History & Heritage

GAUTENG - NORTHERN CAPE - FREE STATE - WESTERN CAPE

EASTERN CAPE - KWA ZULU NATAL - LIMPOPO - NORTH WEST -

MPUMALANGA

Gauteng History & Heritage

Maropeng’s Stone Park

Maropeng’s Stone Park is, on the one hand, symbolic of humankind’s impact on nature, and on the other, a unique, new functional space created in the grounds of the Cradle of Humankind visitor centre.

Introducing the theme of human achievement, two massive granite stone tools make for an imposing sight at the entrance to the park, which is expected to become a popular multifunctional area in which visitors can mingle, relax and celebrate.

Its open design and semi-circular arrangement of large granite blocks allow the park to be used as a venue for concerts, picnics, festivals or weddings, while bespoke lighting illuminates the granite curve at night, making it especially appealing for evening functions.

Designers FSG Landscaping appointed a team of 30 to work on the large-scale landscaping installation, which was envisioned to blend in with the surrounding landscape. Great care was taken to minimise disturbance of flora and fauna at this historically significant site. The park was completed in late 2017.

With conservation playing a guiding role in the project, plants that were removed have been replanted on the new site, along with new indigenous flora such as flowering shrubs.

Macit Tours & Travel

Macit Tours & Travel is an owner-run tour and travel company in Johannesburg. The Macit Tours component specialises in organising guided and self-drive tours in Southern Africa, while its sister company Macit Travel focuses on global corporate and leisure travel.

Consistently rated as “excellent” on TripAdvisor, Macit Tours has been in operation for almost 20 years.

Macit offers day tours in and around Johannesburg, as well as cross-border trips to Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania. In addition to organising tours, it also arranges airport transfers, accommodation, car rental and global flights for clients.

Tours on offer fall under various categories – historical, wildlife and adventure – and visitors can choose from half-day, full-day and extended tours.

Johannesburg city tours might include a half-day outing to the city centre, the Origins Centre at Wits University or Constitution Hill, while a full-day excursion could extend to Maropeng and the Sterkfontein Caves in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, Hartbeespoort Dam, ziplining at Sparkling Waters Hotel and Spa in the Magaliesberg, Harties Cableway, or a Soweto township tour.

Tours are customised to suit your requirements and budget and cater for two to 50 guests, with transport provided in comfortable vans or buses, depending on group size. Macit prides itself on personal service.

Macit is your one-stop provider of corporate and leisure travel services, also making provision for conferences, incentives and tailor-made holidays.

The Origins Centre

The Origins Centre is a world-class museum that provides insight into the intriguing origins of humankind and human development. If you are fascinated by the theory of evolution, then this centre at the University of the Witwatersrand, is a must-visit destination when it comes to Johannesburg tourism.

Opened in 2006, Origins Centre showcases Africa’s unique heritage and culture through rock art paintings dating back thousands of years, collected from all over Southern Africa. The rock paintings were the work of the San and visitors can expect to learn about the fascinating beliefs and rituals – such as hunting and the trance dance – of this ancient tribe. The rock art collection has been sourced from various regions in southern Africa by the Wits Rock Art Research Institute.

The museum combines cutting-edge technology and the creative ingenuity of South African artists to guide visitors on a journey beginning at the earliest evidence of humans, working its way through the development of art, symbolism, and technology on the African continent. The display includes fossils discovered in South Africa, as well as numerous palaeoanthropological, and archaeological materials.

The exhibitions are designed to cater to a wide range of age groups and knowledge, from young children to those with an academic interest in the subject. Information is packaged in a diverse range of mediums, including a virtual reality computer game, films and projections.

Origins Centre also houses an extensive range of ancient tools and artefacts of spiritual importance to early humans. On average, the museum experience runs for 90 minutes with the aid of an audio guide that is available in six languages: Zulu, Sotho, English, Afrikaans, French and German.

Visitors are also able to apply for a DNA test to trace their ancestral origins. The test is conducted at the National Health Laboratory Services, located at the corner of Joubert and De Kotze streets in Braamfontein.

The Mapungubwe Collection

Mapungubwe was a famous gold-trading kingdom that reached its peak many centuries ago in the mid-1200s AD. Today you can see the famous Mapungubwe gold hoard on display at the Arts Building on the University of Pretoria campus in Tshwane.

Discovered in a burial mound in Mapungubwe in (what is now) Limpopo province in the 1930s, the gold collection includes hundreds of gold bracelets and anklets, thousands of gold beads and tens of thousands of glass beads, a small selection of which are on display in a one-room exhibition.

The star attraction is the exquisite golden rhino statuette. Made entirely from gold sheets and held together with gold nails, the Mapungubwe rhino is one of the most impressive archaeological discoveries made in Southern Africa. Other extraordinary golden items on display include bovine-like creatures and a feline statuette similarly fashioned from gold sheeting, a ceremonial bowl and part of a golden sceptre.

The Arts Building also contains a large ceramics collection that includes 18th-century Dutch vases, bowls and decorative tiles, and a variety of historic Chinese ceramics, as well as a handful of 19th-century Dutch oil paintings and items of Dutch furniture that date back to the same period. No photography is allowed.

Hours: Monday to Friday 8 am to 4 pm; closed Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.

Plovers Lake

Plovers Lake is situated in the fossil-rich Cradle of Humankind region of Gauteng. The cave has been open since the late 1980s and thousands of fossils have been excavated from the site.

Plovers Lake is located 4km southeast of Sterkfontein and Kromdraai, and is dated around 1 million years old, based on the size of porcupine fossils found at the site. The fossil-bearing cavity has been declared a South African National Heritage Site and is located about 36km north-west of the City of Johannesburg.

Historical background

Plovers Lake has had two periods of excavation – one in the late 1980s and early 1990s; and the second from 2000 to 2004. The first excavation is referred to as the “Outer Deposits”, and was led by CK “Bob” Brain and Francis Thackeray. The second is known as “Inner Deposits” and was conducted by Lee Berger from the University of the Witwatersrand the Steve Churchill from Duke University.

The excavation of the Outer Deposits unveiled a fossil baboon which had survived a saber-toothed cat attack. During the excavation of Inner Deposits, Berger and Churchill later discovered 25,000 fossil remains during the second excavation – including knives, spear points, tools and fragmentary hominid remains.

Places of interest

The Cradle of Humankind area boasts 13 excavation sites that are recognised as national heritage sites, both internationally and by the South African Heritage Resources Agency. For those wanting to experience the birthplace of humankind firsthand, the official visitor centres for the Cradle of Humankind, Maropeng and the Sterkfontein Caves, are within an easy hour’s drive from Johannesburg.

Maropeng is a world-class exhibition centre that focuses on the development of humans and our ancestors over the past few million years. On arrival, visitors are met by what appears to be a massive burial mound, the entry point into the secrets of humankind’s beginnings.

The Sterkfontein Caves, the site of the most longstanding, continuous palaeoanthropological dig in the world, are world-renowned for their fossil finds. These caves have produced the pre-human skull popularly known as “Mrs Ples,” and an almost complete hominid skeleton affectionately known as “Little Foot”.

Ditsong National Museum of Natural History

The Ditsong National Museum of Natural History, formerly the Transvaal Museum, is South Africa’s leading natural history museum and one of the oldest in the country. The museum is situated in the centre of Pretoria (Tshwane) and was founded as the Staatsmuseum of South Africa on 1 December 1892.

The museum has a vast range of displays and exhibits that are of great educational value, including hundreds of taxidermied birds and animals, amazing collections of insects and butterflies, and a valuable geological collection. The story of life on Earth and of the unique geological foundations of the African continent are outlined, and the theory of evolution is explained in detail, illustrated with fossils of prehistoric creatures that once roamed across South Africa and detailed diagrams.

One of the key features of the museum is the Austin Roberts Bird Hall. Visitors will find an astonishing collection of 875 species of stuffed birds indigenous to South Africa, including eagles, owls and even vultures. Information on the migration, feeding and flight patterns of South Africa’s different bird species can also be studied in the well-arranged hall.

The museum is easily accessed by wheelchair and display texts are also transcribed in Braille for the blind. School and family visits are accommodated and the museum is well used by researchers from across the globe working to understand the diversity of wildlife in Southern Africa.

Stargazing at Maropeng

The Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site is one of the biggest attractions on the Gauteng map. It’s just a 40-minute drive from Johannesburg, which is far enough to escape the bright city lights that make viewing stars difficult. Maropeng, the official visitor’s centre for the cradle region, offers stargazing evenings with local astronomy expert Vincent Nettmann who will point out all the most significant constellations and nebulae.

These monthly ‘astro-dinner dates’ are planned well in advance and bookings are recommended, however, they’re definitely among the best things to do in Gauteng. Evenings begin with sundowners at the Maropeng Hotel, where you can marvel at the impressive sunset views over the rolling hills of the protected Cradle of Humankind region. Then it’s time for dinner followed by a stargazing talk led by Nettman who has his own style of ‘edutainment’ which mixes facts about the night skies with entertaining stories from African folklore.

According to the passionate stargazer Nettman, the southern hemisphere’s astronomical wealth if far richer than the North’s. He explains, “in the southern hemisphere there are two thirds more stars than in the northern hemisphere – it’s just the way nature is. Then if you look at light pollution in the big cities in Europe and America, there’s so much of it compared to down here.”

Maropeng’s monthly stargazing events will have you examining stellar nurseries, pondering how the universe began and what fate awaits it, viewing Hubble Space Telescope images and mapping out the Milky Way. Subject to weather conditions, you will be able to observe sky objects and the moon through a range of large aperture telescopes.

Booking is essential. Tickets can be booked via the Maropeng website’s

Website: Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site

Motsetsi Cave

Motsetsi Cave (also known as Motsetse) is situated in the fossil-rich Cradle of Humankind region of Gauteng. The cave has been open since 1999, and tens of thousands of fossils have been excavated from the site, although no hominid fossils have been found at Motsetsi Cave to date.

Motsetsi Cave is located 14km east of Sterkfontein and Kromdraai, and is dated between 1 and 1.6 million years old. The fossil-bearing cavity has been declared a South African National Heritage Site and is located about 45km north-west of the City of Johannesburg.

Historical background

Motsetsi Cave was discovered by Professor Lee Berger in 1999, giving way to a series of excavations in the area. Excavations are conducted by the University of Witwatersrand, although the University of Zurich has also led a few excavations at the site.

Excavations at Motsetsi Cave have yielded more than 2000 macro-mammal specimens – bovids and carnivore fossils are abundant. Lime mining has also taken place at the site, and miners’ rubble covers much of the deposit.

Places of interest

Northern Cape Tourism

Northern Cape Tourism information on national and provincial parks. Characterised by its vast expanses of space and silence, warm sunny climate, friendly people and hospitality, the Northern Cape is a province with a rich culture heritage. Below you will find information on Northern Cape Tourism.

Diamond Fields

The Big Hole in Kimberley is the largest hand-dug excavation in the world. In 1871, diamonds were discovered at the site and mined manually by prospectors. The Kimberley Tram Service dates back to the beginning of the 20th century and still transports passengers from the City Hall to the Mine Museum. Underground mine tours are a big attraction, as are the famous ghost tours, during which many historical buildings are seen from a different perspective. Hand and mechanical diamond-digging by private diggers can be viewed by appointment.

The McGregor Museum houses invaluable collections of the archaeological finds in the area, as well as San art works. The house where Sol Plaatje (African National Congress founding member and human-rights activist) lived in Kimberley, has a library of Plaatje’s and other black South African writers’ works, and several displays, including a portrayal of black involvement in the Anglo-Boer/South African War.

The Paterson Museum near Kimberley Airport houses a replica of a Paterson biplane, which was used for pilot training by the flying school operated by the Paterson Aviation Syndicate at Alexandersfontein. A township tour of Galeshewe provides a fresh perspective on South Africa’s socio-historical realities. Pan African Congress founder Robert Sobukwe’s house is there. The Magersfontein Battlefield outside Kimberley, with its original trenches and other defenses intact, is the site of the Boers’ crushing defeat of the British during the Siege of Kimberley.

A cultural centre at Wildebeestkuil outside Kimberley features !Xun and Khwe artwork for sale and a tour of rock engravings by these indigenous people. Barkley West attracts many water-sports enthusiasts and anglers. Tucked along the Vaal River near Barkley West lies the Vaalbos National Park. The park is not only home to large raptors, but also a breeding centre for endangered African herbivores such as rhino, roan and sable antelope and disease-free buffalo.

Kalahari

At Black Rock, visitors can view a worked-out manganese mine. Danielskuil lies at the foot of the Kuruman hills. The Tswana people occupied the area before it became home to the Griquas. Boesmansgat, on the farm Mount Carmel outside Danielskuil, is a unique natural sinkhole – the second-deepest and largest of its kind in the world. Known as the “Oasis of the Kalahari,” Kuruman is blessed with a permanent and abundant source of water that flows from Gasegonyana (Setswana for “the little water calabash”) – commonly called the “Eye of Kuruman” – which yields 20 million litres of water per day. Moffat’s Mission in Kuruman features the house of missionary Robert Moffat, the church he built, and several other historic buildings.

Moffat translated the Bible into Setswana – the first African language in which the Bible was made accessible. The printing press on which he printed the first 2 000 copies can still be viewed.The church he built seats 800 people and is still in use. Explorer David Livingstone married Moffat’s daughter and started many famous travels from this mission station. The Wonderwerk Cave at Kuruman features extensive San paintings that may be viewed by appointment. The Kalahari Raptor Centre cares for injured birds. Many of these majestic creatures can be seen at close quarters. The Witsand Nature Reserve, situated about 80 km south-west of Postmasburg, features a 100-m high dune of brilliant white sand. It stretches for about nine km and is about two km’s wide.

Green Kalahari

The Roaring Sands site on the farm Doornaar near Groblershoop is a popular tourist attraction. Its high sand dunes, surrounded by typically red Kalahari dunes, are said to “roar” when the wind blows. Along the hand-built irrigation canals at Kakamas 11 waterwheels are still used. Kanoneiland is a settlement on the biggest island in the Orange River.

At Keimoes, the Orange River flows at its widest. The Tierberg Nature Reserve offers spectacular views of the Keimoes Valley and the many islands in the Orange River. The original irrigation canal system is still in use. The Orange River Wine Cellar’s largest cellar is situated here. Kenhardt is the oldest town in the Lower Orange River area. The Quiver Tree Forest and Kokerboom Hiking Trail, consisting of between 4 000 and 5 000 quiver trees, are within easy driving distance of the town. Upington is the commercial, educational and social centre of the Green Kalahari, owing its prosperity to agriculture and its irrigated lands along the Orange River.

A camel-and-rider statue in front of the town’s police station pays tribute to the “mounties,” who patrolled the harsh desert territory on camels. Kalahari Desert Speedweek, in its third year at the beginning of October 2014, is an annual eight-day speed festival held in a far north-western corner of South Africa where tumbleweeds can roam for days nonstop and the dried-up lake beds are tailor-made for top-speed exploration. It is a proper run-what-you-brung motorsport event where anybody is welcome to enter, and anything with an engine is eligible. Over the years, the event has also become a meeting place for all sorts of eccentric machinery and people. Expect anything from 1940s-vintage Nash sedans limping along in period-correct warbird liveries to finely tuned Italian exotics humming at breakneck speeds, billowing dust clouds in tow.

The Orange River displays its impressive power at the Augrabies Falls in the Augrabies Falls National Park. Visitors can hire canoes to ensure closer contact with the natural heritage surrounding the world’s sixth-largest waterfall. The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park comprises 38 000 m2 of land, making it one of the largest conservation areas in the world. Straddling the Green Kalahari and Botswana, the park is a two-million-hectare sanctuary for various raptors, antelope, gemsbok, springbok, blue wildebeest, red hartebeest, eland, Kalahari lion, black-maned lion, brown and spotted hyena, leopard, cheetah, and smaller game, including mongoose, porcupine and the endangered honey badger.

Namaqualand

The Namas are the indigenous people of Namaqualand. Their traditional Nama reed huts still abound in Leliefontein, Nourivier and Steinkopf. Namaqualand is famous for a spectacular annual show in spring when an abundance of wild flowers covers vast tracts of desert. The flowers sprout and survive for a brief period before they wilt and disappear in the blistering heat and dry conditions just as suddenly as they appeared. The small town of Garies is the centre for those setting out to enjoy this show of exuberance in the Kamiesberg. After diamonds were discovered along the West Coast in 1925, Alexander Bay has become known for its mining activities. The town is no longer a high-security area and no permits are needed to enter. The Alexkor Museum paints a picture of the history of the area. The town also features the world’s largest desert lichenfield, which has some 26 species.

More Northern Cape Tourism

At Hondeklip Bay, visitors can dive for crayfish and watch the local fisher folk conduct their trade. Port Nolloth is a centre for the small-scale diamond-recovery and crayfish industries. It is the only holiday resort on the Diamond Coast. The local factory sells fish and crayfish in season. Set in a narrow valley bisecting the granite domes of the Klein Koperberge lies Springbok.

South of Springbok, near Kamieskroon, lies the Skilpad Wild Flower Reserve, part of the Namaqua National Park, which captures the full grandeur of the flower season. The 1 000-ha reserve is open only during the flower season. The Goegap Nature Reserve comprises 15 004 ha of typically granite, rocky hills and sandy flats. The reserve also offers a 4×4 trail, as well as several hiking and mountain-biking trails. Namaqualand is also home to the Ais-Ais/Richtersveld National Park. It is managed jointly by the local Nama people and South African National Parks.

Upper Karoo (Bo-Karoo)

Flanked by the Towerberg, Colesberg is one of the Northern Cape’s most beautiful towns. The town features one of the country’s last working horsemills. An Anglo-Boer/South African War tour is also on offer. A weekend tour includes a visit to the Norvals-pont prisoner-of-war camp and cemetery. Colesberg has bred many of the country’s top Merino sheep. It is also renowned for producing high-quality racehorses. De Aar is the most important railway junction in South Africa. The author Olive Schreiner lived in the town for many years. Visitors can dine in her former house, which has been converted into a restaurant.

Hanover is known for its handmade shoes and articles made mostly from sheepskin and leather. The “Star of South Africa” diamond was discovered at Hopetown. The town also features an old toll house and a block house dating from the Anglo-Boer/South African War. At Wonderdraai near Prieska, visitors can see the horseshoe-shaped island formed by the flow of the Orange River. It seems as if the river turns to flow uphill. Vanderkloof, built to house the people building the Vanderkloof Dam, was turned into a flourishing holiday resort. Visitors can enjoy waterskiing, boardsailing, boating and swimming, or visit the Eskom Hydro-electric Power Station within the dam’s wall. The rare riverine rabbit is found in the Victoria West Nature Reserve.

