 December a holiday (Bailey 2003). National commemorations The Union state in 1910 officially declared Dingane's Day as a national public holiday. In 1938, D.F. Malan , leader of the National Party , reiterated at the site that its soil was "sacred." He said that the Blood River battle established "South Africa as a civilized Christian country" and "the responsible authority of the white race". Malan compared the battle to the urban labour situation in which whites had to prevail (Ehlers 2003). In 1952, the ruling National Party passed the Public Holidays Act (Act 5 of 1952), in which section 2 declared the day to be a religious public holiday. Accordingly, certain activities were prohibited, such as organised sports contests, theatre shows, and so on (Ehlers 2003). Pegging a claim on this day was also forbidden under section 48(4)(a) of the Mining Rights (Act 20 of 1967; repealed by the Minerals Act (Act 50 of 1991).[1] The name was changed to the Day of the Vow in order to be less offensive, and to emphasise the vow rather than the Zulu antagonist (Ehlers 2003). In 1961, the African National Congress chose 16 December to initiate a series of sabotages, signalling its decision to embark on an armed struggle against the regime through its military wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe . In 1983, the South African government vetoed the decision by the acting government of Namibia to discontinue observing the holiday. In response, the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance resigned its 41 seats in Namibia's 50-seat National Assembly. Act 5 of 1952 was repealed in 1994 by Act No. 36 of 1994, which changed the name of the public holiday to the Day of Reconciliation. Debates over the Holiday Scholars like historian Leonard Thompson have said that the events of the battle were woven into a new myth that justified racial oppression on the basis of racial superiority and divine providence. Accordingly, the victory over Dingaan was reinterpreted as a sign that God confirmed the rule of whites over black Africans, justifying the Boer project of acquiring land and eventually ascending to power in South Africa. In post-apartheid South Africa the holiday is often criticised as a racist holiday, which celebrates the success of Boer expansion over the black natives. By comparison with the large number of Afrikaners who participated in the annual celebrations of the Voortrekker victory, some did take exception. In 1971, for instance, Pro Veritate, the journal of the anti-apartheid organisation the Christian Institute of Southern Africa , devoted a special edition to the matter. Historian Anton Ehlers traces how political and economic factors changed the themes emphasised during celebrations of the Day of the Vow. During the 1940s and 1950s Afrikaner unity was emphasised over against black Africans. This theme acquired broader meaning in the 1960s and 1970s, when isolated "white" South Africa was positioned against the decolonisation of Africa . The economic and political crises of the 1970s and 1980s forced white Afrikaners to rethink the apartheid system. Afrikaner and other intellectuals began to critically evaluate the historical basis for the celebration. The need to include English and "moderate" black groups in reforms prompted a de-emphasis on "the ethnic exclusivity and divine mission of Afrikaners" (Ehlers 2003). BACK TO TOP

South African Arts The art of the peoples of South Africa is the oldest known art in the world, dating back over 100,000 years. The archeological discoveries there help scholars to date the evolution of cognition and intelligent progression. South African art in the modern era is influenced and molded by the trials of the South African people under apartheid and the years of European involvement in the area expressed in the found art of Africans making sense of modern traditions, and the Dutch influence on both white and black artists. With the many tribes, languages, cultures, and races of South Africa, there is a very diverse and eclectic art scene in historical and contemporary South Africa.The very beginnings of art, not just for South Africa, but for the world, were found at the Blombos cave. This ancient art studio contained paint pots in the form of shells that were used to store mixed paints from disparate sources. This proved to archeologists that early man may have been more sophisticated than previously thought. Whatever it was that they painted, be it clothing, faces, or the walls of the caves, the South African climate, particular in this sea cave is not conducive to the permanent survival of art. What has been found of ancient South African art are the cave paintings of the Khoisan, San, and Bushman tribes dating to 10,000 BC. Other cave painters left behind scenes of hunting and domestic life, and also of spiritual and magical art. The colors used are derived from nature and are therefore mostly in earth tones such as black, yellow, red, orange, white, and gray. “The drawings don’t start with ‘a beautiful mark’. It has to be a mark of something out there in the world. It doesn’t have to be an accurate drawing, but it has to stand for an observation, not something that is abstract, like an emotion”. – William Kentridge Cave scenes portray battles and hunts, animals, dancing, and later, white hunters on horseback. The figures are shown in long forms in action and some figures that are either dancing or participating in the shamanic rituals are costumed in clothing in unusual patterns and prints and are often wearing masks. It is unknown if these are people drawn from life, or if these represent symbolic characters. The symbols, themes, and subjects of the South African cave paintings are similar to what is seen in cave and rock paintings all over the world. European Influence The Boers, better known as the Dutch, and the English came to South Africa in the mid-19th century and the art of the Europeans that remained and the traditional art of the indigenous tribal people began to mix. The end of the 19th century spurred some artists to move away from this mixed art and begin studying art in realism, creating a unique art free from both European and native influences.Under European colonization, the native people suffered under racial segregation and prejudice. The English established museums, universities, art schools, and other education opportunities, but they were not ones open to the indigenous. However, white intellectuals and artists seeking inspiration from the art and culture of the African people sought them out and some artistic instruction was imparted by collaboration.As the tide of the world was changing to strive for respect of all peoples, the artists of South Africa, both white and black began to protest against apartheid, and against the cultural boycott on South Africa. Their success led to South African artists stepping up to a level global playing field. South African Art Key Highlights South Africa is home to the Thupelo Workshop, an annual workshop that brings artists from all over the world to share the diversity of artistic style, technique, and motivation with the global community of artists. The San culture are hunter-gatherers that are still in existence, but as their culture fades and there are fewer San artists, galleries are stepping in to help keep their art and culture alive. The lack of galleries on the Cape has given artists in that area freedom of expression without the restriction of pleasing the intellectual middle classes. The Ndebele tribe is known for its graphics geometric paintings on houses. The paints used were traditionally made from natural sources, but the Ndebele are now sometimes being supplied with commercial paints. Because of the rampant poverty in South Africa, poor artists use found media to create art. The talent and vision of the South African people is evident in the beauty they are able to create from these materials. For instance, baskets spiraling in vivid bright colors look to be made from highly died natural materials but are, in fact, made from telephone wires. South African Art Top Works: San Bushmen Rock Paintings – Drakensberg Mountains Elephants Charging over Quartos Country – Thomas Baines An Extensive View of Farmlands – JH Pierneef Pretoria Mural – Walter Battiss Song of the Pick – Gerard Sekoto The Rice Lady – Vladimir Tretchikoff The Conservationists Ball – William Kentridge The Butcher Boys – Jane Alexander Ndebele Beadwork Zulu Baskets South African art is the visual art produced by the people inhabiting the territory occupied by the modern country of South Africa. The oldest art objects in the world were discovered in a South African cave. Archaeologists have discovered two sets of art kits thought to be 100,000 years old at a cave in South Africa. The findings provide a glimpse into how early humans produced and stored ochre – a form of paint – which pushes back our understanding of when evolved complex cognition occurred by around 20,000 – 30,000 years. Also, dating from 75,000 