Hantam Karoo

Near Brandvlei lies Verneukpan where Sir Malcolm Campbell unsuccessfully attempted to break the world land-speed record in 1929. Carnarvon is well known for its corbelled dome-roofed houses built of flat stones because of a lack of wood. The floors of these interesting houses were smeared and coloured with a rich red mixture of fat and oxblood and polished with smooth stone. A few kilometres outside Fraserburg lies the Gansfontein Palaeosurface. Discovered in 1968, it comprises several trackways of large, four-footed and five-toed mammalian reptiles. The prints are estimated to be some 190 million years old. Sutherland, birthplace of NP van Wyk Louw, well-known Afrikaans author and poet, is also known for its brilliant night skies and cold, biting winters. The South African Astronomical Observatory’s observation telescopes, including the Southern African Large Telescope (Salt), are in Sutherland.

The sterboom (star tree), which blossoms in September, is found only in Sutherland. The Tankwa Karoo National Park, on the southern border of the Northern Cape, 70 km west of Sutherland, encompasses the Succulent Karoo Biome, the world’s only arid hotspot, stretches 116 000 km² from the southwestern Cape into southern Namibia. The landscape offers seasonal contrasts of coloured wild flowers and stark desert, set against the backdrop of the Roggeveld Escarpment to the east, Klein Roggeveld to the south and the Cederberg to the west. Its extensive desert plateaus are ideal for viewing game such as gemsbok, Cape mountain zebra, springbuck and bustards.

Kalahari Red Dune Route

Winding through the Kalahari – from just north of Upington all the way into the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park – the Red Dune Route drifts from guest house to game farm in a pleasurable combination of unlimited hospitality and arresting scenery.

The locals say that once you’ve felt the red sand of the Kalahari between your toes, your heart will always return to this desert wonderland.

The Kalahari Red Dune Route showcases the Kalahari through a wide range of activities including duneboarding, camel riding and 4×4 trailing for the adventurous, and game drives, guided walks, birding expeditions and other eco-inclined activities for nature-lovers. For visitors attuned to culture and history, the route offers the opportunity to experience regional customs and folklore, sample traditional cuisine, and meet the warm and welcoming people of the Kalahari.

Accommodation options are as diverse as the landscape, and vary from camping to homely bed and breakfasts to luxury lodges. All in all, the Kalahari Red Dune Route offers something for everyone.

Richtersveld Route

The Richtersveld is a vast and unforgiving environment; stark and dramatic, yet strikingly beautiful. This route is for the self-sufficient 4×4 traveller only and it is highly recommended that you travel in a convoy as you traverse this largely uninhabited part of the Northern Cape.

It is a mountainous desert situated in the north-west corner of South Africa. To its west is the cold and rough Atlantic Ocean, while the remarkable Orange River, the largest river in South Africa, winds along its northern border. The Richtersveld has the highest diversity of succulent plants in the world (4 849 species, of which 1 940 are endemic), as well as eerie coastal mists, alluvial diamonds and truly indigenous cultures.

While many people already know about the Richtersveld National Park, few realise there is an equally large protected area to the south, previously called the Richtersveld Community Conservancy. This area is the last refuge of Nama people living what is known as the transhumant lifestyle – to migrate seasonally with their livestock from mountains to the river and so make sustainable use of the fragile succulent ecosystem. In recognition of this vanishing lifestyle, and of the rare botanical diversity it helps protect, the conservancy has been declared the core of a new World Heritage Site – one of only eight in the South Africa. Each small village in the Richtersveld has distinctive features and characteristics. The traditional culture of the inhabitants should be explored and enjoyed. Visiting these hospitable and friendly people is an essential part of any trip to the area.

The |Ai |Ais-Richtersveld National Park is unique in that it is a contractual park – jointly managed by the local community and South African National Parks. Stock farmers may continue to graze their livestock in the park, thereby maintaining a centuries-old tradition.

Namakwa Coastal Route

The Namakwa Coastal route is a rugged nature experience along the unexplored north-west coast of South Africa’s Northern Cape. These shores have remained virtually unknown to the public at large as it is within the restricted and previously forbidden diamond mining areas.

The route runs along the coast from “Groenrivier” mouth until Port Nolloth and is ideal if you are looking for peace, tranquility and adventure. However many of the roads on the route are not accessible to ordinary saloon cars and more suitable for 4×4.

If coming from the south (Cape Town) the route starts in Namaqua National Park. Basic accommodation and/or camp sites are available all through the route.

On one side, breathtaking scenes of the Atlantic Ocean include occasional sightings of dolphins and whales, while on the other lies the endemic wildlife of the enraptured veld.

North of the Namaqua National Park you will enter the previously restricted Namaqualand Mines area. The valuable mineral treasures hidden within its sands have made these restrictions necessary but diamonds are not the only treasures. This sandveld has been jealously guarded and while still largely unspoilt and crime-free is home to many indigenous plants, animals and insects.

The coastline, with its flowing dunes and mysterious shipwrecks, has been opened to the fortunate few who come in a 4×4 or can participate in organised guided tours.

Kimberley Diamond Route

The Diamond Route comprises a series of properties – owned by companies traditionally associated with diamond mining, namely De Beers, E Oppenheimer & Son and Ponahalo Holdings – that have been set aside for conservation and tourism. Many have accommodation, ranging from luxurious lodges to camping, and offer a range of wildlife and outdoor activities.

The route was designed to rehabilitate and conserve six hectares of land for every hectare a company mines, as a way to redress the balance between the use of natural resources and sustaining the ecosystem.

Combined the route makes up 250 000 hectares across South Africa and Botswana. These properties give people a chance to commune with the diversity of nature – from cultivated gardens to mopani woodlands and riverine forests to savannah grassland and the sandscapes of the Kalahari.

Kokerboom Food & Wine Route

The Kokerboom Food and Wine Route highlights some of the attractions that can be found along the stretch of the Orange River, including activities, accommodation, restaurants and sightseeing.

Where the Kalahari and the Nama-Karoo deserts meet, the Great Gariep River (Orange River) flows, bringing life to the typically arid worlds on both sides, and turning the area into an oasis. It is here that travellers can experience the Kokerboom Food and Wine Route.

The route takes the traveller into one of the most interesting and beautiful areas of South Africa’s Northern Cape province and embraces the towns and settlements of Keimoes, Kanoneiland, Kenhardt, Augrabies, Upington and Marchand. The Kokerboom Food and Wine Route has something for everyone.

The route is located in an arid zone, with stifling hot summers (up to 45°C) and chilly winter nights. The Great Gariep, known more commonly as the Orange River, winds through the landscape and brings it life. This river was once called “God’s gift to the Southern African thirstland”. The greenbelt along the river’s banks contrasts sharply with the rising rocky cliffs. Irrigation schemes have stretched the greenbelt into the desert, making acres of vineyards and other agriculture possible.

Ten percent of South Africa’s vineyards are found in the Orange River valley and southern Kalahari.

Karoo Highlands Route

Ever yearned for a space so vast that the horizon continues into the future? Or to see the stars so clearly you feel that you touch them? The Karoo Highlands Route is where you can experience such uniqueness. The area is renowned for the hospitality of its farming community.

Whether you’ll be admiring the inimitability of the corbelled houses or looking back in time at the Gansfontein Palaeo Surface, your heart will surely be touched by this region as never before.

The Karoo Highland Route is situated in the southern part of the Northern Cape in South Africa. The route covers the small Karoo towns of Nieuwoudtville, Calvinia, Williston, Sutherland, Fraserburg, Carnarvon, Loxton and Victoria West and forms the heart of the Great Karoo. The Karoo is the home of peace and tranquillity where you can recharge your batteries, while exploring the wide open plains dotted with koppies (hills). This is a place where a huge telescope allows you to look back to the beginnings of our universe 13-billion years, and where pre-dinosaurs roamed the Earth and the first people gazed up to the heavens.

People have lived on this massive plateau, the largest of its kind outside Asia, for about 500 000 years. The Khoi and San people who left their legacy as art on the rocks gave the Karoo its name. The place’s name comes from karusa, a Khoi word which means dry, barren, thirst land. This aptly describes this region where water is scarce. It is an ancient, fossil rich land, with some important archaeological sites, as well as the largest variety of succulents found anywhere on Earth: there are more than 9 000 plant species in the Great Karoo.

The route offers plenty of interesting attractions, such as Sutherland’s astronomical observatory, Carnarvon’s Karoo Array radio telescope, Karoo architecture and corbelled houses, Anglo-Boer War sites, rock art, ancient palaeo surfaces, farm stays and medicinal plants.

Quiver Tree Route

The Quiver Tree Route contrasts stark fawn arid land and verdant green vineyards. The Great Gariep, known more commonly as the Orange River, winds through the landscape and brings life to the surrounding parched earth.

The river was once called “God’s gift to the Southern African thirstland”. The greenbelt along the river’s banks contrasts sharply with the rising rocky cliffs. Irrigation schemes have stretched the greenbelt into the desert, making acres of vineyards and other agriculture possible. Ten percent of South Africa’s vineyards are found in the Orange River valley and southern Kalahari.

The route includes the towns and settlements of much of the Green Kalahari and include Keimoes, Kanoneiland, Kenhardt, Augrabies, Upington and Marchand. The Quiver Tree Route has something for everyone. In addition to visiting the popular Augrabies Falls visitors can relax in hot springs, river raft, go on 4×4 trips, hike, bird watch, sample local delicacies and wines, touch the unique kokerboom (quiver tree) and even take a leisurely donkey cart ride through town.

The kokerboom is a botanical symbol of this part of the world. Along the route one can experience dry, rugged mountains, desert adapted animal and plant life, red Kalahari dunes, stifling summer temperatures at day, and freezing desert temperatures at night.

Free State

Free State province of South Africa. According to the Mid-year population estimates, 2017, there were over 2,8 million people in the Free State on about 129 825 km2 of land. The main languages spoken are Sesotho, Afrikaans and isiXhosa.

The Free State has wide horizons and blue skies, farmland, mountains, goldfields and widely dispersed towns. It lies in the heart of South Africa, with Lesotho nestling in the hollow of its bean-like shape. Between the Vaal River in the north and the Orange River in the south, this immense rolling prairie stretches as far as the eye can see.

The Free State sprawls over high plains and stretching along the Maluti Mountains bordering Lesotho. Near the sandstone cliffs and Basotho Cultural Village of Golden Gate Highlands National Park is Clarens, a town distinguished by its art galleries. The Anglo-Boer War Museum in South Africa’s judicial capital of Bloemfontein traces the Free State’s history as a Boer republic.

Mangaung, comprising Bloemfontein, Botshabelo and Thaba Nchu, has an established institutional, educational and administrative infrastructure. With Bloemfontein being South Africa’s judicial capital, the province houses the Supreme Court of Appeal. Important towns include Welkom, Sasolburg, Odendaalsrus, Kroonstad, Parys, Phuthaditjhaba, Bethlehem and the charming village of Clarens situated in the rolling foothills of the Maluti Mountains.

Some of South Africa’s most valued San rock art can be found in the Free State. Other tourist attractions include the Golden Gate National Park, the annual air show in Bethlehem, the Cherry Festival in Ficksburg and the Fauresmith International Endurance Ride equestrian event. The annual Mangaung African Cultural Festival, known as Macufe, is hosted in partnership with the Tourism Authority and the Performing Arts Centre of the Free State. The Vredefort Dome, 10 km in diameter, is South Africa’s seventh World Heritage Site.

For information on Free State Towns/Cities please Click HERE.

Municipal Regions of the Free state

The Fezile Dabi District is an important agricultural production area, mainly maize. The Vaal Dam is the main source of water and offers a wide variety of leisure facilities. Other attractions include the Vredefort Dome, which is the third largest meteorite site in the world, and San paintings. Sasolburg is the location of the country’s largest chemical and synthetic fuel plant.

The Lejweleputswa District boasts goldfields and it is a major agricultural area. The district forms part of the larger Witwatersrand basin. The first gold was discovered in the early 1940s. Bothaville is one of the important maize centres in the country. The annual National Maize Production Organisation festival attracts more than 70 000 visitors and is the second largest private show in the world.

The Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality contains the largest population and comprises mainly of open grassland, with mountains in the most eastern region. The main urban centre is Bloemfontein. The city is the trade and administrative hub of the Free State and boasts the provincial government and the seat of the Appeal Court of South Africa. It also has a rich history, which includes the establishment of the African National Congress in 1912 and the National Party in 1914.

The Thabo Mofutsanyana District borders Lesotho to the east and has beautiful hills and fruit farms. The district is one of the most important tourism destinations due to spectacular scenic beauty of the Drakensberg and Maluti mountain ranges. Other attractions include the Golden Gate Highland Park, the annual cherry festival at Ficksburg, a Basotho cultural village in Maluti-a-Phofung, and Khoisan rock paintings.

The Xhariep District is located in the south-west of the province and is a semi-arid area with extensive farming, mainly sheep. The district comprises open grasslands with small wide dispersed towns. The Xhariep Dam is one of the tourists’ attractions. It offers a variety of leisure facilities.

Although the Free State is the third-largest province in South Africa, it has the second-smallest population and the second-lowest population density. The economy is dominated by agriculture, mining and manufacturing. Known as the ‘bread basket’ of South Africa, about 90% of the province is under cultivation for crop production. It produces approximately 34% of the total maize production of South Africa, 37% of wheat, 53% of sorghum, 33% of potatoes, 18% of red meat, 30% of groundnuts and 15% of wool. The province is the world’s fifth-largest gold producer, with mining the major employer. It is a leader in the chemicals industry, being home to the giant synthetic-fuels company, Sasol.

The Vredefort Dome, 10km in diameter, about 100km south-west of Johannesburg, is South Africa’s seventh World Heritage Site.

The Free State is divided into one metropolitan municipality (Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality) and four district municipalities, which are further subdivided into 18 local municipalities.

Free State Agriculture

Agriculture dominates the Free State landscape, with cultivated land covering 32 000 km2 and natural veld and grazing 87 000 km2 of the province. Field crops yield almost two thirds of the gross agricultural income of the province. Animal products contribute a further 30%, with the balance generated by horticulture.

Free State Mining

The National Development Plan has intensified the mining potential that still exists in the goldfields region of Matjhabeng in the Lejweleputswa District as a job intervention zone. The De Bron-Merriespruit Gold Project and the Bloemhoek Gold Project are included as potential development projects in the scope of work of the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission.

The province has 12 gold mines, producing 30% of South Africa’s output and making it the fifth-largest producer of gold in the world. Gold mines in the Free State also supply a substantial portion of the total silver produced in the country. Uranium occurring in the gold-bearing conglomerates of the goldfields is extracted as a by-product. The Free State’s gold reef of more than 400 km stretches across the province from Gauteng. South Africa’s largest goldmining complex is Free State Consolidated Goldfields, with an area of 330 km2.
Bituminous coal is mined and converted to petrochemicals at Sasolburg.

The province also produces high-quality diamonds from its kimberlite pipes and fissures, and the country’s largest deposit of bentonite is found in the Koppies district.

Free State Manufacturing and industry

The Maluti-a-Phofung Special Economic Zone is the Free State’s share of the logistics and industrial corridor. The Vehicle Distribution Centre was established in partnership with the German Bremen Logistics Group, which committed R60 million towards this project. The Harrismith Food Processing Park forms part of the broader development initiative. The green economic solar zone in the Xhariep district was expected to result in the establishment of the Xhariep Solar Park, harnessing the solar radiation in the southern part of the Free State.

The Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme forms part of Eskom’s capital expansion programme. This energy infrastructure project is located on the border of the Phumelela and Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipalities in the Free State and eMnambithi Local Municipality and the uThukela District Municipality in KwaZuluNatal.

Sasol South Africa, the largest producer of synthetic fuels on the sub-continent, remains a key role-player in the Free State economy. Its investment in its Sasolburg operations is evident from the Wax Expansion project, the Ethylene Purification Unit 5, the Gas Engine Power Plant and Clean Fuels 2. The Omnia Nitric Acid complex, located within the Sasol Industrial Complex, includes a nitric acid plant, an ammonium nitrate plant, a porous ammonium nitrate plant, a fleet of 145 specialised ammonia rail tankers and other ancillary facilities.

Free State Tourism Routes

CHEETAH ROUTE

The Cheetah Route takes you through the Mangaung District – the cultural and political heart of the Free State. Abundant historical, cultural and natural attractions make the region a top business and recreational destination.

Towns on the Cheetah Route are:

EAGLE ROUTE

Following the Free State’s southern border with Lesotho, the Eagle route runs from Ficksburg to Harrismith through some of the most picturesque landscape in the country. Activity highlights include cherry picking, seeing dinosaur fossils and rock paintings, arts & craft shopping, skiing in the winter slopes, horse riding and 4X4 trips.

The towns to explore on the Eagle route are:

SPRINGBOK ROUTE

The Springbok Route, which connects the Free State with the Northern Cape, winds through the scenic farmlands and nature reserves of the Xhariep District. A wealth of cultural and historical attractions en route include battle sites, San rock engravings, game farms and diamond mines.

The towns along the Springbok route are:

FLAMINGO ROUTE

The Flamingo Route runs through the Lejweleputswa District, an important agricultural and gold-producing area. This combination makes for a variety of leisure activities – exploring a local gold mine, game viewing and visiting key historical sites. And for lovers of the fast lane, the Free State’s own Phakisa Freeway Race Track is a must-see.

The route includes the following towns:

LION ROUTE

If you want a taste of everything that is typically “Free State”, the Lion Route has it – from culture to nature to history.

The towns along the Lion Route are:

Tourism in The Free State

Visit the Free State Tourism page HERE for more information.

BASOTHO CULTURAL VILLAGE
• Is a cultural jewel of the Free State.
• Located about 14 km’s from the Golden Gate Hotel.
• The rest camp has two and four sleeper self–catering rondavels with stunning views of the mountains.

The Golden Gate Highlands National Park and approximately 80 provincial, municipal and privately owned nature parks, nature reserves, game reserves, game farms, etc.

Hunting is a popular tourist attraction at farms such as Driehoek, Excelsior, Hanover, Hartenbos and Holfontein near Bultfontein. Other hunting areas with packaged tours are located at Hertzogville, Wesselsbron, areas around Thaba ’Nchu, Frankfort, Heilbron, etc

The Free State National Botanical Garden in Bloemfontein spans over 70 ha and is home to approximately 400 species of plants mainly from the Free State, Northern Cape and Lesotho. Furthermore, approximately 124 species of birds and 54 species of reptiles inhabit the garden.

Dramatic mountainscapes, huge bodies of water that lend themselves to recreation, spectacular national parks, World Heritage Sites, and wide open spaces — the Free State has all of this, and then some.

As South Africa’s most centrally located province, the Free State is easy to get to and it has shown a growing ability and desire to host big events.

Golf

For information on Free State Golf Courses please visit this PAGE for contact details and brief summaries of some of the Gold Courses around the Free State.

Opportunities for growth

The current state and shape of Free State’s economy clearly presents huge opportunities for investors in the manufacturing sector. The Free State Development Corporation (FDC) is actively searching for investors, and giving them a helping hand, as in the construction of factories in the Harrismith and Botshabelo areas. The opening of a Makro store in Bloemfontein, and extensions being carried out on other retail malls, indicate that a recovery in the provincial economy is under way.

Massive investments by companies in the oil and gas and petrochemical sector in Sasolburg have also boosted the economy. In agriprocessing, a number of opportunities exist in the province. Some products that are being explored are cherries, asparagus, vegetables, wholesale meat, leather and increased seed production in the province’s eastern reaches. Tourism is another sector that is being targeted as the province seeks to diversify its economy away from an over-dependence on agriculture and mining.

Interesting Facts

“City of Roses”

With its King’s Park Rose Garden containing more than 4 000 rose bushes, the Free State’s major city, Bloemfontein, has rightfully earned the nickname “City of Roses”. The city also hosts an annual rose festival.

Agricultural Festivals

The town of Bothaville hosts one of the largest agricultural festivals in the world, NAMPO, every year during May. Attendance of the 2011 festival set a new record of 73 552 people over the four-day period. The town is also the head office of Maize South Africa.

Bridge

The longest bridge in South Africa is the D.H Steyn bridge at 2 993 meter on the outskirts of the town Bethulie in the Xhariep district.

Centre point of SA

Emmaus, the centre point of South Africa, is located 20 km from the town of Petrusburg in the Xhariep district.

Cherries

The annual Cherry Festival held in Ficksburg (Setsoto Local Municipality) is the oldest crop festival in South Africa. A little known fact is that all of South Africa’s glazed cherries are produced in Ficksburg. The 45th anniversary of this festival will be celebrated in 2012.

Commercial Plane Crash

Spitzkop, a koppie near Memel, was the site of South Africa’s first commercial plane crash. On 15 May 1948 a Skyliner (a version of the well known DC3) belonging to Mercury Airways, crashed into Spitzkop, killing all 13 people on board. The crash was, at the time, regarded as South Africa’s biggest air disaster.

Dam

The largest dam in South Africa is the Gariep Dam in the Xhariep district.

Dinosaur Eggs

The world’s oldest dinosaur eggs, 200 million-year-old prosauropod dinosaur embryos, were found in the Golden Gate National Park in the Thabo Mofutsanyane district in 1978.

Oilseeds – Groundnuts

Groundnuts are grown mainly in the Free State, North West and Northern Cape. The normal planting time for groundnuts is mid October to mid-November.

Sunflower seed

Sunflower seed is produced in the Free State, North West, the Mpumalanga Highveld and in Limpopo. During the 2016 production season, the bulk of the crop was produced in the Free State (55,7%), North West (34.1%) and Limpopo (9,1%).

Fauresmith

Fauresmith is the only town in South Africa, and one of only three in the world, where the railway line runs down the centre of the main road.

Grain Silo’s

The largest grain silo’s in the world is found at Wesselsbron.

Jagersfontein

Founded in 1870, Jagersfontein (Xhariep district) is the world’s oldest diamond mining town and the first place where diamonds were discovered in its mother stone or blue ground, or as it’s now known, Kimberlite. Of the ten biggest diamonds ever found, two came from the Jagersfontein mine.

Highest town above sea level

Petrus Steyn is the Free State town highest above sea level at 1702 meters.

Indoor Arena

The largest indoor arena in the southern hemisphere is in Parys. The Parys Indoor Arena is a first in South Africa and includes a sand warm-up arena in the Shute and a grass arena for flat work and lunging. The SA Boerboel championships, horse shows and cattle shows are regularly hosted at the arena. There are approximately 460 indoor stables, private boxes for spectators and it has its own restaurant and bar.

Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Area

The Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Area is a trans-boundary initiative in Lesotho and South Africa. It includes a conservation area and World Heritage Site, which was included on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in December 2000. The conserved areas include the Ukhahlamba World Heritage Site, Golden Gate National Park, QwaQwa National Park, Sterkfontein Dam Nature Reserve, and conserved areas within Lesotho.

Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality

The Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality is a metropolitan municipality which governs Bloemfontein and surrounding towns in the Free State province of South Africa. Mangaung is a Sesotho name meaning “place of Cheetahs”.

Free State, the birthplace of the ANC

On 8 January 2012, Africa’s oldest liberation movement, the ANC, celebrated 100 years of existence. This was a historic achievement, not only for the movement, but also for South Africa, the continent and the world. Thousands of ordinary South Africans, political and religious leaders attended the centenary celebrations which were held in Mangaung, Free State, the birthplace of the ANC.

ANC early years

In its early years, the ANC was concerned mainly with constitutional protest. Worker militancy emerged in the wake of the First World War and continued through the 1920s. It included strikes and an anti-pass campaign, given impetus by women, particularly in the Free State, resisting the extension of the pass laws to them.

Dry beans

The Free State province produced 48,0% (17 000 t) of the 2015/16 commercial crop. The leading dry bean producer in South Africa.

Olive Tree Forest

The largest wild olive tree forest in South Africa is located at 20 km outside Parys near Venterskroon

Rebellion

The 1914 Rebellion started in Memel three and a half years after the establishment of the Union of South Africa. In 1914, when war broke out between Britain and Germany, the South African government’s announcement that also was going to invade German South West Africa (today’s Namibia), fighting broke out between former Generals of the Anglo-Boer War and government forces.

Tourism Route

The Maloti Route is the longest signed tourism route in South Africa. It starts in Harrismith and proceeds through the Free State to the Orange River after which it crosses the Eastern Cape to the N2 on the Wild Coast. It also includes Lesotho from the north to the south. In the Free State it passes through Ladybrand, Hobhouse, Wepener, Vanstadensrus and Zastron on the R26 Route.

Vredefort Dome

The Vredefort Structurein the Vredefort/Parys area has been declared South Africa’s 7th International World Heritage Site and is recognized worldwide as the oldest and biggest meteorite impact site.

Universities

Central University of Technology, Free State

University of the Free State

Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences Home

What is Economic and Management Sciences?

The Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences is a dynamic and innovative faculty that effectively meets the demands and challenges of the fast-changing economic and management environment. As a result of this, both our undergraduate and postgraduate students have access to unparalleled opportunities for training, research, and community service, and in particular the additional opportunity to gain international exposure by means of various exchange agreements.

Faculty of Education

The Faculty of Education is located on all three UFS campuses, namely Bloemfontein, South, and Qwaqwa.

The University of the Free State’s Faculty of Education educates teachers in several disciplines. Our one role is to prepare pre-service teachers for their work in schools, ensuring that they have a strong disciplinary base for their professional work

A second major role is the teaching of in-service teachers. This work is informed by and closely related to our research and community outreach. We bring to our work a keen interest in the local context, as the opportunity for exploring issues that are universal in education. We work closely with schools and other sites of education and attempt to keep theory and practice in dialogue with each other.

The faculty offers a wide range of undergraduate degrees and diplomas as well as postgraduate certificates, honours, master’s and doctoral programmes. We place a high value on students as central to our work.

Faculty of Health Sciences

Four pillars

The Faculty of Health Sciences renders a quality healthcare service to the diverse health care needs in South Africa, taking into consideration the four pillars of:

teaching and learning
research
community service
service delivery

Focus of teaching and training

Participation in various professional and national organizations as well as the faculty’s contribution to research has shifted the focus of teaching and training from a purely professional base to a combined effort between:

profession and
education

Faculty of the Humanities

The primary purpose of a Humanities education is to give you access to critical thinking skills, appreciation of literature, understanding of cultures, the uses of power, the mysteries of the mind, the organisation of societies, the complexities of leadership, the art of communication, and the challenge of change. All of these skills will support you in your future careers. A qualification in the Humanities is therefore well respected all over the world, and people with this type of qualification form the backbone of society.

Faculty of Law

Vision

Within the broader context of the vision as an excellent, equitable, and innovative university, the faculty strives to:

be constantly recognised nationally and internationally for the quality of its activities and for the achievements of its students and staff;
continuously maintain and expand a national and regional perspective in order to maintain its operations;
contribute to the reconstruction and development of the entire community within its own context.

Free State Population.

Capital: Bloemfontein
Principal languages:

Sesotho 71,9%
Afrikaans 10,9%
IsiXhosa 5,7%

Population: 2 834 714
Percentage share of the total South African population: 5,1%
Area: 129 825 km2
Source: Stats SA’s Mid-year population estimates 2017 and Community Survey 2016

ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK
The Free State, in its current jurisdictional form, was created in 1994 when the Bantustans were abolished and included into the provinces of South Africa. Bloemfontein is the capital of the province which comprises five district municipalities and nineteen local municipalities.

SETTLEMENT PATTERN
The Free State comprises ninety urban settlements of various sizes. According to Free State Growth and Development Strategy – FSGDS (2012), apartheid planning has resulted in extremely low densities, low levels of efficiency and long distances between places of employment and places of work. The largest economic contribution originates within urban settlements.
It is estimated that urbanisation has increased from 70.5% in 1996 to 80% in 2006 and that approximately 40% of the Free State population reside in the large urban centres or settlements (SOER 2009).

Five types of settlements are distinguished in the Free State (SOER, 2009), namely:

1 Large urban settlements: Bloemfontein, Thaba Nchu, Botshabelo, Welkom, Virginia, Odendaalsrus, Allanridge, Henneman and Sasolburg.
2 Regional towns: Kroonstad and Bethlehem.
3 Middle Order towns: Ladybrand, Ficksburg, Puthaditjhaba, Heilbron, Frankfort, Senekal, Parys, Bothaville, Viljoenskroon, Harrismith and Reitz.
4 Small towns: Rural and small-farming communities.
5 Communal: Rural areas of Thaba Nchu and Maluti a Phofung.

Western Cape

Situated on the south-western tip of the African continent, the Western Cape with its wide beaches and breathtaking
scenery, complemented by a rich variety of cultures, historical landmarks, world-class restaurants and entertainment, is a world-famous tourist destination.

Cape Town, often referred to as the “Mother City”, houses Parliament and is South Africa’s legislative capital. The province has a strong network of higher education institutions including the universities of Cape Town, Stellenbosch and the Western Cape. The Western Cape has the highest adult education level in the country. Visitors to the province can disembark at one of the province’s two main airports, Cape Town International or George Airport. It is also possible to enter at the seaports of Cape Town, Mossel Bay and Saldanha. Table Mountain, the Cape winelands, Robben Island as well as the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens are among the province’s most popular tourist attractions.

The Western Cape is also known for its floral diversity. The Cape Floristic Region World Heritage Site, comprising eight separate protected areas, covers an area of more than 553 000 ha stretching from the Cape Peninsula to the Eastern Cape. The Knysna-Tsitsikamma region has the country’s biggest indigenous forests. The cold Atlantic Ocean along the West Coast is a rich fishing area. While the warmer Indian Ocean skirts the province’s southern beaches.

Page Contents

Western Cape Agriculture and fisheries

The Western Cape’s sheltered valleys between mountains are ideal for the cultivation of export-grade fruit such as apples, table grapes, olives, peaches and oranges. A variety of vegetables are cultivated in the eastern part of the Western Cape. While the Swartland and Overberg districts are well-known as the country’s prime wheat-growing areas. The agricultural sector is critical to the Western Cape economy, accounting for 60% of regional exports. The Western Cape is also well known for its wine production.

According to a study, commissioned by the SA Wine Industry Information & Systems, published in 2015, some
300 000 people were employed both directly and indirectly in the wine industry in 2015, including farm labourers, those involved in packaging, retailing and wine tourism. The study also concluded that of the R36,1 billion gross
domestic product (GDP) contributed by the wine industry to the regional economy, about R19,3 billion eventually would remain in the Western Cape.

Some 75% of all South African fishing takes place along the Western Cape coastline. The rich fishing grounds on the west coast are also protected from exploitation by a 200 km commercial fishing zone. There is also a strict quota system implemented. Delicacies found in these waters are Snoek, Cape lobster, abalone, calamari, octopus, oysters as well as mussels. Other exports include fruit, wine, wool and ostrich. The high quality of exports, combined with the relative weakness of the local currency, makes the products therefore some of the most affordable high-quality exports in the world.

Western Cape Industry

The Saldanha Bay Industrial Development Zone (SBIDZ) is drawing strong international interest. The SBIDZ Licencing Company had signed six lease agreements with international as well as South African oil and gas companies. These include firms specialising in oilfield services, oil rig operations, logistics operators, ship repair, engineering as well as market support.
A feasibility study conducted by the Department of Trade and Industry found that Saldanha Bay is strategically located to serve as a service, maintenance, fabrication and supply hub for the booming African oil and gas sector. Therefore due to the increasing number of oil rigs requiring maintenance, and their traffic flow passing from the west to the east coast of Africa. The Western Cape government has invested 25 million Rand over five years in setting up the SBIDZ.

Western Cape Population

Capital: Cape Town
Principal languages:

Afrikaans 46,6%
IsiXhosa 31,1%
English 19,6%

Population: 6 279 730
Percentage share of the total South African population: 11,3%
Area: 129 462 km2
Source: Stats SA’s Mid-year population estimates 2017 and Community Survey 2016

Vision, Mission and Western Cape Provincial Strategic Objectives

Department of Economic Development and Tourism

(Western Cape Government)

Summary

Vision

The Department of Economic Development and Tourism’s vision is a Western Cape that has a vibrant, innovative, and sustainable economy, characterised by growth, employment and equitable opportunities, and built on the full potential of all.

Mission

To achieve the vision statement as noted above, the Department is required to provide a facilitative and leadership role to the Western Cape economy through the Department’s understanding of the regional economy, its ability to identify economic opportunities and potential, and its contribution to government economic priorities. The leadership role encompasses a vertical and horizontal alignment function as this will ensure economic development is the concerted effort of national, local and regional government; the private and not-for profit sectors as well as communities.

In terms of vertical alignment, the department will strive for a “whole of government” approach to economic outcomes by aligning efforts of national, provincial and City of Cape Town and other municipalities. A facilitative role is also required in aligning economic activities within the horizontal space. The Department will intensify its role as horizontal aligner with business, institutions, and others around a common agenda for economic development. Here again it is intended that the Department`s role is viewed as the critical link between the external stakeholders in the economy and government.

In essence the Department’s role changed from that of being an implementer of projects and programs to that of also being an influencer for economic growth, development and inclusion. The above approach gives credence to the achievements envisaged by the Provincial Strategic Objective (PSO1) which includes the creation of opportunities for growth and jobs, the creation of an enabling environment for business and citizens to grow and the creation of a competitive and productive economic region.

Goal

Our goal is to create the opportunities for businesses and citizens to grow the economy and employment. This will be achieved by embracing five key focus areas:

Five Building Blocks

It is recognised that in order to fully operationalise the Strategic Agenda it is necessary for all provincial departments to work together across departmental boundaries and disciplines. The Department of Economic Development and Tourism is the Custodian Department of PSO 1: Creating opportunities for growth and jobs. This also constitutes the goal statement of this Department. The Figure below provides a graphical representation of the five building blocks (also referred to as objective statements) of PSO1. It is believed that achievement in these five areas will support the obtainment of the PSO1.

Western Cape Tourism

The Western Cape lies at the southern tip of Africa. The province’s unmatched natural beauty, famous hospitality, cultural diversity, excellent wine and rich cuisine make it one of the world’s greatest tourist attractions. The tourism industry in the province has grown faster and created more jobs than any other. One in 10 employees in the Western Cape earns a living in the tourism industry, which contributes more than R25 billion to the provincial economy. (2015/2016)

Cape Metropole

Tourism in the city of Cape Town, which lies at the foot of the magnificent Table Mountain, centres on the Victoria and Alfred (V&A) Waterfront. A working harbour, the V&A offers everything from upmarket shopping malls, arts and craft markets, and a variety of restaurants, to theatres, live music and museums. Table Mountain, which forms part of the Table Mountain National Park, is one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature. A modern cableway takes visitors to the top of the mountain, providing spectacular views. Other major attractions in the city include the Bo-Kaap Museum, the Castle of Good Hope, the Company’s Garden, the District Six Museum, flea markets, the Grand Parade, the Houses of Parliament, the South African Cultural History Museum and the South African National Gallery. The Gold of Africa Museum, established by Anglo Gold, houses a celebrated collection of more than 350 gold artifacts.

Air flips and trips are available, as are many boat and yacht trips from Table Bay Harbour. There are also trips to Robben Island (proclaimed a world heritage site and also the place where former President Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 of his 27 years in prison). The Nelson Mandela Gateway to Robben Island is in the Clock Tower Precinct at the &A Waterfront. The gateway houses interactive multimedia exhibitions, an auditorium, boardrooms, the Robben Island Museum and a restaurant. Jazz is big in Cape Town. From traditional blues through progressive jazz to African influenced jazz, every taste is catered for at a number of restaurants, jazz cafés, cigar bars, pubs and wine farms. The top jazz event in the Western Cape is the annual Cape Town International Jazz Festival.

The South African Rugby Museum in Newlands reflects the history of the sport as far back as 1891. The Rhodes Memorial in Rondebosch on the slopes of Table Mountain was built from granite from the mountain as a tribute to the memory of Cecil John Rhodes, Prime Minister of the Cape from 1890 to 1896. The University of Cape Town is worth a visit for its historic Middle Campus and many buildings designed by Sir Herbert Baker. Cape Point, part of the Table Mountain National Park, offers many drives, walks, picnic spots and a licensed restaurant. Care has been taken to protect the environmental integrity of this 22 100 ha reserve of indigenous flora and fauna.

Simon’s Town’s naval atmosphere and Historic Mile are major attractions in the area. A statue of the famous dog and sailors’ friend Able Seaman Just Nuisance stands at Jubilee Square. Hout Bay is renowned for its colourful working harbour. Seafood outlets, round-the-bay trips to the nearby seal colony, shell and gift shops, and a famous harbour-front emporium attract many visitors. Duiker Island is a seal and sea-bird sanctuary. The World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the largest bird parks in the world and houses some 3 000 Birds.

Big Bay in Bloubergstrand is a surfers’ paradise and hosts an international windsurfing event. Rietvlei Nature Reserve is a unique wetland area with over 110 bird species, including pelicans and flamingos. Canal Walk, Century City, is one of the largest shopping centres in Africa, with close to 400 shops, and is home to the largest cinema complex in South Africa. New Year in Cape Town is a festive affair, when the Cape minstrels take to the streets with their upbeat music and fancy costumes. The Monkey Town Primate Centre is home to over 200 individual primates and is located east of Somerset West on the N2. Strawberry-picking in Cape Town on the Mooiberge Strawberry Farm is available in season, which begins in November.

Cape Winelands

The Cape winelands feature dramatic mountains, rolling farmlands and peaceful vineyards. They are home to Route 62, the world’s longest wine route. The Stellenbosch Wine Route comprises over 100 wine estates, most of which offer cellar tours. Stellenbosch is the oldest town in South Africa. The town is a gracious blend of old Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victorian architecture.
Dorp Street consists of one of the longest rows of old buildings in the country. The Stellenbosch Village Museum consists of four homesteads and gardens ranging from the late-17th to the mid-19th centuries.