years ago, they found 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. The scattered tribes of Khoisan and San peoples moving into South Africa from around 10000 BC had their own art styles seen today in a multitude of cave paintings] They were superseded by Bantu and Nguni peoples with their own vocabularies of art forms. In the present era, 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. In addition to this, there also is the Dutch-influenced folk art of the Afrikaner Trek Boers and the urban white artists earnestly following changing European traditions from the 1850s onwards, making for an eclectic mix which continues to evolve today. Paleolithic rock art Main article: San rock art San rock paintings, Perdekop Farm, (Mossel Bay , South Africa) The pre-Bantu peoples migrating southwards from around the year 30,000 BC were nomadic hunters who favoured caves as dwellings. Before the rise of the Nguni peoples along the east and southern coasts and central areas of Africa these nomadic hunters were widely distributed. It is thought they entered South Africa at least 1000 years ago. They have left many signs of life, such as artwork (San paintings) depicting hunting, domestic and magic-related art. There is a stylistic unity across the region and even with more ancient art in the Tassili n'Ajjer region of northern Africa, and also in what is now desert Chad but was once a lush landscape. The figures are dynamic and elongate, and the colours (derived probably from earthen and plant pigments and possibly also from insects) combine ochreous red, white, grey, black, and many warm tones ranging from red through to primary yellow. Common subjects include hunting, often depicting with great accuracy large animals which no longer inhabit the same region in the modern era, as well as: warfare among humans, dancing, domestic scenes, multiple images of various animals, including giraffes, antelope of many kinds, and snakes. The last of these works are poignant in their representation of larger, darker people and even of white hunters on horseback, both of whom would supplant the San peoples. Many of the "dancing" figures are decorated with unusual patterns and may be wearing masks and other festive clothing. Other paintings, depicting patterned quadrilaterals and other symbols, are obscure in their meaning and may be non-representational. Similar symbols are seen in shamanistic art worldwide. This art form is distributed from Angola in the west to Mozambique and Kenya , throughout Zimbabwe and South Africa and throughout Botswana wherever cave conditions have favoured preservation from the elements. Black art post-apartheid The Bantu Education Act of 1955 barred Black South Africans from receiving formal art training during the years of apartheid and as a result, the artistic movements that had originated from this community have, until recently, been distinctly classified as “craft” rather than “art.” Informal art centers, that were funded by European states, became one of the few avenues in which Black South Africans could receive some form of artistic development. Throughout this time period from 1947 to the mid-1990s, the first practitioners to receive this informal training began passing down their knowledge to younger generations of practitioners. However, the traditional canon of African art, categorized as “fine art” had been formed in the 20th century by European and U.S. art audiences. South Africa's inequality gap is larger than that of other countries in the world so the audience for art is primarily the rich and not those who are subject to the artistic expression, giving these higher socio-economic groups a gatekeeper status in deciding what is classified as art. After the Soweto Riots of 1976, a new social consciousness emerged that retaliated against the government's policy of segregation and effectively reexamined the classification of certain Black South African artworks. One of the first artistic styles to receive critic attention was Venda sculpting because it aesthetically appealed to white patrons while also maintaining its “artistic manifestations of ethnic diversity.” These sculptures would be considered “transitional art” rather than “craft” and would gain access into fine art galleries. Other Black artistic expressions such as beadwork, photography, and studio arts have also begun to be slowly integrated into canonical South African art forms. The Johannesburg Biennale's Africus (1995) and Trade Routes (1997) had a significant impact on the cultural awareness of new South African art. These events were among the first exhibitions that revealed the “new South African art” to the international community, but also other local South Africans. This gave Black South African artists a new platform to express the effects to which apartheid had influenced society. In the post-apartheid regime, artists have now been given an apparatus to protest social issues such as inequality, sexuality, state control over the personal realm, and HIV/AIDS. However, the emphasis to embody many of these social issues within Black South African art has a led to a stereotype that many young artists are now trying to escape. International pressure has been said to once again demand a level of ‘authenticity’ within South African art that portrays discourse on the topic of apartheid. Scholar Victoria Rovine goes as far as to state that “these exhibitions represent a South Africa that seeks liberation not from apartheid itself but from apartheid as an already predictable subject for artistic production.” Furthermore, although South African art is not always political, conversations stemming from its interpretation are rarely apolitical and the high demand for apartheid symbols by private collectors have raised concerns over the collection of the art for the sake of nostalgia BACK TO TOP

Travel Guide So you're excited about starting your South African adventure but you're not quite sure about how things work here. Luckily for you, you have this guide to help you out. Here you'll find everything you need to know about travelling to and around South Africa. Getting around by Car Yes, flying is quick and easy but most of the magic of exploration lies on the ground. When you couple breathtaking scenery with a well maintained road network South Africa is an ideal road trip destination. While some distances between major centres can seem slightly daunting, with a little planning you can easily break the drives up by experiencing the warm, welcoming people in our smaller towns as well as our gorgeous landscapes. Overnight accommodation is available everywhere, ranging from B&Bs to farm stays, guesthouses and hotels. The trick is to book accommodation in advance as you map out your route. The rules of the road South Africans drive on the left-hand side of the road. Seatbelts are compulsory and you may not talk on your mobile phone while driving. All speed limits in South Africa are in kilometres per hour. Generally, the speed limit for urban areas is 60km/h, on secondary roads, its 100km/h and on national highways its 120km/h. Always keep an eye out for the designated speed limit as these may vary depending on road conditions, and law enforcement does take place next to the road. Driver’s licence You may use a valid driver’s licence issued in your own country as long as it has a photograph, the signature of the holder and is in English. Otherwise, it’s best to obtain an international driving licence before you leave home. You should always have your driver’s licence with you when you are driving as you will be asked to produce it if you are pulled over for any reason. Finding your way It’s wise to travel with a current road map or GPS system to help you find your way around. You can hire a GPS with your car or pick up a road atlas at most bookshops and convenience stores located at fuel stations. Our mobile networks offer exceptional coverage even in most out of the way places so you will have signal for your smartphone so you can also utilise your favourite map app. Fuelling your journey When you refuel, be sure to establish what kind of fuel your vehicle uses (diesel or petrol) before filling up, as a mistake could be disastrous. Most fuel stations accept major credit cards. At the fuel station, a petrol attendant will fill your car, check tyres, oil and water, and clean your windows if you ask. It’s customary to give a small tip of around R5 to the petrol attendant. Cash Many of the national roads are tolled however these toll gates accept credit cards and cash. Similarly, when you park in cities or towns, a parking attendant in a luminous bib might approach you in exchange for keeping an eye on your car. Once again, a tip is customary. TRAVEL TIP: It’s best to keep your fuel tank topped up and to carry extra water in the event of a breakdown as distances between towns can be quite long, especially along major roads crossing the interior of the country. CAR HIRE Many major international car-hire companies operate in South Africa, offering