The Stellenbosch Toy and Miniature Museum houses a collection of 1:12 scale miniatures such as room boxes, miniature houses, antique dolls, cars and cuddly toys. The Spier Summer Arts Festival livens up summer nights from November to March at the Spier Wine Estate near Stellenbosch.

Supervised pony and cart rides for children are available on the lawns of the Spier Estate. There is also a horse-carriage tour and equestrian centre for older children. The Freedom Monument at Pniel commemorates the freed slaves who were the first settlers at the mission station, established in 1843.

Franschhoek has become known as the “Gourmet Capital” of the Cape. The Huguenot Monument was built in 1944 to commemorate the arrival in 1688 of the Huguenots who were predominantly French. In April each year, the region hosts the South African Cheese Festival. Visitors can also enjoy various hiking trails and historical walks, as well as the Vignerons de Franschhoek Wine Route. There is also an annual book/literary festival in Franschhoek.

Butterfly World, one of the more unique attractions of the Western Cape winelands, consists of a tropical garden in a 1 000 m2 greenhouse.

The Giraffe House Wildlife Awareness Centre is on 15 ha focuses mainly on African wildlife, Giraffe House provides a place for people to enjoy a picnic in the fresh air, while experiencing and learning about animals and conservation.

Drakenstein Lion Park was established as a sanctuary for lions born in captivity.

Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, which includes the smaller Assegaaibosch Nature Reserve, is near Stellenbosch, comprising the Jonkershoek Mountains and portions of the upper Jonkershoek Valley. The reserve stretches over 9 800 hectares (ha) and its rugged terrain is ideal for hiking. Assegaaibosch is much smaller and is suitable for shorter walks and picnics. On Le Bonheur Estate visitors can experience guided croc-pond tours, which lead across open dams via ramp-ways. Over 1 000 crocodiles are housed in these dams. Visitors can touch a baby crocodile, and during summer months, witness them being fed.

Paarl is famous for its Cape Dutch and Victorian architectural treasures found along a 1-km stretch of the main street. The area’s fynbos supports many south-western Cape endemics, such as the Cape sugarbird and orange-breasted sunbird. The Afrikaans Language Monument is on the slopes of Paarl Mountain, while the Afrikaanse Taalmuseum (Language Museum) is in the centre of the town.

The town of Wellington lies in a picturesque valley, with the majestic Hawequa Mountains on its eastern border. Wellington is also the home of South Africa’s dried-fruit industry.

Experience life as the pioneers did in years gone by at the Kleinplasie Living Museum. The KWV Brandy Cellar, the largest of its kind in the world, offers cellar tours and brandy tastings. The Hex River Valley is the largest producer of table grapes in southern Africa. Visitors can pick their own grapes at harvest time and sample the variety of export-quality produce.

The well-known Hex River 4×4 trail and the ochre san rock art trail is a must for nature lovers. De Doorns lies in the heart of the Hex River Valley. Bonnievale on the Breede River, features several cheese factories.

For the adventurous outdoor enthusiast there are canoe trips, as well as bird watching and river boating. Surrounded by vineyards, orchards, and roses, Robertson is known as “The Valley of Wine and Roses.” It is known for its connoisseur-quality wines and its thoroughbred horses. Renowned for its muscadel wines, Montagu is the gateway to the Little Karoo.

Relax in the healing waters of the Avalon Springs or visit the Montagu Museum, which houses, among other things, original cartoons and books by well-known cartoonist TO Honiball. The picturesque village of Gouda is known for the Parrotts Den pub, a living museum in the Gouda Hotel.

McGregor has a variety of charming thatched cottages and well-preserved Victorian houses, making it one of the best-preserved examples of mid-19th-century architecture in the Western Cape.

Prince Alfred Hamlet is the gateway to the Gydo Pass, known for its scenic views. This quaint village lies in an important deciduous-fruit farming area. Hidden amid vineyards and wine estates lies Rawsonville, known for its award winning wines.

Tourists can enjoy an afternoon drive along the beautiful Slanghoek Valley with its lush vineyards and panoramic views or relax in the mineral springs at Goudini Spa.

Garden Route

The Garden Route spans roughly 200 km of the southern coast, incorporating the stretch of coastline which includes Mossel Bay, George, Wilderness, Sedgefield, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay and Nature’s Valley – each with its own charm and attractions. Famed for its lush greenery and the vast Tsitsikamma Forest, the Garden Route is the most biodiverse region in the world.

The Garden Route features the pont at Malgas, which is one of the two remaining ponts in the country, ferrying vehicles and livestock across the Breede River. The Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve outside Heidelberg comprises the popular Bushbuck Trail, a wilderness trail and two mountain-bike trails. Riversdale is one of South Africa’s most important fynbos export areas. Other attractions include the Julius Gordon Africana Museum.

At the historical Strandveld Architectural Heritage Site at Still Bay, visitors can watch tame eels being fed. Ancient fish-traps can be seen at Morris Point and the harbour.

At the aloe factories at Albertinia, aloe juice is extracted for medicine and high-quality skin-care products. Nearby, bungee-jumping at the Gouritz River Gorge, hiking, mountain-biking and angling are popular pastimes.

The Point in Mossel Bay is not only popular among surfers, but its natural pool formed by rock is also a favourite swimming spot at low tide. The St Blaize trail starts here and is the ideal place from which to watch the whales and dolphins at play in season. The harbour at Mossel Bay is one of the most modern commercial and recreational harbours on the southern Cape coastline. Other attractions include the Attequas Kloof Pass, Anglo-Boer/South African War block-houses and the Bartolomeu Dias complex. Great Brak River offers a historic village with many opportunities for whale- and dolphin watching along the extensive coast.

The Slave Tree in George, located just outside the Old Library, was planted in 1811, when George was laid out. It is known to be the biggest English oak in the Southern Hemisphere. George is popular among golfers and is home to the renowned Fancourt Country Club and Golf Estate, as well as various other acclaimed golf courses. Visitors can board the Power Van at the Outeniqua Transport Museum, and enjoy a glimpse of the Garden Route Botanical Garden from this rail bus. The Big Tree at Woodville, an Outeniqua yellowwood, is estimated to be around 850 years old. It is located about 40 km outside of George in the direction of Knysna.

The George Airport, Outeniqua Pass, railway line and the N2 offer convenient access to this region, making George the ideal hub from which to explore the Garden Route and Little Karoo. Victoria Bay and Wilderness are popular for their unspoilt beaches. Wilderness is the western gateway to the southern Cape lakes area. It is a nature lover’s paradise, best known for its beaches, lakes, placid lagoon and lush indigenous forests.

The Langvlei and Rondevlei bird sanctuaries in the Wilderness National Park, which hosts over 230 different bird species, is popular among bird watchers. Sedgefield borders Swartvlei Lagoon, the largest natural inland saltwater lake in South Africa. Activities include beach horse riding, hiking, angling and bird watching.

Knysna nestles on the banks of an estuary, guarded by The Heads (two huge sandstone cliffs) and surrounded by indigenous forests, tranquil lakes and golden beaches. This natural wonderland is home to the largest and smallest of creatures, from the Knysna seahorse to the Knysna elephants, rare delicate butterflies and the endemic Knysna loerie, a colourful forest bird.

The abundant fynbos and forest settings host over 200 species. Knysna is also famous for its delectable home-grown oysters, enjoyed with locally brewed beer in quaint pubs and restaurants. The Knysna Oyster Festival, a celebration of the good life, has established itself as one of the most popular annual events in the Western Cape.

An eclectic mix of art galleries presents the diversity of talent in the area. There are also lagoon cruises, forest hikes, golf and adventure sports on offer.

Plettenberg Bay is adventure country, offering boat-based whale watching, black-water tubing, hiking, and forest and cycling trails. The Keurbooms River Nature Reserve at Plettenberg Bay offers a canoeing trail, while the Robberg Nature Reserve is a treasure trove of land, marine, geological and archaeological wealth.

Little Karoo

The Little Karoo’s fascinating landscape is fashioned almost entirely by water. Its vegetation ranges from lush greenery in the fertile river valleys to short, rugged Karoo plants in the veld. Gorges feature rivers that cut through towering mountains, while breathtakingly steep passes cross imposing terrain. The region is also home to the world’s largest bird – the ostrich. The Little Karoo is rich in culture and history. Oudtshoorn, the world’s ostrich-feather capital, is the region’s main town.

The Klein-Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (National Arts Festival) is held in the town annually. Some 29 km from Oudtshoorn lie the Cango Caves, a series of subterranean limestone caverns. Bearing evidence of early San habitation, the cave features magnificent dripstone formations.

Amalienstein and Zoar are historic mission stations midway between Ladismith and Calitzdorp. Visitors can go on donkey-cart and hiking trails through orchards and vineyards, while the Seweweekspoort is ideal for mountainbiking, hiking, and protea and fynbos admirers. Calitzdorp has four wine estates, three of which are open to the public.

The spring water of the Calitzdorp Spa is rich in minerals and reputed to have medicinal properties. The Gamka Mountain Reserve is home to the rare and endangered Cape mountain zebra.

Excellent wines and port are produced in the Calitzdorp and De Rust areas. The Swartberg Nature Reserve and Pass with their gravel roads are also worth a visit. De Rust lies at the southern entrance to Meiringspoort. The Meiringspoort Gorge extends 20 km through the Swartberg Mountain Range. Halfway through is a beautiful 69-m waterfall. Wine farms in the area are open to the public.

Ladismith is home to the Towerkop Cheese Factory. There are various hiking, mountainbiking and 4×4 trails in the area, as well as the Anysberg, Little Karoo and Towerkop nature reserves.

Uniondale, on the main route between George and Graaff-Reinet, features the largest water-wheel in the country, the Old Watermill. Uniondale Poort is a scenic drive linking Uniondale with Avontuur in the Langkloof Valley. At Vanwyksdorp, visitors can see how fynbos is dried and packed for the export market. Donkey-cart rides take visitors to Anglo-Boer/South African War grave sites.

Central Karoo

The Central Karoo, a fascinating semi-desert area, lies in the heart of one of the world’s most unique and interesting arid zones. This ancient, fossil-rich land is five times the size of Great Britain. Here, visitors will find the Earth’s largest variety of succulents. Beaufort West, the oldest town in the Central Karoo, is often referred to as the “Oasis of the Karoo.” The local museum displays awards presented to heart-transplant pioneer, Prof. Chris Barnard, a son of this town. A township route introduces visitors to the Xhosa culture in the area. The Karoo National Park, on the town’s doorstep, is home to a variety of game, as well as the highly endangered riverine rabbit. Matjiesfontein, a national monument, offers tourists a peek into yesteryear and the opportunity to overnight in Victorian splendour. The village houses a transport museum and the Marie Rawdon Museum.

Experience the vastness of the Great Karoo in Murraysburg, an ecotourist and hunter’s paradise. Laingsburg, a tiny village that was devastated by floods about a century after it was established, was rebuilt afterwards. It is the best place to study the geology of the region.

Prince Albert is a well-preserved town at the foot of the Swartberg Mountains. It is the ideal place to sample Karoo cuisine, see examples of local architecture dating back to the early 1800s and enjoy several scenic drives.

The Fransie Pienaar Museum introduces visitors to the cultural history of the area. It has a fossil room and an exhibit covering the gold rush in this area in the 19th century. The museum has a licence to distil and sell “witblits” (white lightning). Prince Albert is the closest town by road to Gamkaskloof.

The Hell, a little valley in the heart of the Swartberg Mountains, was the home of one of the world’s most isolated communities for almost 150 years. Gamkaskloof is a nature reserve and national monument managed by Cape Nature Conservation. It has overnight facilities and can be accessed by a 57-km long (but two-hour drive) winding road which starts at the peak of the Swartberg Pass.

West Coast

The West Coast is a region of outstanding beauty and contrast. The coast’s scenic beauty is challenged only by culinary experiences of mussels, oysters, calamari, crayfish and abalone in season, or linefish pulled from the Benguela Current’s cold waters.

During April every year, Lambert’s Bay has the Crayfish and Cultural Festival. The area is not only a birder’s paradise, but every year migrating whales visit the coastal waters from July. Vredenburg, the business centre of the area, has a popular golf course with a bird hide. Lambert’s Bay is a traditional fishing village, with Bird Island as a popular tourist attraction. It is a breeding ground for African penguins, the Cape cormorant and other sea birds. Within two months of the first good winter rains, wild flowers on the West Coast explode in a brilliant display of colour.

The Swartland region is known for its wheat fields, vineyards, wineries and outdoor activities. Further north, visitors encounter the Olifants River Valley and the vast plains of the Knersvlakte with its wealth of indigenous succulent plants. The citrus area in the Olifants River Valley is the third-largest in South Africa.

The town of Darling draws visitors to its country museum and art gallery, annual wild flower and orchid shows, basket factory and wine cellars. The entertainment venue “Evita se Perron” is situated at the old Darling Railway Station and offers top performances by South African entertainers.

Malmesbury is the biggest town in the Swartland. Major attractions include the Malmesbury Museum and the historical walk-about.

The Riebeek Valley is known for its scenic beauty. The area has become a popular haven for well-known artists of various disciplines. Wines and olives can be tasted at various cellars. Elands Bay is a popular holiday resort and surfer’s paradise. Khoi and San rock art can be viewed at the Elands Bay caves.

Moorreesburg and Koringberg are major wheat-distributing towns. Tourists can visit the Wheat Industry Museum, one of only three in the world. Bird watching, hiking, 4×4 routes, clay-pigeon shooting, mountain-bike trails, canoeing and waterskiing at Misverstand are popular activities.

Yzerfontein is famous for its unspoilt beaches, fynbos, beautiful views and whale watching. Another major attraction is the historical lime furnaces.

Langebaan, a popular holiday destination, is home to the West Coast National Park. An internationally renowned wetland that houses about 60 000 waterbirds and waders, the park attracts thousands of visitors each year. The oldest anatomically modern fossilised human footprints were also discovered here.

The Langebaan Lagoon forms part of the park and is zoned for specific activities. The Postberg section of the park, across the lagoon, is famous for its wild flowers that bloom mainly during August and September.

Cape Columbine at Paternoster is the last manned lighthouse build on the South African coast. The Columbine Nature Reserve is home to a variety of seabird species.

Saldanha is a water sport enthusiast’s paradise. Its attractions include Doc’s Cave, a landmark on the scenic breakwater drive, and the Hoedjieskoppie Nature Reserve. There are various hiking trails in the SAS Saldanha Nature Reserve.

St Helena Bay is best known for the Vasco Da Gama Monument and Museum. Visitors can enjoy fishing (snoek in season), hiking and whale and bird watching. Piketberg offers arts and crafts, fauna and flora, wine culture and recreation. The Goedverwacht and Wittewater Moravian mission stations are close to the town. Porterville is famous for its Disa Route (best in January and February).

The Groot Winterhoek Mountain Peak in the Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area is the second-highest in the Western Cape. The Dasklip Pass is popular with hang-gliders.

At Velddrif/Laaiplek visitors can indulge in bokkems (a West Coast salted-fish delicacy) at factories along the Berg River. Tourists can also visit the salt-processing factory and the West Coast Art Gallery in town.

The wine route from Citrusdal to Lutzville produces a selection of internationally acclaimed wines. Citrusdal is famous for its citrus products and wines. The Citrusdal Museum depicts the pioneering days of the early colonists. The Goede Hoop Citrus Co-Op is the largest single packing facility in South Africa. World-renowned rooibos tea is also produced here.

The annual Citrusdal Outdoor Calabash features 4×4 outings, lectures and visits to rock-art sites and an arts and crafts market. Annually, scores of sky-diving enthusiasts visit Citrusdal for a skydiving “boogie” that lasts several days. The oldest orange tree in the country, calculated to be more than 250 years old, grows in the Citrusdal Valley. The Sandveldhuisie is an example of a typical Sandveld dwelling.

The Cederberg Wilderness Area features the elephant’s foot plant, the rare snow protea and some of the best examples of San rock art in the Western Cape. Visitors to Clanwilliam can visit the rooibos and velskoen factories and the grave of the well-known South African poet Louis Leipoldt. Various historical buildings can also be viewed. The Clanwilliam and Bulshoek dams are popular among watersport enthusiasts.

Wuppertal, at the foot of the Cederberg mountains, features the oldest Rhenish Mission Station. Proceeds from 4×4 trails in the area fund the creation of new hiking trails and the building of more overnight huts and guest houses. Wuppertal, which is well-known for its rooibos and buchu production, has added one more attraction to its tourism offerings – the Cederberg Donkey Cart Route. The project entails a three-day tour through the Cederberg Mountain area and Heuningvlei with accommodation facilities for overnight visitors.

Vredendal is the centre of the Lower Olifants River Valley. Major attractions include marbleprocessing and manufacturing, industrial mines (dolomite and limestone), the KWV Grape Juice Concentrate Plant and Distillery and the South African Dried Fruit Co-Operative. The town is also home to the Vredendal Wine Cellar, the largest cooperative wine cellar under one roof in the Southern Hemisphere.

The picturesque town of Doringbaai with its attractive lighthouse is well known for its seafood. Strandfontein, about eight km north of Doringbaai, is essentially a holiday and retirement resort with a panoramic view of the ocean. Klawer was named after the wild clover that grows in the area. During the flower season, the area is a riot of colour. The Doring River features hiking trails and opportunities for river-rafting. Lutzville and Koekenaap are synonymous with wine and flowers in season.

Visitors can also view the Sishen-Saldanha Railway Bridge. Where the railway line spans the Olifants River, it is divided into 23 sections, each 45m long. The 14 100-t deck was pushed into position over teflon sheets with hydraulic jacks from the bridgehead. It is the longest bridge in the world built using this method.

Vanrhynsdorp houses the largest succulent nursery in South Africa. The Latsky Radio Museum houses a collection of old valve radios, some dating back to 1924. The Troe-Troe and Rietpoort mission stations are a must-see for history enthusiasts.

Overberg

In the most southerly region of Africa east of Cape Town, lies the Overberg. The Hangklip-Kleinmond area comprises Kleinmond, Betty’s Bay, Pringle Bay and Rooi Els. It is a popular holiday region, ideal for whale watching, and includes the Kleinmond Coastal Nature Reserve and the Harold Porter Botanical Garden.

The Penguin Reserve at Stoney Point, Betty’s Bay, is one of two breeding colonies of the jackass penguin off Africa. South Africa’s first international biosphere reserve, the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, was proclaimed by Unesco in 1999. It runs along the coast from Gordon’s Bay to the Bot River Vlei, stretching two km out to sea, and inland to the Groenlandberg Mountains near Grabouw. Hermanus is a popular holiday resort and famous for the best land-based whale watching in the world.

Stanford is one of the few villages in South Africa where the market square has been retained. The central core of the village has been proclaimed a national conservation area. Award winning wines are produced in the area. Gansbaai is known for its excellent rock and boat angling, diving, shark-cage diving and whale watching.

The Danger Point Lighthouse, named as such because of the ships that have been wrecked and lives lost on this dangerous coast, is open to the public. De Kelders is the only freshwater cave on the African coast. Spectacular views of southern right whales can be enjoyed from the cliffs at De Kelders and along the coast to Pearly Beach. Also popular are white-shark tours, diving safaris and fishing trips.

Elim was founded by German missionaries in 1824, with its only inhabitants being members of the Moravian Church. Visitors are welcome to attend services. The Old Watermill (1833) has been restored and declared a national monument. Popular sites in Napier include the Militaria Museum and Rose Boats and Toy Museum.

The Shipwreck Museum in Bredasdorp, founded in 1975, specialises in shipwrecks found along the South African coastline. The town also has the Audrey Blignault Museum. De Mond Nature Reserve is home to some rare bird species, including the damara tern and giant tern.

The Geelkop Nature Reserve derives its name from the mass of yellow flowering plants that cover the hill during spring. The lighthouse at L’Agulhas, which forms part of the Agulhas National Park, is the country’s second-oldest working lighthouse. It celebrated its 150th anniversary in 1999. The Agulhas National Park is a ruggedly beautiful coastal plain of 20 959 ha.

At Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of the continent, the waters cleave into the Indian and Atlantic oceans. The wrecks of some 130 seafaring craft – yachts, Spanish galleons, Dutch East Indiamen, the legendary Birkenhead, and even modern-day fishing trawlers – have found a watery grave around the notorious Cape of Storms.

Struisbaai has the longest white coastline in the southern hemisphere. Arniston was named Waenhuiskrans (coach-house cliff) by the local fishers in honour of the huge sea cave capable of housing several oxwagons. For outsiders, it was named after the Arniston, a ship wrecked there in 1815. The Waenhuiskrans Cave can be explored at low tide.

The De Hoop Nature Reserve on the way to Swellendam includes an internationally renowned wetland and bird sanctuary. It is a winter retreat for the southern right whale and the Western Cape’s only Cape griffen vulture colony. The red Bredasdorp lily and many species of protea and erica are found in the Heuningberg Nature Reserve.

Swellendam is well-known for its young-berries and eclectic architecture. The Drostdy Museum consists of a group of buildings containing a huge selection of period furniture.

The Bontebok National Park, about seven kilomteres from Swellendam, provides sanctuary to the threatened bontebok and other species. Known for its world-class wine, Barrydale offers the visitor fruit and fresh air in abundance. Situated on the N2, about 160 km from Cape Town, Riviersonderend offers beautiful mountain and river scenery, a nine-hole golf course and sightings of the blue crane. Caledon is famous for its natural mineral waters, hot springs and wild-flower shows. Southern Associated Maltsters is the only malt producer for the South African lager beer industry and the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. Genadendal is the oldest Moravian village in Africa, with church buildings and a school dating back to 1738. The Genadendal Mission and Museum complex documents the first mission station in South Africa.

Villiersdorp houses the Dagbreek Museum that dates back to 1845 and was declared a monument in 1994. The historical home, Oude Radyn, is possibly the only building in the Western Cape to have Batavian wooden gutters and down pipes.

The Theewaterskloof Dam outside Villiersdorp is the seventh-largest dam in the country. The Villiersdorp Wild Flower Garden and Nature Reserve has an indigenous herb garden and a reference library.

The Grabouw/Elgin district produces about 60% of South Africa’s total apple exports and fine wines. The valley is also renowned for cultivating fresh chrysanthemums, roses and proteas. The Elgin Apple Museum is one of only two in the world. Sir Lowry’s Pass offers spectacular views of False Bay from Gordon’s Bay to Cape Point.

Eastern Cape

The Eastern Cape, at 168 966 km2 , is South Africa’s second largest province after the Northern Cape. The Eastern Cape takes up 13,9% of the total land area of South Africa. The province has a population of more than 6,5 million people. The majority of whom speak isiXhosa, followed by Afrikaans and English. It is a region of great natural beauty, particularly the rugged cliffs, rough seas and dense green bush of the Wild Coast. The region has remarkable natural diversity, ranging from the dry, desolate Great Karoo to the lush forests of the Wild Coast as well as the Keiskamma Valley; the fertile Langkloof Valley, renowned for its rich apple harvests; and the mountainous southern Drakensberg region at Elliot. Various floral habitats meet in the province, ranging from tropical forests in the north to the more temperate woods of the south. The Eastern Cape is one of the poorest provinces in South Africa. This is largely due to the poverty found in the former homelands, where subsistence agriculture predominates.

The province is home to a number of higher education institutions. These including Rhodes University, the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, the University of Fort Hare as well as the Walter Sisulu University of Technology. It has airports in Bhisho, East London, Mthatha and Port Elizabeth. It also has two major harbours in East London and Port Elizabeth respectively.

The Eastern Cape offers a wide array of attractions, including 800 km of untouched and pristine coastline along with some particularly splendid beaches, and “big-five” viewing in a malaria-free environment.

Visit the Eastern Cape Tourism page for information on what the Eastern Cape has to offer.

The coastal area of the Eastern Cape Province lies directly between subtropical KwaZulu Natal and the Mediterranean Western Cape. Its inland area is bisected by the great escarpment, and the northern areas have lofty plains of the Plateau and the Great Karoo. These topographical differences are what cause the climatic differences and conditions experienced by the various towns and cities.

In the North East along the Wild Coast, towns like Port St Johns experience long, hot, balmy conditions and high rainfall, while Graaff Reinet, in the heart of the Karoo Heartland, experiences long hot summer months and moderate winters. Up towards the Free State (at towns such as Lady Grey and Aliwal North) the rise in altitude means the appropriate lowering in temperature and sometimes snow.

Added to the diverse coastal experiences are more than 60 state-owned game reserves and over 30 private game farms, which collectively cover an area greater than the Kruger National Park.

Eastern Cape Agriculture, fisheries and forestry

The fertile Langkloof Valley in the south-west has enormous deciduous fruit orchards, while sheep farming predominates in the Karoo. The Alexandria-Grahamstown area produces pineapples, chicory and dairy products, while coffee and tea are cultivated at Magwa. An olive nursery has been developed in collaboration with the University of Fort Hare to form a nucleus of olive production in the Eastern Cape. The coastal areas receive good summer rainfall and have a moderate climate, becoming more subtropical to the north-west. This, therefore, makes it particularly suitable for forestry. The basis of the province’s fishing industry is the squid. This also includes some recreational and commercial fishing for line fish, the collection of marine resources, and access to line-catches of hake.

Eastern Cape Industry

There are two industrial development zones. The West Bank in East London as well as Coega, near Port Elizabeth, which includes the deepwater Port of Ngqura. The metropolitan economies of Port Elizabeth and East London are based primarily on manufacturing, the most important being automotive manufacturing. The province is also the hub of South Africa’s motor industry. With its ability to link throughout the economy, the government has therefore identified the automotive industry as a key growth sector. It already exhibited significant growth under the Motor Industry Development Programme. Other important sectors include renewables and green industries, forestry and timber processessing, pharmaceuticals, plastics and chemicals, capital goods and tourism. The two major industrial centres, Port Elizabeth and East London have well-developed economies based on the automotive industry. General Motors and Volkswagen both have major assembly lines in the Port Elizabeth area, while East London is dominated by the large Daimler Chrysler plant, now known as Mercedes-Benz South Africa.

Major Metropolitan Municipalities

Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BUF)

Description: The Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality is a Category A municipality situated on the east coast of the Eastern Cape Province. The boundaries of the newly established municipality now include a large area characterised by very different features. Two former municipalities, Transitional Local Councils – that of East London and King William’s Town – have merged into one. Other areas that were previously not included in either of them are now part of Buffalo City.

The municipality was established as a local municipality in 2000 after South Africa’s reorganisation of municipal areas and is named after the Buffalo River, at whose mouth lies the only river port in South Africa. On 18 May 2011, it was separated from the Amathole District Municipality and converted into a metropolitan municipality. History was made in Buffalo City when the City elected its first female mayor on Friday, 17 March 2006.

The area has a well-developed manufacturing base, with the auto industry playing a major role. The climate is mild, with year-round sunshine. Average rainfall is 850mm.

Area: 2 750km²

Cities/Towns: Beacon Bay, Berlin, Bisho, Breidbach, Dimbaza, East London, Kidd’s Beach, King William’s Town, Mdantsane, Phakamisa, Potsdam, Zwelitsha

Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality (NMA)

Description: The Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality is a Category A municipality, established on 5 December 2000. Nelson Mandela Bay was the first city in South Africa to establish a fully integrated democratic local authority and the only city in the world named after Nelson Mandela, who was born and spent his formative years in the Eastern Cape.
Nelson Mandela Bay is a major seaport and automotive manufacturing centre located on the south-eastern coast of Africa. It is the economic powerhouse of the Eastern Cape Province and one of eight metropolitan areas in South Africa. Its boundaries are formed by Cassie Mountain View in the north, Cape Recife in the south, Sundays River Mouth in the east, and Van Stadens River Mouth in the west.
The city is a holiday hot spot for both national and international tourists. The predominant languages spoken are English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa.

Area: 1 957km²

Cities/Towns: Bethelsdorp, Bloemendal, Blue Horizon Bay, Clarendon Marine, Despatch, KwaNobuhle, Motherwell, Port Elizabeth, Summerstrand, Swartkops, Uitenhage

Main Economic Sectors: Manufacturing (25%), community services (23%), finance (23%), trade (13%), transport (13%)

Home of Legends

Cultural melting pot and birthplace of iconic world leader, Nelson Mandela, the rich heritage and diversity of the Eastern Cape with its people, sights and sounds are interwoven into the tapestry of what makes this region so unique. Become encapsulated in the history of a proud region and its people.

NELSON MANDELA

Born 18 July 1918 in the village Quna, Eastern Cape

“No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” Nelson Mandela

– Long Walk to Freedom (1995)

In a country ruled by racial oppression for a number of years, Nelson Mandela became a world icon for peace when he became the first black president of South African in 1994. Held with deep respect throughout South Africa and the world, Mandela is fondly known as the ‘Father of the Nation’ and received numerous awards for his stance against the Apartheid regime and its abuses.

Mandela stayed in office from 1994 to 1999 during which time his government focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid through tackling institutionalised racism, poverty, inequality and fostering racial reconciliation.

As an African Nationalist, Mandela held other political positions including President of the African National Congress (ANC) from 1991 to 1997, and the Secretary-General position of the Non-Aligned Movement from 1998 to 1999. During his term as President of South Africa, Mandela established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate abuse during the Apartheid years.

Mandela is Xhosa born and attended the University of Fort Hare in the Eastern Cape as well as the University of Witwatersrand in Gauteng. At these universities he studied law and later became involved in anti-colonial politics, resulting in his joining the African National Congress. As a founding member of the ANC Youth League, Mandela rose to prominence in 1952 in the Defiance Campaign and oversaw the 1955 Congress of the People. Mandela later served 27 years in prison for conspiracy to overthrow the government. Mandela spent most of his sentence in the now famous Robin Island, off the coast of Cape Town. Lobbying through an international campaign led to his release in 1990.

Mandela has received over 250 awards including a Nobel Peace Prize, the US Presidential Medal of Freedom as well as the Soviet Order of Lenin.

Big 7

Come face to face with the Big Seven in the Eastern Cape and experience Africa’s greatest animals on land and sea. Game and nature reserves allow visitors to enjoy the Big Five in their natural landscape. This is done through self-drive or guided game drives, while sharks and whales can be viewed along the coastal routes through tour operators.

Nature and Wildlife Reserves

Eastern Cape Game and Nature Reserves below or visit the Eastern Cape National Parks page

Garden Route National Park

Along the South Coast of South Africa lies one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the world, home to the Garden Route National Park. A mosaic of ecosystems, it encompasses the world renowned Tsitsikamma as well as Wilderness sections, the Knysna Lake section, a variety of mountain catchment, Southern Cape indigenous forest and associated Fynbos areas. These areas resemble a montage of landscapes and seascapes. From ocean to mountain areas, and are renowned for its diverse natural as well as cultural heritage resources. Managed by South African National Parks, it hosts a variety of accommodation options, activities and places of interest.

grace.valela@sanparks.org

Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve

With its World Heritage Site Status, the Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve is home to the biggest wilderness area in the country. Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve is also one of the eight protected areas of the Cape Floristic Region. The Baviaanskloof Mega-Reserve covers 200km of unspoiled, rugged mountainous terrain. With spectacular landscapes also hosting more than a thousand different plant species, including the Erica and Protea families as well as species of ancient cycads. Seven of South Africa’s eight biomes are represented within the Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve – Fynbos, Forest, Grassland, Succulent Karoo, Nama-Karoo, Subtropical Thicket and Savanna. This reserve is a must-see for all nature and adventure enthusiasts.

Lombardini Game Farm

Situated in the picturesque Seekoei river valley, Lombardini Game Farm is an absolute gem! With daily guided tours around the game park, you are sure to see most of our beautiful animals. Luxurious en-suite in-house accommodation offers peace and tranquillity to guests. The warmth of the Thatch roof makes you feel right at home. Semi self-catering Poolrooms, with stunning interior, will make you want to stay another day. Self-catering cottages are also available for more personal space. And last but not least! A Wedding Venue that will take your breath away.

Thunzi Bush Lodge

Thunzi Bush Lodge is located in the tranquil sanctuary of coastal forest and African bush and offers country-style self-catering accommodation 30 km from the centre of Port Elizabeth, at the start of the Garden Route. The lodge caters mainly for the traveller who enjoys a tranquil setting, forest & beach walks, bass fishing or bird watching. Walking trails around the lodge provide access to the dense indigenous coastal forest where many bird species and animals including bushbuck, blue duiker and vervet monkeys can be spotted. Charming wooden chalets with private decks merge luxury, supreme style, spaciousness and comfort for the enthusiastic nature lover. Relax at our lazy-lizard swimming pool, experience our friendly staff, tasty picnic baskets and many interesting activities.

Kragga Kamma Game Park

Lush coastal forest and grassland is home to vast herds of African game, including White Rhino, Buffalo, Cheetah, Giraffe, Zebra, Nyala, Bontebok, Lechwe and many more species. All the animals roam freely, unrestricted in natural surroundings. This owner operated, animal-friendly park, where no hunting or other disturbance of the game is permitted, means that you always get close up views and great photo opportunities. Take a drive in your own vehicle through the park on the well-maintained roads (no need for 4×4) and enjoy viewing the game in any weather conditions from the comfort of your car. For those really close encounters, choose the 2 hours guided tour in an open Landrover with a professional guide providing you with interesting information on the animals and the historical background to the area.

Sibuya

One of South Africa’s most unique Safari destinations. Sibuya has more navigable river than any other game reserve in South Africa. Consequently, as a birding destination, it is hard to beat: there are nearly 400 different species. This breathtakingly beautiful game reserve is a sanctuary to an abundance of diverse wildlife from elephants to otters, and almost everything in between, including the Big Five. Find accommodation in two private and exclusive luxury tented game lodges and prides itself on superb cuisine. Sibuya’s reception is in the holiday village of Kenton-on-Sea in the Eastern Cape Province, about 140 km’s (80 miles) equidistant from Port Elizabeth and East London.

A natural extension to any trip, from Cape Town up the Garden Route, and easily accessible from Port Elizabeth which is a short flip from the major cities of Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. Charter flights to Port Alfred are less than a 20-minute transfer to the game park. The unique experience starts immediately with a half-hour boat transfer up the Kariega estuary to River Camp or Forest Camp. Leaving the beach, turtles, dolphins and whales might be seen near the river mouth. Both camps nestle in riverine forest and have been constructed in an environmentally conscious manner. Guests are hosted as well as guided by a team of experienced professionals.

Oceana Beach and Wildlife Reserve

Oceana Beach & Wildlife Reserve in Port Alfred, Eastern Cape, South Africa offers ultra-luxurious accommodation that includes a select group of unique guest suites in the Ocean Lodge and Private Ocean House as well as spectacular individual private chalets. Our Africa-shaped knife-edge pool has a marked point where you can rest your chin that is the absolute centre of Oceana.

Hopewell Game Reserve

Redefining the meaning of “private”, Hopewell Lodge is an exclusive hideaway where unspoilt nature meets pure African luxury, and guests reconnect with nature at their own pace. This private game reserve in South Africa’s beautiful Eastern Cape hosts groups of up to 12 guests in stylish, secluded suites with sweeping views over a reclaimed Eden. Waking up to the sounds as well as sights of the African bush, sundowners above the elephants’ favourite watering hole. Guests can also relax in a secluded private pool overlooking the bush, and enjoy sumptuous dinners under the stars provide the memories that linger long after your stay at Hopewell.

Whether for 2 or a group up to 12 people, Hopewell is booked exclusively for your party only, offering guests guaranteed privacy and allowing them to set their own schedule for game drives, meals and activities. Passionate and experienced rangers guide our guests through the rolling landscape. Ever willing to stop and discuss plants, insects, birds as well as game spotted along the way. Up close and personal interaction with a cheetah is also a highlight of this unique wildlife experience. Guests are guaranteed to encounter our herd of elephant, along with hippo, giraffe, zebra, antelope and other indigenous species carefully introduced to maintain a balanced eco-system.

Addo Elephant National Park

Now the third largest national park in South Africa, Addo Elephant National Park has expanded to conserve a wide range of biodiversity, landscapes, fauna and flora. Stretching from the semi-arid karoo area in the north around Darlington Dam, over the rugged Zuurberg Mountains, through the Sundays River Valley and south to the coast between Sundays River mouth and Bushman’s river mouth, Addo covers about 180 000 hectares (444 700 acres) and includes the Bird and St Croix Island groups.

For comprehensive information and all contact details visit the Addo Elephant National Park page HERE

The original elephant section of the park was proclaimed in 1931 when only eleven elephants remained in the area. Today this finely tuned ecosystem is a sanctuary to over 600 elephants, lion, buffalo, black rhino, spotted hyena, leopard, a variety of antelope and zebra species, as well as the unique Addo flightless dung beetle, found almost exclusively in Addo. The park can exclusively claim to also be the only national park in the world to conserve the “Big 7”. The Big 5 as well as the southern right whale and great white shark off the Algoa Bay coast.