anything from small, budget-friendly cars to luxurious sedans. It’s best to hire vehicles in advance, especially if you are coming to South Africa at a high traffic season (during summer, which is from December to February). Some companies also offer 4x4 vehicles if you are planning to visit places out of the city with gravel roads. In that case, you can get a quote from a specialised off-road rental provider. They may also assist with the caravan and trailer hire. CAR HIRE Avis Rent a Car Tel: +27 11 923 3660 or +27 861 021 111 Email: reservations@avis.co.za http://www.avis.co.za/ Tempest Car Hire Tel: +27 11 552 3900 Email: transfers@tempestcarhire.co.za http://www.tempestcarhire.co.za/ CAR HIRE Europcar Tel: +27 11 479 4430 Email: ecs@europcar.co.za http://europcar.co.za/ Hertz Tel: +27 861 600 136 Email: res@hertz.co.za https://hertz.co.za/ CAR HIRE Budget Car Rental Tel: +27 11 398 0123 Email: chauffeur@budget.co.za http://www.budget.co.za/ Britz 4x4 Rentals Tel: +27 11 396 1860 Email: info@britz.co.za http://britz.co.za Small Title This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to start editing the content and make sure to add any relevant details or information that you want to share with your visitors. WHAT TO PACK Packing for a trip (specifically to South Africa) is without a doubt just as exciting as it is actually being on a holiday. The thrill of knowing you’ll soon reach your destination while deciding what to pack into your luggage. However, the emotions associated with packing can swiftly change from great anticipation and excitement to indecisiveness and anxiety. But, there’s no need to stress – here’s a brief guide on what to pack on your next adventure to South Africa to ensure that you’re well equipped, informed and ready to experience our country’s warm hospitality. First thing’s first – what’s on your itinerary? Once you’ve decided on whether you’ll be vacationing along the coast, enjoying a safari at a game reserve or backpacking in the countryside, then you can hone in on what you should pack. Ideally, you want to pack light to avoid paying a hefty amount for your luggage at the airport. If you’re over the duty-free limit, all goods brought in the country are subject to the payment of customs duty and value added tax (VAT), regardless of whether you arrived via aircraft, ship or vehicle. So the trick is to pack only the essentials such as camera kit for the perfect photo ops (although most smartphones should do the trick) and international adaptor plugs. The common plug in South Africa is a 15-amp plug, and it has three round prongs that form a triangle. It’s advised that you purchase an international adaptor plug that has a socket to suit American plugs such as the NEMA 1-15 that has two flat 1.5 mm thick blades, measuring 15.9 – 18.3 mm in length. Specific items of clothing are a must to suit the season that you will be travelling in South Africa. In summer, the average temperature peaks at approximately 96F depending where you are in the country. Winter sees a low of approximately of 28F. For more information on our country’s climate in the various provinces, visit http://bit.ly/2HZHi70 . Pack medication and prescriptions too, should you need them. According to Brand South Africa, “you are allowed to bring in one month’s supply of pharmaceutical drugs or medicines for your personal use. Any other pharmaceutical drugs or medicines must be accompanied by a letter or certified prescription from a registered physician, and have to be declared.” A safari is always a great way to explore the great outdoors and experience the bush. So best to pack (or purchase once you arrive) toiletries including insect repellent and sunblock for those sunny days at the back of a safari truck venturing through the bush. A good SPF sunblock will also come in handy if you’re vacationing along the coast and soaking up some sun on one of South Africa’s many pristine beaches. There are 44 Blue Flag beaches along our country’s coast. Blue Flag is an international annual award that focuses on the environmental management of our coastline and coastal waters to help tourism growth and development. This means our beaches are world-renowned for its cleanliness and beauty – these include Camps Bay in the Western Cape, Ushaka Beach in KwaZulu-Natal and Dolphin Beach in the Eastern Cape. So besides sunblock, it’s best you pack in other beach essentials too. Ladies, consider packing in a bikini to enjoy a dip in either the Atlantic or Indian Ocean. To our gentlemen visitors, board shorts will do. Of course, don’t forget a pair of sunglasses to block out the sun’s harmful rays. Here’s a handy checklist of things you should consider packing: So there you have it, a quick rundown on what to pack when you explore South Africa. What are your plans when you visit South Africa? Whatever they are, there’s no doubt you’ll have an amazing time exploring the beauty of this incredible country. Remember to prepare accordingly and ensure you safeguard the contents of your suitcase. Enjoy your stay with us! General: General: Two pairs of shorts or two skirts Two T–Shirts and one long-sleeved Two pairs of long pants Underwear and socks Sandals Sleepwear Warm sweater and jacket for winter travel (June to August) Toiletries including moisturizer Good walking shoes Light weight jacket (for chilly nights) Safari: Safari: Insect repellent that contains DEET Camera Binoculars Antimalarial pills Contact lenses and glasses Brimmed hat Beach: Bathing suit and cover-up Suntan lotion Good quality sunglasses Documentation: Documentation: Documents folder with passport (two full visa pages available) Plane tickets Hotel & car rental information Plane tickets Travellers cheques and credit cards. Small Title This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to start editing the content and make sure to add any relevant details or information that you want to share with your visitors. WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT VISAS *It is worth noting that anyone with an American or Canadian passport will not require a visa to travel to South Africa. If you’re a citizen of another country and want to travel to South Africa then you need a visa. The “visitor” visa is for international travellers who permanently reside outside South Africa. It’s also for those who wish to visit the country on a more temporary basis for tourism or business purposes. But it won’t last forever. Once acquired, this visa is valid for a no longer than 90 days. Great! Now that you’re allowed in, the visa will grant you access to the South African port of entry, where an immigration official will determine if you are allowed to enter the country and for how long. Always remember, all visitors are restricted only to the activity or reason for which their visas were issued. So now you’ve made it into the country. Once here, the visa is considered to be a visitor’s permit. The permit’s period of validity is set from the date you came in and will be set out under the heading “conditions” on the visa label. It’s important to ensure that you apply for the correct visa or permit. If not, entry into the country may be refused if the purpose of the visit was not correctly stated. Depending on where you’re from, visa requirements differ from country to country and the requirements are subject to change. Each application is treated as an individual case, hence you should ask your nearest South African mission or consulate abroad or any office of the Department of Home Affairs to see whether or not you are even supposed to apply for a visa. Remember, there is a fee that will be charged for issuing you a visa, and you should check the cost with the office as well as this is updated annually. The fee is payable in different currencies in different countries. It is incredibly important to get your visas. These are not issued at South African ports of entry, and airline officials are obliged to insist on visas before allowing passengers to board. If you arrive without a visa, immigration officials are obliged to put you onto a flight back to your home country. Foreigners with long-term status (work permits/permit residence) in the neighbouring countries who transit the Republic to return to their employment or residence are not subject to the transit visa, provided they are in possession of proof of their status. South Africa requires a valid yellow fever certificate from all foreign visitors and citizens over one year of age. This is essential for people travelling from an infected area or for those who have been country hopping through infected areas. Countries such as Zambia, Angola and Mozambique are considered as infected areas. For more information on visa requirements, please contact your nearest South African diplomatic mission. Don't forget that there are certain goods that you cannot bring into South Africa and other goods on which duties need to be paid. For Customs requirements, click here . For Agricultural requirements, click here . South African visitors’ visas may be granted for: visits to family or friends and also for tourism purposes business purposes spouse to join a spouse who is in South Africa on a work or study permit children to join parents who are in South Africa on work or study permits fiancée/fiancé to join his or her partner with the intention of marrying within 90 days study purposes (max stay three months) charitable or voluntary activities research conferences to work in the production of a movie or show (i.e. in the entertainment industry) for medical purposes (max stay three months) sport events Documents required for applying for a visa A passport or travel document valid for no less than 30 days after the expiry of your intended visit Your passport must have at least TWO unused pages for entry/departure endorsements A completed Form BI-84 (application for a visa) Payment of the prescribed fee A yellow fever vaccination certificate (if required) Statement and/or documentation confirming the purpose and duration of your visit Two colour passport photographs A return or onward ticket if you are travelling by air If you have children (minors) travelling with you or joining you in South Africa, you will need to provide the following additional documents: Proof of guardianship or custody or; Proof of guardianship or custody or; Consent from the guardian in the case of an unaccompanied minor Proof of financial means to pay for your living expenses while in South Africa in the form of: Bank statements; Salary advances; Undertakings by the host(s) in South Africa; Bursary; Medical cover or Cash available (including credit cards and travellers’ cheques) Requirements for entering South Africa You will need the following if you wish to visit South Africa: A valid and acceptable passport or travel document for your intended stay At least two blank page in your passport for endorsements A valid visa, if required Sufficient funds to pay for your day-to-day expenses during your stay A return or onward ticket Yellow fever certificates if your journey starts or entails passing through the yellow fever belt of Africa or South America. Don't forget that there are certain goods that you cannot bring into South Africa and other goods on which duties need to be paid. Getting around South Africa by air There are over 70 international airlines now flying to South Africa. The award-winning South African Airways, the national carrier, flies to destinations all over the world and is connected to major international air routes, making it easier for you to enter the country from pretty much any corner of the world. Our award-winning national carrier, South African Airways is one of 70 international airlines that fly into South Africa. South African Airways flies to destinations all over the world and is connected to major international air routes, making it easier for you to enter the country from pretty much any corner of the world. It’s quite a lengthy flight from Europe (10 to 12 hours), Asia (12 to 17 hours) and the United States (up to 15 hours or even more). You’ll most likely fly directly into O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, or increasingly, there are direct flights into Cape Town International Airport. The journey may be long, but the destination more than makes up for it! With so much to see and do across the country, fly time can be used to help you make the most out of your limited time in such a diverse and beautiful country. Durban’s King Shaka International Airport is South Africa’s third major international airport, located about 35km north of Durban. So don’t rule this paradise on the sea out of your direct travel plans. Apart from the world-class international airports, there are a number of domestic airports including Bram Fischer International Airport in Bloemfontein, as well as airports in East London, George, Kimberley, Port Elizabeth and Upington. It doesn’t stop there. You’ll even find scheduled flights between Johannesburg and privately-owned airports that allow you to access rather more isolated locations such as the Kruger National Park by flight. One particular airport is the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport outside Mbombela (Nelspruit), which serves the Kruger National Park and Mpumalanga. If that’s not enough, several upmarket game lodges operate their own airstrips and charter direct flights from O.R. Tambo and other airports. If you’re intending on going on a safari with your family or friends then you should consider making a pitstop in Johannesburg or Cape Town to catch your breath. Take this opportunity to change your time zone to the new one, get a feel of the country, or go sightseeing before flying to your next destination. Getting around South Africa by bus If you’re on a budget, travelling by bus is the cheapest way to travel the country. As a result it has become the go-to travelling option for the more economically-conscious locals. Be sure to book with a reputable service as not all bus companies have an equally good reputation. The extensive road network in South Africa means that bus or coach travel is a simple and often very cost effective option for travellers. It has become the go-to travelling option for the more economically-conscious locals and many international travellers choose coach tours or bus travel as a hassle free option. It's a wonderful way of relaxing and taking in the astounding scenery between destinations. There are a number of bus and coach operators, offering a great range of products for every price point. Some of these trips even include being served coffee and biscuits with a selection of movies to entertain you while en route to your destination. If you're on a back-packing holiday across South Africa wanting to explore smaller out of the way places, Baz Bus offers a hop on hop off network that takes you door to door at your leisure. You will be glad to know that some companies offer cross-border trips in case you want to visit neighbouring countries in Southern Africa such as Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe. Greyhound Tel: +27 11 611 8000 Email: controlroom@greyhound.co.za https://www.greyhound.co.za/ Intercape Tel: +27 21 380 4400 info@intercape.co.za http://www.intercape.co.za Baz Bus Tel: +27 21 422 5202 Email: info@bazbus.com http://www.bazbus.com Small Title This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to start editing the content and make sure to add any relevant details or information that you want to share with your visitors. When to visit Since South Africa is in the southern hemisphere, it’s summer down here when it’s winter in Europe and North America. Summer begins in November and lasts till February, which if you think about it, makes this the ideal time to visit if you want to escape the cold weather. Depending on where you’re visiting, the average day temperature in summer ranges from a minimum of 15°C ( 59°F) to a maximum of 28°C (82°F). In winter the average day temperatures are 19°C to 23°C (66°F to 73°F). Just ensure you have a jacket to put on as it can get chilly at night. If you’re intending on going on a safari in Mpumalanga and Limpopo then the best time to visit would be in winter. Why? Because these two provinces are very pleasant as it’s sunny and warm during the day and dry and cool at night. Late winter is popular for game spotting because the vegetation is sparse and animals visit the waterholes to drink. Summer in the Lowveld can be extremely hot due to high humidity. Alternatively, you can go on a winter beach holiday in Durban or on the KwaZulu-Natal coast as average temperatures hover around the 26°C mark. In Cape Town, the best time to visit is in spring and autumn, which is April and May or the beginning of September to October. Spring is particularly breathtaking as you’ll get to witness first-hand some of South Africa’s most beautiful indigenous flowers bloom. Autumn offers a relief from the summer heat while the vineyards of the Cape Winelands start to change colour. Winter in Cape Town is less attractive as it’s characterised by wet and windy spells when cold fronts pass through. SEASONAL HIGHLIGHTS The sardine run (May to July) Aptly described as “The Greatest Shoal on Earth”, the sardine run takes place every South African winter when millions of small silvery sardines surge from the cold Cape waters up to the warmer sanctuary of the KwaZulu-Natal coast. The reason for this hasn’t been determined however there are many prominent theories that attempt to make sense of this phenomenon. Whatever the reason, it is quite the spectacle as the shoal is approximately 15km long, 4km wide and 40m deep. It’s a feeding frenzy for dolphins, sharks, seabirds and other marine life – making it a watching frenzy for people interesting in marine life. Whale watching (May to November): Every year, from late winter through to early summer, different breeds of whales migrate to mate and calve in sheltered bays off the Cape coast. One of the best places to see these majestic marine animals is from the coastal town of Hermanus. It’s well known for a reputation of offering the best shore-based whale watching in the world. When you do decide to go, make sure you have a fully charged camera as you might consider being a full-time photographer afterwards with a portfolio of stunning whale shots. Namaqualand spring flowers (late July to October) This dazzling display of spring flowers in an arid semi-desert area of the Northern Cape is regarded as one of the world’s most dramatic and vivid natural spectacles. Stretching 500km north up the Cape coast and 100km inland, carpets of the brilliant colour burst into vibrant life. You’ll find that over 4000 species of plants have been identified here, so you will be spoilt for choice. The National Arts Festival (July) One festival you should look forward to is the National Arts Festival. This festival takes place at the Eastern Cape’s cathedral and university city of Grahamstown. It has become one of the biggest annual celebrations of the arts in Africa. So if you make it, you’ll be surrounded by world-class dance, music, drama, film, jazz and visual arts. The Comrades Marathon (June) What started off as a tribute to South African soldiers who lost their lives during World War I has now become an event not to be missed in South Africa. The Comrades Marathon is a long-distance running race that has gained traction around the world. If you’re still not impressed, at around 90km long, it is one of the world’s oldest and longest ultramarathons. The Cape Argus Pick ’n Pay Cycle Tour (March) Billed as the world’s largest timed cycle race, this event attracts a field of around 35 000 cyclists. The vast majority are ordinary people who want to take on the challenge of cycling around one of the most beautiful peninsulas in the world. However, over the years the race has also attracted its fair share of celebrities, including former Springbok rugby captain Francois Pienaar, who in turn persuaded American actor Matt Damon (who played him in the film Invictus) to ride. Staying healthy in South Africa If you’re heading to South Africa you can rest assured that the country has a very well structured healthcare system with a number of public and private hospitals throughout the country. If you’re heading to South Africa you can rest assured that the country has a very well structured healthcare system with a number of public and private hospitals throughout the country. However, it always pays to be cautious. Like in many countries around the world, you’ll probably receive quicker care at a private hospital than a public one. As a precaution, make sure your medical insurance payment is always up to date before you travel. Qualified doctors, dentists, and other specialists can be found in main centres but you’ll have to schedule an appointment prior, unless it’s an emergency. Malaria While most of South Africa is malaria-free, this mosquito-borne disease is prevalent throughout the year in the Kruger National Park and the low-lying areas of northern KwaZulu-Natal. If you’re heading to the above-mentioned areas then you should consult a healthcare professional about the ideal prophylactic. The type of prophylactic will be determined by your personal health, how long you are visiting the malarial area and the time of year. Like they always say “prevention is the best cure” so you should try by all means to prevent being bitten by a mosquito. Use a repellent lotion and then cover up with clothes. Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks to ensure that you give them no chance at all. There are many malaria-free game reserves like Madikwe or Pilanesberg in the North West province, the Waterberg in Limpopo, or private reserves in the Eastern, Western and Northern Cape, where you can also experience the untouched wild of South Africa risk-free. These are worth considering, particularly if you’re travelling with children aged six and under, or if you are pregnant. Always remember, if you develop a bad headache, have aching joints, and recurring fevers and chills after your trip, advise your doctor that you have been to a malarial area. Malaria symptoms can sometimes be confused with flu symptoms, which can lead to fatal consequences. HIV/Aids While Southern Africa has a high prevalence of HIV/Aids, your only real risk of contracting it is if you have unprotected sex with an infected individual. There should be no reason for unprotected sex as condoms are widely available in pharmacies and convenience stores everywhere you go. Personal medication There are pharmacies throughout South Africa, and many everyday medications, such as painkillers, are available over the counter. Some large chain stores also have in-store pharmacies that offer good value for money. If you have a specific medical condition, it’s wise to carry the relevant doctor’s prescription with you. In the event of you losing your medication, a qualified pharmacist should be able to source a replacement, even if the trade name differs in South Africa. Getting around South Africa by train If you’re an adventurer at heart, rail travel provides an exciting way to soak up South Africa’s scenic beauty without having to drive yourself around. If your ideal adventure includes being able to sit back and relax, letting beautiful landscapes roll on by with magical pitstops along the way, then consider travelling South Africa by train. Whether you're looking for cost effective options or opulent multi day luxury experiences you can choose from economy class, luxury coaches or the ultimate opulent rail safari on the Blue Train or Rovos Rail. Steam enthusiasts can also enjoy rail journeys of old, on restored steam trains. South African train travel covers some of the most beautiful parts of the country, taking visitors from cities like Johannesburg and Bloemfontein to prime destinations like Cape Town, Durban, and Port Elizabeth. On a budget: The Shosholoza Meyl is a passenger train that runs between all major cities. An economy-class ticket will buy you a reclining seat with sufficient legroom on routes that include 11 major cities across the country, but be prepared for the unconventional. The energy on the train is always electrifying especially during summer (December to February) as there are people from different parts of the country travelling. You can purchase an upgraded ticket that can get you a two-bed coupe or four-bed compartment. These are transformed into suites during the day and bedrooms at night. Each Shosholoza Meyl train contains several communal showers and bedrooms for passengers to freshen up. Mid-range: The Premier Classe is a luxury passenger liner that accommodates guests in spacious single bed, double bed or family compartments. It’s complete with beautifully designed bathrooms and complimentary toiletries, gowns and room service. Yes, that’s right, room service on a train. The Premier Classe line operates between Johannesburg and Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town as well as Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth. Luxury: South Africa's most glorious train is undoubtedly the Blue Train. The Blue Train pulls out all the stops to guarantee a state-of-the-art South African rail safari. It comprises a baggage van, personnel car, club car for smokers, deluxe suites, kitchen, dining car and lounge. The Blue Train operates between Pretoria and Cape Town, and Pretoria and Durban. A special trip to the Pilanesberg Game Reserve is also available. There is also Rovos Rail, defining itself as "the most luxurious train in the world". Begin a journey with Rovos Rail and experience the extravagance of rail travel to Southern Africa’s most spectacular destinations. The beautifully rebuilt trains carry a maximum of 72 passengers in 36 superbly appointed suites and are also available for charter, while the Events Train caters for up to 250 guests and is suitable for daytime journeys. Rovos Rail has also established three stately seaside retreats in St James, Cape Town If you’re an adventurer at heart, rail travel provides an exciting way to soak in South Africa’s scenic beauty without having to drive yourself around. The Shosholoza Meyl Tel: +27 11 774 5244 Email: info@shosholozameyl.co.za https://www.shosholozameyl.co.za Premier Classe Premier Classe Tel: +27 87 802 6674 http://southafricanrailways.co.za/premier_classe.h... The Blue Train Tel: +27 12 334 8459 info@bluetrain.co.za http://www.bluetrain.co.za Rovos Rail Tel: +27 12 315 8242 reservations@rovos.co.za http://www.rovos.com Staying healthy in South Africa If you’re heading to South Africa you can rest assured that the country has a very well structured healthcare system with a number of public and private hospitals throughout the country. However, it always pays to be cautious. Like in many countries around the world, you’ll probably receive quicker care at a private hospital than a public one. As a precaution, make sure your medical insurance payment is always up to date before you travel. Qualified doctors, dentists, and other specialists can be found in main centres but you’ll have to schedule an appointment prior, unless it’s an emergency. Malaria While most of South Africa is malaria-free, this mosquito-borne disease is prevalent throughout the year in the Kruger National Park and the low-lying areas of northern KwaZulu-Natal. If you’re heading to the above-mentioned areas then you should consult a healthcare professional about the ideal prophylactic. The type of prophylactic will be determined by your personal health, how long you are visiting the malarial area and the time of year. Like they always say “prevention is the best cure” so you should try by all means to prevent being bitten by a mosquito. Use a repellent lotion and then cover up with clothes. Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks to ensure that you give them no chance at all. There are many malaria-free game reserves like Madikwe or Pilanesberg in the North West province, the Waterberg in Limpopo, or private reserves in the Eastern, Western and Northern Cape, where you can also experience the untouched wild of South Africa risk-free. These are worth considering, particularly if you’re travelling with children aged six and under, or if you are pregnant. Always remember, if you develop a bad headache, have aching joints, and recurring fevers and chills after your trip, advise your doctor that you have been to a malarial area. Malaria symptoms can sometimes be confused with flu symptoms, which can lead to fatal consequences. HIV/Aids While Southern Africa has a high prevalence of HIV/Aids, your only real risk of contracting it is if you have unprotected sex with an infected individual. There should be no reason for unprotected sex as condoms are widely available in pharmacies and convenience stores everywhere you go. Personal medication There are pharmacies throughout South Africa, and many everyday medications, such as painkillers, are available over the counter. Some large chain stores also have in-store pharmacies that offer good value for money. If you have a specific medical condition, it’s wise to carry the relevant doctor’s prescription with you. In the event of you losing your medication, a qualified pharmacist should be able to source a replacement, even if the trade name differs in South Africa. Accommodation in South Africa South Africa is well-known for its tourist attractions, not to mention its awesomely dynamic range of accommodation. It stretches from game lodges to five-star hotels, to friendly country houses, small hotels, B&Bs and camping sites – all kitted out with a range of catering options. Whether you’re a student traveller, family holiday goers, or retirees on life’s great adventure, there is accommodation for everyone. Budget South Africa has an established network of affordable accommodation options that are surprisingly comfortable and luxurious. If you’re feeling adventurous, there’s an active camping community that will provide you with all the relevant information about different campsites countrywide. Pre-booking is generally advisable. Mid-range If you would like to save some money then you should consider looking into bed and breakfast options. These differ as some offer self-catering units and some are fully serviced. They range from apartments to holiday villas, chalets and even farm cottages. On the other hand, guesthouses are slightly more expensive but worth it for the warm, homely South African experience. Luxury If you’re a five-star traveller, then you’ll be happy to know that South Africa is home to some of the most luxurious lodges and hotels in the world. South Africa has a number of globally famous hotels such as Mount Nelson, Twelve Apostles and Mala Mala. It’s worth mentioning that you’ll find that you pay less for luxury in this beautiful country when compared to other, more expensive, countries in the world. Safari lodges usually offer the all-inclusive variety, and will give you safari game drives, meals, and drinks or spa facilities, particularly if it’s an upmarket establishment. Drinking water in South Africa Drinking water in South Africa is safe to drink and cook with when taken from taps in urban areas. Not all tap water in rural areas is safe for consumption, so it is advised you take precautions if necessary. Some rural areas make use of borehole systems which source found water and store them in containers before being purified by the water system connected to your tap. The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry maintains that South Africa’s national standard of water quality can be compared to that of the World Health Organisation standards. Should you find yourself in an unlikely position of not having clean water on hand, you can disinfect the water yourself by boiling it for a maximum of 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can add a teaspoon of bleach per 25 litres or a teaspoon of chlorine granules per 200l. In both the latter cases, allow the water to stand for 2 hours. The survivalist method is to expose the water to direct sunlight for at least 6 hours in a transparent container with a small airspace, shaking after filling and every hour after that. For on-the-go situations, you could always grab bottled water at a supermarket or garage. Bottled water is available from a number of brands, some of them well-known international names. Your choice includes still and sparkling waters and a range of fruit flavoured variants. BACK TO TOP

South Africa is a nature lover's paradise, with its diverse landscapes and wildlife. Camping and hiking are popular activities for those who want to explore the country natural beauty up close. From the rugged Drakensberg Mountains to the stunning coastline of the Western Cape, there are endless opportunities for adventure and discovery. So pack your bags, grab your boots, and get ready for an unforgettable experience in South Africa's great outdoors. Welcome to the ultimate guide to the best camping places in South Africa! From the lush forests of Mpumalanga to the rugged coastline of the Western Cape, we've got you covered with top spots to pitch your tent in each of the provinces. Get ready to experience the beauty of South Africa's great outdoors like never before. GAUTENG WESTERN CAPE NORTHERN CAPE LIMPOPO MPUMALANGA NORTH WEST KWAZULU NATAL FREESTATE EASTERN CAPE Campsites in Limpopo Province is located in the far northern part of South Africa and shares borders with three neighboring countries: Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The capital is Polokwane (previously Pietersburg). Other major cities and towns include Bela-Bela (Warmbad), Lephalale (Ellisras), Makhado (Louis Trichardt), Musina (Messina), Thabazimbi and Tzaneen. It is a land of beautiful and contrasting landscapes, which is typical of Africa. It has become a favourite destination for leisure and adventure travellers worldwide. The network of protected areas and nature reserves is amongst the best on the African continent. The spectatular mountain scenery, beckons hikers, climbers and bikers. The cultural destinations intrigue both local and international tourists. The game viewing is absolutely fantastic and possibly the best in the country. Limpopo landscape and vegetation varies from one area to the other. The vegetation ranges from Tropical Forests, Bush and Shrubs to semi-desert areas with small trees and bushes. The landscape also ranges from mountainous to flat land. Limpopo is the only Province in South Africa with more than two cultural groups staying together in their original habitat in harmony. Other ethnic groups include the English and Afrikaner people. English is regarded as a business language but other native languages of the province include Tshivenda, Sepedi, Xitsonga, Setswana, Isindebele and Afrikaans. List Of Camping Sites In Limpopo Moriti Bush Camps N11 Road 3,5 Km From The Groblersbridge Border Post, Tomburke website routenplaner AfriCamps Magoebaskloof L4 2, Magoebaskloof, Cheerio Gardens, Mopani · Geschlossen · Öffnet morgen um 09:00 website routenplaner Silver Rocks Caravan Park De Nyl Zyn Oog Rd, R101, Modimolle-Mookgophong · website routenplaner AfriCamps Hoedspruit Campingplatdspruit · Geschlossen · Öffnet morgen um 09:00 website routenplaner Kaoxa Bush Camp Alldays Kostenloses Parken · Kostenloses WLAN · Swimmingpool Bela Bela Campsites in Bela Bela Things to do in Bela Bela Bela-Bela is located in the Waterbergregion of the Limpopo Province and is ideally located off the N1 highway between Pretoria and Polokwane. Previously named Warmbaths, the Tswana tribes were the first to encounter the therapeutic hot springs in the early 1800’s, and named it Bela-Bela, meaning “the water that boils on its own”. Today the town boasts an extensive spa and holiday resort. Bela-Bela’s hot springs are located on the grounds of the Forever Resorts Warmbaths, who also host the 5150 Bela-Bela Triathlon. The climate inBela-Bela is mild during the winter months in South Africa with a majority of sunny days in the year which adds to the