Eastern Cape Population

Capital: Bhisho
Principal languages:

IsiXhosa 82,7%
Afrikaans 10,3%
English 3,9%

Population: 6 996 976
The percentage share of the total South African population: 12,6%
Area: 168 966 km2
Source: Stats SA’s Mid-year population estimates 2017 and Community Survey 2016

Travel Distance

Port Elizabeth – East London 283.3km
Port Elizabeth – Port Alfred 152.4km
Port Elizabeth – Grahamstown 126.6km
Port Elizabeth – Queenstown 340km
Port Elizabeth – Mthatha 483.6km
Port Elizabeth – Port Edward 764.5km
Port Elizabeth – Port St Johns 578km
Port Elizabeth – Aliwal North 501.3 km
East London – Port Alfred 132.3km
East London – Grahamstown 159.5km
East London – Queenstown 188km
East London – Mthatha 232.6km
East London – Port Edward 513.5km
East London – Port St Johns 327km
East London – Aliwal North 357.8km
Mthatha – Queenstown 222km
Port Elizabeth – Johannesburg 1046.4km
Port Elizabeth – Cape Town 769km
Port Elizabeth – Durban 984km
Port Elizabeth – Bloemfontein 677km
East London – Johannesburg 982km
East London – Cape Town 1099km
East London – Durban 674 km’s
East London – Bloemfontein 584 km,s

Visit the Eastern Cape Provincial Reserves page or Eastern Cape Private Reserves or maybe you would like to visit the Eastern Cape National Parks page. Find Property for Sale in the Eastern Cape.

Eastern Cape Tourism

Eastern Cape Tourism – Become encapsulated in the history of a proud region and its people. The Eastern Cape has so much to offer the tourists. the Eastern Cape is the second largest province, accounting for 13,9% of the total area. Port Elizabeth, situated on Algoa Bay, is the largest city in the Eastern Cape and the seat of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality. The provincial capital, Bhisho, is located within the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, as are East London and King William’s Town. Other important towns in the Province include Mthatha, Uitenhage and Grahamstown.

The province is fast becoming a favorite safari destination with its malaria-free status being ideal for family holidays.

Visit the Eastern Cape Provincial Reserves page or Eastern Cape Private Reserves or maybe you would like to visit the Eastern Cape National Parks page.

Friendly N6

Make the Friendly N6 your companion as you embark on a scenic journey through the farming hub of the Eastern Cape into the Free State. Take in the endless mountains occasionally topped with a dollop of snow and lush veld often being feasted on by cattle. Eastern Cape Tourism through the mountains.

The N6 is a scenic route that runs between East London and Bloemfontein. Dubbed The Friendly N6, the road leads you through the pride of the Eastern Cape farmlands and small inland towns, covering mountainous terrain and over the Vaal River which separates the Eastern Cape and the Free State.

From the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, which is situated along the Indian Ocean, The N6 is scattered with villages decorated with traditional Xhosa mud huts. This scenery stretches from just outside East London until the first small town of Stutterheim which is followed by Cathcart. Stutterheim and Cathcart are well known as Eastern Cape’s arts and crafts hub. This Arts and Crafts attraction provides you with a barrage of gifts and souvenirs to choose from. A few kilometres north of Cathcart, Queenstown introduces you to first-hand insight into the ancient wars that were fought in the Eastern Cape through museums dotted along the route.

Further north, Lady Grey offers you exciting mountain bike trails along the often snow-topped mountainous landscape inherent to the area. You can also experience farm life in a buzzing Eastern Cape farming community by staying on one of the working farms in the area. This area is home to various sheep farms, as well as a network of artists with rich Xhosa and Basotho traditions.

Accommodation offerings along the N6 route include budget backpackers and luxury hotels with many game and nature reserves spread throughout the route. Offerings to visitors of the game farm include viewing of the “Big Five” as well as five star luxury accommodation and dining. With high mountain retreats, visitors can even ski on the snow covered slopes of Ben McDhui Mountain or go bundu-bashing on beaten 4×4 routes.

The high mountain passes that take visitors through the Friendly N6 are sometimes closed due to heavy snowfall during the winter months.

Highlights to Discover

4×4 Naude’s Nek Pass

Peaking at over 2,920m above sea level, Naude’s Nek Pass is the pinnacle of dirt roads in South Africa. Connecting Maclear to the historical Rhodes, this pass is based on the route taken by the valiant Naude brothers of the 1890s. Today the road is more usually, and recommended to be, travelled in the comfort of a 4×4 vehicle, yet still requires a Rambo-like effort to complete, particularly in winter when heavy snowfalls are common. It would help to seek local advice regarding weather and road conditions before attempting this spectacular pass. The route was pioneered by two brothers, Stephanus David Naude and Gabriel Naude, in 1896. According to the plaque at the monument that was erected by their descendents in 1967; these daredevils trailblazed the winding route on horseback. It was marked out and constructed using picks, spades and scotch-carts and was completed in 1911.

Visit www.samountainpasses.co.za for more information.

Hit the Slopes in Tiffendell

Tiffindell was born by avid skiers and run by passionate snow lovers since 1993. The resort has grown to become a true Alpine resort for all seasons.

Skiing at Tiffendell has no off- season. Visitors can ski at any time of the year – Tiffendell manufactures snow when the climate doesn’t produce any. Whether it’s a family holiday or a corporate visit, let Tiffindell introduce you to the world of snow (rated 19 in the CNN’s top 100 ski runs in the world).

Tiffendell also offers high altitude hiking, mountain biking, grass skiing, mountain boarding, photography, rock art, birding, some of SA’s best fly fishing, quad biking, and the famous “8 Passes” route for motorcyclists and 4×4’s.

As a Ski Resort it offers snow, ski lifts, a restaurant, ski shop and ski school offering three months of skiing and snowboarding during June, July and August. Non aspiring skiers join in to enjoy a unique experience, making snowmen, throwing snow balls or tobogganing, making it the perfect family holiday for young and old. Snowy days in the Eastern Cape aren’t uncommon and create great opportunities for snow skiers and snow boarders to enjoy the cold weather and slopes. Adventure skiers as well as amateurs will enjoy the slopes of the Southern Drakensberg and Hogsback areas during winter, with a ski resort situated close to Rhodes in the Eastern Cape.

To book your trip visit http://www.tiffindell.co.za/.

Flyfishing in Rhodes

Fly Fishing Fresh Waters…

The Rhodes, Barkly East area has amazing fly fishing opportunities on approximately 150km of pristine mountain steams available to anglers. Many of the pristine rivers and streams originate 9000 – 10 000 ft above sea-level, freestone and rock-based highland streams. Among the most popular are the Bell River, Kraai River, Bokspruit, Riflespruit, Sterkspruit, Kloppershoekspruit, Vloeikraalspruit and Langkloof River.

Visit www.wildtrout.co.za for information on your fly fishing trip.

Zipline Tsitsa Falls

Situated on the border of the former Transkei, are the amazing Tsitsa Falls. Born to a young dynamic couple with a passion, Tsitsa Falls offers an alternative lifestyle and the outdoors. There are a number of activities to get your pulse racing. The flying fox zip line runs across the Tsitsa Gorge, a 28m abseil down the waterfall; kayaking; kloofing; hiking; extreme fly fishing; and much more…

Visit Tsitsa Falls Backpackers for more information.

The Vultures Restaurant

The Vultures Restaurant is not your average restaurant. In fact, you will not find a dining table or waiter to serve you. The Vulture’s Restaurant is an attraction so called because the large beast can be spotted through a glass enclosure feeding on dead carcasses. The restaurant is situated at Tenahead Mountain Lodge, near Rhodes. Tenahead Mountain Lodge is situated on the breathtaking Drakensburg Mountain Range.

Visit www.riverhotels.co.za for more information.

Wild Coast Route

Wild Coast is a picturesque adventure. Just under 30 kilometres outside East London stretching past Port St. Johns, the Wild Coast boasts the rendezvous of fauna, flora and the Indian Ocean. As it takes you through the former Transkei Region, this route offers various hiking, camping and aquatic experiences await you, while the local crafts markets make for immaculate souvenirs…

Look no further than Port St Johns, the jewel of the Wild Coast, if you wish to become one with nature. Surrounded by towering cliffs, covered in dense indigenous forest with beautiful beaches stretching to the north and south, Port St Johns is a relaxed town with sub-tropical weather making it a year round Wild Coast destination.

With the Wild Coast Sun & Casino near Port Edward providing a fun, family focused, home-away-from-home gaming destination; the Wild Coast has emerged as one of the preferred golfing destinations in South Africa. A variety of other outdoor activities are available indulge in. The area also boasts two nature reserves, Hluleka and Mkhambati which welcomes guests with affordable accommodation, game viewing, bird watching, whale viewing and fishing activities.

Scattered along the coastal route are the villages of Coffee Bay and Hole-In-The-Wall. The homely lodges and bars, excellent fishing and breath-taking hikes culminate in a beachcomber’s dream. Explore the region by helicopter or canoe, take a boat trip to view the whales or watch the dolphins in the surf while you fish, the Wild Coast will take your breath away.

High cliffs and distinctly round, thatched traditional huts define the inland area. Many of South Africa’s political leaders hail from Mthatha where you can visit the beautiful Lucha nature reserve, Mthatha Dam, the Tutor Ndamase Pass and the Langeni Pass.

Linking the Wild Coast and the Sunshine Coast is the Jikeleza Route, often labelled the tame area of the Wild Coast. Made up of a cluster of more than 50 tourism attractions, this fast growing popular scenic coastal tourism route offers over 28 unique accommodation establishments ranging from five star luxury boutique hotels to South Africa’s best rated backpackers. Only 30km away from East London’s airport, this mild-to-wild bush-to-beach route is perfect for the adrenaline junkie or for those wanting to escape from the beaten.

Click here to WATCH WILD COAST VIDEO

Highlights to Discover

Hole in the Wall

Did you know? The Wild Coast is one of the few places you’ll see cattle chewing the cud on the beach.

The Hole in the Wall is a rocky archway set just off the Wild Coast, south of Coffee Bay in the Eastern Cape. The little holiday village close by shares the same name. This landmark was created millions of years ago through the restless action of waves against sandstone and shale.

Set along the shoreline overlooking the rocky formation that gave the tiny holiday village its name, this Wild Coast settlement south of Coffee Bay attracts beach lovers and anglers in equal numbers.

The instantly recognisable rock formation is made up of Ecca shale and sandstone, capped with hard volcanic dolerite. It stands before the mouth of the Mpako River and is the source of many legends. In the IsiXhosa language, this area is called esiKhaleni, which means ‘the place of sound’. Some say it’s because, under certain conditions, the waves slap the rocks with a resounding cracking sound, while it roars during storms.

Others say it refers to a Xhosa legend involving a young maiden who fell in love with one of the mythical ‘sea people’. Such was the love of this sea person for the maiden that he and his people rammed a hole in the side of a lagoon wall with the help of a huge fish so they could reach her; she was never heard from again. In this version, it’s the voices and singing of the sea people that give the name esiKhaleni.

Either way, Hole in the Wall is one of the landmarks of the Wild Coast.

Geologists say that the cliff walls were once joined to the land. Continuous wave action against the softer sandstone rocks wore them away. The same happened to the more vulnerable shale and sandstone under the hard dolerite, creating the archway.

Locals also believe this is a gateway to the world of their ancestors.

Nelson Mandela Museum

The Transkei is the esteemed birth place to many leaders of the Apartheid Revolution – the most recognised of them being Nelson Mandela. It is fitting that along the splendid Wild Coast, a Nelson Mandela Museum, endorsed by the icon himself, adds a rich experience of heritage to your to-do list.

Visit www.nelsonmandelamuseum.org.za for more information on the museum.

Take a walk on the wild side

With trail routes you absolutely have to experience, accommodation is available along the routes to ensure that you pace your hikes and not miss out on the beautiful scenery along the way.

Visit www.wildcoastwalk.co.za/ for more information.

A Chintsa East Horseride on Beach

‘People who say there is no heaven on earth have clearly never been on a horse.’

Wonderful beaches and bush trails of the Wild Coast are best explored on the back of a horse in Chinsta.

Chintsa Horses
Georgie Dickerson
+27 (0)43 738 5141
georgie@cintsahorses.co.za

COASTAL ROUTE

Covering the entire length of the Eastern Cape region stretching across a number of districts, the Coastal Route is renowned for its great beaches, malaria-free parks and reserves, diverse wildlife and proud heritage and culture. The Coastal Route begins at the Tsitsikamma area and runs along the Sunshine Coast, including the Addo Elephant National Park, Amatola Mountains and the unspoilt beaches of the Wild Coast.

Activities in this diverse area range from mild day hikes and beach visits to extreme action sports such as bungy jumping at the world’s highest commercial bungy jump in the Tsitsikamma, as well as the discovery of the Xhosa culture and ancient rock art. Sand dune enthusiasts will enjoy a visit to the world’s largest shifting dune field in the Southern Hemisphere, nominated for a listing as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Grahamstown is the country’s festival capital and home to more than 70 heritage sites. Experience the Xhosa cultural hub in the Wild Coast area, and surrounding game reserves found along the coast and inland.

Surfing enthusiasts will enjoy the biggest right hand surf break in Jeffreys Bay, while Port Elizabeth is a water-sport paradise offering visitors a wide range of coastal and marine recreational experiences. As the water sport capital of South Africa, Port Elizabeth also boasts six blue flag beaches.

The Coastal Route is divided into a number of eight sub-routes, all with their own unique characteristics and features, with the airports at Port Elizabeth and East London providing visitors with easy access to the well-developed road network in the area. This route is designed to appeal to both self-drive and group tourists looking for an authentic and memorable experience in the heart of the Eastern Cape.

AMATHOLA MOUNTAIN ESCAPE ROUTE

Amathole, meaning ‘the calves of the Drakensberg’ (foothills) in isiXhosa, reflects a rural lifestyle where the Xhosa communities continue to take their Nguni cattle out into the veld. The Amathole Mountain Escape Route stretches from Hogsback in the north, to the Great Fish River in the south and the Dwesa/Cwebe Nature Reserve in the east.

Experience the Ubuntu spirit of the Amathole region and celebrate the rich culture and history of the area.

Known for its variety of fauna and flora, primal indigenous forests, clear-water mountain streams and magnificent waterfalls, activity highlights in the area include bird watching, fly-fishing, mountain biking and hiking. The six day Amathole hiking trail is ranked one of the best hiking routes in South Africa.

The main attractions of the area are the densely forested Amatola Mountains, famous for its panoramic views. The popular village of Hogsback lies at the summit of the Mountain pass. It is believed, the famous author J.R.R. Tolkien of the Lord of the Rings triology, found his inspiration to create his fantasy universe, Middle Earth, in the magical Hogsback surroundings.

Steve Biko, Black Consciousness Movement hero, was born in the Ginsberg Township near King William’s Town. The Steve Biko Centre, located close to Biko’s home in Ginsberg, pays tribute to the life of the anti-apartheid activists.

Established in 1916, the University of Fort Hare, with its main campus in Alice, was the first black university in South Africa, with alumni including Nelson Mandela, Mangosuthu Buthelezi and Thabo Mbeki.

Highlights to discover:

Mdantsane Township Tour

Three reasons to go on a township tour

Experience the day-to day life of the second largest Township in South Africa.
Mdantsane, also known as the ‘Boxing Mecca of South Africa’, is home to boxing world champions like Happyboy Mgxaji, Welcome Ncita and Vuyani Bungu.
Taste Umqombhothi, home-brewed African beer and get to know the locals in a tavern while listening to live music.

Imonti Tours offer guided tours. Contact Velile on 083 487 8975 or info@imontitours.co.za for bookings.

Stutterheim Stationary Engine Museum

Established in 1995, the Stutterheim Enginge Museum displays 120 engines from 1903 to 1990. It is believed to have one of the largest collections of restored stationary engines in the world. Visit the museum to learn about the development and advancement of engines as well as the history the engines on display.

Visiting hours: 8am – 4pm Mondays to Fridays; except public holidays. Technical staff is present and available on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.

Lister Lane, Stutterheim

Tel. 043 683 1507

Cultural Village (Cata)

Learn to speak isiXhosa – on a week-long home stay with a traditional Xhosa family.

Visit the Cata Cultural Village to discover the culture of the warm and hospitable Xhosa people. Take a sneak peek into their traditional way of life through their cuisine, customs, rituals, songs and dance.

The Cata Chalets, 120km from East London, offer overnight accommodation, inviting tourists to unwind, relax and simply be. The scenic area is perfect for mountain biking, bird watching and hiking.

Visit www.cata.org.za for more information.

Steve Biko Museum in Ginsberg, King William’s Town

“It is better to die for an idea that will live, than to live for an idea that will die.” – Steve Biko

Steve Bantu Biko, was an anti-apartheid activist in the 1960s and 1970s. Biko founded the Black Consciousness Movement which empowered and mobilised the urban black population. At the age of 30, he died while in police custody but his slogan “black is beautiful” is still well known today.

The Steve Biko Museum in Ginsberg, near King William’s Town, pays tribute to the Black Consciousness Movement activists.

For bookings and more information contact the Steve Biko Centre

Tel: 043 605 6700 Fax: 043 605 6710 Email: tourism@sbf.org.za

Centre Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 09:00 to 17:00; Weekends by appointment

Hogsback – Christmas in July

The little village of Hogsback, surrounded by scenic mountains, is often covered by a blanket of snow during winter.

The quirky people of Hogsback annually celebrate Christmas in July, with:

Ox wagon rides •Live music and entertainment – well known performers • Genuine Crafters • Celebrity food demo • Workshops • Children’s entertainment – circus etc • Port and muscadel tasting • Exhibitions – art and otherwise • Food glorious food • Bikers breakfast (charity effect – for Hobbiton) • Famous once a year Kings Lodge CHiLL Dip (for the thick skinned and very brave) • Trail run • Interdenominational
thanksgiving service • Etc etc • Amazing shuttle service – our community effort at going green- free. Save your car … hop on – hop off.

For more information contact the Hogsback Tourism Centre at 045 9621 245.

Eastern Cape Tourism

Eastern Cape Tourism has so much to offer. The weather in the Eastern Cape is good to visitors, rarely reaching extremes, except perhaps in the height of the Karoo summer. The coastal area of the Eastern Cape Province lies directly between subtropical KwaZulu Natal and the Mediterranean Western Cape. Its inland area is bisected by the great escarpment, and the northern areas have altitudinous plains of the Plateau and great Karoo. These topographical differences are what cause the climatic differences and conditions experienced by the various towns and cities.

Start planing your trip to the Eastern Cape, Eastern Cape tourism attractions and destinations and things to do.

BIG 7
World’s most unique game experience Daring, Spirited, Rejuvenated and Raw Natural game country.
REAL PEOPLE, REAL VALUE
Unpretentious Value for money, Ubuntu, Caring and wholesome.
EXPLORE. DISCOVER ENERGY
Discovery Wonder. Unexplored, ‘secret’ places. The challenge and joy of discovery
ECO-EXTRAORDINARY
Largest variety of landscapes on view Spectacular places, Abundant natural attractions and People having fun in nature.

There are NINE REGIONS within the Eastern Cape.