popularity of this destination. Visit: https://www.bela-bela-info.co.za/town Camping Sites In Gauteng Cast & Catch Fishing & Camping Fishing charter Plot, Pretora · Closed · Opens tomorrow 06:00 website directions Rocky Valley Christian Camp And Retreat Centre Mogale City website directions Jabula Bush Camp PRETORIA Airport shuttle · Swimming pool · Smoke-free rooms website directions See more results Rainforest Boutique Camp Agoda 30 Angelica Avenue Breaunanda, Krugersdorp website routenplaner Camping Sites In Western Cape Kromrivier Cederberg Park Cederberg Free parking · Free Wi-Fi · Business center · Restaurant website directions Wolfkop Camping Villages Grootfontein Farm, Keerom Rd, Citrusdal · Open 24 hours website directions Rivierplaas Campsite Rivierplaas Campsite, Scerpenheuwel, Worcester, Worcester, South Africa · website Camping Sites In Northern Cape Fiddlers Creek Campsite Campground Plot 26, Kotzeshoop, Vioolsdrif · website directions Richtersveld Wilderness Camp Modderdrift-South, Vioolsdrif · website directions Kameeldoring Camping Next to Augrabies falls national park, Augrabies · website directions Augrabies Rest Camp Augrabies Falls National Park · website directions Broadwater River Estate Siyancuma website Camping Sites In Mpumalanga The Park Shop - Lower Sabie Rest Camp Holidaycheck · Grocery store website directions Under The Stars Camping Plot 370 Brommers Plaas, Barberton · website directions Sabie River Camp 30 Plaaswaterval, Sabie · Closed · Opens tomorrow 08:00 website directions Syeta Tented Bush Camp 26 Uitkyk Road, Nelspruit · directions Dullstroom on The Dam Dullstroom website Camping Sites In North West South Africa Mosetlha Bush Camp & Eco Lodge Madikwe Game Reserve Restaurant · Bar/lounge website directions TangleWood Nature Estate Portion 42, Naauwpoort Farm 385 Boskop Dam, Potchefstroom · website directions Dube Private Game Reserve Warmbad Street, Brits · website directions River Run Family Camp Site Campground 709 Ongegun Destrik, Vredefort · website directions Rust Oord Bushveld Camp 410 Farm B, Brits · website directions See more results Camping Sites In Kwazulu Natal South Africa Salt Rock Caravan Park Campground 5 Hotel Road, Salt Rock · Closed · Opens tomorrow 07:00 website directions Richards Bay Caravan Park Campground CNR Krewelkring U0026 Hibberd Drive, Meerensee, Richards Bay Closed · Opens tomorrow 07:00 website directions Dolphin Holiday resort Ballito Free parking · Swimming pool website directions See more results Camping Sites In Eastern Cape South Africa Nature's Rest Prince George Circuit, East London · website directions Yellowwood Forest Morgan Bay Campground 661 Link Rd, Yellowwood Forest, Morgan's Bay · website directions Mountain Zebra National Park National park 25 Km Outside Cradock, Cradock · Closed · Opens tomorrow 07:00 website directions Rendezvous Caravan Park CHINTSA WEST,RENDEZVOUS, EAST LONDON · Open 24 hours website directions Cefani Beach Resort CINTSA EAST, AMATOLA COASTAL · website directions See more results Camping Sites In Free State South Africa Dinkoeng Tented Camp And Adventure 12 Leratong Village Dinkoeng Tented Camp & Adventure Dinkoeng Tented Camp, Monontsha, Phuthaditjhaba · website directions Didima Camp Campground Winterton · website directions Zuikerkop Country Game Lodge Clocolan Free breakfast · Free parking · Free Wi-Fi website directions See more results BACK TO TOP

Welcome to South Africa Welcome to South Africa, a land of diverse cultures, breathtaking landscapes, and unforgettable experiences. From the bustling cities to the tranquil countryside, there's something for everyone to enjoy. We hope you have a wonderful time exploring all that this beautiful country has to offer.South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa , is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by coastline that stretches along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans;to the north by the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe; and to the east and northeast by Mozambique and Eswatini. It also completely enclaves Lesotho. It is the southernmost country on the mainland of the Old World, and the second-most populous country located entirely south of the equator, after Tanzania. South Africa is a land of incredible natural beauty and diverse wildlife, making it the perfect destination for a safari adventure. Our safari tours offer a unique opportunity to experience the thrill of seeing majestic animals in their natural habitat, while also enjoying the stunning landscapes and rich cultural heritage of this amazing country. Whether you're a seasoned safari-goer or a first-time visitor, our expert guides will ensure that you have an unforgettable experience that will stay with you for a lifetime. What is Our Homepage All About My Life In South Africa School Projects Wildlife & Culture History All About South Africa Travel Tours The Big Five of South Africa are the most famous animals in the country and are a must-see for any wildlife enthusiast. These animals include the lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo. They are called the Big Five because they are the most difficult animals to hunt on foot. Today, they are protected and can be seen on safari tours throughout South Africa. The Nine Provinces South Africa is a country divided into nine provinces, each with its own unique culture, history, and attractions. These provinces are Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, and Western Cape. From the beaches of KwaZulu-Natal to the mountains of the Eastern Cape, there is something for everyone to explore and enjoy in South Africa's diverse provinces. Cape Town is a vibrant city located in the southwestern coast of South Africa. It is known for its stunning beaches, iconic landmarks such as Table Mountain and Robben Island, and diverse culture. Whether you're looking for adventure, relaxation, or a mix of both, Cape Town has something for everyone. BACK TO TOP

The nine provinces of South Africa South Africa has nine provinces, each with its own history, landscape, population, languages, economy, cities and government. South Africa’s nine provinces are the Eastern Cape, the Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, the Northern Cape, North West and the Western Cape. Before 1994, South Africa had four provinces: the Transvaal and Orange Free State – previously Boer republics – and Natal and the Cape, once British colonies. In 1910 these four states were united into a single country, the Union of South Africa, under British rule. This became the Republic of South Africa in 1960, under apartheid rule. In the 1970s and eighties, under the apartheid doctrine of “separate development”, the map of South Africa was spattered with the odd outlines of the “homelands”. These unsustainable states were set up on disjointed parcels of land with no economic value. Laws were passed to make black South Africans citizens of these barren regions, denying black people’s citizenship of South Africa as a whole. In 1996, under South Africa’s new democratic constitution , the homelands were dismantled and South Africa consolidated into today’s nine provinces. The land area of South Africa’s nine provinces, from smallest to largest: Gauteng: 18,178 square kilometres (1.5% of total) Mpumalanga: 76,495 square kilometres (6.3%) KwaZulu-Natal: 94,361 square kilometres (7.7%) North West: 104,882 square kilometres (8.6%) Limpopo: 125,755 square kilometres (10.3%) Western Cape: 129,462 square kilometres (10.6%) Free State: 129,825 square kilometres (10.6%) Eastern Cape: 168,966 square kilometres (13.8%) Northern Cape: 372,889 square kilometres (30.5%) South Africa: 1,220,813 square kilometres (100%) Population of the provinces The population of the provinces also varies considerably. Gauteng, the smallest province, has the largest number of people living there – over a quarter of South Africa’s population. The Northern Cape, which takes up nearly a third of the country’s land area, has the smallest population: just over 2% of the national total. The population of South Africa’s nine provinces in 2017, from smallest to largest: Northern Cape: 1.2 million people (2.1% of South Africa’s total population) Free State: 2.9 million people (5.1%) North West: 3.9 million people (6.8%) Mpumalanga: 4.4 million people (7.9%) Limpopo: 5.8 million people (10.2%) Eastern Cape: 6.5 million people (11.5%) Western Cape : 6.5 million people (11.5%) KwaZulu-Natal: 11.1 million people (19.6%) Gauteng: 14.3 million people (25.3%) South Africa’s population South Africa has 56.5-million people, according to 2017 estimates. The 2011 census puts it at 51.5-million. Black South Africans make up around 81% of the total, coloured people 9%, whites 8% and Indians 3%. Census counts of provincial populations South Africa has held three censuses in its recent democratic history: in 1996, 2001 and 2011. Over those 15 years, the population of the provinces shifted.Gauteng’s population grew dramatically, overtaking that of KwaZulu-Natal – which saw significant growth of its own. Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West and the Western Cape also had notable increases in population. By contrast, the populations of the Eastern Cape, Free State and Northern Cape remained fairly static, as people migrated to other provinces. Population density in the provinces The variation in land area and population among South Africa’s population translates into huge differences in population density. Gauteng has an average of 785 people per square kilometre, while the Northern Cape has only three people for each square kilometre. Population density in South Africa’s nine provinces in 2017, from smallest to largest: Northern Cape: 3 people per square kilometre Free State: 22 people per square kilometre North West: 37 people per square kilometre Eastern Cape: 38 people per square kilometre Limpopo: 46 people per square kilometre Western Cape: 50 people per square kilometre Mpumalanga: 58 people per square kilometre KwaZulu-Natal: 117 people per square kilometre Gauteng: 785 people per square kilometre Provincial migration South Africans migrate away from poverty to where the jobs are, moving from poorer provinces to the richer ones. Gauteng is South Africa’s wealthiest province, mostly a city region and the centre of the country’s economy. It has the largest population, constantly swelled by migration. The province’s net migration rate (the number of people moving in minus people moving out) was nearly a million between 2011 and 2016. The Eastern Cape is the poorest province. Between 2011 and 2016 nearly half a million of its people migrated to other provinces, while only 170 000 or so moved into the province. Province and race There is also a wide variation in the racial composition of the different provinces’ populations. Census 2011 figures reveal that black South Africans are the majority population group in seven of the nine provinces, comprising from 75% to 97% of the provincial total. Yet they make up less than a third of the population in the Western Cape (26.7%) and under a half in the Northern Cape (46.5%). The distribution of a population group can reflect that people’s history in the country. Coloured South Africans are to be found mainly in the Western, Eastern and Northern Cape (respectively 61.1%, 12% and 10.7% of South Africa’s total coloured population) because they are descended from a mixture of slaves brought to what was then the Cape Colony, white immigrants to the colony, and indigenous Africans, particularly the Khoisan. The majority (71.6%) of Indian South Africans live in KwaZulu-Natal because their ancestors were brought to Natal in the early 20th century to work on sugarcane plantations. And only 0.3% of Indians live in the Free State (0.1% of the total Free State population), as they were forbidden by law to enter what was then the Orange Free State during the apartheid era. Provincial distribution also reflects a group’s socioeconomic position. White South Africans, the beneficiaries of the apartheid system, are largely found in the more developed and urbanised provinces of Gauteng (40.4% of the total white population, and 18.9% of the total Gauteng population) and the Western Cape (19.4% of the total white population, and 18.4% of the Western Cape population). Languages of the provinces There’s considerable variation in home languages between the provinces, according to Census 2011. IsiXhosa, for instance, is spoken by almost 80% of people in the Eastern Cape, while around 78% of those in KwaZulu-Natal speak isiZulu. IsiZulu is also the most common home language in Gauteng, but at a much smaller percentage. In the Western Cape and Northern Cape, Afrikaans comes into its own. READ MORE: The 11 languages of South Africa The main languages in each province, according to Census 2011: Eastern Cape: isiXhosa 78.8%, Afrikaans 10.6% Free State: Sesotho 64.2%, Afrikaans 12.7% Gauteng: isiZulu 19.8%, English 13.3%, Afrikaans 12.4%, Sesotho 11.6% KwaZulu-Natal: isiZulu 77.8%, English 13.2% Limpopo: Sesotho 52.9%, Xitsonga 17%, Tshivenda 16.7% Mpumalanga: siSwati 27.7%, isiZulu 24.1%, Xitsonga 10.4%, isiNdebele 10.1% Northern Cape: Afrikaans 53.8%, Setswana 33.1% North West: Setswana 63.4%, Afrikaans 9% Western Cape: Afrikaans 49.7%, isiXhosa 24.7%, English 20.3% Economy of the provinces Gauteng dominates almost all industries in South Africa, except agriculture and mining. In 2016 the main industries in each province were: Eastern Cape: government services 21%, trade, catering and accommodation 18%, finance 16% Free State: government services 15%, finance 14%, trade, catering and accommodation 13% Gauteng: finance 23%, government services 19%, manufacturing 14% KwaZulu-Natal: manufacturing 16%, finance 15%, government services 15% Limpopo: mining 25%, government services 18%, trade, catering and accommodation 13% Mpumalanga: mining 20%, trade, catering and accommodation 13%, manufacturing 13% Northern Cape: mining 19%, government services 15%, finance 12% North West: mining 30%, government services 12%, finance 12% Western Cape: finance 23%, trade, catering and accommodation 15%, manufacturing 14% The province’s share of South Africa’s economy Population size correlates with each province’s contribution to the national economy, with Gauteng having the biggest. The tiny province punches way above its weight, making up 33.8% of South Africa’s gross domestic product in 2016 and around 5% of the GDP of Africa as a whole. Next is KwaZulu-Natal with 16%, followed by the Western Cape with 13.7%. These three provinces together contribute nearly two-thirds to total economy of South Africa. In 2016 the value of each province’s economy, and its share of the total GDP of South Africa, was: Northern Cape: R91 billion (2.1% of South Africa’s GDP) Free State: R218 billion (5%) North West: R280 billion (6.4%) Limpopo: R312 billion (7.2%) Mpumalanga: R324 billion (7.4%) Eastern Cape: R331 billion (7.6%) Western Cape: R596 billion (13.7%) KwaZulu-Natal: R692 billion (15.9%) Gauteng: R1.5 trillion (34.6%) Government of the provinces South Africa’s provinces are governed, in different ways, on a national, provincial and local level. National government On the national level, South Africa has two houses of parliament: the National Assembly, and the National Council of Provinces. The second exists to ensure that the interests of each province are protected in the laws passed by the National Assembly. Each one of South Africa’s nine provinces sends 10 representatives to the National Council of Provinces. Six of these are permanent members of the council, and four are special delegates. Provincial government Each province has its own provincial government. The provincial legislature has the power to pass laws in certain limited areas. The legislature has between 30 and 80 members depending on the province’s portion of the national voters’ roll. The premier – the head of government in the province – governs the province together with other “members of the executive council”, known as MECs. Each MEC has a specific responsibility, such as health, education, tourism and transport. Local government The nine provinces are each further divided into municipalities. Metropolitan municipalities are densely populated urban areas with major cities – such as Johannesburg or Durban – at their core. District municipalities are larger, less urban regions centred on one or more town or small city. District municipalities are further divided into local municipalities. The cities of the provinces Each of the nine provinces has a provincial capital, the seat of provincial government. These are usually the largest city in the province – Johannesburg in Gauteng, for example, or Mahikeng in North West. The exceptions are the Eastern Cape (Bhisho) and KwaZulu-Natal (Pietermaritzburg), which have smaller cities as their capitals for reasons of history. Cape Town in the Western Cape and Bloemfontein in the Free State also stand out for being both provincial capitals and two of the three capital cities of South Africa. The provincial capitals and major cities of South Africa’s nine provinces are: Eastern Cape: Bhisho (capital) and Port Elizabeth (major city) Free State: Bloemfontein (capital and major city) Gauteng: Johannesburg (capital and major city) KwaZulu-Natal: Pietermaritzburg (capital) and Durban (major city) Limpopo: Polokwane (capital and major city) Mpumalanga: Mbombela (capital and major city) – also known as Nelspruit North West: Mahikeng (capital and major city) – formerly known as Mafeking, then as Mafikeng Northern Cape: Kimberley (capital and major city) Western Cape: Cape Town (capital and major city) Sources Census South Africa public database Statistics South Africa Census 2011 Statistics South Africa Community Survey 2016 Statistics South Africa mid-year population estimates 2017 Statistics South Africa gross domestic product, fourth quarter 2017 United Nations Statistics Division World Statistics Pocketbook 2017 World Bank Open Data Media Club South Africa BACK TO TOP