Tsitsikamma Adventure Route.
The Kouga Route stretches from the Tsitsikamma River to the Van Stadens River.
Sunshine coast route explores the spectacular strip of coastline between Port Elizabeth and East London.
Sundays River Valley and stretching from the Karoo region north of the Zuurberg Mountain Range to the coast and islands of Algoa Bay of South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province, is the heartbeat of the Greater Addo area.
The Karoo Heartland’s rugged and intense beauty is dominated by vast, flat plains, rocky mountains, and the biggest assortment of succulents in the world.
The N6 motorway links Bloemfontein, capital of the Free State, with East London. It passes through open, rural countryside where sheep, cattle and goats graze, as well as past Anglo-Boer War battlefields and many small villages and towns.
Frontier Country Route traverses the area that was the scene of nine Frontier Wars between the British and the Xhosa and the meeting place of five great cultures, San, Khoi-Khoi, Dutch, Xhosa and British.
Amathole Mountain Escape route stretches from Adelaide in the west to Stutterheim in the east, with the majestic Amatola Mountains standing as a clear beacon on the horizon.
The Wild Coast is one of South Africa’s most remote stretches of shoreline.

Whether you’re in the mood for an informal seaside escape, an encounter with the “Big Seven” on safari, or an adrenaline rush, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for in the Eastern Cape.

Scenic diversity is one of the most striking characteristics of the region, ranging from the lush, evergreen Tsitsikamma Forest to the rugged Baviaanskloof Wilderness Area, the southern slopes of the Drakensberg and the arid Great Karoo. Alternating between sweeping sand, river mouths and rocks, the 800 kilometer coastline is a paradise for water sports enthusiasts. Among them, surfers ride the perfect waves, anglers reel in king-size catches, and board sailors revel in the challenge of the wind. Sunshine all year round, fine leisure resorts and splendid facilities ensure that the great outdoors is always in style.

When pleasures of a more sophisticated kind appeal, you’ll find plenty to entertain you in Port Elizabeth and East London. Both are ideal for family holidays, large enough to offer all the amenities of a city, yet small enough to be genuinely welcoming and friendly. They also provide convenient access to unspoiled areas of exceptional natural beauty. There are a number of experiences on offer within the nine tourism regions of the Eastern Cape.

WILDLIFE

There is nothing quite like the African bush, and no better place to view wildlife than in the Eastern Cape. Besides being home to four national parks the Eastern Cape boasts a range of private and provincial reserves, all offering excellent wildlife and bird watching. The province is fast becoming a favorite safari destination with its malaria-free status being ideal for family holidays. Another plus is the Addo Elephant National Park which is constantly being enlarged and extends over a huge range of biomes, from marine to mountain thus offering a Big 7 experience and unsurpassed elephant viewing.

ADVENTURE

The Eastern Cape offers visitors unique adventure experiences. The Eastern Cape is The Adventure Province and whilst the word may conjure up images of daring and dangerous pursuits there are a number of tame experiences on offer whilst also catering for the Adrenaline Junkies. Activities range from wildlife safaris to zipline excursions, from hiking incredible country side to beach horse rides or gentle nature walks.

CULTURE

As the birthplace of Xhosa traditions, the Eastern Cape is rich in vibrant cultural history, offering visitors a friendly look into the heart of the local community.

Township tours and village experiences offer visitors an experience unlike any other, exploring traditional restaurants and shebeens in village life. With its diverse demographics, the area offers visitors a range of activities in the cultural arena including visits to art museums, theatres and craft programmes. Local artists exhibit their wares at a number of festivals and shows held annually within the area. The Grahamstown National Arts Festival is the biggest arts festival in Africa and is held during July each year.

Mutually beneficial partnerships between public, corporate and cultural sectors focus on the sustainable growth and development of the culture, arts and heritage in South Africa.

COASTAL

The Eastern Cape coastline offers 800 kilometers of terrain to explore taking in the rugged and adventurous region of the Tsitsikamma, the surf loving Kouga region, the gentle sandy Sunshine Coast and the no need to explain Wild Coast.

Activities and events range from slack packing trails, deep sea fishing, beach horse rides, quad biking, wildlife safaris, sardine run and iron man events to lazing in the sun and enjoying sundowners at amazing view points. The warm waters of the Indian Ocean wash against the shore line providing visitors with all year round experiences.

YOUTH AND FAMILY

If you are looking for a family getaway or are taking time out from your studies then the Eastern Cape should be your destination of choice.

With Sports Tours, Volunteering, Gap Year Programs, Beach and Bush destinations, City Breaks, Culture, History, Adventure, Family Safaris and Nature based activities the Eastern Cape has something to suit all age groups.

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is one of the country’s most popular holiday destinations. It includes South Africa’s lush subtropical east coast, stretching from Port Edward in the south to Mozambique in the north.

The Drakensberg mountain range stretches the entire length of KwaZulu-Natal’s western boundary. The Drakensberg forms the boundary between South Africa as well as the mountain kingdom of Lesotho, and offers some of the country’s most awe-inspiring landscapes. It provided the backdrop for the films Zulu (1964) and Yesterday (2004) and the setting for Alan Paton’s novel Cry, the Beloved Country, and is the inspiration for a million picture postcards. Within the area is a vast 243 000-hectare sweep of basalt summits and buttresses; this section was formally granted World Heritage status in November 2000, and was renamed uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park.

The summer-rainfall coastal regions are hot and humid, with a subtropical climate. The Midlands area is drier, with extremely cold conditions in winter as well as snow on the high-lying ground. In the north, the subtropical strip extends around Swaziland to the edge of the escarpment.

Visitors can enter the province through the King Shaka International Airport at La Mercy, north of Durban, or use the extensive national road network. There are also two major harbours – the port of Durban, which is one the busiest in Africa, and Richards Bay, which is an important coal-export harbour.

There are several nature reserves including the Royal Natal National Park, Giant’s Castle as well as the Kamberg Nature Reserve. Tertiary institutions of learning in the province include the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the Durban Institute of Technology.

KwaZulu-Natal is the only province with a monarchy specifically provided for in the Constitution.

KwaZulu-Natal Industry and agriculture

The province of KwaZulu-Natal has a diverse industrial sector, with major industries having developed around the port of Durban. Major industries in the province are agriculture, forestry, aluminium, petro-chemicals, automotive manufacturing, steel production, plastics and packaging, paper and board manufacturing, and a range of industries associated with imports and exports though the major ports of Durban and Richards Bay.

The coastal belt is also a large producer of subtropical fruit and sugar, while the farmers in the hinterland concentrate on vegetables, dairy and stock farming.

Another major source of income is forestry in the areas around Vryheid, Eshowe, Richmond, Harding and Ngome, which is also known for its tea plantations.

KwaZulu-Natal Population

Capital: Pietermaritzburg
Principal languages:

IsiZulu 82,5%
English 12,5%
Afrikaans 1,0%

Population: 11 065 240
Percentage share of the total South African Population population: 19,9%
Area: 94 361 km2
Source: Stats SA’s Mid-year population estimates 2017 and Community Survey 2016

Limpopo

Limpopo province is South Africa’s northern most province and shares borders with Mozambique, Zimbabwe as well Botswana, making it the ideal gateway to Africa. Named after the Limpopo River that flows along its northern border, the province is rich in wildlife, natural beauty and historical as well as cultural treasures.

With its great variety of wildlife, birds and scenic splendour. It is one of South Africa’s prime ecotourism destinations.

The province is linked to the Maputo Development Corridor through the Phalaborwa Spatial Development Initiative. This is a network of rail and road corridors connected to the major seaports, therefore opening up Limpopo for trade and investment. This is complemented by the presence of smaller airports. These airports are found in centres such as Phalaborwa and Musina, as well as the Gateway International Airport in Polokwane. Polokwane is the capital city, which lies strategically in the centre of the province.

The Great North Road, running through the centre of the province, strings together a series of towns such as BelaBela, with its popular mineral spa; Modimolle, with its beautiful Waterberg mountain range; Mokopane; Polokwane; Makhado, at the foot of the Soutpansberg mountain range; as well as Musina, which is well-known for its majestic baobab trees. The crossing into Zimbabwe is at Beit Bridge. Phalaborwa and Thabazimbi are Limpopo’s major mining centres, while the town of Tzaneen in the picturesque Magoebaskloof is known for its tea plantations, forestry products and tropical fruit.

The province is in the Savanna Biome, an area of mixed grassland and trees, generally known as bushveld. Natural resources include more than 50 provincial nature reserves and several private game reserves. The largest section of the Kruger National Park is along Limpopo’s eastern boundary, which borders on Mozambique.

Several museums as well as national monuments bear testimony to the ancient people and fearless pioneers who braved the unknown. Living museums include the Bakone Malapa Museum near Polokwane and the Tsonga Open-Air Museum near Tzaneen. Mapungubwe (“Place of the Jackal”) Hill, some 75 km from Musina, is a world heritage site. It served as a natural fortress for its inhabitants from about 950 AD to 1200 AD.

Limpopo Climate

Three distinct climatic regions can be identified in the province. These are the:

Lowveld (arid and semi-arid) regions
Middle veldt, highveld, semi-arid region
Escarpment region having sub-humid climate with rainfall in excess of 700 mm per annum.

The climatic conditions in the province allow for double harvesting seasons, which results in it being the largest producer of various crops in the agricultural market. Sunflowers, cotton, maize and peanuts are cultivated in the Bela-Bela–Modimolle area. Bananas, litchis, pineapples, mangoes and pawpaws, as well as a variety of nuts, are grown in the Tzaneen and Makhado areas. Extensive tea and coffee plantations create many employment opportunities in the Tzaneen area. The Bushveld is cattle country, where controlled hunting is often combined with ranching.

The climate in the Limpopo Province is quite hot since the area is bisected by the tropic of Capricorn. Those who choose to visit this northern tip of the country will find that they can enjoy long sunny days and dry weather on most days.

January is the hottest month in Limpopo with an average temperature of 23°C and the coldest is June at 13°C. The wettest month is November with an average of 100 mm of rain. The Limpopo Province experience almost year-round sunshine.

Blessed with year-round sunshine, it can get hot in the summer months (October-March), averaging 27 degrees Celsius. Winter is a sunny season of chilly mornings, warm midday’s, dry afternoons and cool to cold nights. The Lowveld, i.e. the Phalaborwa area, can be as hot as 45 degrees Celsius during summer.

Limpopo Agriculture

Given the fact that 89% of the population of Limpopo Province is classified as rural, agriculture plays a major role in the economic development of rural areas of the province.
Limpopo produces a wide range of agricultural products. The area is a potato belt and known for its superior quality potatoes for high-end markets. It also produces 75% of the country’s mangoes; 65% of its papayas; 36% of its tea; 25% of its citrus, bananas and litchis; 60% of its avocados and two thirds of its tomatoes. Other products include coffee, nuts, guavas, sisal, cotton, tobacco, sunflower, maize, wheat and grapes. In addition, more than 170 plantations produce timber. Most of the higher-lying areas are devoted to cattle and game ranching, earning a reputation for quality biltong (salted, dried meat), which is a popular South African delicacy.

Limpopo, with 10% of South Africa’s arable land, produces a wide range of agricultural produce. Chief among the field crops in 2015/16 during the drought: dry beans (10%), soy beans (5%), grain sorghum (14%), dry beans (10%), wheat (10%) and sunflower (6%) (DAFF, 2017). Cotton, groundnuts and maize are also produced.

Half of the country’s game farms are in the Limpopo province (WRSA, 2012). Amongst the other livestock, it hosts 18% of the country’s goats and 7% of its cattle (DAFF, 2017). It also produces 6% of the country’s eggs (SAPA, 2015).

Limpopo is the natural resource treasure chest of South Africa, if not the whole of southern Africa. It boasts some of the greatest reserves of agriculture, mineral and tourism resources many of which remain hugely under-exploited. The province is also linked to the Maputo Development Corridor through Phalaborwa Spatial Development Initiative, a network of road and rail corridors connecting to the major seaports will open up Limpopo and surrounding regions for trade and investment. This is complimented by the presence of airports in major centres of the province including Ellisras, Makhado, Musina, Phalaborwa, Mokopane, Thabazimbi, Tzaneen, Thohoyandou and Bela-Bela as well as the Gateway International airport in Polokwane.

In terms of Agriculture Limpopo could be described as the garden of South Africa and or the whole continent, given its rich fruit and vegetable production. The province produces 75% of the countrys mangoes, 65% of its papaya, 36% of its tea, 25% of its citrus, bananas, and litchis, 60% of its avocados, two thirds of its tomatoes, 285,000 tons of potatoes. Other products include coffee, nuts, guavas, sisal, cotton and tobacco, timber with more than 170 plantations. Apart from all these, there is cotton, sunflower, maize, wheat cultivation as well as grape. Most of the higher lying areas are devoted to cattle and game ranching, earning a reputation for quality biltong, a popular South African delicacy of salted, dried meat.

Limpopo won 13 LandCare Awards from the 8th national Biennial LandCare Conference hosted in Bloemfontein, Free State Province from 25 to 27 September 2018. This comes after Limpopo Province produced five champions in some categories, four runners up and four third positions in others.

Limpopo Industry and Mining

Limpopo also has abundant mineral resources, making mining the critical sector of the province’s economy by contributing 22% of the gross geographic product. Metals include platinum, chromium, nickel, cobalt, vanadium, tin, limestone as well as uranium clay.

Other reserves include antimony, phosphates, fluorspar, gold, diamonds, copper, emeralds, scheelites, magnetite, vermiculite, silicon, mica, black granite, corundum, feldspar as well as salt. The Medupi power station, a new dry-cooled, coal-fired power station, is under construction near Lephalale. It is also expected to create around 40 000 job opportunities.

Limpopo Tourism

Limpopo is a tourist attraction destination.

Limpopo is renowned as the Province of peace. It is endowed with bountiful natural resources, including 54 provincial reserves and many private game reserves. A few hours from Gauteng, the Province boasts the Waterburg mountain range, supporting the thriving farming and game ranching, nature reserves and resorts.

Heading further north into the Province there is Polokwane – the capital of the Province, with an excellent growing infrastructure, a modern international airport and offering a wealth of diverse cultural experiences.
East of the city the R71 takes you to the subtropical part of the Valley of the Olifants, the verdant Magoebaskloof Valley.
Further eastwards takes you into the heart of the ‘big five’ parks of the country and some of the prime game farms in Africa, including the Kruger National Park – majestic in extent and abundant in wild life.
The hot climate makes Limpopo a pleasant year-round holiday destination. During summer – that is in the months October to March – it is hot with brief afternoon showers, providing a cooling effect for evenings. In winter – from May to September – the mornings are crisp, the days are dry and sunny and the evenings cold and clear.

Fauna and Flora

All creatures large and small, from the massive hippopotamus to the diminutive mongoose are found in their unspoilt natural habitat. The spectrum of game species include large populations of giraffe, kudus, gemsbok, nyala, water buck, klip springer, impala, a blue wild beest and zebra, white lions that are truly white lions not albinos.

For instance, in Timbavati Private nature reserve, elephants, buffalo, rhinoceros, leopards, cheetahs, red duiker, samango, monkeys, bushbuck, bushpigs and a countless others. There also more than 300 species of birds including the endangered species like vultures at Moletjie Nature Reserve 20 kilometres north west of Polokwane.

The magnificent cycad forest near Tzaneen, the Modjadji Cycad (Encephalartos transvernosus) of the Rain Queen is one of the largest cycads in the world and it is a protected species.

The Baobab tree, which is found only in Limpopo in the country, is an awe inspiration to the visitor. They are hundreds of years old and mostly found on the Northern part of the province. They are well preserved in the Baboab Tree Reserve in the Mussina Nature Reserve.

The Big Five occur in many of the game and nature reserves in Limpopo. Buffalo are the most abundant of the Big Five and occur in large herds that can number up to 600 animals. Deceptively docile, these animals are powerful and aggressive – particularly old bulls ejected from the herd who form small bachelor herds. When alarmed, a herd also tends to stampede. Buffalo are regularly preyed upon by lions. Elephants live in tightly-knit family groups led by a matriarch. The bulls remain solitary or may band together to form bachelor herds. A fully-grown elephant weighs around 6 000 to 7 000 kilogram and is the largest terrestrial animal. When there are young in the herd, the adult female may become aggressive and it is advisable not to venture too close to the herd. The leopard is a shy nocturnal animal that hunts mainly at night. This, and the fact that it prefers dense riverine areas and craggy hills, explains why it is often not easily spotted. The leopard hides its prey in trees from other predators and is often seen resting on a branch in a tree. It is the most wary and stealthy of the big cats, yet can be incredibly bold. Lions are the largest of the African cats and live in prides of varying size controlled by one or more dominant males. An adult male weighs about 180 kilograms and a female, 135 kilograms. Lions live for up to 20 years. The lion’s roar, normally heard at dawn and dusk, can easily be heard within a radius of many kilometres. The rhinoceros is classified as either white or black, although there is no real colour difference between the two species. White rhino are generally larger with a flattened or square mouth and feed on grass. Black rhino have a pointed mouth that they use to strip leaves and break twigs. Rhino weigh up to 1 500 kilogram. The rhino’s horn is formed from matted hair and skin.

Tel: +27 (0) 15 293 3600
E-mail: info@golimpopo.com

Limpopo River

The Limpopo River rises in the interior of Africa, and flows generally eastwards towards the Indian Ocean. It is around 1.600 km long (or 1.770 km according to another source).

The Limpopo is the second largest river in Africa which drains to the east after the Zambezi River. It flows in a great arc, first zig-zagging north-east and north, then turning east and finally south-east. At this point it serves as a border for about 640 km, separating South Africa on the south-east bank from Botswana in the north-west and Zimbabwe on the north.

The main tributary is the Olifants/Letaba river (Elephant River). The port town of Xai-Xai (Mozambique) is on the river near the mouth. Below the Olifants, the river is permanently navigable to the sea, though a sandbar prevents access to large ships, except at high tide.

Limpopo Population

Capital: Polokwane
Principal languages:

Sepedi 56,0%
Tshivenda 17,1%
Xitsonga 16,6%

Population: 5 799 090
Percentage share of the total South African population: 10,4%
Area: 125 755 km2
Source: Stats SA’s Mid-year population estimates 2017 and Community Survey 2016

Limpopo – Culture

The population of Limpopo consists of the following several ethnic groups distinguished by culture, language and race:

The Northern Sotho (Sepedi) : Approximately 57 per cent.
The Tsonga (Shangaan) : Approximately 23 per cent
The Venda : Approximately 12 per cent.
The Afrikaners : Approximately 2.6 per cent
The English : Approximately half a per cent

Notes:

Limpopo Department of Sport, Arts and Culture crowned the best Arts and Culture Department in the country during the 2018 SATMA Awards.

In the northern part of the Limpopo Province of South Africa, between the Blue Mountain and Limpopo River, dinosaur footprints and archaeological findings are evidence of the rich and ancient history of this isolated area. This area is home to a tribal community of more than a million Pedi people.

Previously called the Northern Province, Limpopo is a land of beautiful and contrasting landscapes, which is typical of Africa. Hence it has become a favourite destination for leisure and adventure travelers worldwide.

Come to a region of infinite scenic beauty with a great diversity of both natural and man-made attractions, rich cultural heritage and an abundance of wildlife and nature-based tourism opportunities.

Our network of protected areas and nature reserves is amongst the best on the African continent. Through these nature reserves, we seek to preserve our natural heritage for future generations and for sharing with the international community.

We have spectacular mountain scenery, which beckons hikers, climbers and bikers, while mystic cultural destinations intrigue both local and international tourists. The game viewing is absolutely fantastic and possibly the best in the country – hence we are the preferred Eco-tourism destination in Southern Africa.

Limpopo National Parks

Limpopo is home to numerous nature reserves and National Parks. South African National Parks (SANParks) is the body responsible for managing South Africa’s national parks. SANParks was formed in 1926. The best known park is Kruger National Park. The Kruger National Park, which is also the oldest (proclaimed in 1898), and the largest, at nearly 2.000.000 hectares (20.000 km2). The Kruger Park and Table Mountain National Park are two of South Africa’s most visited tourist attractions.

Whether you’re planning adventurous game drives, a rural camping retreat, bird watching or tranquil hours spent angling, here are some icons and highlights which should not be missed, when visiting Limpopo.

Kruger National Park. (70% of which is in the Limpopo province) Game reserve in Limpopo, bounded in the north by the Limpopo River, in the east by Mocambique, in the south by the Crocodile River and in the west by a surveyor’s line.

Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park

The Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park is a joint initiative between Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The establishment of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park is a process that will link the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique, Kruger National Park in South Africa, Gonarezhou National Park, Manjinji Pan Sanctuary and Malipati Safari Area in Zimbabwe, as well as two areas between Kruger and Gonarezhou, namely the Sengwe communal land in Zimbabwe and the Makuleke region in South Africa.

LIMPOPO PROVINCE – SOUTH AFRICA

Come to a region of infinite scenic beauty with a great diversity of both natural and man-made attractions, rich cultural heritage and an abundance of wildlife and nature-based tourism opportunities.

Limpopo Province is located in the far Northern part of South Africa and shares borders with three neighboring countries: Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. For this reason, the Province is also known as the gateway to other African countries. The Province also shares provincial borders with Gauteng, Mpumalanga and North West provinces.

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 divided into five regions, strategically located according to the cultural inhabitants. Capricorn is the central region predominantly occupied by the Bapedi People. Waterberg is the largest region in the province with the majority of people being the Batswana people. The Vhembe region in the far north is dominated by Vhavenda and Vatsonga people. The Mopani region towards the Kruger National Park is dominated by Vatsonga, whereas the Sekhukhuni region is dominated by Bapedi and Ndebele people.

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.

Limpopo has a predominant Christian religious society. However there are other traditional religions such as Islam and Hinduism.

Most of the businesses operate normally from 09:00 a.m. to 17:00 p.m and also accept credit cards (e.g. Visa). National Banks are also available and they offer services of international standards, e.g. FNB, Standard Bank, Nedbank, African Bank and ABSA.

Five Regions of Limpopo

Capricorn District

Blouberg Local: Cities/Towns: Alldays
Lepelle-Nkumpi Local: Cities/Towns: Zebediela
Molemole Local: Cities/Towns: Dendron, Morebeng (Soekmekaar)
Polokwane Local: Cities/Towns: Polokwane

Mopani District

Ba-Phalaborwa Local: Cities/Towns: Gravelotte, Leydsdorp
Greater Giyani Local: Cities/Towns: Giyani
Greater Letaba Local: Cities/Towns: Modjadjiskloof
Greater Tzaneen Local: Cities/Towns: Haenertsburg, Tzaneen
Maruleng Local: Cities/Towns: Hoedspruit

Sekhukhune District

Elias Motsoaledi Local: Cities/Towns: Groblersdal, Roossenekal
Ephraim Mogale Local: Cities/Towns: Marble Hall, Schuinsdraai Nature Reserve
Fetakgomo – Greater Tubatse Local: Cities/Towns: Burgersfort, Ohrigstad, Steelpoort
Makhuduthamaga Local: Completely rural in nature, dominated by traditional land ownership.

Vhembe District

Collins Chabane Local: Cities/Towns: Malamulele
Makhado Local: Cities/Towns: Makhado
Musina Local: Cities/Towns: Musina
Thulamela Local: Cities/Towns: Thohoyandou

Waterberg District

Bela-Bela Local: Cities/Towns: Bela-Bela, Pienaarsrivier
Lephalale Local: Cities/Towns: Lephalale
Modimolle-Mookgophong Local: Cities/Towns: Modimolle, Mookgophong (Naboomspruit), Vaalwater
Mogalakwena Local: Cities/Towns: Mokopane (Potgietersrus)
Thabazimbi Local: Cities/Towns: Amandelbult Mine Town, Thabazimbi

Limpopo’s capital

Polokwane (previously Pietersburg), lies in the heart of the Capricorn region. The district has an internal airport, and is linked to Gauteng by one of the best stretches of the N1 in South Africa. It has the third-largest district economy in the province, and is predominantly rural in nature.

North West

North West is bordered by Botswana in the north and fringed by the Kalahari desert in the west, Gauteng to the east, and the Free State to the south. It is known as the “Platinum Province”, owing to its wealth of this precious metal. The province has a population of more than 3,6 million people who mainly speak Setswana. Mahikeng is the capital city and well known for the Mafikeng Siege, which took place in October 1899 during the Anglo-Boer/South African War.

North West Population

Capital: Mahikeng
Principal languages:

Setswana 71,5%
Afrikaans 8,96%
IsiXhosa 5,51%

Population: 3 748 435
Percentage share of the total South African population: 6,7%
Area: 104 882 km2
Source: Stats SA’s Mid-year population estimates 2017 and Community Survey 2016

Most of the province’s economic activity is concentrated between Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp, as well as in Rustenburg and the eastern region, where more than 83,3% of the province’s economic activity takes place. The province has various tourist attractions. These include Sun City, the Pilanesberg National Park, Madikwe Game Reserve, and the De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Trust. A portion of one of South Africa’s seven Unesco world heritage sites also falls within the borders of North West namely the Taung hominid fossil site, which has been incorporated into South Africa’s Cradle of Humankind.

North West Mining and manufacturing

Mining contributes 23,3% to North West’s economy, and makes up 22,5% of the South African mining industry. The Rustenburg and Brits districts produce 94% of the country’s platinum, which is more than any other single area in the world. In addition to granite, marble, fluorspar and diamonds, the province also produces a quarter of South Africa’s gold. Employment along the Platinum Corridor, from Pretoria to eastern Botswana, accounts for over a third of the province’s total employment.

North West’s manufacturing sector centres on the municipalities of Brits, Rustenburg, Potchefstroom, Klerksdorp and Mahikeng, which together account for more than 50% of the province’s total manufacturing production. The industries in Brits concentrate on manufacturing and construction. While those in Klerksdorp are geared towards the mining industry. In the manufacturing arena, automotive parts, machinery, electronic, audio, and medical equipment are manufactured using local materials and resources.

North West Agriculture

Some of the largest cattle herds in the world are found at Stellaland near Vryburg. This fact therefore explains why this area is often referred to as the Texas of South Africa. Marico is also cattle country.

North West is South Africa’s major producer of white maize. The areas around Rustenburg are fertile, mixed-crop farming land, with maize and sunflowers being the most important crops.

The arrestingly diverse landscape of the North West is occupied by charming people who’s responsibility to the land parallels their strong sense of tradition.

The culture of the people of the North West is to be found in every aspect of the daily lives of the people. – in their beadwork, the pottery, the houses, the music and song.

The people of the North West are predominantly BaTswana in origin and their language is SeTswana. They can trace their origins for many centuries through a turbulent history of war and migration across the plains and valleys of the province to the borders of the Kalahari.

Other groups touching the North West are the Ndebele in the east and theSotho in the south.

The North West Province is blessed with several cultural villages that entertain and enrich as they interpret South Africa’s people in their own unique manner.

Much of the province consists of flat areas of scattered trees and grassland. The Magaliesberg mountain range in the northeast extends about 130 km (about 80 miles) from Pretoria to Rustenburg. The Vaal River flows along the southern border of the province. Temperatures range from 17° to 31° C (62° to 88° F) in the summer and from 3° to 21° C (37° to 70° F) in the winter. Annual rainfall totals about 360 mm (about 14 in), with almost all of it falling during the summer months, between October and April.

In 1994 the population of the North West Province was estimated to be 3 669 349 (out of a total of an estimated 44 819 778 people living in South Africa); 65% of the people in the North West Provice live in the rural areas. The majority of the province’s residents are the Tswana people who speak Setswana. Smaller groups include Afrikaans, Sotho, and Xhosa speaking people. English is spoken primarily as a second language. Most of the population belong to Christian denominations. (Figures according to Census 2001 released in July 2003).

The province has the lowest number of people aged 20 years and older (5,9%) who have received higher education. The literacy rate is in the region of 57%. As part of the Department of Education’s proposed plans for higher education, the existing four higher learning institutions will be merged to form two.

During 2003, as part of the Year of Further Education and Training project, three mega institutions, Taletso, ORBIT and Vuselela, were established to provide technical and vocational training to the youth. These institutions have been incorporated into many of the former education and technical colleges and manpower centres.

Mafikeng, formerly Mafeking, serves as the provincial capital. Other significant towns include Brits, Klerksdorp,Lichtenburg, Potchefstroom, Rustenburg and Sun City. The province has two universities: the University of North West, which was formerly called the University of Bophuthatswana (founded in 1979), in Mmabatho; and Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education (founded in 1869; became a constituent college of the University of South Africa in 1921 and an independent university in 1951).

Important historical sites in the province include Mafikeng, the traditional capital of the Barolong people, where a British garrison was placed under siege by Afrikaners during the Boer War (1899-1902); Lotlamoreng Cultural Village near Mafikeng, which re-creates a traditional African village; and Boekenhoutfontein, the farm of Paul Kruger, who was the last president of the South African Republic (a state created by Afrikaners in what is now north-eastern South Africa), from 1883 to 1902. The province has several national parks. The largest, Pilanesberg Game Reserve, is located in the crater of an extinct volcano.

North West Region

From untamed bushveld to the sophistication of 5-star resorts, the North West Province provides the complete tourism package.

Away from the hustle and bustle of city life, the province offers an escape route to the real Africa. Nature has blessed this province with breathtaking scenic beauty, rolling fields of maize, golden sunflowers and vast plains of African bushveld. The ideal backdrop for the enjoyment of our outdoor attractions. Superb game parks – home to the Big Five – magnificent golf courses, water features, sporting facilities.

The North West Province – a blend of 20th century living and the mystique of ancient Africa.

Effectively forming the southern part of the Kalahari Desert, the North West Province offers almost all year-round sunshine. Do not forget your suntan lotion and sun hat. Few days will be spent indoors staring at bleak weather!

The North West is all about the authentic African bush experience and it is the hot, dry African climate which is truly unique. Small wonder, then, that so many indulge in the many water recreation facilities available throughout the province. Even less surprising that so many choose to stay in this place of uncompromisingly tempered, often intemperate climate.

The North West Province is a must see destination – one that is diverse and exciting. We offer some of the finest game reserves, cultural sights, archaeological treasures as well as entertainment resorts.

Visitors seeking to experience the wilderness and cultural treasures of the North West may do so conveniently because of it’s proximity to the Johannesburg International Airport and the major centres of Johannesburg and Pretoria.

The agricultural and mining production in the North West plays a vital role in boosting the South African economy. The principal products are namely gold, platinum, diamonds, maize, beef as well as sunflower seeds.

While visiting the North West, the traditional warmth of the province will be shared with you as well as the pride in the history and culture of the province. Visitors to the North West can take home with them lasting memories a special experience and enjoyment.

Dams in the North West

Hartbeespoort Dam: Hartbeespoort Dam is a large dam on the Crocodile River, located about 35 kilometers (22 miles) northwest of Johannesburg. The dam was completed in 1938 and has a capacity of 1,097 million cubic meters (384 billion cubic feet). Hartbeespoort Dam is used for irrigation, hydroelectric power, and recreation.
Boskop Dam: Boskop Dam is a small dam on the Boskop River, located about 50 kilometers (31 miles) north of Pretoria. The dam was completed in 1965 and has a capacity of 15 million cubic meters (530 million cubic feet). Boskop Dam is used for irrigation and recreation.
Taung Dam: Taung Dam is a small dam on the Taung River, located about 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of Mahikeng. The dam was completed in 1966 and has a capacity of 10 million cubic meters (353 million cubic feet). Taung Dam is used for irrigation and recreation.
Vaal Dam: Vaal Dam is the largest dam in South Africa, located about 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of Johannesburg. The dam was completed in 1938 and has a capacity of 30,400 million cubic meters (1,066 billion cubic feet). Vaal Dam is used for irrigation, hydroelectric power, and drinking water.
Tzaneen Dam: Tzaneen Dam is a large dam on the Olifants River, located about 300 kilometers (186 miles) northeast of Pretoria. The dam was completed in 1970 and has a capacity of 2,000 million cubic meters (70.7 billion cubic feet). Tzaneen Dam is used for irrigation, hydroelectric power, and recreation.

These are just a few of the many dams in the North West Province of South Africa. Dams play an important role in the province’s economy and environment, and they provide a valuable source of water for irrigation and drinking water.

Mpumalanga

Mpumalanga, which means “Place Where the Sun Rises”. Spectacular scenic beauty and an abundance of wildlife makes Mpumalanga province one of South Africa’s major tourist destinations. Mpumalanga is home to just more than four million people. The principle languages are Siswati and isiZulu. With a surface area of only 76 495 km2, it is the second smallest province after Gauteng, yet has the fourth-largest economy in South Africa.

Bordered by Mozambique and Swaziland in the east, and Gauteng in the west, the province is situated mainly on the high plateau grasslands of the Middleveld. In the north-east, it rises towards mountain peaks terminating in an immense escarpment. In some places, this escarpment plunges hundreds of metres down to the low-lying area known as the Lowveld. The province has a network of excellent roads and railway connections, making it highly accessible. Owing to its popularity as a tourist destination, Mpumalanga is also served by a number of small airports, including the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport.

Mbombela is the capital of the province and the administrative and business centre of the Lowveld. Other important towns are eMalahleni, Standerton, Piet Retief, Malalane, Ermelo, Barberton and Sabie, which lies in the centre of one of the largest man-made forests in the world. Mpumalanga lies mainly within the Grassland Biome.
The escarpment and the Lowveld form a transitional zone between this grassland area as well as the Savanna Biome.

The Maputo Corridor, which links the province with Gauteng, and Maputo in Mozambique, facilitates economic development and growth for the region.

Mpumalanga Agriculture and forestry

Mpumalanga is a summer-rainfall area divided by the escarpment into the Highveld region with cold frosty winters and the Lowveld region with mild winters and a subtropical climate. The escarpment area sometimes experiences snow on the high ground. Thick mist is common during the hot, humid summers.
Agriculture, as the backbone of the province’s economy, employs 8,1% of its total workforce. An abundance of citrus fruit and many other subtropical fruit – mangoes, avocados, litchis, bananas, papayas, granadillas, guavas – as well as nuts and a variety of vegetables are produced here.

Mbombela is the second-largest citrus-producing area in South Africa and is responsible for one third of the country’s orange exports. The Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Crops is situated in the city.
Groblersdal is an important irrigation area, which yields a wide variety of products such as citrus, cotton, tobacco, wheat and vegetables. Carolina-Bethal-Ermelo is mainly a sheepfarming area, but potatoes, sunflowers, maize and peanuts are also grown there.

Mpumalanga Industry and manufacturing

Most of the manufacturing production in Mpumalanga occurs in the southern Highveld region; especially in Highveld Ridge, where large petrochemical plants such as Sasol 2 and Sasol 3 are located. Large-scale manufacturing occurs especially in the northern Highveld area, particularly chrome-alloy and steel manufacturing. In the Lowveld subregion, industries concentrate on manufacturing products from agricultural and raw forestry material. The growth in demand for goods and services for export via Maputo will stimulate manufacturing in the province.

Mpumalanga is rich in coal reserves with eMalahleni being the biggest coal producer in Africa. South Africa’s major power stations are situated in this province. Kendal power station’s cooling towers are the largest structures of their type in the world. The Kusile power station near Delmas, which was completed in 2016, is the country’s biggest, contributing a massive 4 800 MW of electricity to the national grid.

One of the country’s largest paper mills is situated at Ngodwana, close to its timber source. Middelburg, which produces steel and vanadium, is home to Columbus Stainless, South Africa’s only producer of stainless steel flat products.

Mpumalanga
Capital: Nelspruit
Principal languages:
Siswati 29,1%
IsiZulu 28,8%
Xitsonga 9,6%
IsiNdebele 10,1%
Population: 4 444 200
Percentage share of the total population: 7,8%
Area: 76 495 km2
Source: Stats SA’s Mid-year population estimates 2017 and Community Survey 2016

History & Heritage

GAUTENG - NORTHERN CAPE - FREE STATE - WESTERN CAPE

EASTERN CAPE - KWA ZULU NATAL - LIMPOPO - NORTH WEST -

MPUMALANGA

​

Gauteng History & Heritage

Maropeng’s Stone Park

Macit Tours & Travel

​

The Origins Centre

The Mapungubwe Collection

​

Plovers Lake

Historical background

Places of interest

Ditsong National Museum of Natural History

​

Stargazing at Maropeng

​

Motsetsi Cave

Historical background

Places of interest

Northern Cape Tourism

Northern Cape Tourism

Diamond Fields

Kalahari

Green Kalahari

Namaqualand

More Northern Cape Tourism

Upper Karoo (Bo-Karoo)

Hantam Karoo

​

Kalahari Red Dune Route

Richtersveld Route

Namakwa Coastal Route

Kimberley Diamond Route

Kokerboom Food & Wine Route

Karoo Highlands Route

Quiver Tree Route

Free State

Free State

Free State Agriculture

Free State Mining

Free State Manufacturing and industry

Free State Tourism Routes

CHEETAH ROUTE

EAGLE ROUTE

SPRINGBOK ROUTE

FLAMINGO ROUTE

LION ROUTE

Tourism in The Free State

Golf

Opportunities for growth

Interesting Facts

Universities

Central University of Technology, Free State

​

University of the Free State

Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences Home

Faculty of Education

Faculty of Health Sciences

Faculty of the Humanities

Faculty of Law

Free State Population.

Western Cape

Western Cape

Western Cape Agriculture and fisheries

Western Cape Industry

Western Cape Population

Vision, Mission and Western Cape Provincial Strategic Objectives

Western Cape Tourism

Cape Metropole

Cape Winelands

Garden Route

Little Karoo

Central Karoo

West Coast

Overberg

Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape