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Is South Africa Safe? 10 Essential Travel Safety Tips t's true, crime levels are high in South Africa. But, as a born-and-raised South African, I can tell you that the media doesn't always paint an accurate reflection of the safety situation that's relevant to travelers specifically. So, don't let the news or social media frighten you from visiting this unique destination. If you keep these safety tips in mind, you will experience South Africa at its best. COVID-19 safety measures in South Africa How bad is crime in South Africa? Crime hot spots in South Africa Public transport safety Hiking safety LGBTQ+ travel safety Safety for solo women travelers Nightlife safety Politics and civil unrest Drug laws COVID-19 safety measures in South Africa A nationwide lockdown began in South Africa on 26 March 2020, based on a risk-based, five-level approach. It was considered one of the strictest lockdowns in the world. Not only were people told to stay at home, but the government also shut down all non-essential businesses and banned cigarettes, alcohol and outdoor exercise. Since 21 September 2020, the country has been on Alert level 1 , and most normal activities have resumed, with precautions and health guidelines in place. And, while new cases are identified on a daily basis, those who have contracted COVID-19 in South Africa have had a 90% recovery rate . South Africa partially opened its borders to international tourists on 1 October 2020. However, travelers arriving from these high-risk countries will not be permitted. While visiting South Africa, be aware of the following: To enter the country, you must have proof of a negative COVID-19 test (PCR) taken within 72 hours of your arrival. Without the test, you’ll be put into government-appointed quarantine at your own expense It’s mandatory to wear a face mask indoors and in all public places, except when doing vigorous exercise Countrywide, restaurant, supermarket, airports and hotel staff are required to wear face masks Hand sanitizers are widely available, and you must sanitize your hands before entering a restaurant, public building, shopping mall, etc Hotels, restaurants and bars can only operate at 50% capacity, so book ahead to make sure you get a room or a table Nightclubs are closed, and a curfew is in place from midnight to 4am Alcohol is only sold Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm, excluding public holidays. You can buy alcoholic drinks from licensed restaurants and bars on the weekends You need to practice social distancing of 5ft (1.5m) in all public spaces, including beaches, public park, museums, galleries, and hiking trails. Travel Insurance Simple and flexible travel insurance You can buy at home or while traveling, and claim online from anywhere in the world. With 150+ adventure activities covered and 24/7 emergency assistance. Get a quote How bad is crime in South Africa? Recent years have seen a steady increase in crime in South Africa, both violent and non-violent in nature. According to the UK Government travel advisory, the majority of South Africa’s violent crime statistics come from the townships – the poor, densely populated neighborhoods on the outskirts of major cities. Among the crimes to look out for during your stay: Minor theft, fraud, and scams Muggings and armed robbery are sadly common; theft is typically the motive Protests can turn violent, resulting in clashes with the local police, and people ending up injured or killed. South Africans hold protests frequently, and most remain peaceful Food and drink spiking have been reported, with victims often assaulted and robbed following the incident – always keep an eye on your drink while out, and never accept a drink from a stranger There have also been some reports of foreigners being carjacked. Click here to read about common travel scams in South Africa. Crime hot spots in South Africa Perhaps more important than knowing the type of crimes committed in South Africa is knowing the areas where they're more likely to occur – that way, you can steer clear of troubled areas. The general rule of thumb is that crime increases when the sun goes down, particularly in the major cities. Carjackings, however, can occur at any time of the day or night. When driving, always be aware of your surroundings and look out for any suspicious activity, especially at red traffic lights and highway off-ramps as this is where carjackings tend to happen. If you’re driving late at night, slowly approach a red light, so by the time you reach the intersection, the light is green. Read our road safety tips here for more advice on driving in South Africa. Townships in South Africa Townships in general experience a higher crime rate than other areas, and while they're certainly not off-limits, it's recommended that you only explore them as a part of an organized tour group. Additionally, day or night, always avoid isolated picnic areas or beaches. Johannesburg If you're planning to visit Johannesburg, be aware of but not panicked by the high levels of crime in the city. Not all suburbs in Joburg are dangerous, though caution should be taken at night, when muggings are common, especially in the city center, so it's best not to walk anywhere. Joubert Park, Hillbrow, and Berea are hot spots for criminal activity and are best avoided. However, other areas of Joburg, such as Vilakazi Street in Soweto, Maboneng and Newtown and have undergone a revitalization, and crime has reduced. Hillbrow, Johannesburg. Photo credit: iStock/THEGIFT777 Cape Town Cape Flats sees a large proportion of the crime in Cape Town, and gang violence has been on the rise. Salt River, Sea Point, Mowbray, and Observatory also tend to see more criminal activity than other areas. Visitors are unlikely to visit Salt River or Mowbray, however, it is worth knowing these are not safe areas regardless. Watch out for scammers in the V&A Waterfront and pickpockets in the City Bowl. Sea Point’s promenade is popular among walkers and joggers and is generally a safe place to go – however, you should avoid walking here at night. Most tourists do not visit Observatory, however, you may be interested in going here if you are looking for alternative live music venues with a bohemian cultural vibe. If you're out at night, stick to the more crowded, well-lit locations, and don't walk alone. Table Mountain is a favorite destination for hikers and outdoor adventurers however there have been multiple attacks, including muggings, on the trails. You're advised to avoid (or at least be extra vigilant in) the more deserted areas of the park, particularly during early morning hours and shortly before the park closes. Apply the safety-in-numbers theory, stay to the more popular trails, and stick with a group. Durban Be cautious while traveling in the city center, or better yet, avoid it altogether. Petty crimes such as pickpocketing and muggings are still a problem along the beachfront but have declined since the area's redevelopment, which first took place in 2010 for the FIFA World Cup, and again in 2019. Stay street-smart by remaining vigilant and sticking to well-lit areas at night. Instead of Durban’s city center, stick to the beachfront area and visit the promenade, Golden Mile Beach, and apply usual safety measures. Ice cream vendor on the Durban Promenade. Photo credit: iStock/wildacad Public transport safety in South Africa As with many destinations around the world, public transport facilities are often the scene of unwelcome criminal activity. Johannesburg and Cape Town airports have experienced frequent luggage theft. Never place items of value in your checked luggage. If you have to, consider using a service that will wrap your baggage in plastic to keep it from being tampered with. Criminals have also been known to wait outside the Johannesburg airport, then follow unsuspecting tourists to their accommodation to rob them. Pay close attention to your surroundings at all times, and whatever you do, don't accept a ride from the airport to wherever you are staying, unless it's from a reputable company. In Johannesburg, the high-speed Gautrain connects the northern suburbs with the city center and Pretoria. The train has a good reputation for safety, but robberies and assaults have been known to happen around the station. The Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit system is a safe bus network that runs between Johannesburg's city center and outer suburbs, including Soweto. Local commuter rails and metro trains have also been the locations of several assaults and robberies. Trains that travel between Johannesburg and Pretoria are especially risky, as well as the commuter trains in Cape Town. If you plan to take the train in Cape Town, always travel in first class, during the day, and in a cabin with other people. Avoid traveling to Cape Flats. When traveling by train, use common sense and always remain alert. Keep an eye out for general lurkers and suspicious characters at Central Station. Similarly, if you plan to do any shopping at local malls, be aware of your surroundings as armed robberies are on the rise in these locations. Alternatively, the MiCiTi Cape Town Integrated Rapid Transit bus system is a safe and reliable mode of transport that operates between the airport, Blouberg, Century City, Cape Town Central, V&A Waterfront, the suburbs of the City Bowl and Atlantic Seaboard to Hout Bay. Is it safe to go hiking in South Africa? South Africa is blessed with an abundance of beautiful mountains and hiking trails. It’s rare for hikers to experience any incidence of crime on the majority of hikes around the country, including multi-day trips. As mentioned above, there has been an increase in attacks and muggings on Table Mountain. To stay safe take note of these hiking safety tips: Never hike alone; four or more in a group is ideal Tell someone (could be the person at the front desk of your hotel, another traveler, or a local friend) your up-and-down routes and expected return time Plan your route and stick to the designated paths to avoid getting lost. Allow for ample time to finish the hike before it gets dark Don’t take risks or shortcuts, and always respect restricted areas; there’s a good reason the sign says ‘no entry’ Bring a fully-charged cellphone with local emergency numbers saved on it Be discreet with your valuables; only take them out when you need to Be wary of everyone you come across, especially suspicious ‘hikers’ who aren’t wearing hiking clothes or carrying a backpack. If you are confronted by a mugger, hand over your stuff without resistance or retaliation Pack sufficient water and snacks Dress appropriately and pack a warm jacket, no matter the season – the weather on the top of a mountain can change in an instant. Is South Africa safe for LGBTQ+ travelers? According to a 2019 study , South Africa is the 15th safest country for LGBTQ+ travelers, with Cape Town among the top gay travel destinations in the world. Despite the progressive and liberal laws, homosexuality remains culturally unacceptable in some parts of South Africa. LGBTQ+ individuals living in Black communities in the townships are more likely to be victims of discrimination and homophonic attacks. Be aware if you travel outside city centers. Ahead of your arrival to a particular city, check online forums where you can chat with members of the local LGBTQ+ community to get information about gay-friendly hotels, bars and tour agencies. Always practice safe sex, as HIV is prevalent throughout South Africa. Is South Africa safe for solo women travelers? While gender-based violence and femicide are a widespread problem in South Africa, it mostly takes place away from tourist destinations, in isolated areas and townships. However, solo women travelers might find themselves in vulnerable situations when they’re alone. If you use common sense and are vigilant you’ll have a fantastic time. Here are my top safety tips: Don’t walk alone at night and avoid isolated beaches, parks, streets and parking lots. Instead stick to more crowded, well-lit places When you’re walking around during the day, act confident and walk with purpose. Looking lost makes you an easy target. If you feel you are being followed, head to a nearby mall or restaurant and alert the security on site Do go out and socialize. But, like any other city in the world, watch your drink and never accept drinks offered by strangers (no matter how good looking they are) as spiking does happen. Always practice safe sex When you’re sitting at a café or restaurant, especially outdoors, don’t leave your handbag (or valuables) on the table, underneath your chair, or hanging off the back of your chair. Petty thieves may be watching and can quickly run past and grab it. I prefer to keep my bag on my lap or looped around the leg of my chair Don’t be flashy – leave your expensive jewelry at home, and keep your pricey things like your phone or camera hidden from pickpockets. If you need to check something on your phone, walk into a nearby store to do it. Is it safe to go out at night in South Africa? Travelers to South Africa should experience the country’s diverse and vibrant nightlife. You must, however, take safety precautions when going out at night, as you would when visiting any foreign country. While the popular party hotspots of Long Street in Cape Town and Melville, Rosebank and Sandton in Jo’burg are generally safe, it’s not uncommon for petty thieves and muggings. Avoid walking around these zones at night, especially if you’re alone or you’ve been drinking Keep your valuables in a safe place – in zippered pockets or a handbag strapped across your body – and be aware of people around you as pickpocketing does occur Drunk driving in South Africa is a very serious offense . Just don’t do it. e-Hailing apps such as Uber and Bolt are cheap, safe, reliable ways to get around town Carry a copy of your passport and leave the original safely locked up at your accommodation Avoid carrying large amounts of cash. Nearly all bars and restaurants around the country accept debit and credit cards Never leave your drink unattended or accept drinks from strangers. Politics and civil unrest in South Africa Political demonstrations and strikes can occur anywhere in South Africa. While the majority of protests are peaceful, they can turn violent. Stay away from the areas of demonstrations and monitor local media for information and updates. If you suddenly come across a large gathering of protesters, exercise caution and follow the instructions of local authorities. Don’t attempt to cross protester roadblocks. In September 2019, riots broke out in Johannesburg. Several people were killed, and the riots were allegedly xenophobic in nature, targeting foreign nationals from the rest of Africa. These types of events may happen again, so be extra careful if you are traveling to South Africa while riots are taking place. Here are a few tips on what to do if you are traveling in a country experiencing civil unrest . Drug laws in South Africa Taking drugs in any country isn’t a smart idea, and it’s no different in South Africa. You’re not only placing yourself at risk with the law, but also your safety. Drug offenses carry severe penalties, including lengthy jail terms in grim conditions. It’s illegal in South Africa to smoke dagga or zol (local names for marijuana) in public places, in a car or in the presence of a child. However, a new cannabis law allows for the use of the drug in private residences only. Bear in mind that buying and selling marijuana remains illegal. So, is South Africa safe for travelers? After reading this, you may question whether it's worth it to travel to South Africa. Rest assured, there are plenty of safe areas to visit with enough beauty, friendly people, and adventure to go around. As long as you avoid unsavory areas, act wisely and remain alert for petty thievery, your experience will far outweigh any fears you may face as a traveler to the country. 10 things to know before traveling to South Africa Let’s not beat about the bush: South Africa has a bit of a scary reputation. Much is said about the country’s unenviable crime rate, but so much more can be said about all the things that make this diverse destination so magnificent. You shouldn't let anxiety about possible dangers put you off visiting this amazing African country. Huge and diverse, South Africa never stops doling out gifts to the traveler – world-class surf breaks , eclectic local cuisine , mountains to climb, cities to visit , tiny towns to hide away in, desert landscapes to photograph and, of course, plenty of wildlife to watch . The country’s extraordinary variety is both its biggest draw and its biggest challenge, at least when it comes to planning a trip. Much research is needed to decide where to go, what to do and how long to stay. Visiting for less than two weeks is not ideal – three weeks or more would be a better bet if you can manage so much time away. With tips to help you plan as well as information on health, safety and etiquette, here's what you need to know for a successful trip to South Africa. If you come to South Africa as a family, bring the right paperwork. Getty Images 1. Carry the relevant paperwork if you’re traveling with kids If you’re entering or leaving South Africa with a child under the age of 18 , you’ll need to have a few extra bits of paper in your carry-on bag. In a bid to stamp out child trafficking, all minors need to have an "unabridged" birth certificate – that is, one that lists both parents’ names. If only one parent is traveling with the child, you’ll need an affidavit from the other parent confirming that they give consent for the child to travel. The rules keep changing and papers are not always checked, but it’s wise to have the documents on hand just in case. 2. Carry cash, just not too much While credit and debit cards are widely accepted, there are still a few places in South Africa that only take cash. It’s best to keep a small stash of notes and coins for purchases at corner stores, buying things from market traders and for the various tips you’ll be expected to give throughout the day (more on tipping below). Of course, it’s not wise to walk around with large wads of cash on your person, so keep the bulk of your money hidden away in the hotel safe, or withdraw modest amounts from ATMs while you are out and about. Be wary of using ATMs on the street; theft and card scams are common, so it’s best to stick to machines inside malls or banks. 3. Buy a South African SIM card and use local Wi-Fi Public Wi-Fi is fairly easy to find in larger cities and more touristed towns, but if you’re planning on wandering far from the main population centers, it’s worth picking up a South African SIM card on arrival at the airport. The card costs just a few rand, but like pretty much everything in South Africa, it does come with a bit of paperwork. You’ll need to “RICA” your SIM card – a fairly simple registration process that requires a photo ID and confirmation of your address in South Africa (a simple booking confirmation will suffice). Book a car with one of the major rental companies to see more of the country. Ilyas Kalimullin/Shutterstock 4. If you really want to see SA, you need to rent a car There's no sugar-coating it – public transport in South Africa often falls short. Long-distance bus services exist but routes tend to bypass many smaller destinations, and fares can be expensive for shorter hops. Long-distance trains are unreliable, and hitchhiking is most definitely not recommended. If you really want to see the country, you’re going to have to rent a car. Fortunately, there are plenty of fantastic road trips to choose from, and all the big car hire companies are represented in South Africa – just be sure to book ahead, especially if you’re traveling in the November to March peak season . 5. Be more cautious when driving in cities When I first moved to South Africa, there was so much talk of carjackers that I expected to find balaclava-clad people lurking at every intersection waiting to appropriate my vehicle. I remember panicking at the gas station because I had to lower the window to pay, then passing my cash through an inch-high gap before driving away, stressed and sweating. These days I often drive with the windows down, but I do approach "robots" (the local term for traffic lights) with caution, always leaving a car-length gap in front of me just in case I need to make a quick escape. Be cautious while driving, but not paranoid. Keep your doors locked and be extra vigilant when driving at night, keeping your windows up and your wits about you. 6. Listen to the locals (but be ready for a little exaggeration) Local advice is always important, particularly in countries that have a reputation for crime and social problems. In South Africa, the host at your accommodation is a good person to ask about the best bars or restaurants, how to get around and which areas to avoid. Just be aware that there are many awesome attractions found in areas that South African locals – particularly older locals – wouldn’t consider visiting. Once, while staying in a guest house in suburban Durban, I asked the owner if there were any places to avoid and she replied “The CBD” (city center), which would have cut my sightseeing rather short. South Africans have a tendency to exaggerate the danger posed by crime – it’s almost a part of the national psyche, and a favorite topic of conversation. You might have to do a bit more research to sort out the worthwhile warnings from the sometimes-inevitable scaremongering. Expect to tip at restaurants, gas stations and even parking lots. Shutterstock 7. Be prepared to tip South Africa has a strong tipping culture. In many customer-facing industries, salaries are low and workers make much of their money from tips. Restaurant staff will expect a top of around 10%, but leaving 12–15% will generate bigger smiles. Drivers never pump their own gas in South Africa; you’ll be expected to pay at least R5 to the person filling your tank, or R10–20 if the attendant also checks your tires, oil or water. Then there are South Africa’s informal parking attendants. While larger cities and towns have areas with pay-as-you-go street parking, in most places, you can park at the side of the road for free… sort of. Ubiquitous car guards will offer to keep an eye on your car while you’re away, and they come in a range of helpfulness levels. Some will go the extra mile, stopping traffic to help you back out into a busy street. Others are opportunists who approach as you pull out your keys, claiming they were keeping a close eye on your car while you were shopping. Reward car guards according to the service they provide – a R5 coin is the standard thank you but R10 is more appropriate for someone who provided a more useful service. 8. South African English takes some getting used to While there are 11 official languages in South Africa, you’ll almost always find someone who speaks English, unless you’re in a remote rural area. There will still be a few local phrases that trip you up. One thing that often baffles foreigners is the (extremely liberal) use of the word “shame.” It’s a versatile word in South Africa. A cute child fell asleep in the car? Shame. A close family member passed away? Shame. Busy week at the office meaning you couldn’t make Friday drinks? Shame. The word is often preceded by the utterance "ag" and followed by the word "man." So the phrase "Ag, shame man" can mean anything from “awww” to “Oh no, that’s terrible!” Also frequently used is the word “hectic.” While it can be used to discuss a particularly busy intersection, it could also be used to describe a ridiculously tall building, a very long line at the bank, an insanely windy day or a particularly large baby being born. In South Africa, hectic doesn’t really mean busy – it usually means "wow." The bright lights don't stay on all day in many parts of SA. Zach Louw/Getty Images 9. Expect lots of talk about politics and power outages Certain subjects are off-limits in every country, but in South Africa, politics is not one of them. Everyone has an opinion on the government’s latest endeavors, whether that’s discussing the abundance of potholes, the latest corruption scandal or – more often than not – the government's failure to provide (electrical) power to the people. You'll very quickly become familiar with the inconvenience of what locals call "load-shedding." Basically, load-shedding is a never-ending series of planned power outages designed to take pressure off the ailing electricity grid. Cities and towns are split into zones, and depending on the severity of the load-shedding, you might end up without power for anything from two to 12 hours a day. There are eight "stages" of load-shedding, broken up into two-hour slots. Larger hotels won’t be affected thanks to backup generators, but if you’re staying in a guesthouse, hostel or private home, you are bound to encounter load-shedding at some point in your stay. Many places come equipped with fail-safes such as emergency lights, backup power for fridges and Wi-Fi hubs, and sometimes generators big enough to power the whole property. Your host will likely give you daily updates on when the power will be off, or there’s a handy app – EskomSePush – that has all the details and comes with a handy warning notification. 10. Driving in the emergency lane is standard practice While greetings, table manners and general day-to-day etiquette in South Africa should largely be familiar, the way South Africans drive can be a bit of a culture shock for visitors. One of the most idiosyncratic rules of the road is “yellow line driving” – many roads are single-lane highways, and enterprising drivers often use the emergency lane (hard shoulder) as a backup. If you’re on a highway and a driver behind you indicates that they want to get by, you'll be expected to briefly move across the yellow line into the emergency lane to let them pass. If you don’t, you’re likely to find yourself privy to another favorite local driving habit: tailgating. Drivers will usually flash their hazard lights in thanks as they pass, but be aware that obliging drivers aren’t the only thing to be found on the hard shoulder. Always make sure there is good visibility before you pull over, for around the next corner you might find a troop of baboons, a stray cow or a bunch of school kids walking home. South Africa Travel Advisory Exercise increased caution in South Africa due to crime and civil unrest. Country Summary:  Violent crime, such as armed robbery, rape, carjacking, mugging, and "smash-and-grab" attacks on vehicles, is common. There is a higher risk of violent crime in the central business districts of major cities after dark. Using GPS navigation can lead to unsafe routes. GPS navigation may suggest shortcuts through townships as the quickest preferred route but can lead to increased risks of crime. There have been incidents in which tourists traveling in Cape Town while using GPS navigation apps have been routed through residential areas with high rates of violent crime. The safest approach to return a rental car to Cape Town International Airport is to take the N2 highway and follow signs to Airport Approach Rd (exit 16). Alternatively, request the rental car company to collect your vehicle and subsequently arrange an airport transfer from established taxi companies or established ridesharing services to reach the airport. Demonstrations, protests, and strikes occur frequently. These can develop quickly without prior notification, often interrupting traffic, transportation, and other services; such events have the potential to turn violent. Please see our Alerts  for up-to-date information. Read the country information page  for additional information on travel to South Africa. If you decide to travel to South Africa: Research your route in advance, stay on major highways, avoid shortcuts through townships, and avoid reliance on GPS navigation apps. Avoid walking alone, especially after dark. Avoid visiting informal settlement areas unless you are with someone familiar with the area. Do not display cash or valuables. Drive with doors locked and windows closed. Always carry a copy of your U.S. passport and visa (if applicable). Keep original documents in a secure location. Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  (STEP ) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. Follow the Department of State on Facebook  and Twitter . Review the Country Security Report  for South Africa. Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist . Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information  related to your travel. DANGERS ON VISITING SOUTH AFRICA Is South Africa Safe for Tourists in 2024? (Solo & Family Travel Guide) If you’re thinking of visiting Africa, chances are South Africa is at the top of your list. But you probably have some safety concerns and questions, which is how you ended up here. We created this guide to address all of your concerns and give you practical advice so you can enjoy a safe and memorable trip to South Africa in 2024 – let’s go! Is South Africa Safe? South Africa is generally a safe place to visit. Most tourists visit Cape Town, go on a safari, and enjoy a beach break either in South Africa or nearby, like Mauritius, which, fun fact, holds the title of the safest place in Africa ! These trips usually follow safe routes. However, South Africa does have a high crime rate and poverty, so stay alert! Most crime happens in the outskirts of bigger cities, townships, or isolated areas, whereas the main tourist spots, like Cape Town’s city center and inner suburbs, the Cape Winelands, the Garden Route, and safari areas, are usually safe during the day but become risky after dark. Theft is the main crime visitors are prone to. For hiking or safaris, always go with a guide. Popular beaches have lifeguards but avoid late-night beach strolls as they can be riskier when deserted. Overall, visiting South Africa takes some preparation. A good tip is to ask your hotel or accommodation staff about places you want to visit—they’ll know if it’s safe and can recommend a guide if needed. Travel advisory for South Africa: Level 2, practice increased caution Crime rating: Moderate but approaching high, 74,80 Most common crime that affects tourists: Public transportation safety: Public transport is prone to crime – taxis and ride-shares are the safest option Beach safety: The coast is generally safe – pick beaches that have lifeguards on duty Safety walking alone during the day: Moderately safe Safety walking alone during the night: Not safe Common natural disasters: Floods, droughts, wildfires, severe storms, earthquakes, tsunamis, and landslides Carbon monoxide poisoning: Possible, so a carbon monoxide detector is a must Police presence: ~180,000 police personnel Medical care quality: Good healthcare, but limited in rural areas Tap water: Safe to drink, but opt for bottled water just in case Best time to visit: June to October Travel Advisory for South Africa The US, UK, NZ, Canadian, and Australian travel advisories rate South Africa at Level 2, meaning it’s generally safe but requires a “High Degree of Caution.” The travel advisories confirm that South Africa’s tourism industry is well-regulated. Hazardous areas are marked, pro guides ensure safety in nature, and tourism police patrol tourist spots. Medical help is available if you get injured, but it might take longer outside big cities. For added peace of mind, visitors should consider medical evacuation insurance. Here’s where to be extra careful: Berea (after dark) Hillbrow and Yeoville in Johannesburg (after dark) Sunnyside in Pretoria (after dark) The beachfront and Victoria Wharf in Durban (after dark) Cape Town downtown hotels to the waterfront (after dark) Secondary roads near Cape Town International Airport Numbi Gate entrance to Kruger National Park and R538 road Hiking trails like Table Mountain, Lions’ Head, Signal Hill Commuter and metro trains between Johannesburg and Pretoria and in Cape Town Key precautions from the advisories: Demonstrations, protests, and strikes can pop up quickly, often turning violent and disrupting services. Crime can happen anytime, anywhere, even in broad daylight. Scams are common, including online dating, money transfers, lucrative sales, gold purchases, fake contracts, and more. GPS navigation might lead you through unsafe areas. For instance, returning a rental car to Cape Town International Airport is safest via the N2 highway. Be cautious when using ATMs outside banks and reputable hotels to avoid skimming. Terrorist attacks are possible, so always stay aware of your surroundings. Xenophobic attacks can occur without warning, targeting refugees and immigrants. Wild animals can be dangerous in game parks, so stay in your vehicle except in designated areas. On beaches, watch out for sharks and rip tides. Don’t swim alone in isolated spots. Hikers should be prepared for rapid weather changes and summer brush fires in the Western Cape. Power outages (load shedding) and water supply interruptions are common, causing inconvenience. A Comprehensive Look at South Africa Crime Rates South Africa has a high crime rating of 74.80. According to the 2023 Organized Crime Index , it ranks third in Africa for organized crime. The South African cities with the highest crime rates are Pretoria, Durban, and Johannesburg. Major issues fueling this include corruption, poverty, unemployment, and lack of public services. From October to December 2023, property-related crimes saw a 2.9% drop . Theft at non-residential places went down by 5.9%, and residential theft decreased by 4.4%. Here are some arrest highlights from that period: 32,229 people were arrested for assault 6,383 for DUI 3,747 for dealing drugs 16,942 for drug possession 2,581 for having illegal firearms and ammunition Safety ConcernsCrime RateStatus Overall Crime Level82.12Very High Crime Increasing in the Past 3 Years82.17Very High Home Break-Ins and Thefts74.88High Mugging and Robbery76.59High Car Theft70.80High Theft from Vehicles75.77High Personal Attacks70.17High Verbal Insults59.83Moderate Racial, Ethnic, Gender, or Religious-Based Attacks59.05Moderate Drug Use and Dealing72.32High Property Crimes (Vandalism and Theft)77.20High Violent Crimes (Assault and Armed Robbery)79.91High Corruption and Bribery83.26Very High Safety Walking Alone in Daylight41.62Moderately Safe Safety Walking Alone at Nighttime15.08Unsafe Source: Numbeo , 2024 data based on 3,943 contributors. Personal Crime in South Africa South Africa has a moderate to high presence of personal crime, mostly concentrated in Johannesburg Central and Nyanga . That said, crime can happen anywhere, so staying cautious is key! Here are some tips to keep you safe: Always lock your hotel door and don’t open it for strangers. Stick to well-lit streets and avoid shortcuts. Skip the late-night walks! Don’t accept rides from strangers. If a driver asks for directions, keep a safe distance. If you think someone is following you, switch up your route, change your pace, and head to a busy, well-lit area. Property Crime in South Africa Property crime is a big issue in South Africa. However, as a tourist, you’re more likely to face someone picking your pockets or snatching your purse rather than something more violent. Either way, you need to keep your belongings safe: Wear a money belt. Leave flashy jewelry and valuables in your hotel safe. Don’t leave cameras, phones, or wallets unattended on public transport or restaurant tables. Only carry the cash you need for the day. Use ATMs inside banks or malls for withdrawals. Hide extra cash in less obvious spots, like your sock. Stay alert to avoid distractions that thieves can exploit. If you do fall victim to a crime, stay calm and don’t resist. Cooperate to ensure your safety. Police Presence in South Africa South Africa has just under 180,000 police personnel . Over 90,000 are involved in visible policing, followed by detective services with nearly 37,500 staff members. Additionally, the country has over 2.7 million registered private security officers , with more than 580,000 actively employed—outnumbering the police and army combined. The government is even considering a special policing unit dedicated to protecting tourists. Travel Safely! Join 30,000 Mother Earth Travel readers that get Travel Alerts, News, and Giveaways! If you need help, your first call should be to the South African Police (call them on 10111). If they approach you for a check, be respectful and cooperate. Public Transportation Safety in South Africa Tourists should avoid using public transport in South Africa due to frequent criminal activity. In cities, you’ll find city buses that operate similarly to those in other countries. In Cape Town, the best bus service is MyCiTi. For intercity travel, go with Intercape—it’s your safest bet. Just avoid the central bus station in Johannesburg. Avoid traveling by train in second or third class. The Gautrain (between O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and Pretoria), the Blue Train, and Rovos Rail are known as the safest for tourists. Taxis are your safest option for getting around in South Africa. The safest way to get a taxi is to call one. You’ll likely get a better-quality vehicle than those at taxi ranks. Ask your hotel, a restaurant, or a bar to call a reputable taxi company for you, and always wait inside until your taxi arrives. Uber is also available. Medical Care Quality in South Africa South Africa has good healthcare, but keep in mind that remote areas may have limited medical facilities, and air evacuation might be your only option in an emergency. If you need to see a doctor, do your homework first and pick a reputable facility. Here are some of the best hospitals in South Africa: Cormed Private Hospital, Gauteng (+27 169818080) Zuid-Afrikaans Hospital, Gauteng (+27 123430300) Midvaal Private Hospital, Gauteng (+27 164546000) Netcare Jakaranda Hospital, Gauteng (+27 124216700) Mediclinic Louis Leipoldt, Western Cape (+27 86155 5511) Mediclinic Milnerton, Western Cape (+27 86 122 4555) Life Bay View Private Hospital, Western Cape (+27 446913718) Visitors should definitely get medical travel insurance to avoid big bills in case of any health issues. Is It Safe to Travel Solo in South Africa? South Africa isn’t the safest place for solo travelers, so keep your eyes peeled and make sure your valuables are tucked away securely. Solo female travel to South Africa is doable, but extra caution is a must. Whatever you do, avoid wandering alone after dark. It’s not a good idea for anyone, but especially not for solo female travelers. When picking where to stay, don’t just go for the cheapest option. Do your research, read reviews, and choose a place that’s secure and recommended. Spending a bit more on a well-reviewed resort or a social hostel can be worth it. You might even find some travel buddies! A great way to stay safe on the streets is to join a tour, just make sure to check out the reviews and pick a reputable company. And for transport, opt for Uber—it’s got extra security features like driver facial recognition and GPS tracking to keep you safe. Is It Safe to Travel to South Africa as a Family? Traveling with your family in South Africa is generally safe, but keep your kids close and stay aware of your surroundings, whether you’re in the city, rural areas, or nature. If you’re traveling with kids under 18, you’ll need to show an unabridged birth certificate (UBC) along with a passport. This is a safety measure against child trafficking. Make sure everyone is up to date with vaccinations and be extra cautious in malaria-prone areas. Pick a family-friendly resort or hotel where everyone can unwind and have fun with all the essentials within reach. When planning your trip, remember that distances can be vast and travel times longer than expected, so renting a car can be a lifesaver for bigger families. If you’re considering safaris, know that older kids will likely enjoy them more. If you’re traveling with younger children, safari experiences can be hot and exhausting, so Kruger National Park might be a better option with activities designed for little ones. Perils of Nature: The Risk of Natural Disasters in South Africa South Africa’s force of nature is varied and plentiful. Here are the main natural hazards. Floods Flooding in South Africa usually happens when a series of heavy rains hit coastal areas, river basins, and low-lying spots. KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and the Eastern Cape are often in the flood zone. For example, a storm surge on January 7, 2024 , caused flooding in KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State, impacting about 6,418 people across 1,226 households. To stay safe: Be up to date with the weather. Steer clear of flooded areas. Droughts Droughts mean extended dry spells with not enough rain. In places like the Western Cape, they usually hit during the winter months, from May to August. The interior areas, such as parts of Gauteng, the Free State, and the Northern Cape, are more prone to summer droughts from December to February. If you’re in a drought-affected area, get ready for potential water shortages. Stock up on water and stay tuned to the news for any restrictions. Wildfires Wildfires are a common sight in South Africa during the dry season. These fires can be sparked by long dry spells and high temperatures or by human activities like clearing land for farming. The Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and parts of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal are hotspots for these blazes. For example, in July 2024, huge wildfires swept through KwaZulu-Natal , burning 14,000 hectares of land. If you come across a big fire, get out of the area quickly and keep up with local news for the latest updates and evacuation info. Severe Storms Severe storms are a summer staple in South Africa, especially in the interior regions like Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and the Free State. KwaZulu-Natal also gets its share of stormy weather. However, stormy weather may happen at any time of the year. In July 2024, a storm in Cape Town displaced at least 4,500 people . The good news is that storms are usually forecasted well in advance, so you can plan your visit accordingly. If you’re caught in a storm while already in South Africa, your best bet is to hunker down indoors and wait for the weather to clear. Earthquakes South Africa isn’t right on top of major tectonic plate boundaries, but it does get its share of minor quakes and tremors. The hotspot for seismic activity is around Johannesburg and other mining areas in Gauteng. The Western Cape can also suffer tremors from time to time. The most recent earthquake in South Africa was on July 20, 2024—a light magnitude 3.0 quake about 15 miles (25 km) from Bethal in Mpumalanga. It was pretty shallow but was still felt by a few locals near the epicenter. If you feel the ground shaking, here’s what to do: Drop down. Take cover under something sturdy. Hang on until it stops. Tsunamis South Africa has recorded a total of three tsunamis . The most recent one was in 2006, causing minor damage and thankfully no casualties. Watch or listen to the local news following a major earthquake. If you’re near the coast after a strong tremor, keep an eye on the ocean. If it suddenly pulls away from the shore, that’s a major tsunami warning. Don’t wait—evacuate immediately and head to higher ground. Landslides Landslides can happen in hilly or mountainous areas, especially in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal. For example, between April 8 and 21, 2022, Storm Issa drenched KwaZulu-Natal with heavy rain, causing mudslides in Durban and nearby areas. Avoid hiking after heavy rain or earthquake—that’s when the mountainous areas are mostly prone to landslides. Do your homework on past landslide activity in the area and avoid it if it’s known to be unstable. Beware the Silent Threat: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in South Africa When heading to South Africa, don’t forget to pack a portable carbon monoxide detector or book a room with one installed. In 2023, this gas poisoned four South African family members . Carbon monoxide has no smell or color and often leaks from faulty stoves, ACs, or heaters. It can mimic flu symptoms—like itchy eyes, headaches, nausea, and dizziness—but at high levels, it can be deadly in minutes. Other African countries have also faced issues with this dangerous gas. For instance, a study in Kenya revealed that between 2005 and 2018, 905 guests fell ill due to CO exposure. So, if your detector starts beeping, open the windows, get out of the room, and breathe some fresh air ASAP! Serenity by the Shore: The Safety of South Africa Beaches South Africa has 47 Blue Flag beaches —these are top-rated spots recognized for outstanding environmental care, safety, and amenities. Before you hit the waves, get local advice on tides and currents—conditions change from beach to beach and day to day. Stick to beaches with lifeguards and swim in the designated safe zones marked by red-and-yellow flags. South Africa uses flags to keep you informed about the presence of sharks. A green flag means the water’s clear, a black flag means it’s too murky to spot sharks, a red flag indicates a shark was seen earlier, and a white flag with a black shark means a shark’s currently in the water. Listen for sirens, as they are also used to indicate shark presence. If you hear one while swimming, get out quickly but calmly. Watch out for blue bottles and jellyfish. If there are warnings, skip the swim. Even stepping on jellyfish stings washed up on shore can be a real pain. Never swim alone, after eating a big meal, or if you’ve been drinking. Follow lifeguard instructions, layer on SPF, and drink plenty of water. And, of course, keep an eye on your belongings. South Africa Weather Patterns: What to Expect South Africa’s terrain is mostly a high plateau and comes with a full spectrum of weather patterns. Overall, it has a subtropical climate with dry, sunny winters that can be chilly at night and hot, thunderstorm-heavy summers. The west is arid and has more of a desert climate, while the eastern part, including Johannesburg and Pretoria, sees more rain. The western coast is cool and dry, especially around the Namib Desert. Cape Town enjoys mild, rainy winters and warm, sunny summers. On the southern and eastern coasts, the climate is more Mediterranean. The Weather in Cape Town In Cape Town, temperatures usually range from 48°F (9°C) to 76°F (24°C). The warm season kicks off in early December and runs through the end of March, with daily highs above 74°F (23°C). January is the hottest month, averaging highs of 76°F (24°C) and lows of 63°F (17°C). The cool season stretches from late May to mid-September, with daily highs below 65°F (18°C). July is the coldest month, with average lows of 48°F (9°C) and highs of 63°F (17°C). The rainy season runs from March to the beginning of December. June is the wettest month, averaging 2.9 inches (74 mm) of rain. The dry spell lasts from December to March, with February being the driest, seeing just 0.4 inches (10 mm) of rain. Cape Town gets windy from October to mid-March, with average speeds over 12.2 mph (19.6 km/h). January is the windiest, averaging 13.7 mph (22 km/h), while May is the calmest with winds averaging 10.8 mph (17.4 km/h). For warm water, visit between late December and March, when temperatures are above 65°F (18°C). February enjoys the warmest water at 66°F (19°C) and the clearest skies—perfect for beach days. On the other hand, August has the coldest water, with an average temperature of 59°F (15°C), and May is the cloudiest month, with overcast skies 43% of the time. Monthly Average Temperatures in Cape Town MonthFahrenheit (°F)Celsius (°C) January6920.5 February6920.5 March6719.4 April6317.2 May5915 June5613.3 July5512.7 August5613.3 September5814.4 October6116.1 November6417.7 December6820 Source: WeatherSpark , 2024 data When Is the Best Time to Visit South Africa? The best time to visit South Africa is from June to October when dry days make for perfect safari wildlife spotting. For beach lovers, the sizzling summer months of December to February are unbeatable. Or, try March when the crowds thin out while the weather is still gorgeous, ideal for a peaceful beach escape. If whale-watching along South Africa’s Whale Coast is on your list, visit between June and November, with September being the peak time for sightings. How to Stay Safe in South Africa Hiking Tips Never hike alone—four or more is the way to go (always with a professional guide). Tell someone (hotel front desk, another traveler, or a local friend) your trail plans and expected return time. Stick to the paths to avoid getting lost. Finish your hike before dark. Respect those “no entry” signs—they’re there for a reason. Carry a fully-charged cell phone with local emergency numbers saved. Be cautious of everyone, especially “hikers” without proper gear. Pack enough water and snacks to keep you energized. Dress right and pack a warm jacket—mountain weather can change in a snap. Public Wi-Fi is easy to find in bigger cities, but if you’re venturing into nature, grab a South African SIM card for the best cellular and mobile data service. Safari Tips Respect the guide’s instructions—they know best! Keep your voice down around animals. Stay in the car during game drives—no standing up, hanging out of windows, or sitting on the roof. On self-drive safaris, don’t get too close to the animals. Give them space. Never drive between elephants in a herd, especially mothers and their young. No running or jogging in wildlife areas—predators might think you’re prey. Keep food out of your tent to avoid attracting wildlife. Use insect repellent to fend off mosquitoes. Wear a hat, use sunscreen, and drink plenty of water to stay cool and hydrated. Avoid bright colors and strong perfumes. In tsetse-fly areas, skip the dark clothes—they attract the flies. Bring warm clothes for those chilly morning game drives in open vehicles. Steet Tips Local advice is gold! Ask your host about the best bars and restaurants, how to get around, and which areas to avoid. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted, but some places only take cash. Keep a small stash of notes and coins handy. Withdraw modest amounts from ATMs and always go to the ones inside malls or banks. Keep your car doors locked and keep windows up. Leave a car-length gap at traffic lights for a quick escape if needed. Always take a taxi at night. Watch how much you drink. If you’re tipsy or drunk, you’re more vulnerable. Other Tips Check passport and visa requirements. Get all required vaccinations. Use booking sites like TripAdvisor or Booking and read reviews carefully. Pay attention to frequent safety complaints. Follow online news before your trip to check for any issues at your destination. Make copies of important travel documents or keep them online. Store your valuables, copies of your documents, and extra money in your hotel’s safety deposit box. Be polite and respectful to police and military personnel. If asked for a bribe, a light attitude and a joke might help you out. Even with progressive laws, homosexuality can be culturally unacceptable in some areas. Check online forums and chat with local LGBTQ+ community members for info on LGBTQ-friendly spots. Useful Apps/Sites to Enhance Your Experience Navigate the streets with Waze or Google Maps Order a ride-share with Uber Catch your train on time with Gautrain Hop on the bus through the MyCiTi bus Stay ahead of the weather with AfricaWeather Track your location, request emergency help, or report suspicious activity through Buzzer Keep track of everyone’s location and chat in-app with Life360 Learn some Zulu with Duolingo Order food through Mr. D Food Explore everything South Africa offers with the South Africa GuideWithMe Emergency Numbers Nationwide Emergency Response: 10111 Ambulance: 10177 Disaster Management Center: 012 848 4602 Safe Travels! Sure, South Africa has a reputation that might make you think twice. But as a tourist, you’ll likely have a great time if you plan carefully. Choose your spots wisely, keep common sense (like avoiding certain areas after dark), and you’ll be all set. Travel smart, plan well, and enjoy your adventure! BACK TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE

THE NINE PROVINCE OF SOUTH AFRICA The nine provinces of South Africa South Africa has nine provinces, each with its own history, landscape, population, languages, economy, cities and government. South Africa’s nine provinces are the Eastern Cape, the Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, the Northern Cape, North West and the Western Cape. Before 1994, South Africa had four provinces: the Transvaal and Orange Free State – previously Boer republics – and Natal and the Cape, once British colonies. In 1910 these four states were united into a single country, the Union of South Africa, under British rule. This became the Republic of South Africa in 1960, under apartheid rule. In the 1970s and eighties, under the apartheid doctrine of “separate development”, the map of South Africa was spattered with the odd outlines of the “homelands”. These unsustainable states were set up on disjointed parcels of land with no economic value. Laws were passed to make black South Africans citizens of these barren regions, denying black people’s citizenship of South Africa as a whole. In 1996, under South Africa’s new democratic constitution , the homelands were dismantled and South Africa consolidated into today’s nine provinces. The land area of South Africa’s nine provinces, from smallest to largest: Gauteng: 18,178 square kilometres (1.5% of total) Mpumalanga: 76,495 square kilometres (6.3%) KwaZulu-Natal: 94,361 square kilometres (7.7%) North West: 104,882 square kilometres (8.6%) Limpopo: 125,755 square kilometres (10.3%) Western Cape: 129,462 square kilometres (10.6%) Free State: 129,825 square kilometres (10.6%) Eastern Cape: 168,966 square kilometres (13.8%) Northern Cape: 372,889 square kilometres (30.5%) South Africa: 1,220,813 square kilometres (100%) Population of the provinces The population of the provinces also varies considerably. Gauteng, the smallest province, has the largest number of people living there – over a quarter of South Africa’s population. The Northern Cape, which takes up nearly a third of the country’s land area, has the smallest population: just over 2% of the national total. The population of South Africa’s nine provinces in 2017, from smallest to largest: Northern Cape: 1.2 million people (2.1% of South Africa’s total population) Free State: 2.9 million people (5.1%) North West: 3.9 million people (6.8%) Mpumalanga: 4.4 million people (7.9%) Limpopo: 5.8 million people (10.2%) Eastern Cape: 6.5 million people (11.5%) Western Cape : 6.5 million people (11.5%) KwaZulu-Natal: 11.1 million people (19.6%) Gauteng: 14.3 million people (25.3%) South Africa’s population South Africa has 56.5-million people, according to 2017 estimates. The 2011 census puts it at 51.5-million. Black South Africans make up around 81% of the total, coloured people 9%, whites 8% and Indians 3%. Census counts of provincial populations South Africa has held three censuses in its recent democratic history: in 1996, 2001 and 2011. Over those 15 years, the population of the provinces shifted.Gauteng’s population grew dramatically, overtaking that of KwaZulu-Natal – which saw significant growth of its own. Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West and the Western Cape also had notable increases in population. By contrast, the populations of the Eastern Cape, Free State and Northern Cape remained fairly static, as people migrated to other provinces. Population density in the provinces The variation in land area and population among South Africa’s population translates into huge differences in population density. Gauteng has an average of 785 people per square kilometre, while the Northern Cape has only three people for each square kilometre. Population density in South Africa’s nine provinces in 2017, from smallest to largest: Northern Cape: 3 people per square kilometre Free State: 22 people per square kilometre North West: 37 people per square kilometre Eastern Cape: 38 people per square kilometre Limpopo: 46 people per square kilometre Western Cape: 50 people per square kilometre Mpumalanga: 58 people per square kilometre KwaZulu-Natal: 117 people per square kilometre Gauteng: 785 people per square kilometre Provincial migration South Africans migrate away from poverty to where the jobs are, moving from poorer provinces to the richer ones. Gauteng is South Africa’s wealthiest province, mostly a city region and the centre of the country’s economy. It has the largest population, constantly swelled by migration. The province’s net migration rate (the number of people moving in minus people moving out) was nearly a million between 2011 and 2016. The Eastern Cape is the poorest province. Between 2011 and 2016 nearly half a million of its people migrated to other provinces, while only 170 000 or so moved into the province. Province and race There is also a wide variation in the racial composition of the different provinces’ populations. Census 2011 figures reveal that black South Africans are the majority population group in seven of the nine provinces, comprising from 75% to 97% of the provincial total. Yet they make up less than a third of the population in the Western Cape (26.7%) and under a half in the Northern Cape (46.5%). The distribution of a population group can reflect that people’s history in the country. Coloured South Africans are to be found mainly in the Western, Eastern and Northern Cape (respectively 61.1%, 12% and 10.7% of South Africa’s total coloured population) because they are descended from a mixture of slaves brought to what was then the Cape Colony, white immigrants to the colony, and indigenous Africans, particularly the Khoisan. The majority (71.6%) of Indian South Africans live in KwaZulu-Natal because their ancestors were brought to Natal in the early 20th century to work on sugarcane plantations. And only 0.3% of Indians live in the Free State (0.1% of the total Free State population), as they were forbidden by law to enter what was then the Orange Free State during the apartheid era. Provincial distribution also reflects a group’s socioeconomic position. White South Africans, the beneficiaries of the apartheid system, are largely found in the more developed and urbanised provinces of Gauteng (40.4% of the total white population, and 18.9% of the total Gauteng population) and the Western Cape (19.4% of the total white population, and 18.4% of the Western Cape population). Languages of the provinces There’s considerable variation in home languages between the provinces, according to Census 2011. IsiXhosa, for instance, is spoken by almost 80% of people in the Eastern Cape, while around 78% of those in KwaZulu-Natal speak isiZulu. IsiZulu is also the most common home language in Gauteng, but at a much smaller percentage. In the Western Cape and Northern Cape, Afrikaans comes into its own. READ MORE: The 11 languages of South Africa The main languages in each province, according to Census 2011: Eastern Cape: isiXhosa 78.8%, Afrikaans 10.6% Free State: Sesotho 64.2%, Afrikaans 12.7% Gauteng: isiZulu 19.8%, English 13.3%, Afrikaans 12.4%, Sesotho 11.6% KwaZulu-Natal: isiZulu 77.8%, English 13.2% Limpopo: Sesotho 52.9%, Xitsonga 17%, Tshivenda 16.7% Mpumalanga: siSwati 27.7%, isiZulu 24.1%, Xitsonga 10.4%, isiNdebele 10.1% Northern Cape: Afrikaans 53.8%, Setswana 33.1% North West: Setswana 63.4%, Afrikaans 9% Western Cape: Afrikaans 49.7%, isiXhosa 24.7%, English 20.3% Economy of the provinces Gauteng dominates almost all industries in South Africa, except agriculture and mining. In 2016 the main industries in each province were: Eastern Cape: government services 21%, trade, catering and accommodation 18%, finance 16% Free State: government services 15%, finance 14%, trade, catering and accommodation 13% Gauteng: finance 23%, government services 19%, manufacturing 14% KwaZulu-Natal: manufacturing 16%, finance 15%, government services 15% Limpopo: mining 25%, government services 18%, trade, catering and accommodation 13% Mpumalanga: mining 20%, trade, catering and accommodation 13%, manufacturing 13% Northern Cape: mining 19%, government services 15%, finance 12% North West: mining 30%, government services 12%, finance 12% Western Cape: finance 23%, trade, catering and accommodation 15%, manufacturing 14% The province’s share of South Africa’s economy Population size correlates with each province’s contribution to the national economy, with Gauteng having the biggest. The tiny province punches way above its weight, making up 33.8% of South Africa’s gross domestic product in 2016 and around 5% of the GDP of Africa as a whole. Next is KwaZulu-Natal with 16%, followed by the Western Cape with 13.7%. These three provinces together contribute nearly two-thirds to total economy of South Africa. In 2016 the value of each province’s economy, and its share of the total GDP of South Africa, was: Northern Cape: R91 billion (2.1% of South Africa’s GDP) Free State: R218 billion (5%) North West: R280 billion (6.4%) Limpopo: R312 billion (7.2%) Mpumalanga: R324 billion (7.4%) Eastern Cape: R331 billion (7.6%) Western Cape: R596 billion (13.7%) KwaZulu-Natal: R692 billion (15.9%) Gauteng: R1.5 trillion (34.6%) Government of the provinces South Africa’s provinces are governed, in different ways, on a national, provincial and local level. National government On the national level, South Africa has two houses of parliament: the National Assembly, and the National Council of Provinces. The second exists to ensure that the interests of each province are protected in the laws passed by the National Assembly. Each one of South Africa’s nine provinces sends 10 representatives to the National Council of Provinces. Six of these are permanent members of the council, and four are special delegates. Provincial government Each province has its own provincial government. The provincial legislature has the power to pass laws in certain limited areas. The legislature has between 30 and 80 members depending on the province’s portion of the national voters’ roll. The premier – the head of government in the province – governs the province together with other “members of the executive council”, known as MECs. Each MEC has a specific responsibility, such as health, education, tourism and transport. Local government The nine provinces are each further divided into municipalities. Metropolitan municipalities are densely populated urban areas with major cities – such as Johannesburg or Durban – at their core. District municipalities are larger, less urban regions centred on one or more town or small city. District municipalities are further divided into local municipalities. The cities of the provinces Each of the nine provinces has a provincial capital, the seat of provincial government. These are usually the largest city in the province – Johannesburg in Gauteng, for example, or Mahikeng in North West. The exceptions are the Eastern Cape (Bhisho) and KwaZulu-Natal (Pietermaritzburg), which have smaller cities as their capitals for reasons of history. Cape Town in the Western Cape and Bloemfontein in the Free State also stand out for being both provincial capitals and two of the three capital cities of South Africa. The provincial capitals and major cities of South Africa’s nine provinces are: Eastern Cape: Bhisho (capital) and Port Elizabeth (major city) Free State: Bloemfontein (capital and major city) Gauteng: Johannesburg (capital and major city) KwaZulu-Natal: Pietermaritzburg (capital) and Durban (major city) Limpopo: Polokwane (capital and major city) Mpumalanga: Mbombela (capital and major city) – also known as Nelspruit North West: Mahikeng (capital and major city) – formerly known as Mafeking, then as Mafikeng Northern Cape: Kimberley (capital and major city) Western Cape: Cape Town (capital and major city) Sources Census South Africa public database Statistics South Africa Census 2011 Statistics South Africa Community Survey 2016 Statistics South Africa mid-year population estimates 2017 Statistics South Africa gross domestic product, fourth quarter 2017 United Nations Statistics Division World Statistics Pocketbook 2017 World Bank Open Data Media Club South Africa South African Provinces “If I have ever seen magic, it has been in Africa” – John Hemingway. These words continue to be true across the African continent and more especially in the country of South Africa where the magic resides and its people and the very land which they stand on. A country of true hospitality and “Ubuntu” meaning humanity. People come far and wide to this land for its colorful rainbow nation, tasteful cuisines, beautiful scenery, history, Overland Tours, culture, and so much more. The South African country is one that comes from far with its complex history and cultural dynamics. For a truly South Africa experience, one would have to visit the 9 provinces of South Africa. These 9 South Africa provinces were established on the 27 April 1994, the date of the first non-racial elections and of the adoption of the Interim Constitution, born under the new democratic of South Africa favoring all people. These 9 provinces include the Western Cape, known for its beaches and offering the best Cape Town Safari experiences, Gauteng which is the smallest province in terms of size but the largest in terms of population as a prominent economic hub, the Northern Cape which is the largest in size known for its impressive desert landscapes and great Pilanesberg Safari opportunities, the Eastern Cape which is a natural paradise and perfect for those seeking Safari Cape Town adventures, the North West is known prominently as a Tswana speaking province, one of the 11 official languages of South Africa, Kwa-Zulu Natal which is the province of the great Shaka Zulu who appears in many historical pages when speaking about Chiefs of South African tribes and offers fantastic Kruger Safari tours , Mpumalanga which means “where the sun rises” and is a paradise for wildlife enthusiasts with its Kruger Park Safari tours, Limpopo which borders Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique and is known for its cultural heritage and Kruger National Park Packages , and lastly but definitely not least the Free State is known for its farm life and wide horizons, perfect for small group tours to South Africa. These provinces individually contribute to the image and package that is South Africa, offering unique experiences that capture one’s attention through architecture, history, natural scenery, landmarks, and so much more. The collective attractions found in these provinces create packages for any traveler to be impressed from the get-go. Different elements ensure that one’s trip is not only educational but also entertaining, leaving one feeling enlightened enough that they want to return to the South African soil time and time again. Below is what each province offers and what makes it unique. Gauteng Province Gauteng Province The Gauteng Province, though the smallest in South Africa, is one that carries its weight with its population density, making it a unique province. This tiny area offers people from all walks of life in a vibrant and colourful city, offering urban life on a beautiful African platter. The City of Gold, as it’s known, offers various attractions that speak for themselves on culture and urban life and everything in between of the Gauteng province. Gauteng is home to the most famous township in South Africa, the Soweto Township which showcases authentic South African lifestyles in dances, cuisines, and so much more. Vilakazi street, the Hector Pieterson Memorial Museum, as well as the Mandela house, are also found in Soweto where one can get a taste of history and heritage. Johannesburg is also found in Gauteng where one gets to see the busy city life. Johannesburg or Joburg as it is known houses attractions such as the Constitutional Hill which also sheds light on the apartheid era and the Apartheid Museum. The Gauteng province is also home to Pretoria, which is, in fact, the capital city of South Africa. In Pretoria, one can visit the Union buildings as well as the Voortrekker Monument for more South African history and heritage. One may also drive past the Jacaranda trees in Pretoria for a uniquely beautiful floral display. Gauteng is also host to the Cradle of Humankind which is a World Heritage Site offering displays of human evolution and discoveries. While there one can also visit the Sterkfontein Caves. While in Gauteng one should not forget the city life aspect where one can go enjoy Gold reef city for a day of amusement park entertainment as well as Monte Casino for those who like to win big amongst other entertaining activities. Most of the History sites in Johannesburg can be visited by booking Johannesburg Day tours if you would like specific tours. Also, check out the Overland Tours starting from Johannesburg as they give a good start to learn the long history of Apartheid and its scars. Johannesburg Soweto Tours can be found on our website and last from 5 hours to 8 hours depending on the day tour one chooses. A Soweto Tour allows visitors to delve into the rich history and culture of South Africa, particularly during the apartheid era. Northern Cape Province Northern Cape Province The largest province in South Africa, also known for its desert terrain, is a true African gem. The famous desert terrain of this vast area can be attributed to the Tswalu Kalahari Reserve known for its safaris and game drives with the viewing of meerkats and pangolins and so much more, Richtersveld with its mountains and plains in very remote settings for quiet wilderness, Goegap Nature Reserve for camping, as well as the Mokala National Park where one can get to lodge among endangered species. The Northern Cape also offers various waterfall settings for those who love this type of setting. The Augrabies Falls National Park and the Augrabiesvalle offer one dramatic and beautiful waterfalls in the backdrop of rocky terrain. While still on nature, the Northern Cape continues to offer nature’s best in the form of biodiverse parks for flower lovers at the Namaqua National Park. For those who love technology and advancements, the Northern Cape is also home to the largest telescope in Southern Africa which can be visited for one’s pleasure. Lastly, one cannot leave any South African province without a little cultural or heritage stimulation, hence why the McGregor Museum is an extremely popular attraction when in the Northern Cape. The Northern Cape is also known for its capital Kimberly. This city is home to the Big Hole which is a manmade hole. This open-pit and underground mine in Kimberley, South Africa, is claimed to be the deepest hole excavated by hand. What makes the Northern Cape appealing to any traveler is its remoteness and the purely natural element where one can just experience the world as it is with extremely limited human touches, but rather nature in its purest form. Mpumalanga Province The Mpumalanga Province is truly a place where the sun rises, as everything the sun touches is pure gold. The scenery in this province is reason alone for one to visit this province. Mpumalanga first and foremost is home to one of the largest game reserves in Africa, the Kruger National Park, offering fantastic Kruger National Park Safaris . This National Park stretches across the province and is home to various big 5 animals that draw large crowds in their sheer sizes alone. A true Kruger National Park Safari Experience. This National Park is, however, not a one-trick pony type of destination but rather offers various activities for everyone. The Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve is also another destination which one can go enjoy when in Mpumalanga for nature’s gifts with various waterfalls that will take one’s breath away. These waterfalls include the Berlin Falls and Lisbon’s Falls. These can also be booked under a day tour called Panorama full Day Tour offered by our sister company Kruger Safari Africa. While in Mpumalanga one should also go visit Nelspruit and Hazyview which are a city and town that offer a lot of activities and attractions for travelers, including visiting the Sudwala Caves and Ostrich farms amongst other entertaining activities. Mpumalanga might be home to the largest game reserve in South Africa but that does not mean there are not various options for one’s wildlife needs. One can visit various game reserves such as the Sabie Sands Game reserve and the Timbavati Game Reserve amongst many others. Lastly, while in Mpumalanga one can enjoy the view of the Sabie River. As one of the most biologically diverse rivers in South Africa, it’s no wonder Mpumalanga made the cut for one of South Africa’s provinces. Western Cape Province The Western Cape is nothing short of breathtaking. One of the most popular places that travelers tend to visit when in South Africa and it is easy to see. This vibrant province offers everything from culture and heritage to beaches and sun. So why the Western Cape? Firstly, Cape Town which is a great city hosting world-renowned attractions. As a port city on a peninsula beneath Table Mountain there is nothing not to love about this beautiful destination. While in Cape Town one can visit Table mountain for the most beautiful scenery overlooking the ocean, the Cape of Good Hope is also another scenic spot to visit as well as the tip of the Cape Peninsula where one can enjoy the beautiful scenery and feel like they are on top of the world. All these attractions can be booked under Cape Town Day Tours with Africa Moja Tours. Beaches in Cape Town are in abundance so a visit to one is exactly right up the alley when in the Western Cape. While still in Cape Town one can visit the Boulders Beach and have a day with the penguins. Robben Island is also on offer while in this city for a day of culture and the heritage of South Africa. One can wind down in Cape Town at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden for a picnic and a day of beautiful indigenous plant life. No wonder Cape Town is the gem of the Western Cape. However, the Western Cape is jam-packed with attractions. If you like wine then the Western Cape is just the place with its Winelands based in Stellenbosch, Franshoek, and Paarl for those who enjoy a glass or two. If one likes to surf, then the Muizenberg area is just the place. Knysna is also offered when in the Western Cape known for its beautiful gorgeous lagoons, tasteful oysters, elephants for the wilderness lovers as well as forest for more of nature’s best. The town of George can also be found here where the Garden route can be found. The Western Cape is full of destinations for places to go and visit that travelers will fully enjoy. One of our South Africa Overland Tours called the 15 Days Johannesburg, Kruger National Park, and Cape town will cover the provinces of Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and the Western Cape, including incredible Kruger Safari experiences. We will also get to visit all the tourist attractions in Cape Town. If you do not have 15 Days and would still like to visit and learn about South Africa’s history and present, then the 10 Days Johannesburg and Cape Town Overland Trips will cover the two provinces. Gauteng Province with its rich Apartheid history and Cape Town with its lovely and out-of-the-world attractions like Table Mountain and the Cape Winelands. Limpopo Province Limpopo Province The Limpopo province is just the place for everything old and traditional. With most of its attractions untouched and still having remnants of the past, it is no wonder this place stands out. Limpopo is one of the provinces which the Kruger National Park crosses, therefore, offering travelers the Big 5 wilderness experience speaking again of its size. The National Parks or Nature Reserves in the Limpopo area, however, have grown substantially over the years and now offer unique experiences to different markets. Moving on from the wilderness and getting in touch with remnants of the past Limpopo offers travelers the opportunity to visit the Mapungubwe National Park which was home to now-lost civilization and is now a protected habitat. While in Limpopo one can also visit the town of Thohoyandou which is home to the Venda people of South Africa who take pride in their culture and can be seen when visiting this area. Bela Bela is another popular hotspot when in Limpopo for one to visit with various museums and lodges for a beautiful Limpopo experience. Kwa-Zulu Natal Province A Coastal city known for its beaches, mountains, and unmatched hospitality. Kwa-Zulu Natal is a province that is well versed in the language of traveler’s needs. This begins, of course, in Durban which is the most popular destination when in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Durban is known for its Addington Beach, Surfing, and the Golden Mile Beach. While still on the topic of beaches Kwa-Zulu Natal has an array of famous beaches such as the Umhlanga Beach with its surfing and lighthouses, Margate area with its country clubs for a more private beach experience, and so much more. Continuing with the trend of water this province also offers an array of wetlands for one’s enjoyment, including Saint Lucia known for wetlands, hippos, and safaris as well as the Isimangaliso Wetland Park which is a World Heritage Site showcasing the appeal of wetlands in this province that cannot be found anywhere else. While in Kwa-Zulu Natal the big 5 or safaris are also not in short supply with the Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park and the Maloti-Drakensberg Park just to mention a few for one’s wilderness experience. While in Kwa-Zulu Natal one can also visit the Dolphins Coast for the viewing of dolphins amongst other things. The Royal Natal National Park is another area to visit when in this province for the most beautiful scenery when one is taking a hike. A few other hotspots to check when in this area include Richards Bay, Kokstad, and New Castle just to mention a few. The Kwa-Zulu Natal area is one drenched in culture and heritage but most importantly it’s one that knows its way in getting people to visit its shores. North West Province Sun City, the Palace of Lost City, South Africa If you have ever wondered where in South Africa, you can experience a manmade beach then North West is the province you’ve been looking for. Home to the Sun City Resort with its casinos and beautiful hotels as well as the Valley of the Waves, the North West province is a true gem. We offer Sun City Day Tour and also packages to Sun City Resort. With landscape defined by mountains in the northeast and bushveld scattered with trees and shrubs, the North West is safari, beach, and luxury destination. For the ultimate safari or wilderness experiences, two places stand out when one is in the North West and those places are the Pilanesberg National Park Safari and the Madikwe Game Reserve offering one all their big 5 needs. Hartbeespoort is another attraction or destination to visit when in this area for a visit to the Crocodile river as well the Hartbeespoort dam for scenery and everything in-between. For history and heritage, one should visit Potchefstroom for museums. Brits is another area which people visit when in the North West for Cheetahs and hunting amongst other activities. This very remote area is one that draws large numbers to its land, and it is hard not to see why with its inventive and unique selling point of a luxury resort in the middle of nowhere. Still, in North West, a Pilanesberg National Park 2 Days 1 Night Magical Safari will allow you to stay at Sun City resort for one night while giving you an opportunity to experience a morning BIG 5 experience and afternoon Pilanesberg National Park Safari. Free State Province Free State Province Sharing its borders with the Lesotho Kingdom and situated in the heart of South Africa between the Vaal River and the Orange river, it is no wonder this area is a province of South Africa. Known mostly for its natural beauty, open farmlands, and uninterrupted skies, towns and villages, interesting road routes, and the vast rocky mountain area of the East Highlands, the Free State is a province to be reckoned with. So, what attraction can one visit when in the heart of South Africa? Firstly, one can visit the Basotho Cultural Village for a day of cultural enlightenment where one gets to immerse themselves in the lives of 16th century to date Sotho customs and traditions. While at this province the Free State Botanical Garden is also another place to visit for natural beauty for one’s delight amongst 400 different plant species some of which are indigenous to the South African soil. One would also enjoy the Golden Gate Highlands National Park in the Free State with its wide accommodation of varies species and identified with its golden sandstone cliffs. If you like resorts this is definitely the province for you as the Free state is also home to the Forever Resorts Gariep which is nestled between the largest dam in South Africa giving this resort an almost Caribbean feel on the South African soil. A true paradise for relaxation and luxury. Among st other attractions, the Free State is also known for its Museum in Bloemfontein established in 1877 as well as the Naval Hill. A must-visit South African province. Eastern Cape Province As the second-largest province in South Africa, the Eastern Cape is the home of former president Nelson Mandela who became the first democratically elected president in South African in 1994, but not only that, it is also the place of many struggle heroes such as Steve Biko. With its cultural and heritage firmly rooted from the Xhosa people of South Africa, this province stands out for its beautiful scenery and various other destinations that appeal to travelers. These include the wilderness with the Addo Elephant Park which is dedicated to the protection of elephants as well as the Mountain Zebra National Park which is dedicated to the protection of the Zebra. The wilderness can be found in the Eastern Cape in their numbers not just for select species but for all animals. The Eastern Cape is also home to various beaches with places like Port Elizabeth, Jeffrey’s Bay, East London and so much more offering one beach experiences to last a lifetime. Coastal Parklands with forest and trails can also be found in this province and these include the Garden Route National Park, Cape Saint Francis, Port Alfred and so much more where one can enjoy various water activities. The Eastern Cape is also home to the Wild Coast with places like Coffee Bay and the Hole in the Wall where a warm ocean meets green hills and rocky coastline. With these types of coastal attractions, one would not be wrong to say that these attractions are indeed the wild coast. For natural beauty, one can visit Hogsback for its beautifully landscaped and cloud-wrapped mountains. Small Group Tours to South Africa Small group tours to South Africa offer an intimate and personalised way to experience South Africa. Traveling in small groups allows for more interaction with guides and fellow travellers, creating a close-knit and immersive experience. These tours often focus on specific interests, such as wildlife photography, culinary adventures, or cultural exploration, ensuring that participants can tailor their South African journey to their preferences. The home language of most people in KwaZulu-Natal is, unsurprisingly, isiZulu. In the Eastern Cape it’s isiXhosa. Around half the people of the Western Cape and Northern Cape speak Afrikaans. In Gauteng and Mpumalanga, no single language dominates. The main languages of each province are: Eastern Cape – isiXhosa (78.8%), Afrikaans (10.6%) Free State – Sesotho (64.2%), Afrikaans (12.7%) Gauteng – isiZulu (19.8%), English (13.3%), Afrikaans (12.4%), Sesotho (11.6%) KwaZulu-Natal – isiZulu (77.8%), English (13.2%) Limpopo – Sesotho sa Leboa (52.9%), Xitsonga (17%), Tshivenda (16.7%) Mpumalanga – siSwati (27.7%), isiZulu (24.1%), Xitsonga (10.4%), isiNdebele (10.1%) Northern Cape – Afrikaans (53.8%), Setswana (33.1%) North West – Setswana (63.4%), Afrikaans (9%) Western Cape – Afrikaans (49.7%), isiXhosa (24.7%), English (20.3%) South Africa’s constitution recognises 11 official languages: Sepedi (also known as Sesotho sa Leboa ), Sesotho, Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga, Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa and isiZulu. For centuries South Africa’s official languages were European – Dutch, English, Afrikaans. African languages, spoken by at least 80% of the people, were ignored. In 1996 South Africa’s new constitution gave official protection to all of the country’s major languages. South Africa has about 34 historically established languages. Thirty are living languages, and four extinct Khoesan languages. English is an urban language of public life, widely used in the media, business and government. Out of the 4.9-million South Africans who speak English as a first language, a third (33%) are white, a quarter (24%) are black, 22% are Indian and 19% are coloured South Africans. English is widely used as a second language and common language of communication, mainly in the cities. Afrikaans is a version of Dutch that evolved out of a South Holland dialect brought here in the 1600s. Over the centuries it has picked up many influences from African languages, as well as from European colonial languages such as English, French and German. More than half (50.2%) of Afrikaans speakers are coloured, 40% are white, 9% black and just 1% Indian. Click to enlarge South Africa’s nine African official languages all fall into the Southern Bantu-Makua subfamily, part of the broad and branching Niger-Congo family of languages. The languages arrived here during the great expansion of Bantu-speaking people from West Africa eastwards and southwards into the rest of the continent. The expansion began in around 3000 BCE and was largely complete by 1000 CE. Like all languages in the Niger-Congo family they are tonal languages, in which either a high or low tone gives a word a different meaning. The nine African languages can be broadly divided in two: Nguni-Tsonga languages: isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu, siSwati, Xitsonga Sotho-Makua-Venda languages: Sesotho, Sesotho sa Leboa, Setswana, Tshivenda Within the first group Xitsonga alone falls into the Tswa-Ronga subfamily, while isiZulu, isiXhosa, isNdebele and siSwati are Nguni languages. Similarly, Sesotho, Sesotho sa Leboa and Setswana are closely related Sotho languages, and Tshivenda something of a standalone in the Sotho-Makua-Venda subfamily. Multilingual South Africa South Africans are more than bilingual. A rough estimate based on Census 2001 first-language data and a 2002 study of second-languages speakers is that the average South African – man, woman and child – uses 2.84 languages. Obviously, many people are limited to one, and many others able to speak three, four or more languages. Click to enlarge English- and Afrikaans-speaking people (mostly coloured, Indian and white South Africans) tend not to have much ability in African languages, but are fairly fluent in each other’s language. Multilingualism is common among black South Africans. For this reason, South African censuses ask people which two languages they speak. The question in the 2011 Census was: Which two languages does (member of household) speak most often in this household? Thirteen options were given: South Africa’s 11 official languages, plus Sign Language, and “Other”. If a person did not speak a second language, that too was recorded. The contrast between first language and second language is shown in the maps at right. While the geographical pattern of dominant first languages neatly conforms to the facts of history and urbanisation, the picture of second languages is more complicated, more of a mess. The second map reveals a couple of things. The first is how few South Africans speak just one language. The second is that while English is the dominant first language only in the cities – Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban – it is widely used as a second language across the country. English is spread by the media and used as a common language of communication. But many South Africans are compelled to learn English, and often Afrikaans as well, simply to get a job and to work. These are often poorer people denied an adequate education. Elsewhere in the world the ability to speak many languages is a sign of sophistication. In South Africa, multilingualism – a complex undertaking, especially in languages from very different families – is a common achievement of the poor. Code-switching South Africa Language is fluid, especially in South Africa. Our languages are and have been for centuries in a constant swirl , mixed by work, migration, education, urbanisation, the places we live, friendship and marriage. Because of this, South Africans are a code-switching people. “Code switching” simply means using more than one language in a single conversation. Every adult South African does this at some time, even if they aren’t aware of it. Here’s an example overheard at a football match. IsiZulu is in regular type, Afrikaans in bold and English in italics: “I-Chiefs isidle nge-referee’s ngabe ihambe sleg. Maar why benga stopi this system ye-injury time?” A rough translation: “Chiefs [the football club] have won because the referee favoured them. Otherwise, they would have lost. But why is this system of injury time not stopped?” Influenced by the other languages spoken around them, all of South Africa’s languages change and grow all the time. Who speaks what? Watch: South Africa’s most recent census was in 2011. The following table gives a breakdown of first-language speakers, as recorded by the census. The languages Unless otherwise indicated, all figures below are from Census 2011 and refer only to first language – the language spoken at home. Afrikaans Also known as: isiBhuru (isiNdebele), isiBhulu (isiXhosa), isiBhunu (isiZulu), siBhunu (siSwati), Seburu (Sesotho sa Leboa), Xibunu (Xitsonga) First-language users: 6,855,082 (13.5% of South Africans) Second-language users: 10,300,000 (2002 estimate) All users: 17,155,082 (estimate) Afrikaans evolved out of a 17th-century Dutch dialect introduced to South Africa in 1652 when the Dutch first colonised the Cape of Good Hope. Today it is the majority language of the Northern Cape. Afrikaans became an official language in South Africa with the Official Languages of the Union Act of 1925, which retroactively dated the language’s official status to 1910. The 6,855,082 South Africans who speak Afrikaans as a first language make up 13.5% of the country’s total population. More than half (50.2%) of these Afrikaans speakers are coloured, 39.5% white, 8.8% black, 0.9% Indian or Asian, and 0.6% other. More than three-quarters (75.8%) of coloured South Africans speak Afrikaans, as do almost two-thirds (60.8%) of whites. It is the home language of 4.6% of Indian or Asian people, and of 1.5% of black South Africans. Afrikaans and South Africa’s population groups BlackColouredIndian or AsianWhiteOtherAll Total population41,000,9384,615,4011,286,9304,586,838280,45451,770,560 Afrikaans speakers602,1663,442,16458,7002,710,46141,5916,855,082 Share of population1.5%75.8%4.6%60.8%15.2%13.5% Most Afrikaans speakers (41%) live in the Western Cape, and 21% in Gauteng. Ten percent of all Afrikaans speakers live in the Eastern Cape, 8.8% in the Northern Cape, and 5% in the Free State. Within the provinces, Afrikaans is the majority language in the Northern Cape (53.8%) and the Western Cape (49.7%). It makes up 12.7% of languages spoken in the Free State, 12.4% of Gauteng’s languages, 10.6% of languages in the Eastern Cape, 9% in North West, 7.2% in Mpumalanga, 2.6% in Limpopo and 1.6% in KwaZulu-Natal. English Also known as: Engels (Afrikaans), isiNgisi (isiNdebele and isiZulu), isiNgesi (isiXhosa), Senyesemane (Sesotho), Seisemane (Sesotho sa Leboa), siNgisi (siSwati), Xinghezi (Xitsonga) First-language users: 4,892,623 (9.6% of South Africans) Second-language users: 11,000,000 (2002 estimate) All users: 15,892,623 (estimate) English is a prominent language in South African public life, widely used in government, business and the media. As a first language it is mainly confined to the cities. In 1910 English and Dutch were declared the official languages of the new Union of South Africa. English has retained this official status ever since. The 4,892,623 South Africans who speak English as a first language make up 9.6% of the country’s total population. Among first-language English speakers, 32.8% are white, 23.9% black, 22.4% Indian and 19.3% coloured. The majority (86.1%) of Indian South Africans speak English as their home language, as do over a third (35.9%) of whites. It is the first language of 20.8% of coloured people, and of 2.9% of black South Africans. English and South Africa’s population groups BlackColouredIndian or AsianWhiteOtherAll Total population40,413,4084,541,3581,271,1584,461,409274,11150,961,443 English speakers1,167,913945,8471,094,3171,603,57580,9714,892,623 Share of population2.9%20.8%86.1%35.9%29.5%9.6% The largest number of English speakers are in Gauteng – 1.6-million people, or a third (32.8%) of all English-speaking South Africans. Over a quarter (27.3%) live in KwaZulu-Natal, 23.5% in the Western Cape, and 7.4% in the Eastern Cape. English is a minority language within all nine provinces. It is the second-largest language in both the Western Cape (after Afrikaans) and Gauteng (after isiZulu). In the Western Cape it is spoken by 20.2% of the population, and in Gauteng by 13.3%. English is minimally spoken in the other provinces. Read more: The online dictionary of South African English isiNdebele Also known as: Ndebele, Southern Ndebele, Ndzundza, isiKhethu First-language users: 1,090,233 (2.1% of South Africans) Second-language users: 1,400,000 (2002 estimate) All users: 2,490,233 (estimate) IsiNdebele is the least spoken of South Africa’s 11 official languages, and confined mainly to Mpumalanga and Gauteng. It is an Nguni language, like isiZulu, isiXhosa and siSwati. Also called Southern Ndebele, it is not to be confused with Northern Ndebele, more commonly known as Matabele, which is closer to isiZulu and an official language of Zimbabwe. The 1,090,223 South Africans who speak isiNdebele as a first language make up just 2.1% of the country’s total population. Among first-language isiNdebele speakers, 97% are black, 0.9% Indian or Asian, 0.8% coloured, 0.8% white and 0.5% other. IsiNdebele is spoken by 2.6% of black South Africans – fewer than the 2.9% who speak English at home. It is barely spoken by other population groups, being the home language of 0.2% of both the coloured and white population, and 0.8% of Indian or Asian people. It is also spoken by 2.1% of people who describe themselves as “other”. IsiNdebele and South Africa’s population groups BlackColouredIndian or AsianWhiteOtherAll Total population40,413,4084,541,3581,271,1584,461,409274,11150,961,443 IsiNdebele speakers1,057,7818,2259,8158,6115,7911,090,223 Share of population2.6%0.2%0.8%0.2%2.1%2.1% Most isiNdebele speakers (37%) live in Mpumalanga, followed by Gauteng (34.9%), KwaZulu-Natal (10.2%), Limpopo (9.6%) and North West (4%). IsiNdebele is a minority language in all the provinces. It is spoken by 10.1% of the population of Mpumalanga and 3.2% of Gautengers. isiXhosa Also known as: Xhosa First-language users: 8,154,258 Second-language users: 11,000,000 (2002 estimate) All users: 19,154,258 (estimate) The dominant language of the Eastern Cape, isiXhosa is also the second-largest language in South Africa after isiZulu. It is an Nguni language, like isiNdebele, isiZulu and siSwati, but also shows some influence from the Khoekhoe languages. The 8,154,258 South Africans who speak isiXhosa as a first language make up 16% of the country’s total population. Among first-language isiXhosa speakers, 99.4% are black, 0.3% coloured, 0.2% white and 0.1% Indian or Asian. Among the population groups, isiXhosa is spoken by 20.1% of black South Africans, the second-largest share after isiZulu. It is the home language of 0.6% of coloured people, 0.4% of Indians, 0.3% of whites and 1.9% of people who describe themselves as “other”. IsiXhosa and South Africa’s population groups BlackColouredIndian or AsianWhiteOtherAll Total population40,413,4084,541,3581,271,1584,461,409274,11150,961,443 IsiXhosa speakers8,104,75225,3405,34213,6415,1828,154,258 Share of population20.1%0.6%0.4%0.3%1.9%16% Close to two-thirds (62.4%) of first-language isiXhosa speakers live in the Eastern Cape, and 17.2% in the Western Cape. About a tenth (9.8%) of all isiXhosa speakers live in Gauteng. Within the provinces, isiXhosa is the majority language in the Eastern Cape, where its 5,092,152 first-language users make up 78.8% of the population. In the Western Cape a quarter (24.7%) of the population speaks isiXhosa. IsiXhosa is spoken by 7.5% of people in the Free State, 6.6% in Gauteng, 5.5% in North West, and 5.3% in the Northern Cape. isiZulu Also known as: Zulu First-language users: 11,587,374 (22.7% of the population) Second-language users: 15,700,000 (2002 estimate) All users: 27,300,000 (estimate) IsiZulu is the most widely spoken language in South Africa, the first language of close to a quarter of the population. It is the dominant language of KwaZulu-Natal. Like isiNdebele, isiXhosa and siSwati, isiZulu is an Nguni language. The 11,587,374 South Africans who speak isiZulu as their home language make up 22.7% of the country’s total population. A full 99.4% of first-language isiZulu speakers are black, 0.2% coloured, 0.1% white and 0.1% Indian or Asian. IsiZulu is spoken by 28.5% of black South Africans, more than any other language. It is the home language of 1.3% of Indian or Asian people, 0.5% of coloureds, 0.4% of whites and 4.1% of people who describe themselves as “other”. IsiZulu and South Africa’s population groups BlackColouredIndian or AsianWhiteOtherAll Total population40,413,4084,541,3581,271,1584,461,409274,11150,961,443 IsiZulu speakers11,519,23423,79716,69916,45811,18611,587,374 Share of population28.5%0.5%1.3%0.4%4.1%22.7% Over two-thirds (68.2%) of isiZulu-speaking South Africans live in KwaZulu-Natal, and more than a fifth (20.6% in Gauteng). Some 8.3% of all isiZulu speakers live in Mpumalanga, which borders KwaZulu-Natal to the northwest. The rest are thinly spread across the other provinces. Within the provinces, isiZulu is spoken by over three-quarters (77.8%) of the population of KwaZulu-Natal, and nearly a quarter (24.1%) of the people of Mpumalanga. Almost a fifth (19.8%) of Gautengers speak isiZulu. It is a small minority language in the rest of the provinces. Sesotho Also known as: Southern Sotho First-language users: 3,798,915 (7.6% of the population) Second-language users: 7,900,000 (2002 estimate) All users: 11,698,915 (estimate) Sesotho is the language of the Free State, and the first language of 3,798,915 South Africans, or 7.6% of the total population. It is one of the three Sotho languages, with Sesotho sa Leboa and Setswana. A full 98.7% of first-language Sesotho speakers are black, 0.6% coloured, 0.5% white and 0.1% Indian or Asian. Sesotho is spoken by just under a tenth (9.4%) of black South Africans. It is the home language of 0.5% of coloured people, of 0.4% of both white and Indian/Asian people, and of 1.7% of the people who describe themselves as “other”. Sesotho and South Africa’s population groups BlackColouredIndian or AsianWhiteOtherAll South Africa’s population40,413,4084,541,3581,271,1584,461,409274,11150,961,443 Sesotho speakers3,798,91523,2305,26917,4914,6573,849,563 Share of population9.4%0.5%0.4%0.4%1.7%7.6% Most (44.6%) Sesotho speakers live in the Free State. The inner curve of this bean-shaped province fits around the northwest border of Lesotho, a country where Sesotho and English are the official languages. Over a third (36.2%) of all Sesotho-speaking South Africans live in Gauteng. Some 5.2% live in North West. Within the provinces, Sesotho is spoken by close to two-thirds (64.2%) of the population of the Free State, over a tenth (11.6%) of Gauteng, and by 5.8% of people living in North West. Sesotho sa Leboa (Sepedi) Also known as: Northern Sotho First-language users: 4,618,576 (9.1% of the population) Second-language users: 9,100,000 (2002 estimate) All users: 13,518,576 (estimate) Sesotho sa Leboa or Sepedi? The 1993 interim Constitution named the language Sesotho sa Leboa. It was then changed to Sepedi in the final Constitution of 1996 . Debate on the right name continues . Most language experts, as well as speakers of the language , consider Sesotho sa Leboa to be the correct name, and Sepedi to be a dialect. In a study of the language policy of six South African universities, five used Sesotho sa Leboa and one Sepedi. But both the Department of Basic Education and Statistics South Africa use Sepedi as the language’s name. Sesotho sa Leboa is South Africa’s third-largest African language (after isiZulu and isiXhosa), and mainly spoken in Limpopo. Like Sesotho and Setswana, it is a Sotho language. Sesotho sa Leboa is the first language of 4,618,576 people, or 9.1% of the total population. A full 99.7% of first-language Sesotho sa Leboa speakers are black, 0.1% coloured, 0.1% white and 0.1% Indian or Asian. Sesotho sa Leboa is spoken by 11.4% of black South Africans. It is the home language of just 0.2% of Indians, 0.1% of coloureds, 0.1% of whites and 0.6% of people who describe themselves as “other”. Sesotho sa Leboa and South Africa’s population groups BlackColouredIndian or AsianWhiteOtherAll Total population40,413,4084,541,3581,271,1584,461,409274,11150,961,443 Sesotho sa Leboa speakers4,602,4595,6422,9435,9171,6164,618,576 Share of population11.4%0.1%0.2%0.1%0.6%9.1% Nearly two-thirds of (61.2%) of all Sesotho sa Leboa speakers live in Limpopo, over a quarter (27.8%) in Gauteng and 8.1% in Mpumalanga. The rest of the language’s speakers are scattered around the country. Within the provinces, Sesotho sa Leboa is spoken by more than half (52.9%) the people of Limpopo, 10.6% of those in Gauteng, and 9.3% of Mpumalanga’s population. Setswana Also known as: Tswana, Sechuana, Chuana First-language users: 4,067,248 (8% of the population) Second-language users: 7,700,000 (2002 estimate) All users: 11,767,248 (estimate) The language of North West and its neighbouring country of Botswana, Setswana is the Tswanaic language in the Sotho-Tswana subfamily, which it shares with Sesotho and Sesotho sa Leboa. Its 3,996,951 speakers make up 8% of South Africa’s population. Some 98.3% of Setswana speakers are black, 1% coloured, 0.1% Indian or Asian and 0.1% white. Setswana is spoken by 9.9% of black South Africans, making it the third-largest language in the population group. It is the first language of 0.9% of coloured people, 0.4% of both Indians and whites, and 2.4% of people who describe themselves as “other”. Setswana and South Africa’s population groups BlackColouredIndian or AsianWhiteOtherAll Total population40,413,4084,541,3581,271,1584,461,409274,11150,961,443 Setswana speakers3,996,95140,3514,91718,3586,6714,067,248 Share of population9.9%0.9%0.4%0.4%2.4%8.0% Over a half (52.9%) of Setswana speakers live in North West, a quarter (26.9%) in Gauteng, and close on a tenth (9.2%) in the Northern Cape. Both North West and the Northern Cape lie on the border of Botswana, where 79% of the population speak Setswana. Within the provinces, Setswana is spoken by nearly two-thirds (63.4%) of the population of North West, a third (33.1%) of the Northern Cape’s people, by 9.1% of Gauteng’s population and 5.2% of the Free State’s. siSwati Also known as: Swati, Swazi First-language users: 1,297,046 (2.5% of the population) Second-language users: 2,400,000 (2002 estimate) All users: 3,697,046 (estimate) SiSwati is mostly spoken in Mpumalanga, which along its curved eastern border almost encircles the country of Swaziland. SiSwati is an Nguni language, like isiNdebele, isiXhosa and isiZulu. The 1,297,046 people who speak siSwati are just 2.5% of South Africa’s population, making it the country’s third-smallest language. Among first-language siSwati speakers, 99.3% are black, 0.3% coloured, 0.2% white and 0.1% Indian or Asian. In the population as a whole, siSwati is spoken by 3.2% of black South Africans, by around 0.1% of the other population groups, and by 0.5% of people who describe themselves as “other”. SiSwati and South Africa’s population groups BlackColouredIndian or AsianWhiteOtherAll Total population40,413,4084,541,3581,271,1584,461,409274,11150,961,443 SiSwati speakers1,288,1564,0561,2172,2991,320234,655 Share of population3.2%0.1%0.1%0.1%0.5%2.5% Most siSwati speakers live in Mpumalanga – 85.3% of its total users and the highest provincial concentration of any language. Another tenth (10.5%) live in Gauteng, and the rest are scattered mainly over the northern parts of the country. Within the provinces, sisSwati is spoken by 27.7% of the total population of Mpumalanga, and just 1.1% of Gautengers. Tshivenda Also known as: Venda, Chivenda First-language users: 1,209,388 (2.4% of the population) Second-language users: 1,700,000 (2002 estimate) All users: 2,909,388 (estimate) Tshivenda is something of a standalone among South Africa’s major African languages, falling into the broader Sotho-Makua-Venda subfamily but not part of the Sotho group. It is mostly spoken in the far northeast of Limpopo. The 1,209,388 South Africans who speak Tshivenda are just 2.4% of the country’s population, making it the second-smallest language after isiNdebele. A full 99.4% of first-language Tshivenda speakers are black, 0.2% coloured, 0.2% white and 0.1% Indian or Asian. Tshivenda is spoken by 3% of black South Africans, by just 0.1% of the other population groups, and by 0.5% of people who describe themselves as “other”. Tshivenda and South Africa’s population groups BlackColouredIndian or AsianWhiteOtherAll Total population40,413,4084,541,3581,271,1584,461,409274,11150,961,443 Tshivenda speakers1,201,5882,8478102,8891,2541,297,046 Share of population3.0%0.1%0.1%0.1%0.5%2.4 Three quarters (73.8%) of Tshivenda speakers live in Limpopo, giving the language the second-highest provincial concentration after siSwati. A further 22.5% of Tshivenda speakers live in Gauteng. Within the provinces, Tshivenda is spoken by 16.7% of the population of Limpopo, and 2.3% of the population of Gauteng. Xitsonga Also known as: Tsonga, Shangaan, Shangana, Vatsonga First-language users: 2,277,148 (4.5% of the population) Second-language users: 3,400,000 (2002 estimate) All users: 5,677,148 (estimate) Xitsonga is a minority language concentrated along South Africa’s northeast border with the country of Mozambique, where it is also spoken. Within the broader Nguni-Tsonga language subfamily which it shares with isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu and siSwati, it alone falls into the Tswa-Ronga group, while the other languages are Nguni. The 2,277,148 South Africans who speak Xitsonga as their home language make up 4.5% of the country’s total population. A full 99.1% of first-language Xitsonga speakers are black, 0.2% white, 0.1% coloured and 0.1% Indian or Asian. Xitsonga is spoken by 5.6% of black South Africans, 0.2% of Indians, 0.1% of whites, 0.05% of coloureds and 3.9% of people who describe themselves as “other”. Xitsonga and South Africa’s population groups BlackColouredIndian or AsianWhiteOtherAll Total population40,413,4084,541,3581,271,1584,461,409274,11150,961,443 Xitsonga speakers2,257,7712,2682,5063,98710,6161,209,388 Share of population5.6%0.05%0.2%0.09%3.9%4.5% Nearly two-fifths (39.8%) of Xitsonga-speaking South Africans live in Limpopo, over a third (35%) in Gauteng, 18.3% in Mpumalanga and 5.6% in North West. Within the provinces, Xitsonga is spoken by 17% of the population of Limpopo, 10.4% of Mpumalanga and 6.6% of the people in Gauteng. Sources and notes Glottolog – Comprehensive reference information for the world’s languages, especially the lesser known languages. Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 Statistics South Africa Census 2011 Adrian Frith: Census 2011 Ethnologue: Languages of South Africa , 20th edition data (2017) Pharos South African Multilingual Dictionary (2014) ISBN 9781868901975 Language in South Africa: The role of language in national transformation, reconstruction and development (2002) by Victor Webb. ISBN 9789027297631 “The twelve modern Khoisan languages” (2013) by Matthias Bretzinger. In Khoisan languages and linguistics, Proceedings of the 3rd international symposium . ISBN 9783896458735 Researched, written and designed by Mary Alexander. Updated 11 September 2024. Comments? Email mary1alexander@gmail.com A guide to South African Provinces A guide to South African Provinces South Africa Travel and Discover South Africa Information to help you choose where to go South Africa is on the southernmost tip of the African continent. It is still Africa. Many people have asked me where they should go when they want to visit and travel to South Africa. It is like asking how many grains of sugar is in a teaspoon. If you have never visited South Africa and you know very little about it, you will discover it is vast and diverse. One of the most important questions you have to ask yourself is what your goal is when you want to visit. The second question is the length of time you have for your travels. Then you can consider your budget and plan accordingly. Which province and region should you travel to in South Africa? South Africa might not be the largest country in the world but it certainly isn’t small. It is 9th on the list of largest countries in Africa. Did you know South Africa has nine provinces? They cover approximately 1,22 million km². That is a whole lot of space to explore. Sometimes you can flit around and get to places quickly; sometimes it takes you ages just to drive a couple of hundred kilometres. To give you an idea, South Africa is twice the size of France, 3 x the size of Japan and 4 x the size of Italy. South Africa is also about 5 times bigger than the United Kingdom. Safaris in South Africa - elephants will keep you entertained The most popular places to visit in South Africa Cape Town and Kruger National Park are the most visited areas in South Africa. Cape Town might have it all from beautiful mountains with glorious vistas, to delectable wines or splendid beaches. The Kruger National Park might have all the wildlife your heart desires, but there is an enormous variety to see between these two destinations. For instance, if you only visit Cape Town and its vicinity you will have missed out on many other parts of South Africa from its people, to varied scenery and even different animals. Delectable wines doing good! - Unite against poaching Facts about South Africa – Geographical, populace and environmental If you would like to visit South Africa it is advisable to know a bit about its size, its environment and its climate. South Africa’s provinces vary considerably in size. Each has its own attractions filled with historic information, unique landscapes and different cultures. 60’s Vibe in Stormsriver Village The Northern Cape, an arid and usually dry region is vast and therefore the largest of the provinces. Gauteng by comparison is tiny but contains the country’s largest city. The Northern Cape has approximately 1.3 million people living there whilst Gauteng (Place of Gold) has an estimated population of over 16 million. To put it into perspective, in Gauteng there are nearly 700 people per square kilometre whilst in the Northern Cape there are probably less than four people per square kilometre. Open spaces in the Kgalagadi, Northern Cape Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Eswatini (Swaziland) and Mozambique are South Africa’s neighbours and the mountain kingdom of Lesotho is completely landlocked by South Africa. Each province has its own Legislature, Premier and Executive Council. The country has common boundaries with Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, while Mozambique and Eswatini lie to the north-east. Bat eared fox Travel inspiration delivered directly to your inbox Subscribe here The 9 Provinces of South Africa: Eastern Cape Free State Gauteng KwaZulu-Natal Limpopo Mpumalanga Northern Cape North West Province Western Cape Scenic mountain passes South Africa boasts three capital cities: Cape Town in the Western Cape is the legislative capital where South Africa’s Parliament is. Pretoria in the City of Tshwane in Gauteng is the administrative capital, where the Union Buildings are. Bloemfontein in the Free State is the judicial capital where the Supreme Court of Appeal resides. Rugged landscape of the Northern Cape Four of South Africa’s provinces are situated on the coast. The coastline has two oceans, the cold Atlantic Ocean and the warmer Indian Ocean. Northern Cape: Situated on the western side of South Africa the Northern Cape has the cold and frequently rough Atlantic Ocean. Western Cape: Although it is in the western area of South Africa, it also shares some of the southern tip of Africa. It is the only province that features two oceans, the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean, where the two meet at Cape Agulhas. Eastern Cape: Still situated in a southern section of South Africa, the Eastern Cape has the warmer subtropical Indian Ocean. Kwazulu-Natal: Situated in the east of South Africa, Kwazulu-Natal has the subtropical warmer Indian Ocean. All the other provinces of South Africa, the Free State, Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West Province are landlocked. Richest Provinces In South Africa Richest Province In South Africa 2024: South Africa is one of the most prominent Countries in Africa. Situated in the southernmost part of the continent, it has about 60 million people as it’s population and prides itself as one of the few Countries yet to experience coup d’etat. It’s ability to resolve most of it national crisis has gone a long way in promoting it’s image in the international community. It has one of the largest wide life habitat and home for tourism and culture. South Africa is known to have about 80% of it population as Black South Africans while the other remaining population comprises of Africa’s largest communities of European, Asian and multiracial (Coloured South Africans). Most developed province in South Africa These accounts for its diversity in culture and heritage. With numerous languages spoken in the country, it is well categorized as a multiethnic society with a wide variety of cultures, and religious belief and worshipers. This peculiarity was aptly captured under the South African constitution whereby it recognized 11 official National languages. South Africa is known to have about nine provinces and has been recorded as one of the most beautiful Countries in Africa with lots of natural habitation for both humans and wildlife. It is also a very busy country with lots of economic opportunities for both citizens and foreigners alike. It is a very flourishing country in terms of infrastructural development and commercial activities. Top ten richest province in South Africa Recommended: Most corrupt countries in Africa and why Table of Contents Top 9 Richest Provinces In South Africa By GDP 2024 Unveiling Facts About South Africa Other Interesting Facts About South Africa Top 9 Richest Provinces In South Africa By GDP 2024 1. GAUTENG: The Gauteng province most times referred to as the ‘eGoli’ and ‘City of Gold’ is the richest province in South Africa. It is no news how gold was discovered in the province around 1886. This skyrocketed the economic status of the province from that time. With lots of big multinational corporations establishing their headquarter there to the seemingly advancement of commercial activities in the area. Richest province with minerals in South Africa It has been able to retain the position ever since as a commercial hub being one of the major exporter of over 40 percent of the world gold production. It is one of the province that contribute heavily to the GDP of the country. It is one of the most richest, infact, the richest province in South Africa operating a seperate GDP of about 18,259 US Dollars. Also see: Advantages And Disadvantages Of Privatization 2. WESTERN CAPE: Western Cape is the hub of tourism. It is one of the busiest province in South Africa. It has been listed as one of the most beautiful and richest province in South African. It has a lot of tourist sites, great nightlife and exquisite hotels. It is one of the best places to visit and have a great experience and adventure. List Of Richest Province In South Africa It is one of the province operating a high GDP and contributing to the economic growth of the country. Apart from being a hub of tourist attractions with a number of visitors coming in annually, it also has lots of establishment. Western Capeis recorded to have a GDP of over 15,673 US Dollars. Also see: Highest Paying Jobs in South Africa 2022 3. NORTH WEST: The province is also known as the ‘platinum province’ because of its many platinum mines. The North West remains one of the most richest and industrialized province in the country and accounts for about 94% of the country’s platinum. North West is also recorded as a major producer of platinum, producing more platinum than any single area globally. GDP per province South Africa North west is also home to Sun City Resort, one of the most amazing landscapes and a home of relaxation. It is one of the most visited resorts in the country with amazing sceneries to appeal to the onlookers. It is peaceful and quite. It is part of the tourist attraction contributing to the Economic Growth of the province. With a GDP of about 12, 829 US Dollars per capita, it ranks as one of the richest province in South Africa. 4. MPUMALANGA: The province of Mpumalanga is not as large as other province but certainly not the poorest province either. It is one of the richest province in South Africa owing to the many economic establishments set up in the area. Which is the richest municipality in South Africa? It is known as the place of sunrise and home of tourists. It has some of the best National Park and other recreational parks and event centers that generate and contribute to bother the National GDP and the GDP of the province. It has a GDP per capita up to the tune of about 12, 585 US Dollars making it one of the richest province even though it is the smallest province in South Africa. Also see: Highest Paying law firms in Nigeria 5. FREE STATE: The Free State has shown to be the commercial hub for skilled artist and artistry. Apart from being a base and the Judicial capital, it has a very robust and functional economy that is targeted at growing a more productive economic system. The province is the base of real culture and art. The level of artistic engagement found in the area as well as the festivals of art and culture. It also has a diversified interest in agriculture with maximum participation producing more economic results. It has a GDP of about 12, 584 US Dollars per capita and has been instrumental to the growth of the Country’s overall GDP. Fastest growing province in South Africa 6. NORTHERN CAPE: The Northern Cape remains the country’s biggest province but has a relatively low population. It is quite a home for enterprise and commercial activities bringing the province to limelight as one of the richest province in the country. Although it is a relatively new province having been carved out in 1994 from the West and Eastern provinces. It has a GDP of about 11, 902 US Dollars which is is quite plausible for a young province with low human population. It has been a major contributor to the National GDP as well. Second richest province in South Africa Also see: Richest States In The US By Income 2022 7. KWAZULU-NATAL: The coastal region and province of KwaZulu-Natal is one of the most beautiful and warmth inducing province in the country and has been considered as one of the richest province in South Africa. It opens its doors to tourists and lovers of nature. Amongst many other diversified strategic enterprises boosting it’s economy, the province has some of the best tourist centers such as the King Shaka International Airport, Umhlanga and Ballito avails onlookers and tourists a wonderful experience to relax while glancing through beautiful sceneries. With a GD P of about 10, 406 US Dollars and ranks as one of the richest provinces in South Africa. 8. LIMPOPO: Limpopo is known for its openness and beauty. Covered in the natural embellishments of wildlife and has fast become a haven for both wildlife and tourists. The province has been able to harness it resources and infrastructures across the province, harnessing the potential that lies in other sectors other than depending on a streamlined source of income. The province is known to have some of the best tourist attraction centers which has been a boost to the economic trajectory of the province and the country at large. It has a commendable GDP of about 8,983 US Dollars, slightly above that of Eastern Cape. It is one of the richest provinces in South Africa. Recommended: Richest Provinces In Canada By GDP 2023 9. EASTERN CAPE: With the Eastern Cape contributing less than 8% to the total national GDP it ranks lower on the list as one of the richest province in South Africa. This is because it is riddled with a poverty that is clearly below the average level and it’s GDP totalling about 7, 893 seem to be the lowest when compared to the other provinces. Although more effort and plans are being put in place to revitalize the economy of the province by diversifying the economy, it has not been able to placate the deplorable standard of living in the area and has failed to profer a quick approach to alleviating the poverty rate in the area. Recommended: Oldest Universities In The World currently Unveiling Facts About South Africa Today, South Africa is made up of many different people, each with their own language and history. This country has 11 official languages, and many more unofficial languages. It has colourful mix of cultures which gives it a nickname “rainbow nation“. How many provinces in South Africa Today, most of the landscapes in South Africa are made up of high, flat areas called “plateaus”. These landscapes are covered with rolling grasslands (which are called “highveld”) and tree-dotted plains (which are called “bushveld”). Again, there is a mountainous region at the east, south, and west of these plateau lands (which are also called the “Great Escarpment”). The eastern range of the land is called the “Drakensberg” or “Dragon’s Mountain” and is filled with jagged peaks. Some of these jagged peaks reach 3,400 meters high! South Africa has another country within its borders. This country is called the “Drakensberg” and is the mountainous kingdom of Lesotho. The water in South Africa comes from the snow-capped peaks of Lesotho (it is also called “the kingdom of the Sky”). Today, Lesotho is the only country in the world that lie entirely over 1,000m above sea level. Recommended: Main Causes Of Unemployment In Ghana And Solutions South Africa has wonderful wildlife from aardvarks to zebras. Although South Africa only makes up about one percent of the land surface of the Earth, it is home to almost ten percent of the species of known bird, fish and plant in the world, and about six percent of the species of the mammals and reptiles in the world. Also, the seas around this country are full of incredible creatures. Over 2,000 marine species visit the waters of South Africa at some point during the year. The country enjoys one of the most spectacular underwater events of nature (which is called the “sardine run“). For instance, millions of sardines travel up the east coast of South Africa every June, creating a phenomenal feeding frenzy for thousands of hungry sharks, birds, and dolphins. Today, this country has 10% of the total species of birds on earth. About 900 different types of birds (such as peacocks, ostriches, vultures, and penguins) can be found all over the country. You can swim with Jackass penguins in South Africa. These Jackass penguins are located at Boulders Beach in Town of Simon near Cape Town, as well as further down the coast in Betty’s Bay. Recommended: Richest Musicians in Africa Currently Other Interesting Facts About South Africa 1. It has 11 Official Languages: The diversity of cultures found throughout the nation has earned South Africa the moniker “Rainbow Nation.” The fact that South Africa has eleven official languages—English, Afrikaans, Northern Sotho, isiZulu, isiXhosa, Sesotho, IsiNdebele, Setswana, SiSwati, Tshivenda, and Xitsonga—demonstrates the country’s reputation as a cultural “melting pot.” The majority of South Africans are multilingual in their native tongue. The most widely spoken first language is isiZulu, followed by isiXhosa. 2. South Africa has an abundance of Wildlife: Even though South Africa makes up only 2% of the planet’s land area, it is home to 10% of the world’s species of birds, fish, and plants, as well as 7% of mammals and reptiles! There are many different types of natural environments and wildlife in South Africa, even though you might not see lions, elephants, or giraffes strolling through the city. From vervet monkeys swinging through tree-lined suburban streets and baboons playing around Cape Point, to seals visiting the Hout Bay harbor in search of a fish snack and a multitude of bird species taking to the skies at any given time. There’s wildlife all around you! 3. There is evidence of human evolution: Some of the earliest evidence of human evolution has been found in the Sterkfontein Caves, northwest of Johannesburg. Archaeologists have discovered human remains here that go back more than two million years! The area, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is now referred to as “the Cradle of Humankind” because of the discoveries that were made there. In South Africa, fossils date back hundreds of thousands, if not millions of years, from both the natural and human past. Up to 80% of the mammalian fossils found to date have come from the Karoo, while early dinosaur fossil discoveries have come from the Western Cape. 4. It is a famous holiday destination: There are many different types of landscapes and biomes found in South Africa, such as wetlands, grasslands, mountains, subtropical forests, bushveld, and deserts. It’s a vacation spot unlike any other! South Africa offers golden beaches, sunshine, and the sea for your beach vacation. Game reserves and amazing wildlife can be found in South Africa if you’re looking for a safari experience. The Cape Winelands of South Africa are just waiting to be discovered if you’re itching to get away into wine country! In addition to all of this, you can find charming seaside towns and modern cities. Alternatively, take a drive along dusty roads in the desert and pass through beautiful mountain passes. BACK TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE

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SOUTH AFRICAN CULTURE - South African Culture, Customs, and Traditions The culture of South Africa is one of the most diverse in the world. The country boasts of an impressive eleven official languages and other several recognized languages, with each of the group having its own vibrancy and culture. A substantial majority of the South Africans still live in the rural areas where cultural traditions have survived. However, urbanization and adoption of new technology across the country have led to the decline in the traditional cultures. English and other foreign languages are slowly replacing the native languages. South African culture is not homogeneous but is rather a collection of cultures with different cultures being predominant in different regions. Some of the prominent cultures of South Africa include the Khoikhoi and San culture, Zulu, Ndebele, Xhosa , and Sotho cultures among other cultures. These cultures blend beautifully to give the country its unique identity on the globe. The People of South Africa South Africa has a population of approximately 55 million people comprising of diverse culture, religion, origin, and languages. Africans or South Africans and Bantu-speaking people form the major part of the population (approximately 35 million). Some ethnic groups are unique to South Africa while others like Basotho crossed the border into the country. Some of the major ethnic South Africans include Zulu, Basotho, Venda, Xhosa, Tsonga, Khoikhoi, Ndebele, and San. South Africa also hosts a number of refugees and asylum seekers, especially from Zimbabwe , Democratic Republic of Congo , and Somalia . The majority of refugees live in major cities including Pretoria, Durban, Johannesburg, and Cape Town. View More South African Languages The population of South Africa is composed of people from different backgrounds, speaking different languages. Eleven languages are considered the country’s official languages. The first official languages were English and Dutch. The majority of South Africans can speak more than one language. The language spoken by the majority of the people, especially native South Africans is Zulu which is spoken by 23% of the population followed by Xhosa and Afrikaans at 16% and 14% respectively. Zulu is the language of the Zulu people who number 10 million. It is understood by 50% of the total population. The Zulu language became an official language in 1994. The Xhosa language is spoken by 8 million people as the first language and over 11 million as a second language. The majority of Xhosa speakers live in Eastern Cape Province. Afrikaans evolved from the Dutch language and has adopted some words from other languages such as German and Khoisan. English is the most popular second language of the South Africans and the most commonly spoken language in the country. South African Tradition South African tradition is not homogenous but a blend of different traditions and cultures practiced by different ethnic groups in the country. Here are some examples of traditions and cultures as practiced by major ethnic groups in the country. Khoikhoi and San Khoikhoi and San were the original inhabitants of present-day South Africa. The KhoiSan were known as the “Bushmen” and were skilled hunters and trackers. Their tracking skills are still necessary for the fight against poachers. They are mainly nomads who live in desert regions of South Africa Zulus The Zulus are known for their shield-bearing warriors under the leadership of Shaka. They are also famous for their beadworks, grass huts, and basketry. The belief of the Zulu people is based on ancestral spirits which appear mainly in dreams and a supreme being who is rarely involved in the activities of the mortal. Use of magic is common among the Zulus and any tragedy or illness is blamed on the evil spirit. Xhosa Xhosa culture is popular for the complex dressing that portrays a person’s social status, position in the society, and whether they are married or not. They also have a strong oral tradition with stories of ancestral heroes. Ancestral worship is a common practice and young men have to undergo a rite of passage. Stick fighting is a common sport among the Xhosa among the young men looking after the cattle. Women mainly tend the crops and look after the home. Ndebele Ndebele are known for the skilled women who decorate their houses in beautiful geometric designs. The skills are hereditary and women are tasked with the responsibility of teaching their daughters. The shapes used in the decoration are inspired by their fashioned beadwork. Ndebele women are distinguished from other South African women by the neck rings and the striking traditional blankets. Sotho The culture of the Sotho people differs from those of the Ndebele, Xhosa, and Zulus in several ways, especially on how they organize their villages. The Sotho homes are organized into villages rather than scattered settlements. The villages are further organized into age-sets. Each of the age-set is given a specific responsibility and the age-set graduate from one responsibility to another. They also allow their sons to marry from their kin, especially from the maternal side. Their traditional folk art includes pottery making, beadwork, decoration of houses, and weaving. Venda The Venda culture and tradition is built on mythical beliefs and water. They believe that lakes and rivers are sacred and that rains are controlled by Python God. Lake Fundudzi is one of the sacred places among the Venda and hosts the annual rites. Traditional healers known as Sangoma are believed to have access to the spirits and ancestors. Venda’s art has also been influenced by the belief in the spirit world. Cattle are considered a sign of wealth while agriculture is the main economic activity. Modern Day South African Tradition The younger generation from the above cultures is relocating to the city in search of a “better” life. However, in the city, they tend to abandon their traditions and culture for the western culture and lifestyle. Over time, a unique culture that combines the western culture and the traditional cultures have been developed. This new culture is evident in art, music, and food View More Culture of South Africa South Africa is known for its ethnic and cultural diversity. Almost all South Africans speak English to some degree of proficiency, in addition to their native language, with English acting as a lingua franca in commerce, education, and government. South Africa has twelve official languages, but other indigenous languages are spoken by smaller groups, chiefly Khoisan languages . Members of the middle class, who are predominantly white and Indian but whose ranks include growing numbers of other groups, have lifestyles similar in many respects to that of people found in Western Europe , North America , Australia and New Zealand . The Apartheid state legally classified South Africans into one of four race groups , determined where they could live , and enforced segregation in education, work opportunities, public amenities and social relations. Although these laws were abolished by the early 1990s, the apartheid racial categories remain ingrained in South African culture, with South Africans continuing to classify themselves, and each other, as belonging to one of the four defined race groups (blacks, whites, Coloureds and Indians) making it difficult to define a single South African culture that doesn't make reference to these racial categories View More Art Main article: Art of South Africa Eland , rock painting , Drakensberg , South Africa The oldest art objects in the world were discovered in a South African cave. Dating from 75,000 years ago, these small drilled snail shells could have no other function than to have been strung on a string as a necklace. South Africa was one of the cradles of the human species. One of the defining characteristics of the human species is the creation of art (from Latin "ars", meaning worked or formed from basic material). The scattered tribes of Khoisan peoples moving into South Africa from around 10,000 BC had their own fluent art styles seen today in a multitude of cave paintings. They were superseded by Bantu and Nguni peoples with their own vocabularies of art forms. In the 20th century, traditional tribal forms of art were scattered and re-melded by the divisive policies of apartheid . New great forms of art evolved in the mines and townships: a dynamic art using everything from plastic strips to bicycle spokes. The Dutch-influenced folk art of the Afrikaner Trekboer and the urban white artists earnestly following changing European traditions from the 1850s onwards also contributed to this eclectic mix, which continues to evolve today. One form of art developed during the period of apartheid. This new characterisation was termed "township art" and became common in the 1960s and 1970s. This art style tended to depict scenes from everyday life of poor black individuals in South Africa.[8] Common visual elements in this art style are dilapidated houses, women washing clothes, penny whistlers, and black mother-and-child tableaux. Oracles of the Pink Universe by Simphiwe Ndzube, 2021 Contemporary South Africa has a vibrant art scene, with artists receiving international recognition. The recent "Figures and Fictions" exhibition of South African photography at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London included the work of Mikhael Subotzky , Zanele Muholi , David Goldblatt , Zwelethu Mthethwa and Guy Tillim . Contemporary South African artists whose work has been met with international acclaim include Marlene Dumas , William Kentridge and John Smith. South African art is the visual art produced by the people inhabiting the territory occupied by the modern country of South Africa . The oldest art objects in the world were discovered in a South African cave. Archaeologists have discovered two sets of art kits thought to be 100,000 years old at a cave in South Africa. The findings provide a glimpse into how early humans produced and stored ochre – a form of paint – which pushes back our understanding of when evolved complex cognition occurred by around 20,000 – 30,000 years. Also, dating from 75,000 years ago, they found small drilled snail shells which could have no other function than to have been strung on a string as a necklace. South Africa was one of the cradles of the human species. The scattered tribes of Khoisan and San peoples moving into South Africa from around 10000 BC had their own art styles seen today in a multitude of cave paintings. They were superseded by Bantu and Nguni peoples with their own vocabularies of art forms. In the present era, traditional tribal forms of art were scattered and re-melded by the divisive policies of apartheid . New forms of art evolved in the mines and townships : a dynamic art using everything from plastic strips to bicycle spokes. In addition to this, there also is the Dutch -influenced folk art of the Afrikaner Trek Boers and the urban white artists earnestly following changing European traditions from the 1850s onwards, making for an eclectic mix which continues to evolve today. Paleolithic rock art Main article: San rock art San rock paintings, Perdekop Farm, (Mossel Bay , South Africa) The pre-Bantu peoples migrating southwards from around the year 30,000 BC were nomadic hunters who favoured caves as dwellings. Before the rise of the Nguni peoples along the east and southern coasts and central areas of Africa these nomadic hunters were widely distributed. It is thought they entered South Africa at least 1000 years ago. They have left many signs of life, such as artwork (San paintings) depicting hunting, domestic and magic-related art. There is a stylistic unity across the region and even with more ancient art in the Tassili n'Ajjer region of northern Africa, and also in what is now desert Chad but was once a lush landscape. The figures are dynamic and elongate, and the colours (derived probably from earthen and plant pigments and possibly also from insects) combine ochreous red, white, grey, black, and many warm tones ranging from red through to primary yellow. Common subjects include hunting, often depicting with great accuracy large animals which no longer inhabit the same region in the modern era, as well as: warfare among humans, dancing, domestic scenes, multiple images of various animals, including giraffes, antelope of many kinds, and snakes. The last of these works are poignant in their representation of larger, darker people and even of white hunters on horseback, both of whom would supplant the San peoples. Many of the "dancing" figures are decorated with unusual patterns and may be wearing masks and other festive clothing. Other paintings, depicting patterned quadrilaterals and other symbols, are obscure in their meaning and may be non-representational. Similar symbols are seen in shamanistic art worldwide. This art form is distributed from Angola in the west to Mozambique and Kenya , throughout Zimbabwe and South Africa and throughout Botswana wherever cave conditions have favoured preservation from the elements. Contemporary art in South Africa The contemporary art scene in South Africa is as diverse and vibrant as the population and vast cultures in the country. Contemporary artists in South Africa have adopted new media technologies to produce varied and creative bodies of work, as seen in the work of Dineo Seshee Bopape and CUSS Group. Their art gives insight into the pressing issues of South African society. On a global scale, contemporary South African art is relevant and sought-after. A charcoal and oil on canvas work by leading South African contemporary artist William Kentridge was sold on auction for R3,5 million in London in 2012. Black art post-apartheid The Bantu Education Act of 1955 barred Black South Africans from receiving formal art training during the years of apartheid and as a result, the artistic movements that had originated from this community have, until recently, been distinctly classified as “craft” rather than “art.” Informal art centers, that were funded by European states, became one of the few avenues in which Black South Africans could receive some form of artistic development. Throughout this time period from 1947 to the mid-1990s, the first practitioners to receive this informal training began passing down their knowledge to younger generations of practitioners. However, the traditional canon of African art, categorized as “fine art” had been formed in the 20th century by European and U.S. art audiences. South Africa's inequality gap is larger than that of other countries in the world so the audience for art is primarily the rich and not those who are subject to the artistic expression, giving these higher socio-economic groups a gatekeeper status in deciding what is classified as art. After the Soweto Riots of 1976, a new social consciousness emerged that retaliated against the government's policy of segregation and effectively reexamined the classification of certain Black South African artworks. One of the first artistic styles to receive critic attention was Venda sculpting because it aesthetically appealed to white patrons while also maintaining its “artistic manifestations of ethnic diversity.” These sculptures would be considered “transitional art” rather than “craft” and would gain access into fine art galleries. Other Black artistic expressions such as beadwork, photography, and studio arts have also begun to be slowly integrated into canonical South African art forms. The Johannesburg Biennale's Africus (1995) and Trade Routes (1997) had a significant impact on the cultural awareness of new South African art. These events were among the first exhibitions that revealed the “new South African art” to the international community, but also other local South Africans. This gave Black South African artists a new platform to express the effects to which apartheid had influenced society. In the post-apartheid regime, artists have now been given an apparatus to protest social issues such as inequality, sexuality, state control over the personal realm, and HIV/AIDS. However, the emphasis to embody many of these social issues within Black South African art has a led to a stereotype that many young artists are now trying to escape. International pressure has been said to once again demand a level of ‘authenticity’ within South African art that portrays discourse on the topic of apartheid. Scholar Victoria Rovine goes as far as to state that “these exhibitions represent a South Africa that seeks liberation not from apartheid itself but from apartheid as an already predictable subject for artistic production.” Furthermore, although South African art is not always political, conversations stemming from its interpretation are rarely apolitical and the high demand for apartheid symbols by private collectors have raised concerns over the collection of the art for the sake of nostalgia. See also Culture of South Africa List of South African artists South Africa Outline of South Africa View More Architecture See also: Architecture of Johannesburg and Cape Dutch architecture Gateway to the Castle of Good Hope , the oldest building in South Africa Old Dutch church in Ladismith The architecture of South Africa mirrors the vast ethnic and cultural diversity of the country and its historical colonial period. In addition, influences from other distant countries have contributed to the variety of the South African architectural landscape. Herbert Baker , among the country's most influential architects, designed the Union Buildings in Pretoria . Other buildings of note include the Rhodes memorial and St George's Cathedral in Cape Town , and St John's College in Johannesburg . Cape Dutch architecture was prominent in the early days (17th century) of the Cape Colony , and the name derives from the fact that the initial settlers of the Cape were primarily Dutch. The style has roots in medieval Holland, Germany, France and Indonesia. Houses in this style have a distinctive and recognisable design, with a prominent feature being the grand, ornately rounded gables, reminiscent of features in townhouses of Amsterdam built in the Dutch style . The rural landscape of South Africa is populated with traditional and European-influenced African architecture . View More Literature Main article: Literature of South Africa Olive Schreiner , the author of The Story of an African Farm (1883) There are 11 national languages in South Africa. South Africa's unique social and political history has generated a rich variety of literatures, with themes spanning pre-colonial life, the days of apartheid, and the lives of people in the "new South Africa". Many of the first black South African print authors were missionary-educated, and many wrote in either English or Afrikaans . One of the first well known novels written by a black author in an African language was Solomon Thekiso Plaatje 's Mhudi , written in 1930. Notable white English-language South African authors include Nadine Gordimer who was, in Seamus Heaney 's words, one of "the guerrillas of the imagination", and who became the first South African and the seventh woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1991. Her novel, July's People , was released in 1981, depicting the collapse of white-minority rule. Athol Fugard , whose plays have been regularly premiered in fringe theatres in South Africa, London (The Royal Court Theatre ), and New York City. Olive Schreiner 's The Story of an African Farm (1883) was a revelation in Victorian literature: it is heralded by many as introducing feminism into the novel form. Alan Paton published the acclaimed novel Cry, the Beloved Country in 1948. He told the tale of a black priest who comes to Johannesburg to find his son, which became an international best-seller. During the 1950s, Drum magazine became a hotbed of political satire, fiction, and essays, giving a voice to urban black culture. Afrikaans-language writers also began to write controversial material. Breyten Breytenbach was jailed for his involvement with the guerrilla movement against apartheid. Andre Brink was the first Afrikaner writer to be banned by the government after he released the novel A Dry White Season about a white South African who discovers the truth about a black friend who dies in police custody. John Maxwell (JM) Coetzee was also first published in the 1970s, and became internationally recognise in 1983 with his Booker Prize -winning novel Life & Times of Michael K . His 1999 novel Disgrace won him his second Booker Prize as well as the 2000 Commonwealth Writers' Prize . He is also the recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2003. English writer J. R. R. Tolkien , author of The Hobbit , The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion , was born in Bloemfontein in 1892. Poetry Main article: South African poetry South Africa has a rich tradition of oral poetry . Several influential African poets became prominent in the 1970s such as Mongane Wally Serote , whose most famous work, No Baby Must Weep, gave insight into the everyday lives of black South Africans under apartheid. Another famous black novelist, Zakes Mda , transitioned from poetry and plays to becoming a novelist in the same time period. His novel, The Heart of Redness won the 2001 Commonwealth Writers Prize and was made a part of the school curriculum across South Africa. View More Cinema Main article: Cinema of South Africa While many foreign films have been produced about South Africa (usually involving race relations), few local productions are known outside South Africa itself. One exception was the film The Gods Must Be Crazy in 1980, set in the Kalahari . This is about how life in a traditional community of San (Bushmen) is changed when a Coke bottle, thrown out of a plane, suddenly lands from the sky. The late Jamie Uys , who wrote and directed The Gods Must Be Crazy, also had success overseas in the 1970s with his films Funny People and Funny People II, similar to the TV series Candid Camera in the US. Leon Schuster 's You Must Be Joking! films are in the same genre, and hugely popular among South Africans. Schuster's most successful film internationally is Mr Bones, which was also the best performing film locally at the time of its release, grossing 35m USD. This was surpassed by the sequel, Mr Bones 2: Back from the Past. The most high-profile film portraying South Africa in recent years was District 9 . Directed by Neill Blomkamp , a native South African, and produced by Peter Jackson , the action/science-fiction film depicts a sub-class of alien refugees forced to live in the slums of Johannesburg in what many saw as a creative allegory for apartheid . The film was a critical and commercial success worldwide, and was nominated for Best Picture at the 82nd Academy Awards . Another notable film that was produced in South Africa is Chappie . Other notable exceptions are the film Tsotsi , which won the Academy Award for Foreign Language Film at the 78th Academy Awards in 2006 as well as U-Carmen e-Khayelitsha , which won the Golden Bear at the 2005 Berlin International Film Festival . View More Music Main article: Music of South Africa Enoch Sontonga There is great diversity in music from South Africa. Many black musicians who sang in Afrikaans or English during apartheid have since begun to sing in traditional African languages, and have developed unique styles called Kwaito and Amapiano . Of note is Brenda Fassie , who launched to fame with her song "Weekend Special", which was sung in English. More famous traditional musicians include Ladysmith Black Mambazo , while the Soweto String Quartet performs classic music with an African flavour. White and Coloured South African singers are historically influenced by European musical styles. South Africa has produced world-famous jazz musicians, notably Hugh Masekela , Jonas Gwangwa , Abdullah Ibrahim , Miriam Makeba , Jonathan Butler , Chris McGregor , and Sathima Bea Benjamin . Afrikaans music covers multiple genres, such as the contemporary Steve Hofmeyr and the punk rock band Fokofpolisiekar . Crossover artists such as Verity (internationally recognised for innovation in the music industry) and Johnny Clegg and his bands Juluka and Savuka have enjoyed various success underground, publicly, and abroad. Don Clarke who wrote Sanbonani, a local hit for P J Powers , and Hotline in 1986 wrote much of the music for Leon Schuster 's films including Till You're Free Again which he recorded for the film Frank and Fearless in 2018. Rap-rave group Die Antwoord have also found international success. The South African music scene includes Kwaito and Amapiano , new music genres that had developed in the mid-1980s and late 2010s, and have since developed to become a popular socio-economic form of representation among the populace. However, some argue that the political aspects of Kwaito have since diminished after Apartheid, and the relative interest in politics has become a very minor aspect of daily life. Others argue that in a sense, Kwaito is in fact a political force that shows activism in its apolitical actions. Today, major corporations like Sony , BMG , and EMI have appeared on the South African scene to produce and distribute Kwaito music. Due to its popularity, as well as the general influence of DJs, who are among the top 5 most influential types of people within the country, Kwaito has taken over radio, television, and magazines. South African rock music is a very popular subculture, especially within the Johannesburg region. The alternative rock and metal band Seether gained international popularity in the early 2000s, with five of their albums achieving Gold or Platinum certification in the United States. Four other rock bands, KONGOS , Civil Twilight , Prime Circle , the Parlotones and have also achieved success abroad in the late 2000s. While metal bands such as Vulvodynia have achieved moderate success in the 2020s. View More Cuisine Main article: South African cuisine An array of traditional South African cuisine The cuisine of South Africa is heavily meat-based and has spawned the distinctively South African social gathering known as a braai . A variation of the barbecue, braais often feature boerewors or spicy sausages, and mielies (maize ) or Mielie-meal , often as a porridge, or pearl millet , a staple food of black South Africans. Pastries such like koeksisters and desserts like melktert (milk tart) are also universally popular. Meat on a traditional South African braai Indian food like curry is also popular, especially in Durban with its large Indian population. Another local Indian Durban speciality is the "bunny", or bunny chow , which consists of a hollowed-out loaf of white bread filled with curry. The Portuguese community has also made its mark, with spicy peri-peri chicken being a favourite. The South African Portuguese-themed restaurant chain Nando's now has restaurants in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Malaysia, Kenya and the United Arab Emirates. Bunny Chow Close-up view of a plate of Bunny ChoW No culinary journey in South Africa is complete without trying a “bunny”. Don’t worry, it’s not an actual rabbit. A bunny chow is a hollowed-out half or quarter loaf of bread filled with curry, typically served with a bit of salad, or sambal, on the side. It originated in Durban, South Africa, in the 1940s, and was created by Indian migrant workers as a convenient and transportable lunch. The loaf can be filled with various curries such as chicken, beef, mutton, bean, or vegetable, depending on personal preference. The bread serves as both a “container” for the curry and as an accompaniment to be eaten with it! Bunny chows are eaten throughout the country these days, and has become a street food classic that’s enjoyed by people from all walks of life. Bobotie Bobotie with some yellow rice served with a salad Considered by many to be South Africa’s national dish, there are many versions of bobotie, most based on treasured recipes that have been passed down through generations. It’s believed that the first recipe for bobotie dates back to a 1609 Dutch cookbook. After it made its way to South Africa, it was adopted and refined – or arguably perfected – by the Cape Malay community, ultimately turning it into a South African dish. Bobotie is made from savoury spiced minced meat (beef, lamb, pork, chicken, or even ostrich) that’s baked with an egg and milk topping. Various spices, curry powder, bay leaves, apricot jam, dried fruits, and nuts are added, depending on the recipe. You typically eat it with slightly sweet yellow rice with raisins added to it, desiccated coconut, blatjang (chutney), and sambals. Biltong Three different types of biltong on a wooden platter | Photo credit: Getty Images Biltong is a quintessential and hugely popular snack with meat-loving South Africans. In fact, it’s gained popularity worldwide for its delicious, salty taste. The word biltong is derived from the Dutch words “bil”, meaning meat or rump, and “tong”, meaning tongue, which is often the shape of the pieces of meat used to make biltong. The meaty snack has its origins in the Great Trek era, when Dutch settlers, or Voortrekkers, moved from the Cape Colony into the interior of South Africa. They needed a reliable way to preserve meat during their long journeys, and viola – biltong was born! It’s superficially similar to American beef jerky, but that’s where the common ground ends. To make it, skilled butchers marinate strips of beef in a mixture of vinegar, salt, sugar, and spices like pepper and coriander, depending on personal taste. The marinated meat is then hung out to air-dry. Today, biltong remains a beloved South African snack, cherished for its unique flavour and versatility. It’s available in every butcher shop, corner café, petrol station, and supermarket, and you can even try venison options like kudu and gemsbok (oryx). Potjiekos Top view of a pot of potjiekos | Photo credit: Getty Images Potjiekos is another dish that was developed by the Voortrekkers during the Great Trek. It’s a stew-like South African dish cooked outdoors over an open fire in a round, three-legged cast-iron pot, known locally as a potjie (little pot). It’s an extremely versatile dish that people adapt to personal preferences and tastes. As with many South African dishes, everyone has their own recipes and techniques. It’s also an efficient and delicious way of preparing a large amount of food with minimal effort. In essence, potjiekos is a slow-cooked stew, featuring a mix of vegetables, meat, and spices. It sits atop hot coals for hours, simmering to perfection in its own juices. A wide variety of meats are suitable for a potjie, but people often opt for less expensive cuts. Potjiekos is famous for the range of delicious and complex flavours it develops and the exquisite tenderness of the meat cooked this way. Enjoying a potjie with friends and relatives perfectly embodies the spirit of the communal sharing of food so integral to South Africa’s food culture and cuisine. The South African Braai: Pap en Vleis/Shisa Nyama Spread of a typical braai with meat, braaibroodjies, and corn | Photo credit: Getty Images In Afrikaans, “pap en vleis” means maize porridge served with meat. “Shisa nyama” is the Zulu equivalent, with “shisa” meaning hot or burnt (i.e. cooked over an open fire) and “nyama” meaning meat. However, no matter where you go in South Africa, people call it braai. Whether you try it at a friend’s house or at a shisa nyama restaurant, the essence remains the same: it’s flame-grilled meat. However, it’s also South Africa’s favourite excuse to get together for social gatherings. Depending on who’s cooking, the meat is served with pap, cornbread, or another starch, along with chakalaka, a spicy relish, or more conventional sides like potato salad and garlic bread. Another local favourite is mielies (corn on the cob). At any given South African braai, you might come across lamb, boerewors (South African sausage), beef, chicken, pork, kudu, springbok, eland, warthog, ostrich, or even seafood. Often, the meat is marinated beforehand in the braai chef’s secret basting. The South African braai is an indelible part of South Africa’s food culture, resonating perfectly with the country’s love of good food enjoyed with family and friends. Vetkoek Mini vetkoek with mince curry filling | Photo credit: Getty Images A delightful treat, vetkoek or “fat cake”, is a traditional South African pastry, it’s a South African dish that you absolutely must try. Originally made as a way to use up leftover bread dough, it’s become a much-loved dish on its own, similar to the Dutch oliebol and the Xhosa amagwinya. Vetkoek is essentially a deep-fried bread dough ball best served hot. It can be served on its own, often just sprinkled with sugar, but it’s also served cut open and filled with delicious toppings. These include savoury mince mixtures, curries, cheese, butter, tuna and mayonnaise, or jam for a sweet version. Ideally, vetkoek should be crispy on the outside and delectably soft inside! Umngqusho, Isitambu, or Samp and Beans Bowl of samp and beans on a wooden platter | Photo credit: Getty Images Umngqusho, a highly prized staple in traditional Xhosa culture, is extremely nutritious and packed with flavours. Reputedly one of Nelson Mandela’s favourite dishes, samp and beans is made from slowly cooked sugar beans and crushed maize kernels, known as samp. It’s flavoured with chilli, onions, leeks, stock blocks, and butter or fat, and is a comforting and satisfying meal. Often served as a meal on its own, it can also be paired with other dishes like chicken, beef, mutton, or lamb stews. It’s traditionally served with umleqwa, a “hardbody chicken”, or lamb curry. Chakalaka Traditional South African chakalaka, a popular spicy side dish or relish | Photo credit: Getty Images This spicy, delicious, and versatile vegetable relish is reputed to have originated in Johannesburg. As the story goes, migrant mine workers from Mozambique used various ingredients like tomatoes, beans, and chilli to create a flavoursome Portuguese-style relish to eat with their pap. Many variations of the dish exist, with different versions including carrots, green peppers, onions, cabbage, and even butternut and sweetcorn. Flavourings like garlic and curry paste are used to add some oomph, and it can be served hot or cold. Make sure to ask how spicy it is before you take a bite – some chefs can be a little too generous with the chilli! It can be served with bread, rice, pap, and other starches, and as an accompaniment to stews and curries, adding a spicy kick to every bite. Melktert Traditional South African melktert | Photo credit: Getty Images For many South Africans, traditional melktert or milk tart conjures up images of home and childhood comfort food enjoyed with loved ones. It’s a South African sweet pastry that can be served with tea or coffee, or as a dessert after a meal. Many South African bakers have jealously-guarded secret family recipes that originated in the Dutch colonial era in South Africa. The main components of a melktert are a sweet pastry crust and a deliciously creamy custard filling made from milk, sugar, and eggs. It can be served hot or cold, but is traditionally served cold with a generous sprinkling of cinnamon. Melktert is a much-loved staple at every church fête, home industries outlet, and supermarket in South Africa. We even have a National Melktert Day on 27 February! Koeksisters Sweet koeksisters covered in syrup | Photo credit: Getty Images This is a diabolically sweet and addictive treat for serious sugar fans only! Koeksisters are twisted or braided deep-fried doughnut-like pastries. After deep-frying, the pastries are soaked in ice-cold syrup that has been left in the fridge overnight, which includes cinnamon, lemon, and ginger. This process ensures maximum absorption of the syrup while the outside of the koeksister remains crispy. Koeksisters have a rich history dating back to the arrival of Dutch settlers in 1652. The name koeksister is derived from the Dutch/Afrikaans word “koek”, meaning cake. It’s interesting to note that another spicy and delicious, often coconut-covered version called “koe’sister”, exists in the Cape. This can be traced back to Indonesian, Malay, and Arabian culinary traditions. Both of these delectable sweet pastries have become deeply entrenched cultural icons in South African cuisine. Has this glimpse into South Africa’s cuisine and culinary traditions piqued your interest and awakened a desire to see – and taste – South Africa for yourself? We wouldn’t blame you. At Discover Africa, after all these years, we’re still amazed at the wealth of experiences South Africa has to offer its visitors. Whatever your dream safari holiday, rest assured that South Africa’s varied cuisine will enrich any South African trip. Wine Main article: South African wine South Africa has developed into a major wine producer, with some of the best vineyards lying in valleys around Stellenbosch , Franschhoek , Paarl and Barrydale . South African wine has a history dating back to 1659, and at one time Constantia was considered one of the greatest wines in the world. Access to international markets has unleashed a burst of new energy and new investment. Production is concentrated around Cape Town , with major vineyard and production centres at Paarl , Stellenbosch and Worcester . There are about 60 appellations within the Wine of Origin (WO) system, which was implemented in 1973 with a hierarchy of designated production regions, districts and wards. WO wines must be made 100% from grapes from the designated area. "Single vineyard" wines must come from a defined area of less than 5 hectares. An "Estate Wine" can come from adjacent farms, as long as they are farmed together and wine is produced on site. A ward is an area with a distinctive soil type and/or climate, and is roughly equivalent to a European appellation. View More Education Main article: Education in South Africa The heart of the Rhodes University campus Learners have twelve years of formal schooling, from grade 1 to 12. Grade R is a pre-primary foundation year. Primary schools span the first seven years of schooling. High School education spans a further five years. The Senior Certificate examination takes place at the end of grade 12 and is necessary for tertiary studies at a South African university . Public universities in South Africa are divided into three types: traditional universities, which offer theoretically oriented university degrees; universities of technology (formerly called "Technikons "), which offer vocational oriented diplomas and degrees; and comprehensive universities, which offer both types of qualification. Public institutions are usually English medium, although instruction may take place in Afrikaans as well. There are also a large number of other educational institutions in South Africa – some are local campuses of foreign universities, some conduct classes for students who write their exams at the distance-education University of South Africa and some offer unaccredited or non-accredited diplomas. Public expenditure on education was at 6.1% of the 2016 GDP. Under apartheid , schools for blacks were subject to discrimination through inadequate funding and a separate syllabus called Bantu Education which was only designed to give them sufficient skills to work as labourers. Redressing these imbalances has been a focus of recent education policy; see Education in South Africa: Restructuring . See also: Matriculation in South Africa ; High school in South Africa Scouting South Africa has also had a large influence in the Scouting movement, with many Scouting traditions and ceremonies coming from the experiences of Robert Baden-Powell (the founder of Scouting) during his time in South Africa as a military officer in the 1890s-1900s. Scouts South Africa (then known as Boy Scouts of South Africa) was one of the first youth organisations to open its doors to youth and adults of all races in South Africa. This happened on 2 July 1977 at a conference known as Quo Vadis View More Society Gender roles Main article: Women in South Africa Further information: Feminism in South Africa Sexual orientation Main article: LGBT rights in South Africa South Africa enacted same-sex marriage laws in 2006 allowing full marriage and adoption rights to same-sex couples. Although the Constitutional and legal system in South Africa theoretically ensures equality, social acceptance is generally lacking, especially outside of urban areas. Lesbian women from smaller towns (especially the townships ) are often victims of beating or rape. This has been posited, in part, to be because of the perceived threat they pose to traditional male authority. Although evidence of hatred may influence rulings on a case-by-case basis, South Africa has no specific hate crime legislation; human rights organisations have criticised the South African police for failing to address the matter of bias-motivated crimes. For example, the NGO ActionAid has condemned the continued impunity and accused governments of turning a blind eye to reported murders of lesbians in homophobic attacks in South Africa; as well as to so-called "corrective" rapes , including cases among pupils, in which cases the male rapists purport to raping the lesbian victim with the intent of thereby "curing" her of her sexual orientation. Science and technology Main article: Science and technology in South Africa Several important scientific and technological developments have originated in South Africa. The first human-to-human heart transplant was performed by cardiac surgeon Christiaan Barnard at Groote Schuur Hospital in December 1967. Max Theiler developed a vaccine against Yellow Fever, Allan McLeod Cormack pioneered x-ray Computed tomography , and Aaron Klug developed crystallographic electron microscopy techniques. These advancements were all (with the exception of that of Barnard) recognised with Nobel Prizes . Sydney Brenner won most recently, in 2002, for his pioneering work in molecular biology . Mark Shuttleworth founded an early Internet security company Thawte , that was subsequently bought out by world-leader VeriSign . Elon Musk was born in South Africa. South Africa has cultivated a burgeoning astronomy community. It hosts the Southern African Large Telescope , the largest optical telescope in the southern hemisphere. South Africa is currently building the Karoo Array Telescope as a pathfinder for the $20 billion Square Kilometer Array project to be built in South Africa and Australia. View More Sports Main article: Sport in South Africa The Springboks in a bus parade after winning the 2007 Rugby World Cup The Proteas at the Oval in 2008 The most popular sports in South Africa are association football , rugby , and cricket . Other sports with significant support are field hockey , swimming , athletics , golf , boxing , tennis , netball and softball . Although association football commands the greatest following among the youth , other sports like basketball , surfing , judo and skateboarding are becoming increasingly popular. Famous combat sport personalities include Baby Jake Jacob Matlala , Vuyani Bungu , Welcome Ncita , Dingaan Thobela , Corrie Sanders , Gerrie Coetzee , Brian Mitchell and Dricus du Plessis . Footballers who have played for major foreign clubs include Lucas Radebe and Philemon Masinga , (both formerly of Leeds United ), Quinton Fortune (Atlético Madrid and Manchester United ), Benni McCarthy (also first-team coach at Manchester United ) (Ajax Amsterdam , F.C. Porto , Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United ), Aaron Mokoena (Ajax Amsterdam, Blackburn Rovers and Portsmouth ), Delron Buckley (Borussia Dortmund ) and Steven Pienaar (Ajax Amsterdam and Everton ). South Africa has also produced 1979 Formula One World Champion, Jody Scheckter , along with his son, two time Indycar Series race winner, Tomas Scheckter , who led the most laps in both his first two Indianapolis 500 starts during the 2002 and 2003 running of the race. In MotoGP , notable racers include Brad Binder and his younger brother, Darryn Binder . Durban Surfer Jordy Smith won the 2010 Billabong J-Bay competition making him the No. 1 ranked surfer in the world. Famous cricket players include Herschelle Gibbs , Graeme Smith , Dale Steyn , Jonty Rhodes , Jacques Kallis , JP Duminy , Quinton de Kock , Faf du Plessis , Keshav Maharaj , Kagiso Rabada , David Miller and AB de Villiers , etc. Most of them have also participated in the Indian Premier League . South Africa has also produced numerous world class rugby players, including Francois Pienaar , Joost van der Westhuizen , Danie Craven , Frik du Preez , Naas Botha , Bryan Habana , Siya Kolisi , Cheslin Kolbe , Duane Vermeulen , Eben Etzebeth and Makazole Mapimpi . South Africa hosted and won the 1995 Rugby World Cup and won the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France as well as the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, and the 2023 Rugby World Cup , again in France. It followed the 1995 Rugby World Cup by hosting the 1996 African Cup of Nations , with the national team going on to win the tournament. It also hosted the 2003 Cricket World Cup , the 2007 World Twenty20 Championship , and it was the host nation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup , which was the first time the tournament was held in Africa. FIFA president Sepp Blatter awarded South Africa a grade 9 out of 10 for successfully hosting the event. In 2004, the swimming team of Roland Schoeman , Lyndon Ferns , Darian Townsend and Ryk Neethling won the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Athens, simultaneously breaking the world record in the 4x100 freestyle relay. Penny Heyns won Olympic Gold in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games . Swimmer Tatjana Smith (née Schoenmaker) won gold and silver medals at both the Olympic Games and the Commonwealth Games. In golf, Gary Player is generally regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time, having won the Career Grand Slam , one of five golfers to have done so. Other South African golfers to have won major tournaments include Bobby Locke , Ernie Els , Retief Goosen , Trevor Immelman and Louis Oosthuizen . View More View More BACK TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE

History of South African Flags & Coat of Arms 1902–1910 The South African Republic Vierkleur The Second Anglo-Boer War between 1899 and 1902 ended with the Treaty of Vereeniging on 31 May 1902 and resulted in what is now South Africa falling under the British Union Flag . The former Boer Republics of the Orange Free State and the Zuid-Afrikaanse Republiek (Transvaal) became British colonies along with the existing Cape and Natal colonies. Each was also entitled to a colonial flag following in the British tradition. 1910–1928 Main article: South Africa Red Ensign On 31 May 1910 these four colonies came together to form the Union of South Africa and the individual colonial flags were no longer used and new South African flags came into being. Once again, as a British dominion the British Union Flag was to continue as the national flag and the standard British ensign pattern was used as a basis for distinctive South African flags. As was the case throughout the British Empire , the Red and Blue Ensigns were the official flags for merchant and government vessels at sea, and the British Admiralty authorised them to be defaced in the fly with the shield from the South African coat of arms .These ensigns were not intended to be used as the Union's national flag, although they were used by some people as such. Although these ensigns were primarily intended for maritime use, they were also flown on land. The South Africa Red Ensign was South Africa's de facto national flag between 1910 and 1928 and was flown at times from Government buildings. The design of the Red Ensign was modified slightly in 1912 when the shield was placed on a white disc so as to make it more distinguishable. The Red Ensign continued to be used as the flag of the South African merchant marine until 1951. A variant of South Africa Red Ensign with the full coat of arms of South Africa on a white disc. Commonly flown by civilians. The Blue Ensign was flown over the Union's offices abroad between 1910 and 1928. These flags never enjoyed much popular support due to the animosities lingering after the Anglo-Boer War – the Afrikaner descendants of the Dutch settlers from the former Boer Republics saw it as a British flag, and the English-speakers saw it was not the Union Flag alone 1928–1994 Main article: Flag of South Africa (1928–1994) Union of South Africa (1928–1961) Republic of South Africa (1961–1994) Oranje, Blanje, Blou Use National flag , civil and state ensign Proportion2:3 Adopted31 May 1928 RelinquishedApril 27, 1994; 30 years ago Three small flags on the flag of South Africa, used from 1928 to 1982. Three small flags on the flag of South Africa, used from 1982 to 1994. The three flags in the centre representing the former British colonies of Cape Colony and Natal with the Union Flag on the left, followed by the flags of the former Boer republics of Orange Free State and the South African Republic on the right. The Union Flag is shown with the hoist on the right . Due to the lack of popularity of these flags, there were intermittent discussions about the desirability of a more distinctive national flag for South Africa after 1910,: 70  it was only after a coalition government took office in 1925 that a bill was introduced in Parliament to introduce a national flag for the Union. This provoked an often violent controversy that lasted for three years based on whether the British Union Flag should be included in the new flag design or not. The Natal Province even threatened to secede from the Union should it be decided to remove it. Finally, a compromise was reached that resulted in the adoption of a separate flag for the Union in late 1927 and the design was first hoisted on 31 May 1928. The design was based on the so-called Van Riebeeck flag or "Prince's Flag " (Prinsenvlag in Afrikaans ) that was originally the Dutch flag ; it consisted of orange, white, and blue horizontal stripes. A version of this flag had been used as the flag of the Dutch East India Company (known as the VOC) at the Cape (with the VOC logo in the centre) from 1652 until 1795. The South African addition to the design was the inclusion of three smaller flags centred in the white stripe. The miniature flags were the British Union Flag (mirrored) towards the hoist, the flag of the Orange Free State hanging vertically in the middle and the Transvaal Vierkleur towards the fly. The position of each of the miniature flags is such that each has equal status. However, to ensure that the Dutch flag in the canton of the Orange Free State flag is placed nearest to the upper hoist of the main flag, the Free State flag must be reversed. The British Union Flag, which is nearest to the hoist and is thus in a more favoured position, is spread horizontally from the Free State flag towards the hoist and is thus also reversed. Although placed horizontally furthest from the hoist, to balance the British Union Flag, the Vierkleur is the only one of the miniature flags which is spread in the same direction as the main flag. This compensates for its otherwise less favourable position. In this arrangement, each of the miniature flags enjoy equal precedence.Note that the miniature flags of the Transvaal Republic and the Orange Free State both contain miniature flags of the Netherlands , while the miniature flag of the United Kingdom is a composition of the flags of England , Scotland and the Anglo-Irish people , making the old South African flag the only former national flag in the world containing five flags within three flags within a flag. The choice of the Prinsenvlag (which was believed to be the first flag hoisted on South African soil by Jan van Riebeeck of the VOC) as the basis upon which to design the South African flag had more to do with compromise than Afrikaner political desires, since the Prinsenvlag was politically neutral, as it was no longer the national flag of any nation. A further element of this compromise was that the British Union Flag would continue to fly alongside the new South African national flag over official buildings. This dual flag arrangement continued until 1957 when the British Union Flag lost its official status per an Act of Parliament . Following a referendum the country became a republic on 31 May 1961, but the design of the flag remained unchanged. However, there was intense pressure to change the flag, particularly from Afrikaners who still resented the fact that the British Union Flag was a part of the flag. In 1968, the then Prime Minister , John Vorster , proposed the adoption of a new flag from 1971, to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the declaration of a republic but this never materialised. Since 2019, public display of this flag in South Africa is considered hate speech (for being a potential symbol of apartheid and white supremacy ) and therefore prohibited, with exceptions for artistic, academic and journalistic purposes, as well as for museums & places of historical interest. Flag from 1928–1982 Flag from 1982–1994 1994–present South African Ambassador to the U.S. Harry Schwarz presenting the new flag to the U.S. president Bill Clinton and vice president Al Gore in May 1994. The present South African national flag was first flown on 27 April 1994,the day of the 1994 election . However, the flag was first intended to be an interim flag only, and its design was decided upon only a week beforehand. The choice of a new flag was part of the negotiation process set in motion when Nelson Mandela was released from prison in 1990. When a nationwide public competition was held in 1993, the National Symbols Commission received more than 7,000 designs.[16] Six designs were shortlisted and presented to the public and the Negotiating Council, but none elicited enthusiastic support. A number of design studios were then contacted to submit further proposals, but these also did not find favour. Parliament went into recess at the end of 1993 without a suitable candidate for the new national flag. In February 1994, Cyril Ramaphosa and Roelf Meyer , the chief negotiators of the African National Congress and the National Party government of the day respectively, were given the task of resolving the flag issue. A final design was adopted on 15 March 1994, derived from a design developed by the State Herald Fred Brownell , who had also claimed to have previously designed the Namibian flag . This interim flag was hoisted officially for the first time on 27 April 1994, the day when the nation's first fully inclusive elections commenced which resulted in Nelson Mandela being inaugurated as South Africa's first democratically elected president on 10 May 1994. The flag was well received by most South Africans, though a small minority objected to it; hundreds of Afrikaner Volksfront members in Bloemfontein burned the flag in protest a few weeks before the April 1994 elections. The flag flying at the Sydney Cricket Ground . The proclamation of the new national flag by South African President F. W. de Klerk was only published on 20 April 1994, a mere seven days before the flag was to be inaugurated, sparking a frantic last-minute flurry for flag manufacturers. As stated in South Africa's post-apartheid interim constitution, the flag was to be introduced on an interim probationary period of five years, after which there would be discussion about whether or not to change the national flag in the final draft of the constitution . The Constitutional Assembly was charged with the responsibility of drafting the country's new constitution and had called for submissions, inter alia, on the issues of its various national symbols. It received 118 submissions recommending the retention of the new flag and 35 suggesting changes to it. Thus on 28 September 1995 it decided that the flag should be retained unchanged and accordingly it was included as Section One of the Constitution of South Africa which came into force in February 1997. Proper display of the flag The South African government published guidelines for proper display of the flag at designated flag stations, in Government Notice 510 of 8 June 2001 (Gazette number 22356). These rules apply only to official flag stations and not to the general public. The Southern African Vexillological Association (SAVA), a non-official association for the study of flags, published their own guide for proper display of the flag in 2002. This guide has no official authority but was drawn up with generally accepted vexillological etiquette and principles in mind. Official description An addendum to the Transitional Executive Council agenda (April 1994) described the flag in pseudo-heraldic terms as follows: The National flag shall be rectangular in the proportion of two in the width to three to the length; per pall from the hoist, the upper band red (chilli) and lower band blue, with a black triangle at the hoist; over the partition lines a green pall one fifth the width of the flag, fimbriated white against the red and blue, and gold against the black triangle at the hoist, and the width of the pall and its fimbriations is one third the width of the flag. Schedule One of the Constitution of South Africa (1996) replaced the heraldic definition and described the flag in plain English as follows: The national flag is rectangular; it is one and a half times as long as it is wide. It is black, gold, green, white, chilli red and blue. It has a green Y-shaped band that is one fifth as wide as the flag. The centre lines of the band start in the top and bottom corners next to the flag post, converge in the centre of the flag, and continue horizontally to the middle of the free edge. The green band is edged, above and below in white, and towards the flag post end, in gold. Each edging is one fifteenth as wide as the flag. The triangle next to the flag post is black. The upper horizontal band is chilli red and the lower horizontal band is blue. These bands are each one third as wide as the flag. Historical flags (1652–1928) See also: South Africa Red Ensign Many flags were used in South Africa prior to political unification in 1910. The original Dutch East India Company colony at the Cape of Good Hope (1652–1795) flew the Dutch flag, with the VOC logo in the centre. This flag was also flown during the period of Batavian Republic rule (1803–06). The Boer Republics , i.e. the Orange Free State (1854–1902), the South African Republic (1857–1902), Stellaland (1882–85), Goshen (1883–85), the Nieuwe Republiek (1884–88), and the Klein Vrystaat (1886–1891) had their own flags. Several derived from the Dutch flag. The British colonies that existed in the 19th century flew the British flags, and from the early 1870s some, i.e. Natal , Cape Colony , and later the Orange River Colony and the Transvaal , added their own colonial flag badges. The Union of South Africa, formed in 1910, initially used a red ensign defaced with a badge depicting the Union coat of arms. The first South African national flag, introduced in 1928, superseded it. FlagDateUseDescription 1652–1795The Prince's Flag A horizontal triband of orange , white and blue . 1652–1795States Flag A horizontal triband of red, white and blue. The blue is a lighter shade than that of the current national flag 1652–1795, 1803–1806Flag of the Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie 1795–1801Flag of the Kingdom of Great Britain the Flags of England and Scotland superimposed. 1801–1803Union Jack The flag was used in the occupation of The Dutch Cape Colony until 1803, only to be reintroduced in 1806. 1803–1806Flag of the Batavian Republic A horizontal triband of red, white and blue with the Republic’s emblem in the canton. 1839–1843Natalia Republic 1857–1902Orange Free State 1857–74, 1875–77, 1881–1902South African Republic (Transvaal Republic)('Vierkleur') 1870–71Flag of the Diggers' Republic ('Diamond flag') 1870–71Flag of the Diggers' Republic ('Klipdrift flag') 1874–1875South African Republic (Transvaal Republic)('Thomas François Burgers 's Voortrekker flag'). A red saltire outlined in white on a dark blue field. 1875–1910Colony of Natal 1876–1910Cape Colony A blue ensign defaced with the shield-of-arms of Cape Colony 1883–1885State of Goshen 1883Stellaland 1883–1885Stellaland 1884–1888Nieuwe Republiek 1890–1891Klein Vrystaat 1902–1910Orange River Colony A blue ensign defaced with a springbok antelope in a disc 1904–1910Transvaal Colony A blue ensign defaced with a disc showing a lion lying on an African plain with palm trees. 1910–1912Union of South Africa (Merchant flag) 1912–1951Union of South Africa (Merchant flag) 1910–1928Union of South Africa (State Ensign and naval jack) National flags (1928–1994) See also: Flag of South Africa (1928–1994) The Hertzog administration introduced the flag after several years of political controversy. Approved by Parliament in 1927, it was first hoisted on 31 May 1928. The flag reflected the Union's predecessors. The basis was the Prince's Flag (royal tricolour) of the Netherlands, with the addition of a Union Jack to represent the Cape and Natal, the former Orange Free state flag, and the former South African Republic flag. Until 1957, the flag was flown subordinate to the British Union Jack. The flag remained unchanged when South Africa became a republic on 31 May 1961. Homeland flags (1966–1994) Nine of the ten Black 'homelands' which were created inside South African Federation under the apartheid system, had their own flags, i.e. Transkei (1966–94), Bophuthatswana (1973–94), Ciskei (1973–94), Gazankulu (1973–94), Venda (1973–94), Lebowa (1974–94), QwaQwa (1975–94), KwaZulu (1977–94), and KwaNdebele (1982–94). KaNgwane was the only homeland that never adopted its own distinctive flag, instead using the national flag of South Africa. All these flags became obsolete when South Africa reincorporated the homelands on 27 April 1994. FlagDateUseDescription 1966–1994Transkei 1973–1994Bophuthatswana 1973–1994Ciskei 1973–1994Gazankulu 1973–1994Venda 1974–1994Lebowa 1975–1994QwaQwa 1977–1985KwaZulu (1) 1982–1994KwaNdebele 1985–1994KwaZulu (2) Sporting flags (1992–1994) As a result of the sporting boycott of South Africa over its policy of apartheid , South Africa did not participate in the Olympic Games between 1964 and 1988. The country was re-admitted to the Olympic movement in 1991. As a result of a dispute over what flag and national anthem to use following readmission, the team participated in the 1992 Summer Olympic Games under the National Olympic Committee flag. The flag consisted of a white field charged with grey diamond, which represented the countries mineral wealth, three cascading bands of blue, red and green, which represented the sea, the land and agriculture respectively and the Olympic rings.This flag was also used to represent the South African team at the 1992 Summer Paralympics . Team uniforms included the emblem of Olympic Committee of South Africa , which depicted Olympic rings surrounded by olive branches, with the name of the country above. The team would use Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" as its victory anthem at these games. At the 1994 Winter Games , South Africa participated under the flag of its Olympic committee. Military flags Military flags South African Defence Force 1947–1981 1981–1994 South African National Defence Force 1994–2003 2003–present National Defence Department Joint Operations Division Department of Military Veterans South African Army 1951–1973 1973–1994 1994–2002 2002–2003 2003–present South African Air Force 1920–1940 1940–1951 1951–1958 1958–1967 1967–1970 (approved but not used) 1970–1981 1981–1982 1982–1994 1994–2003 2003–present South African Navy Main article: South African Naval Ensign Naval ensign, 1922–1946 Naval ensign, 1946–1951 Naval ensign, 1951–1952 (approved but not used) Naval ensign, 1952–1959 Naval ensign, 1959–1981 Naval ensign, 1981–1994 Naval colour, 1981–1994 Naval ensign, 1994–present Naval colour, c. 1998 Police flags South African Police until 1994 South African Police Service 1995–present Provincial flags 1910–1994 Between 1910 and 1994, South Africa was divided into four provinces, Cape Province , Natal , Orange Free State and Transvaal . These provinces had their own coat of arms but not their own flags. 1994–present In April 1994, South Africa was divided into nine provinces . Each province was granted a coat of arms, in most cases designed by State Herald Frederick Brownell . Currently only one province, Mpumalanga , has adopted an official provincial flag, doing so in February 1996. The other eight provinces can be represented by white banners charged with their coats of arms. Flag of South Africa Flag of South Africa For other flags of South Africa, see List of South African flags . Republic of South Africa Use Civil and state flag , civil and state ensign Proportion2:3 Adopted27 April 1994; 30 years ago DesignA horizontal bicolour of red and blue with a black isosceles triangle based on the hoist-side and a green pall, a central green band that splits into a horizontal Y, centred over the partition lines and was edged in both white against the red and the blue bands and yellow against the triangle, in which the arms of the Y ends at the corners of the hoist and embraces the triangle on the hoist-side. Designed byFrederick Brownell South African National Defence Force Use War flag Adopted25 April 2003; 21 years ago South African Naval Ensign Use Naval ensign Adopted16 March 1998; 26 years ago The national flag of South Africa was designed in March 1994 and adopted on 27 April 1994, during South Africa 's 1994 general election , to replace the previous flag used from 1928–1994 . The flag has horizontal bands of red (on the top) and blue (on the bottom), of equal width, separated by a central green band which splits into a horizontal "Y" shape, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side (and follow the flag's diagonals). The "Y" embraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow yellow or gold bands ; the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes. The stripes at the fly end are in the 5:1:3:1:5 ratio. Three of the flag's colours were taken from the flag of the South African Republic , itself derived from the flag of the Netherlands , as well as the Union Jack , while the remaining three colours were taken from the flag of the African National Congress . Nicknames for the flag include the Seskleur (lit. 'six colour')and the Rainbow Flag. Colours At the time of its adoption, the South African flag was the only national flag in the world to comprise six colours in its primary design and without a seal and brocade. The design and colours are a synopsis of principal elements of the country's flag history. The colours themselves have no essential meaning. ColoursTextile colourPantone equivalentRGB hexadecimalRGB decimalSample Green CKS 42 c Spectrum green3415 c#007A4D0, 122, 77 Black CKS 401 c Blue black#0000000, 0, 0 White CKS 701 c National flag white#FFFFFF255, 255, 255 Gold CKS 724 c Gold yellow1235 c#FFB612255, 182, 18 Red CKS 750 c Chilli red179 c#DE3831222, 56, 49 Blue CKS 762 c National flag blueReflex blue c#0023950, 35, 149 Symbolism According to official South African government information, the South African flag is "a synopsis of principal elements of the country's flag history." Although different people may attribute personal symbolism to the individual colours or colour combinations, "no universal symbolism should be attached to any of the colours." The only symbolism in the flag is the V or Y shape, which can be interpreted as "the convergence of diverse elements within South African society, taking the road ahead in unity". Frederick Gordon Brownell who created the flag has said that the green Y-shaped part of the flag was influenced by the chasubles worn by Anglican priests, and stated that he was influenced to include it as he grew up Anglican. From time to time explanations of the meanings or symbolism of the flag's colours are published in various media, including official government publications and speeches by government officials. The flag consists of the four colours of the Vierkleur , expanded by the addition of black and gold signifying South Africa's mineral wealth. Three of the colours – black, green and gold – are found in the flag of the African National Congress . The other three – red, white and blue – are used in the modern flag of the Netherlands and the flag of the United Kingdom ; the colours white and blue were also found in the old flag of South Africa . Former South African President F.W. de Klerk , who proclaimed the new flag on 20 April 1994, stated in his autobiography, The Last Trek: a New Beginning, that chilli red was chosen instead of plain red (which Anglo-Africans would have preferred) or orange (as some Afrikaners would have preferred). Proposed flags Flags proposed in the 1910s 1910 proposal (white) 1910 proposal (red) Flags proposed in the 1920s Flags from the 1925/1926 Public Flag Competition The government of South Africa opened a competition open to the public. While the "Walker Flag" had some support, ultimately none of the designs were chosen. Proposal for the Flag of South Africa, 1926, Four-Color Version, the "Walker Flag" Proposal for the Flag of South Africa, Boxes Version Proposal for the Flag of South Africa, Orange Cross Version Proposal for the Flag of South Africa, Southern Cross Stripes Version Proposal for the Flag of South Africa, Southern Cross Circle Version Proposal for the Flag of South Africa, Bordered Version Proposal for the Flag of South Africa, Five Colors with White Stripes Version Proposal for the Flag of South Africa, Five Colors with Boxes Version Proposal for the Flag of South Africa, Six Stripes NL Version Proposal for the Flag of South Africa, Checkered Version Proposal for the Flag of South Africa, Six Stripes Version Proposal for the Flag of South Africa, Six Stripes with Box Version Flags from the 1927 Flag Commission In 1927, the government set up a flag commission, which came up with three designs, the "Cross Flags". Due to the opposition insisting on the Union Jack being featured, the commission created three more designs at the Flag Conference in April and May of 1927. Proposal for the Flag of South Africa, 1927, Red Cross Version Proposal for the Flag of South Africa, 1927, White Cross Version Proposal for the Flag of South Africa, 1927, Green Version Committee proposal 1 Committee proposal 2 Committee proposal 3 Flags put forward in 1927 by SAP, Government, and Senate In June of 1927, the South African Party proposed a flag with four elements divided by a white cross, and the government proposed a version with a shield defacing the Prinsenvlag . The Senate then combined elements from both into a third proposal. Finally, in October of 1927, a compromise was reached and the Flag of South Africa (1928–1994) was introduced. Proposal for the Flag of South Africa, 1927, Four Quadrants Version proposed by the South African Party 1927 proposal by the government 1927 proposal by the Senate Flags proposed in the 1960s In the 1960s, there was pressure to change the flag, particularly from Afrikaners who resented the fact that the Union Flag was a part of the flag. The then prime minister, Dr Hendrik Verwoerd , had his assistant secretary, HC Blatt, design a "clean" flag, comprising three vertical stripes of orange, white, and blue, with a leaping springbok over a wreath of six proteas in the centre, designed, but he was assassinated before he could introduce it, and the project died with him in 1966. Proposal for the Flag of South Africa, 1965, the "Verwoerd Flag" Flags proposed in the 1990s 1992 Contest by the "Natal Witness" The Natal Witness newspaper held a competition for a new flag design, which was won by Lalsingh Ramlukan with a design featuring four cupped hands and a blue dove. Designs shortlisted by the Commission on National Symbols The Commission on National Symbols proposed six designs in October 1993. Proposal 1 Proposal 2 Proposal 3 Proposal 4 Proposal 5 Proposal 6 Designs Proposed Graphic design studios A group of professional graphic design studios proposed several flag designs in November 1993. Designs shortlisted by the Joint Technical Working Committee The Joint Technical Working Committee shortlisted 5 designs in February 1994. A further design was proposed also by the African National Congress (ANC) based on a design shortlisted in October 1993. Proposal 4, designed by State Herald Frederick Brownell , was submitted to the Transitional Executive Council and approved as the final choice for the new flag. Proposal 1 Proposal 2 Proposal 3 Proposal 4 Proposal 5 Proposal by ANC The South African Flag – History, Meaning, Colour & Designer National Flag The South African flag is one of the National symbols that makes the country unique in its own way. A national flag is used to represent a country without having to use its name. The flag of South Africa is flown at the front of all government buildings. Individuals and private organizations like banks have also taken the liberty of flying the national symbol. Brief History of South African Flag The flag of South Africa was designed by the then State Herald of South Africa Frederick Brownell in March 1994 and was adopted on 27 April 1994, at the beginning of South Africa’s 1994 general election. This was done to replace the flag that had been used since 1928. The present South African national flag was first flown on 27 April 1994, which was the day of South Africa’s 1994 election. Choosing a new flag was part of the negotiation process that was set in place when Nelson Mandela was in 1990 released from prison. Who Designed South African Flag – Frederick Brownell For those of us who do not know and have been researching about this, the South African Flag was designed by Frederick Brownell who was the then State Herald of South Africa. It was designed in March 1994. Frederick matriculated from St. Andrew’s School in Bloemfontein in 1957 and was 54 years of age when he designed the flag. He has designed many coats of arms, badges and flags, including the arms and the flag of Namibia in 1990. Brownell was awarded the Order for Meritorious Service by President Nelson Mandela in 1999 for his role in designing the South African flag. Colours of Flag of South Africa The South African flag has six colours: Green, Black, White, Gold, Blue and Red. Green represents natural wealth, while white represents peace. The design and colours of the South African flag are a synopsis of principal elements of the country’s flag history. The colours actually do not have any essential meaning. Black, Green and Gold yellow are found in the flag of the African National Congress. Red, White and Blue are used in the modern flag of the Netherlands and the flag of the United Kingdom; the colours white and blue were also found in the old flag of South Africa. Description of Flag of South Africa The national flag is rectangular; it is one and a half times as long as it is wide. It is black, gold, green, white, chilli red and blue. It has a green Y-shaped band that is one fifth as wide as the flag. The centre lines of the band start in the top and bottom corners next to the flag post, converge in the centre of the flag and continue horizontally to the middle of the free edge. The green band is edged, above and below in white, and towards the flag post end, in gold. Each edging is one-fifteenth as wide as the flag. The triangle next to the flag post is black. The upper horizontal band is chilli red and the lower horizontal band is blue. These bands are each one third as wide as the flag . South African National Symbols and Their Meaning History No Comments Share Tweet 0 Shares South Africa uses a range of national symbols to identify the country which includes: National flag, National Anthem, National Bird, National Animal, National Fish, National Flower, Coat of Arms and National Orders. According to Wikipedia, a national symbol is a symbol of any entity considering itself and manifesting itself to the world as a national community: the sovereign states but also nations and countries in a state of colonial or other dependence, (con)federal integration, or even an ethnocultural community considered a ‘nationality’ despite having no political autonomy. Through this post, we will be taking a look at the South African National Symbols one by one. THE FLAG The flag of South Africa was designed by the then State Herald of South Africa Frederick Brownell in March 1994 and was adopted on 27 April 1994, at the beginning of South Africa’s 1994 general election. The South African flag has six colours: Green, Black, White, Gold, Blue, and Red. Green represents natural wealth, while white represents peace. The design and colours of the South African flag are a synopsis of principal elements of the country’s flag history. The colours actually do not have any essential meaning. Black, Green and Gold yellow is found in the flag of the African National Congress. Red, White, and Blue are used in the modern flag of the Netherlands and the flag of the United Kingdom; the colours white and blue were also found in the old flag of South Africa. The South African Flag - History, Meaning, Colour & Designer National Anthem , The national anthem of South Africa which was adopted in 1997 combines extracts from the Xhosa hymn Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika (“God Bless Africa”) with extracts from the former national anthem Die Stem van Suid Africa (“The Voice of South Africa”). The first verse is in isiXhosa and isiZulu, the second verse is in Sesotho, the third verse is in Afrikaans while the last and final verse is in English. Nkosi sikelel’ iAfrika Maluphakanyisw’ uphondo lwayo, Yizwa imithandazo yethu, Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo. Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso, O fedise dintwa le matshwenyeho, O se boloke, O se boloke setjhaba sa heso, Setjhaba sa South Afrika – South Afrika. Uit die blou van onse hemel, Uit die diepte van ons see, Oor ons ewige gebergtes, Waar die kranse antwoord gee, Sounds the call to come together, And united we shall stand, Let us live and strive for freedom, In South Africa our land. National Coat of Arms National Coat of Arms The National Coat of Arms is the highest visual symbol of the state. It is elegant and contemporary in design and distinctly egg-shaped. The national coat of arm can be interpreted as follows: The central image of a secretary bird with uplifted wings, The sun rising above the horizon is placed between the wings of the secretary bird and completes the oval shape of ascendance. Ears of wheat: This signifies the emblems of the fertility of the land. Tusks of the African elephant: This symbolizes wisdom, strength, and steadfastness. Shield: This signifies the protection of South African Spear and knobkierie: It visualizes the defense of peace rather than a posture of war Images of Khoisan people: This represents the first inhabitants of the land . National Orders South Africa’s current national orders were issued for the first time in 2002. Anyone is eligible for nomination, and nominees don’t have to be famous but must have performed an act of bravery or rendered exceptional service to the country. Order of Mapungubwe: this is awarded to South African citizens for excellence and exceptional achievement. Order of the Baobab: it is awarded for distinguished service in business and the economy; science, medicine, technological innovation; and community service. Order of the Companions of OR Tambo: it is awarded to heads of state and other dignitaries promoting peace, cooperation, and friendship towards South Africa. It is awarded in three categories to eminent foreign nationals and other foreign dignitaries for friendship shown to South Africa. Order of Luthuli: this is awarded to South Africans who have made a meaningful contribution to the struggle for democracy, human rights, nation-building, justice and peace, and conflict resolution. Order of Ikhamanga: this is awarded to South African citizens for excellence in arts, culture, literature, music, journalism or sports. This award is made in made in three categories. The exceptional achievement Order is awarded in gold, for excellent achievement, it is awarded in silver while it is awarded in bronze for outstanding achievement. Order of the Mendi Decoration for Bravery: this is awarded to South African citizens who have performed extraordinary acts of bravery. The act of bravery could have been performed in or outside the Republic of South Africa. National animal & National Bird The National Animal of South Africa is the Springbok. The scientific name of this animal is Antidorcas marsupialis. The South African national rugby team name fondly known as “the Boks” or “die Bokke” was derived from the name of this animal. Public holidays in South Africa The springbok is South Africa’s most popular antelope. This mammal is a vegetarian which can grow up to 75 cm in height. National Bird National bird of south africa The national bird of South Africa is the Blue Crane. The scientific name of this animal is Anthropoides paradisia. They are common in the Karoo and can also find them in the grasslands of KwaZulu-Natal and the highveld, usually in pairs or small family parties. They feed on seeds, insects, and reptiles. The Blue crane distribution is almost entirely restricted to South Africa. National Flower National flower of south africa The national flower of South Africa is the King Protea. The scientific name of this flower is Protea cynaroides. The flower can be found in the south-western and southern areas of the Western Cape, from the Cedarberg up to just east of Grahamstown. The Proteas is the name given to the South African national cricket team. National Fish National fish of south africa The National Fish of South Africa is the Galjoen. The scientific name of this fish is Dichistius capensis. It is found along the coast from Namibia to Durban, and nowhere else in the world. The fish feeds majorly on red bait (ascidians), small mussels and barnacles. National Tree National tree of south africa The national tree of South Africa is the Real Yellowwood Tree. The scientific name of this tree is Podocarpus latifolius. It is found from Table Mountain along the southern and eastern Cape coast, the Drakensberg up to the Soutpansberg and the Blouberg in Limpopo. This tree can grow up to 40 metres in height with the base of the trunk sometimes up to 3 metres in diameter. References: Brand South Africa South Africa Explorer Low Velder Image Sources: Gov.za Share Tweet 0 Shares Related Posts List of Minister of Basic Education Till Date List of Minister of Basic Education Till Date South African History – March 16 South African History – March 16 South African History Today – February 25 South African History Today . National Flower National flower of south africa The national flower of South Africa is the King Protea. The scientific name of this flower is Protea cynaroides. The flower can be found in the south-western and southern areas of the Western Cape, from the Cedarberg up to just east of Grahamstown. The Proteas is the name given to the South African national cricket team. National Fish National fish of south africa The National Fish of South Africa is the Galjoen. The scientific name of this fish is Dichistius capensis. It is found along the coast from Namibia to Durban, and nowhere else in the world. The fish feeds majorly on red bait (ascidians), small mussels and barnacles. National Tree National tree of south africa The national tree of South Africa is the Real Yellowwood Tree. The scientific name of this tree is Podocarpus latifolius. It is found from Table Mountain along the southern and eastern Cape coast, the Drakensberg up to the Soutpansberg and the Blouberg in Limpopo. This tree can grow up to 40 metres in height with the base of the trunk sometimes up to 3 metres in diameter. Small Title This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to start editing the content and make sure to add any relevant details or information that you want to share with your visitors. Small Title This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to start editing the content and make sure to add any relevant details or information that you want to share with your visitors. Small Title This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to start editing the content and make sure to add any relevant details or information that you want to share with your visitors. Coat of arms of South Africa The coat of arms of South Africa is the main heraldic insignia of South Africa . The present coat of arms was introduced on Freedom Day , 27 April 2000, and was designed by Iaan Bekker. It replaced the earlier national arms , which had been in use since 1910. The motto is written in the extinct ǀXam , member of the Khoisan languages, and translates literally to "diverse people unite". The previous motto, in Latin, was Ex Unitate Vires , translated as "From unity, strength". History Following the end of apartheid , the new constitution of South Africa initially retained the coat of arms granted to South Africa in 1910. However, they had been viewed as outdated due to being designed by the British and Afrikaner minorities and not being representative of the black majority. The design process for a new coat of arms was initiated in 1999, the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology requested ideas for the new coat of arms from the public. A brief was then prepared based on the ideas received, along with input from the Cabinet . The Government Communication and Information System then approached Design South Africa to brief ten of the top designers. Three designers were chosen to present their concepts to the Cabinet, and Iaan Bekker's design was chosen. The new arms were introduced on Freedom Day, 27 April 2000. The change reflected the government's aim to highlight the democratic change in South Africa and a new sense of patriotism. The coat of arms is a series of elements organised in distinct symmetric egg-like or oval shapes placed on top of one another. The completed structure of the coat of arms combines the lower and higher oval shape in a symbol of infinity. The path that connects the lower edge of the scroll, through the lines of the tusks, with the horizon above and the sun rising at the top, forms the shape of the cosmic egg from which the secretary bird rises. In the symbolic sense, this is the implied rebirth of the spirit of the great and heroic nation of South Africa. The coat of arms is also a central part of the Seal of the Republic, traditionally considered to be the highest emblem of the state.Absolute authority is given to every document with an impression of the Seal of the Republic on it, as this means that it has been approved by the president of South Africa. Since 1997, however, the use of the Seal of the Republic has not actually been required by the Constitution, but it continues to be used. Boer Republics Transvaal Republic Orange Free State Republic of Stellaland Nieuwe Republiek Klein Vrystaat Colonies Transvaal Colony Orange River Colony Colony of Natal Cape Colony Bantustans Bophuthatswana Ciskei Gazankulu KaNgwane KwaNdebele KwaZulu Lebowa QwaQwa Transkei Venda Blazon The official blazon of the arms is: Or , representations of two San human figures of red ochre , statant respectant, the hands of the innermost arms clasped, with upper arm, inner wrist, waist and knee bands Argent , and a narrow border of red ochre; the shield ensigned of a spear and knobkierie in saltire , Sable . Thereabove a demi-secretary bird displayed Or, charged on the breast with a stylised representation of a protea flower with outer petals Vert , inner petals Or and seeded of nine triangles conjoined in three rows, the upper triangle Gules , the second row Vert, Or inverted and Vert, and the third row Vert, Or inverted, Sable, Or inverted and Vert. Above the head of the secretary bird an arc of seven rays facetted Or and Orange , the two outer rays conjoined to the elevated wings. Upon a riband Vert, the motto ǃKE E꞉ ǀXARRA ǁKE in letters Argent. Issuant from the ends of the riband two pairs of elephant tusks curving inwards, the tips conjoined to the wings of the secretary bird, Or, therewithin and flanking the shields, two ears of wheat Brunatré . The oval shape of foundation The first element is the motto, in a green semicircle. Completing the semicircle are two symmetrically placed pairs of elephant tusks pointing upwards. Within the oval shape formed by the tusks are two symmetrical ears of wheat, that in turn frame a centrally placed gold shield. The shape of the shield makes reference to the drum, and contains two human figures derived from Khoisan rock art Linton Stone, which is housed and displayed in the South African Museum in Cape Town. The figures are depicted facing one another in greeting and in unity. Above the shield are a spear and a knobkierie , crossed in a single unit. These elements are arranged harmoniously to give focus to the shield and complete the lower oval shape of foundation. The motto Pronunciation of the South African Motto Duration: 4 seconds.0:04 Pronunciation of the South African Motto. Recorded September 21, 2024 The motto is: ǃke e꞉ ǀxarra ǁke, written in the Khoisan language of the ǀXam people, literally meaning "diverse people unite". It addresses each individual effort to harness the unity between thought and action. On a collective scale it calls for the nation to unite in a common sense of belonging and national pride – unity in diversity. The ears of wheat An emblem of fertility, it also symbolises the idea of germination, growth and the feasible development of any potential. It relates to the nourishment of the people and signifies the agricultural aspects of the Earth. Elephant tusks Elephants symbolise wisdom, strength, moderation and eternity. The shield It has a dual function as a vehicle for the display of identity and of spiritual defence. It contains the primary symbol of our nation. The human figures The Linton Panel , a famous San rock art displayed at the Iziko South African Museum ; used as inspiration for the human figures on the shield. The figures are depicted in an attitude of greeting, symbolising unity. This also represents the beginning of the individual's transformation into the greater sense of belonging to the nation and by extension, collective humanity. The spear and knobkierie A dual symbol of defence and authority, they in turn represent the powerful legs of the secretary bird . The spear and knobkierie are lying down, symbolising peace. The oval shape of ascendance Immediately above the oval shape of foundation, is the visual centre of the coat of arms, a protea. The petals of the protea are rendered in a triangular pattern reminiscent of the crafts of Africa . The secretary bird is placed above the protea and the flower forms the chest of the bird. The secretary bird stands with its wings uplifted in a regal and uprising gesture. The distinctive head feathers of the secretary bird crown a strong and vigilant head. The rising sun above the horizon is placed between the wings of the secretary bird and completes the oval shape of ascendance. The combination of the upper and lower oval shapes intersect to form an unbroken infinite course, and the great harmony between the basic elements result in a dynamic, elegant and thoroughly distinctive design. Yet it clearly retains the stability, gravity and immediacy that a coat of arms demands. The King protea The protea is an emblem of the beauty of our land and the flowering of our potential as a nation in pursuit of the African Renaissance. The protea symbolises the holistic integration of forces that grow from the Earth and are nurtured from above. The most popular colours of Africa have been assigned to the protea – green, gold, red and black. The secretary bird The secretary bird is characterised in flight, the natural consequence of growth and speed. It is the equivalent of the lion on Earth. A powerful bird whose legs – depicted as the spear and knobkierie – serve it well in its hunt for snakes, symbolising protection of the nation against its enemies. It is a messenger of the heavens and conducts its grace upon the Earth. In this sense it is a symbol of divine majesty. Its uplifted wings are an emblem of the ascendance of our nation, while simultaneously offering us its protection. It is depicted in gold, which clearly symbolises its association with the sun and the highest power. The rising sun An emblem of brightness, splendour and the supreme principle of the nature of energy. It symbolises the promise of rebirth, the active faculties of reflection, knowledge, good judgement and willpower. It is the symbol of the source of life, of light and the ultimate wholeness of humanity. 1910 arms The first coat of arms was granted by King George V by royal warrant on 17 September 1910.[6] This was a few months after the formation of the Union of South Africa . It was a combination of symbols representing the four provinces (formerly colonies) that made up the Union. The first quarter is the figure of Hope, representing the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope . The two wildebeests of the second quarter represent the Colony of Natal . The orange tree in the third quarter was used as the symbol of the Orange Free State Republic . The wagon in the fourth quarter represented the Transvaal . The supporters are taken from the arms of the Orange River Colony and the Cape Colony. The lion holds four rods, bound together, symbolising the unification of the four former colonies. The motto, Ex Unitate Vires was officially translated as "Union is Strength" until 1961, and thereafter as "Unity is Strength". Evolution Main article: Coat of arms of South Africa (1910–2000) Three official renditions of the arms were used. The original rendition (1910) was the only version used until 1930, and it continued to be used as the rank badge of warrant officers in the South African Defence Force and South African National Defence Force until 2002. The second version, painted in 1930 and known as the "ordinary coat of arms", and the third version, painted in 1932 and known as the "embellished coat of arms", were both used until 2000. The former was also used on the insignia of the South African Police until the 1990s. 191019301932 Provincial arms 1910–1994 Between 1910 and 1994, South Africa was divided into four provinces, Cape Province , Natal , Orange Free State and Transvaal . These provinces had their own coat of arms. Coat of arms of Cape Province Coat of arms of Orange Free State Coat of arms of Transvaal Coat of arms of Natal 1994–present In April 1994, South Africa was divided into nine provinces . Each province was granted a coat of arms, in most cases designed by State Herald Frederick Brownell . Coat of arms of Eastern Cape Coat of arms of Free State Province Coat of arms of Gauteng Coat of arms of KwaZulu-Natal Coat of arms of Limpopo Coat of arms of Mpumalanga Coat of arms of North West Province Coat of arms of Northern Cape Coat of arms of Western Cape Coat of arms of the Orange Free State Orange Free State coat of arms Adopted23 February 1857 Relinquished27 April 1994 1993 artist's recreation of the coat of arms of the Orange Free State The coat of arms of the Orange Free State was the official heraldic symbol of the Orange Free State as a republic from 1857 to 1902, and later, from 1937 to 1994, as a province of South Africa . It is now obsolete. History The Orange Free State was established as a republic in 1854. It needed official symbols, and its first state president, Josias Hoffman decided to have them professionally designed in the Netherlands. At his request, King Willem III of the Netherlands had a flag and coat of arms designed by the Hoge Raad van Adel [nl ] during 1855, and sent them out to South Africa. As the Orange Free State was named after the Orange River which, in turn, had been named after the Dutch royal family, the arms depicted a wavy orange fess (stripe) representing the river, and three bugle horns, which are the badge of the House of Orange. By the time the designs reached Bloemfontein , in January 1856, Hoffman had resigned and been succeeded by Jacobus Boshof . Apparently unaware that state symbols were being designed in the Netherlands, Boshof had had a Great Seal designed and manufactured, and approved by the Volksraad (legislature). The seal depicted a tree of liberty, sheep, a lion, and an ox-wagon. When Boshof placed the flag and coat of arms designs before the Volksraad on 28 February 1856, the legislators decided that The design of the flag sent by the King of the Netherlands shall be adopted, and to the coat of arms sent by the above shall be added the already existing arms in the Great Seal of the State, with omission of the orange stripe. The coat of arms, as actually adopted, then displayed the design of the Great Seal between the three bugle horns. This hybrid design was officially introduced on the republic's third anniversary, 23 February 1857, and was used until the republic ceased to exist on 31 May 1902. As the Orange River Colony (1902–10), the territory had a different coat of arms , granted by King Edward VII of the United Kingdom . When the colony became a province of the Union of South Africa in 1910, the provincial administration took over the Orange River Colony arms, which it used until 1925. In 1937, after a twelve-year period without official arms, the provincial administration adopted the old republican arms, and they were used as the provincial arms until the Orange Free State was reconstituted as the Free State Province in 1994. Blazon The arms were recorded at the College of Arms in July 1955, and registered at the Bureau of Heraldry in October 1967. The official blazon is:[5] On a shield Argent, between three bugle horns Azure, garnished and stringed Gules, a representation of the seal of the Orange Free State Republic as adopted in 1856 viz., on a white roundel, in chief a tree on an island, between dexter, three sheep and sinister a natural lion supporting the tree with his dexter paw, in base a voortrekker wagon on an island, all proper; on a ribbon draped fesswise, the motto GEDULD EN MOED, above the tree the word VRYHEID and below the wagon the word IMMIGRATIE; behind the shield, on two staves in saltire with ball and spear points Or, two flags of the same Republic draped on both sides, each with seven stripes visible, alternately white and orange and a canton of three stripes, red, white and blue. Coat of arms of the Cape Colony Coat of arms of Cape Colony Adopted12 May 1875, formally granted 29 May 1876 Crest The figure of Hope proper vested Azure, resting the dexter arm on a rock and supporting with the sinister hand an anchor Sable entwined with a cable also proper. Shield Gules, a lion rampant between three annulets Or; on a chief Argent as many hurts each charged with a fleur de lis of the second Or. Supporters Dexter a gnu and sinister an oryx both proper. Motto Spes Bona (Latin ) "Good Hope" The coat of arms of the Cape Colony was the official heraldic symbol of the Cape Colony as a British colony from 1875 to 1910, and as a province of South Africa from 1910 to 1994. History The adoption of the arms was a belated response to a British government request, in 1869, for a design for a flag badge to identify the colony. The laying of the foundation stone of the new parliament building in May 1875 was considered as a good opportunity to introduce it. A Cape Town attorney with a keen interest in heraldry , Charles Aken Fairbridge (1824-1893), was accordingly asked to design arms for the Colony. The foundation stone of the colonial parliament was laid on 12 May 1875. According to the Cape Argus newspaper, "among the conspicuous features of the spectacle was the new colonial flag, hoisted aloft above the cornerstone, with the heraldic shielding, surroundings and mottoes blazoned on the Union Flag and the Royal Standard floating in the breeze from the loftiest flagstaff in the centre". Queen Victoria formally granted the arms by Royal Warrant a year later, on 29 May 1876. After the Cape became a province of the Union of South Africa in 1910, the provincial administration took over the arms. They were used as provincial arms until the Cape was divided into three smaller provinces in 1994. Blazon The original blazon was: Gules, a lion rampant between three annulets Or; on a chief Argent as many hurts each charged with a fleur de lis of the second Or. Crest: The figure of Hope proper vested Azure, resting the dexter arm on a rock and supporting with the sinister hand an anchor Sable entwined with a cable also proper. Supporters: Dexter a gnu and sinister an oryx both proper. Motto: SPES BONA. The symbolism of the arms is straightforward. The lion is a South African animal, and also appears in the arms of the two colonial powers which ruled at the Cape, Netherlands and Great Britain . The rings were taken from the arms of the founder of the colony, Jan van Riebeeck . The fleur-de-lis represent the contribution of the Huguenots to the early history of the country. The crest is the Lady of Good Hope , grasping an anchor, first introduced as a symbol of the colony in 1715. The supporters, a gnu (wildebeest ) and an oryx (gemsbok), are two typical South African animals. The motto, "Spes Bona" simply means "Good Hope". Version with redesigned crest New artwork was introduced in 1952. Hope's dress was changed to white, and she was given a blue mantle. The arms were recorded in this format the College of Arms in July 1955 and registered at the Bureau of Heraldry in 1967. Coat of arms of Natal Coat of arms of Natal Versions Badge of the Natal Colony 1875-1907 Adopted1907 The coat of arms of Natal was the official heraldic symbol of Natal as a British colony from 1907 to 1910, and as a province of South Africa from 1910 to 1994. It is now obsolete. History As a British colony, Natal's first official symbol was a Public Seal, authorised by Queen Victoria in 1846, and also used as a flag badge from 1870. The seal was of a standard pattern[clarification needed ] which first came into use on the Great Seal of Newfoundland in 1839 and was described as follows: "Within a Chippendale-type frame, a on plain, two Wildebeest in full course at random (to sinister), with the words COLONY OF NATAL beneath the frame. The frame itself is ensigned with the Royal Arms and around the circumference appears the legend VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR. REG. F.D." It depicted the British royal coat of arms in the upper half; in the lower half was an ornamental frame enclosing a scene of two wildebeest (gnu) galloping across a plain. The wildebeest became the popular symbol of Natal, and when the government decided in 1905 to obtain an official coat of arms, the wildebeest was an obvious choice for the design. The arms, designed by G. Ambrose Lee, the York Herald at the College of Arms , were granted by King Edward VII by Royal Warrant on 16 May 1907. After Natal became a province of the Union of South Africa in 1910, the provincial administration took over the arms. They were used as the standalone provincial arms until Natal was reconstituted as KwaZulu-Natal in 1994. However, they continued to be used officially jointly with the coat of arms of KwaZulu until 2004 due to the new province being unable to agree on a new coat of arms. Blazon In their original form, as used by the colonial government, the Arms of 1907 consisted only of a shield, blazoned as follows: Azure, in front of mountains and on a plain two black wildebeesten in full course at random all proper. The provincial administration embellished the arms by placing an imperial crown (so-called 'Tudor crown ') above the shield, and a riband inscribed 'Natal' below it. New artwork, introduced in 1930, altered details of the crown, by replacing the fleurs de lis with crosses and omitting the pearls from the transverse arch. This version appeared on the province's Official Gazette and other publications. The arms were recorded in this form at the College of Arms in July 1955, and registered at the Bureau of Heraldry in January 1969. Coat of arms of the Transvaal South African Republic (Transvaal) coat of arms Adopted1869 Crest Eagle Motto Eendragt maakt magt ('Unity makes strength') The coat of arms of the Transvaal was the official heraldic symbol of the South African Republic from 1866 to 1877 and again from 1881 to 1902, and later the symbol of the Transvaal Province from 1954 to 1994 in a simplified form. It is now obsolete. History The South African Republic was established in 1857. On 18 February 1858, the Volksraad (legislature) resolved that the new state should have the following coat of arms: On a silver field there shall be placed a wagon and a golden anchor, while an eagle shall rest upon the arms. On the right hand side of the arms a man in national costume with a gun and accessories. On the left hand side a lion. — National and Provincial Symbols, F.G. Brownell The earliest known appearance of the arms was on banknotes issued in 1866. The crudely drawn arms were depicted as a shield with a lion, an anchor, and a man in the upper half, an ox-wagon in the lower half, and the motto 'Eendragt maakt magt ' (sic, cf. Flag of the SAR ) on a riband across the top. This rendition also appeared on the Staatscourant (government gazette) from 1867. A better version, in which the shield was divided into sections, an eagle was perched on top, and three flags were draped down each side, first appeared on the postage stamps in 1869, and this became the preferred rendition. From 1871, this too appeared on the banknotes, and from 1872 it was on the masthead of the Staatscourant. The arms were in abeyance during the British occupation of the Transvaal, from 1877 to 1881. Revived in 1881, they became obsolete again when the republic ceased to exist in 1902. In 1950, the Transvaal provincial administration decided to adopt the old arms as provincial arms and commissioned chief archivist Dr Coenraad Beyers to investigate and report on the most suitable version. The arms were apparently introduced in 1954, and they were used until the province ceased to exist in 1994. Version used by the Transvaal Province Blazon The arms were recorded at the College of Arms in July 1955, and registered at the Bureau of Heraldry in October 1967. The official blazon is: An oval shield per fess, the chief divided per pale; dexter Gules, a natural lion contourne couchant gardant Or; sinister Azure, a bearded man in national dress wearing a hat and bandolier, and holding in the left hand a gun resting upon the ground; in base Vert, a Voortrekker wagon proper; on an inescutcheon Argent an anchor Sable, cabled Gules. Perched on the shield an eagle displayed Or. Behind the shield and draped below on both sides three flags of the South African Republic, green, red, white and blue. Motto: EENDRACHT MAAKT MAGT Coat of arms of the Orange River Colony Orange River Colony coat of arms Adopted10 December 1904 The coat of arms of the Orange River Colony was the official heraldic symbol of the Orange River Colony as a British colony from 1904 to 1910, and then of the Orange Free State province of South Africa from 1910 to 1925. It is now obsolete. History The Orange Free State republic became a British colony at the end of the Anglo-Boer War in May 1902. The republic's official arms were discontinued, and on 10 December 1904, by Royal Warrant, King Edward VII granted a new coat of arms to the colony. The springbok was chosen as the principal charge in the arms. Although it had made its appearance in heraldry nearly thirty years earlier (in the crest of the arms granted to Edward Randles of Port Natal in 1875), this appears to have been the first time that the animal was used as a charge on a shield. When the colony became a province of the Union of South Africa in 1910, the provincial administration took over the arms, which it used until 1925. In 1937, after a twelve-year period without official arms, the provincial administration adopted the old republican arms , which were used as the provincial arms until the Orange Free State was reconstituted as the Free State Province in 1994. Blazon The official blazon is: Argent, on a mound a springbuck and on a chief Azure the Imperial Crown all proper.

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THE FIRST SETTLER Durban Timeline 1497-1990 24 December, A flotilla of three Portuguese ships under the command of Capt Vasco da Gama sailed up the eastern seaboard of southern Africa, and moored overnight in the lee of a headland, which may have been the Bluff. Probably because of the date, Da Gama named the land “Terra do Natal”. It is not known whether sailors landed here to take on fresh water, but this seems improbable as they made landfall three days later, at the mouth of the Limpopo. 1552 24 June, The Portuguese slave galleon Sao Joao ran aground at the mouth of the Umzimvubu River, near present-day Port Edward. 1554 27 April, The Portuguese slaver Sao Bento was grounded near the Mzikaba River, off the northern Transkei. 1589 March, The Portuguese ship Sao Thome was shipwrecked near the coast of Natal. The survivors landed at Sordwana Bay. 1593 24 March, The Portuguese ship Santo Alberto ran aground near the Mtata River. 1608 The Portuguese Galleon Sao Esperitowas wrecked off the coast of Natal. 1622 The Portuguese ship Sao Joao Baptista was shipwrecked off the coast of the southern Transkei. 1635 July, The Portuguese ship Nossa Senhora de Belem ran ashore near the mouth of the Mzimkulu River. 1647 The Portuguese ship Sacramento was shipwrecked near present-day Port Edward. On Easter day the Portuguese ship Nossa Serihora da Atalaya was shipwrecked near Keiskamma Point. 1684 The English ship Frances visited Natal on an ivory trading mission, but did not enter the bay. 1685 17 May, The English ketch Good Hope was caught in a squall off the Bay of Natal and was driven ashore at the Point, where she remained immovably stuck. The 24 survivors, under the leadership of Capt John Adams, managed to reach the shore safely, and settled on the Bluff. Being skilled ship’s carpenters, they set about building a decked boat from the remains of the wreck, which the Master and nine men then sailed for Madagascar, leaving nine of their comrades behind, five of the remaining men having, in the interim, died of dysentery. Soon after, another English ketch put into the Bay to barter for supplies of beef, and left with another four survivors, while the last five men opted to remain behind, presumably in the company of newfound families. 1686 16 February, The Dutch East India Company ship Stavemisse was grounded some 112km south of the Bay of Natal. Forty-seven of the survivors decided to make their way overland to Cape Town, and by the time they were discovered by a rescue party at the mouth of the Kei, only 22 had come through their journey. Soon thereafter the 13 survivors who had, wisely, opted to remain behind at the wreck were joined by two English sailors from the Good Hope who invited them to join the small settlement at Bay of Natal. Although two then died on their way, eleven others completed this journey. 25 December, The English ketch Bona Ventura was wrecked at St Lucia Bay and its nine survivors made their way south to the Bay of Natal, swelling the size of the new settlement to 25. By combining their skills and labours these men were able to build a small sloop, that they named the Centaurus. Twenty of them then sailed it to Cape Town where it was purchased by the Dutch administration. 1689 4 January, The Noord, sent by the Dutch administration at the Cape to search for additional shipwreck survivors from the Stavenisse, reached the bay. The following day it managed to sail over the sand bar at its entrance, thereby becoming the first ship to moor in the Bay of Natal. Timeline: Durban 1700 - 1899 1736 A hunting party headed by Hermanus Hubner journeyed to the Bay where it met three English sailors and three English women, thought to have been the survivors of an unnamed shipwreck at the mouth of the Lwavibusa River, some years previously. 1822 September, The British Admiralty commissioned Capt William Owen RN to conduct a survey of the south-eastern seaboard of Africa, south of Delagoa Bay. This took place in January 1823. 1823 23 June, An exploratory party under Lieutenants Francis Farewell and James King set sail on the brig Salisbury from Cape Town hoping to establish a trading station at St Lucia. Having failed to make a landing there, they turned back and, ran into a severe storm off the Bay of Natal. Seeking shelter from the elements, they managed to sail over the sandbar and into the bay, where they found a safe mooring off Salisbury Island, a small land outcrop in the bay. 1824 10 May, A small advance party under Henry Fynn arrived at Port Natal on the Julia,landing in the bay near the site of present-day Maydon Wharf. In expectation of being joined subsequently by a second party, Fynn established a camp on a sandy flat subsequently used as a market, and now known as Farewell Square. July, A second party under Francis Farewell arrived aboard the Antelope. It numbered about 26 persons and included in its number a Dutchman, Josias Hoffman, whose son would eventually become the first President of the OFS. Fynn had previously made contact with Shaka, the Zulu king, whose suzerainty included the bay area, and he introduced Farewell to the royal Zulu court. As a result the settlement at Port Natal began to flourish, with trade being conducted in ivory, hippo tusks, buffalo hides, cattle and grain. 7 August, At a meeting with Fynn and Farewell, Shaka granted the English settlers an area about Port Natal of about 6500 km² in extent. Upon his return, on 24 August, Farewell hoisted the Union Jack and formally took possession of the land in the name of the British Crown. 7 September, Nine members of the Dutch party boarded the Julia and headed back to Cape Town. 30 September, The brig Mary, under the command of Lt Richard King, reached Port Natal where, on the following day, in a futile attempt to cross the sand bar under gale force winds, she was lost without loss of life. 9 December, The Julia returned to the bay later in 1824, and when she left on 9 December the last eleven members of the Dutch party departed aboard her. On its way back the vessel is believed to have caught alight and was lost at sea with all lives on board. 1827 Early in the year the settlers began to run low of medical supplies and a 15 year old boy, Charles Rawden Maclean, better known to his companions as John Ross, was sent to Delagoa Bay to secure fresh stores. Travelling under a Zulu escort Ross made the 970km journey on foot and returned to Port Natal in July. 1828 Shaka sent a delegation to the British Government, accompanied by Lt King. They only travelled as far as Algoa Bay, where they were met with the hostility and rudeness of local officials. 7 September, Death of Lt King as the result of dysentery. 24 September, Shaka was murdered at his military camp at Dukuza, by his half-brothers Dingane and Mhlangana, together with his bodyguard Mbopha. 1829 October, Lt Farewell was attacked and killed on the banks of the Uzimbuvu River, south of Port Natal. 1830 Dingane sent a delegation to the Cape to declare his friendly intentions and to encourage trade with the colony. 1832 Dr Andrew Smith, an officer in the British Army Medical Corps, visited the Zulu court. 1834 A group of 190 merchants from Cape Town petitioned the British Government to annex “Port Natal and the depopulated country in its vicinity”. In the same year a party of Dutch farmers from the Uitenhage district visited Natal to evaluate its potential for farming. 29 December, Capt Allen Gardiner, a British naval officer turned missionary, arrived in Port Natal. 1835 23 June, At a meeting of 15 settlers, held at the home of Mr Berkin, the growing village was named D’Urban, after Sir Benjamin D’Urban, then Governor of the Cape, while the area about was named Victoria County. Under the direction of Capt Allen Gardiner, a plan for the new settlement was drawn up and rudimentary defences were erected in expectation of an attack from the Zulu. 1836 Dr Newton Adams, together with Revs Grout and Champion, of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, established a mission house and school south of Durban. The settlement was destroyed by Zulu forces in 1838, but was rebuilt by Adams the following year. In 1847 it was moved south of the Umlazi Location, near present-day Amanzimtoti. 1837 Durban’s first military regiment, the Port Natal Volunteers, was established. 19 October, An advance party of sixteen Dutch men under Piet Retief arrived in Durban, where they received a warm welcome from its trader community. 1838 The village of Congella was established by Dutch families on the south-western side of the bay. 6 February, Piet Retief , together with a party of 69 men, were slaughtered at the Zulu capital of Mgungundlovu, on the orders of Dingane. Thereafter, on 17 February, Zulu forces fell upon Dutch families who had already scattered over the Bloukrans and Bushman’s River valleys, killing 40 men, 56 women and 185 children, as well as over 200 of their retainers. March, Towards the end of March a force of some 2500 Port Natal levies under the command of Ogle, Stubbs and Cane crossed the Mgeni River and attacked a number of Zulu homesteads in the Untunjambili (Kranskop) area. Meeting little resistance they fired the villages and returned home with 4000 cattle and 500 women and children whom they planned to integrate into their settlements. 10 April, A second expeditionary force consisting of 18 Natal traders, 30 Khoi retainers and some 600 levies, 400 of whom were armed with muskets, crossed the Thukela near its mouth. Seven Zulu regiments, numbering some 10,000 men, under the command of Dingane’s brother, Mpande, immediately confronted them, and after a sustained attack, the trader-led group was virtually annihilated. 24 April, A large force of Zulu attacked Durban and over a period of nine days systematically destroyed the village. Settlers were forced to retreat to the brig Comet, moored in the Bluff channel. The Zulu withdrew on 3 May, leaving the survivors to pick their way through the ashes. May, Taking advantage of the confusion in the aftermath of the Zulu attack, dissident Dutch farmers from the Cape annexed Durban and declared the Republic of Natalia, with its capital at Pietermaritzburg. December, A detachment of 100 men of the 72nd Regiment of Foot of the Seaforth Highlanders, under the command of Major S Charters, arrived at Durban. Charter’s orders included the proper fortification of the town, and the pacification of the region. Fort Victoria was built on the Point, close to present-day Alexandra Square. 1839 The Volksraad of Natalia granted a farm, subsequently named Salt River Poort, to Andries Martinus Laas. In 1851 it was surveyed as the village of Pinetown. 1840 30 January, In 1839 Mpande broke with his brother, Dingane, and moved south of the Tukela with his followers. Having now entered into an alliance with the Dutch, on 30 January a combined force of 10,000 Zulu warriors and 300 Dutch commandos defeated Dingane’s army at the Mkuzi River. Mpande was then proclaimed King of the Zulu. The Republican Volksraad at Pietermaritzburg appointed George Cato to set out a new plan for Durban, and the first public sale of land took place in June. 1842 French naturalist M Adulphe Delagorgue arrived in Durban and set up camp near present-day Albert Park. He witnessed the subsequent confrontation near Congella between English and Dutch forces. May, After marching overland from the Eastern Cape, a contingent of 263 men of the 27th Regiment of Foot of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, under the command of Capt Thomas Charlton Smith, arrived in Durban to reclaim, on behalf of the British Crown, the ownership of Natal. Smith built a fortified laager on the site now known as the Old Fort. Meanwhile Dutch forces under Commandant Andries Pretorius had begun to muster at a camp, known as Congella, 5km south of Durban. After issuing an ultimatum, they seized the British cattle herd. 23 May, Smith counter-attacked with a force of 138 men supported by a howitzer sent across the bay by boat. The British attack on Congella was easily repulsed by the Dutch, and they were forced to retreat after suffering the loss of 51 men. The Dutch then laid siege to the British garrison in Durban. 24 May, During the night a small party of English settlers evaded Dutch picket lines by rowing two small boats to the Bluff, towing two horses behind them. Two of their number, Richard King and a Zulu retainer named Ndongeni set off on an epic 970km ride to Grahamstown to request the assistance of its British garrison. The ride took 10 days and was made possible by the string of mission stations previously established in the Transkei. 10 June, The Mazeppa, under the command of Joseph Cato and manned by the wives and families of the besieged garrison at Durban, slipped her mooring and under heavy fire from Dutch muskets, managed to sail over the bar with no casualties on board. 15 June, The Mazeppa reached Delagoa Bay where, after laying in additional stores, it headed south for the Cape. 26 June, The British frigate Southampton sailed into Durban and opened fire on the Dutch, who had, in the interim, taken Fort Victoria. Troops were landed in the Bay, and by 16.00 that afternoon the siege had been lifted. The Dutch then abandoned their camp at Congella, and retreated to Pietermaritzburg. 15 July, The Republic of Natalia formally submitted to British rule, and although its Volksraad remained in existence until 1845, from 1843 the territory was under the effective control of the British Representative, Henry Cloete. 1843 Durban’s first Methodist Church, a thatched wattle-and-daub structure erected by Rev J Archbell, was opened for worship. In 1850 this was replaced by a more substantial building, designed by his successor, Rev WC Holden. 4 May, The District of Natal was adopted as a British Colony. This was ratified by a Proclamation on 12 May, with Henry Cloete, Advocate of the Supreme Court in Cape Town, as Commissioner. The 45th Regiment of Foot, also known as the Sherwood Foresters, were garrisoned in Durban, where its Engineer’s Corps was responsible for building the Great West Road, crossing over the Berea Ridge at the 45th Cutting, thus opening up the interior for settlement. 1844 31 May, District of Natal was annexed to the Cape Colony. 1845 Roman-Dutch law was established in the District. 30 April, Natal was constituted as a distinct and separate government to be administered by a Lieutenant-Governor. 21 August, Boundaries of Natal were defined by Proclamation. Subsequent revisions took place on 5 June 1858, 7 September 1865 and 26 January 1903. Separate Proclamations regarding Zululand were made in 1887, 1895 and 1897 respectively. September, Natal was incorporated as a separate district of the Cape Colony. 22 November, Sir Peregrine Maitland, Governor of the Cape, appointed Martin West, formerly Resident Magistrate in Grahamstown, as Natal’s first Lieutenant-Governor. He landed at Port Natal on 4 December, and was sworn in at Pietermaritzburg on 12 December, when he also took over the administration of the Colony. He died in office in 1850. 1846 The first direct mail link between England and Natal was established when the Sarah Bell sailed into the bay. West appointed a Commission to give African land holding legal status. Included were the Surveyor-General, Lt CJ Gibb, and Theophilus Shepstone, Diplomatic Agent to the Native Tribes in 1845-53, and subsequently Secretary for Native Affairs, 1853-75. 1847 Shepstone began to establish “Native Locations” for exclusive Black settlement. On 8 March Umlazi, south of Durban, and Inanda, to its north-west, were proclaimed Start of the so-called Great Emigration from Britain, as the result of crop failures, the collapse of the railway financial boom, and general commercial distress. From 1847-51 over a million persons left the country for various destinations in the Empire, of which some 5,000 men, women and children travelled to Natal under a variety of land schemes. 2 March, Powers of the Cape Legislature to make laws for the District were revoked and its administration and legislative powers were placed in the hands of an appointed Council. November, 187 German settlers arrived at Port Natal. They were given land in an area 15km west of Durban, near Pinetown, which then became known as New Germany. 1848 Construction of Durban’s first windmill. Located on the Berea Ridge, it was also served as a useful landmark for ships entering the harbour. The site was located near present day Windmill Road. First sugar cane cultivars were imported from Mauritius. 13 April, Umgeni River breaks its banks and comes down in flood along the eastern floodplain. 22 November, The first plots were sold in Durban. 1849 The first settlers to be brought out to Natal under the Byrne immigration scheme arrived in Durban aboard the Wanterer. Not unexpectedly Byrne went bankrupt in 1850. 1 August, Death in office of Martin T West, first Lieutenant-Governor of the Colony. 1850 5 February, First post office was opened in Durban. 21 December, Meeting of Durban residents resolved to petition the Colonial Government for the establishment of municipal government in the town. 1851 Benjamin CC Pine was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of the Colony. It seems probable that Pine Terrace was named in his honour at about the same time. He was knighted in 1857 when he took up a new posting in West Africa. Finding itself short of funds, the Colonial Government attempted to annex land on the Berea and, having laid out 18 stands, it proposed to sell them. Following vociferous opposition by Durban’s residents the Government was forced to abandon its project. At the same time 46 acres were surveyed near the Umbilo River to accommodate the establishment of smallholdings for Black farmers. The village of Pinetown was surveyed on the farm Salt River Poort, formerly owned by Andries Martinus Laas. October, A public meeting was held in Durban to propose the introduction of Indian labour. 1852 13 August, The first steamship to sail into Durban harbour, the Sir Robert Peel, was met at the bay by most of the town’s residents. The Natal Mercury was published in Durban for the first time. Jean-Baptiste Sabon and Bishop Allard established the Roman Catholic Church in the Colony. The Jane Morice sailed into Durban with a cargo of 15,000 cane tops from Mauritius. 1853 Adams College was founded by the American Board of Missions. The first lots of land were sold at Umbilo, subsequently known as Prospect Township. 30 January, Dr John William Colenso arrived on the steamship Calcutta, and after a visit of inspection to various parts of the Colony, he returned to England on 10 April. 17 March, Foundation stone laid for the construction of St Paul’s Anglican Church, giving onto Market Square. This was completed the following year. 21 September, A public meeting held in Kinghurst’s Store, and chaired by Mr AW Evans, constituted itself as the Durban Mechanics’ Institution, its objective being “the moral and intellectual improvement of its members and others”. Its first premises were located in a small thatched wooden building, originally intended as a shop, which it leased from Mr Pulleyn for £18pa. The services of Mrs Hall were engaged as Attendant at the Library for £12pa. The premises were officially opened to the public on 14 November 1853. By that time it could boast of 112 members, and had accumulated 409 volumes and 272 pamphlets. By 1857 the thatched roof had begun to leak, and the library and reading room were moved next door to a double-storey house belonging to Dr Johnston. In about 1861 it was renamed the Durban Public Library. 1854 The Durban Police force was established. Byelaws promulgated requiring Black visitors to the village to be clothed from the shoulder to the knee. The Durban Voluntary Guards, subsequently known as the Durban Light Infantry, was formed. 21 April, Ordinance No 1 of 1854 “For establishing Municipal Corporations within the District of Natal” was promulgated. This was published in Durban on 3 May. May, Lieutenant-Governor Benjamin Pine proclaimed the township of Durban a Borough. At the time its White population numbered 1,204. 10 June, Sir George Grey was appointed Colonial Secretary. 2 August, The first Town Council, consisting of 8 members representing four wards, was elected to office, with George Christopher Cato being elected the first Mayor of Durban. November, Durban’s first bank, the Natal Bank, opened its premises in Aliwal Street. 1855 February, Sidney Herbert, afterwards Lord Herbert of Lea, was appointed Colonial Secretary. 15 May, Lord John Russell, afterwards Earl Russell, was appointed Colonial Secretary. 20 May, Dr John Colenso, Bishop of Durban, together with his family, returned to Port Natal on the Jane Morice. His party included Mrs Colenso, their four children, Archdeacon CF McKenzie, the Rev WO Newnham, and a body of clergy, female teachers and other support staff. He preached for the first time on 27 May. 11 July, The foundation stone of the Congregational Chapel in Smith Street was laid with the usual honours. 21 July, Sir William Molesworth was appointed Colonial Secretary. 17 November, Henry Labouchere, afterwards Lord Taunton, was appointed Colonial Secretary. 1856 Rev Posselt established a Lutheran mission station at Christianenburg, subsequently known as Clermont. Francois Adams opened Durban’s first bookstore. Durban’s first jail was completed. Five years later a police station was built on the present site of Medwood Gardens. 12 April, Following four days of torrential rains during which time Durban suffered a deluge of 689mm, the Umgeni River burst its banks and flooded the low-lying plain north of the town, leaving most of Durban under water. 15 July, By Royal Charter Natal was proclaimed a separate British colony. On the same date John Scott, afterwards Sir, was appointed its Lieutenant-Governor. Provisions in the same Charter gave the franchise to every man above the age of 21 years who possessed any immovable property to the value of £50. These provisions excluded aliens and other persons convicted of any “treason, felony, or infamous offence, who have not received a free pardon”. 30 October, John Scott, the new Lieutenant-Governor of the Colony arrived at Durban aboard HMS Geyser. 1857 A partly-elected legislature was established. Butchers were obliged to remove to officially designated slaughter houses at the west end of town. The town’s first timber saw mill began operations from a site at the beach-end of Field Street. 16 March, The foundation stone for a new Wesleyan Church, located just off the corner of West and Gardiner Streets, was laid by the Rev Thomas Jenkins, formerly a missionary to the Mpondo. It was destroyed in 1877, and replaced soon after by a larger and more imposing structure, which served its community until 1977, when it was demolished. The churches’ former chapel in Aliwal Street was given over to a mission for Black residents. 23 March, The first Legislative Council under the new charter met in Pietermaritzburg. Donald Moodie, representing the Borough of Durban was elected its first Speaker. 1 June, Natal issued its first stamps. 14 July, The first meeting called for the town’s Total Abstinence Society. 1858 30 January, The first output of the Congella Salt Works, owned by Charles McDonald, was put up for sale in Market Square. Unfortunately this enterprise did not last long, owing to low levels of salinity in the bay as well as the rapid corrosion of the imported iron boiler-plate evaporating pans. 28 February, Lord Stanley, afterwards Earl of Derby, was appointed Colonial Secretary. 31 May, Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, Bart, afterwards Lord Lytton, was appointed Colonial Secretary. 5 September, The 45th Regiment was relieved by the 85th Regiment, 1859 Following protracted negotiations between the Natal Government and the Colonial Secretary, the Natal Parliament passed the Coolie Law No 14 of 1859. This made it possible for the Colony to implement a programme whereby Indian labourers could be brought out to South Africa under a five-year contract of indenture. At the end of the five years, workers had the option of signing new contracts for a further five-year period, which would make them eligible to settle permanently in the colony, or of being given a free passage back to India Upon completion of a second contract of indenture, Indian labourers were also entitled to a gift of Crown land and full citizenship rights. This proviso was later withdrawn when Act No. 25 of 1891 was promulgated in order to discourage the settlement of Indians in the Colony. 18 June, Duke of Newcastle was appointed Colonial Secretary. 26 June, South Africa’s first railway line, linking the Point to Durban’s town centre, was opened by Acting Lt-Governor of Natal, Major Williamson. Most residents turned out to witness the event as the first steam locomotive, named The Natal, travelled a distance of some 3.2km from the railway station near Farewell Square to the Point. July, The Hermanus Isaac brought 90 Dutch settlers from Amsterdam to Durban. 24 September, The foundation stone for a Sailor’s Church, at the Point was performed by Rev WHC Lloyd, the Colonial Chaplain. 17 November, The first contingent of 341 indentured labourers from India to find employment as workers on Natal’s cane fields, entered the bay aboard the SS Truro. Immigration was suspended in 1866 due to depressed economic conditions in the Colony, and following allegations made in 1870 of embezzlement and ill-treatment of Indian workers on the part of White farmers, was only resumed in 1874. 1861 Under the guidance of Captain Vetch RE, construction began on a crescent-shaped pier, north of Milne’s breakwater at the entrance to the bay. Its purpose was to create a second harbour off the “back” beach on the seaward side of the Point. Construction was completed on the Natal Government Hospital, Durban’s first such facility, located near the current site of the Supreme Court, on the Esplanade. It was replaced in 1879 by Addington Hospital, on Erskine Terrace, where many of the casualties from the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 were admitted. First building bye-law passed prohibiting the use of thatch as a roofing material within the boundaries of the Borough. Bauboo Naidoo, an interpreter, opened a shop in Field Street, Durban, for the sale of condiments and other delicacies not included in the rations issued by law to indentured workers, thereby becoming the first Hindu Indian shop keeper in the Colony. 26 November, A second contingment of 310 indentured Indian labourers arrived in Durban from Calcutta on board the Belvedere. 1862 Proclamation promulgated requiring all Black males to wear trousers within the municipal boundaries of Durban and Pietermaritzburg. 1863 Durban’s population now numbered approximately 3,390 White, 1,380 Black and 230 Indian residents. 1864 The Queen’s Bridge, the first to be built across the Umgeni River, was opened to traffic. It was sited near Morewood’s Drift, also known at Morewood’s Ford. Letters Patent were issued vesting the Natal Native’s Trust with the authority to hold location lands in trust for the Black population. J Maclean was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of the Colony. November, Work began on Durban’s first lighthouse, located on the Bluff. The structure was designed by colonial engineer Peter Paterson, was completed in January 1867. Initially it used a ship’s lantern, until 1869 when a proper signal light was installed. For military reasons, it was demolished at the start of WWII and the present lighthouse was rebuilt near the site after 1946. The first eight street lamps were lit in Durban. This innovation did not survive for long, as by 1867, the Council could no longer afford to buy the oil and the lamps were put out. 4 April, Edward Cardwell, afterwards Viscount Cardwell, was appointed Colonial Secretary. 1865 The Legislative Council passed a law that specifically excluded indigenous male residents of Natal from the franchise in general, but still permitted individuals who had been exempted from African Law for seven years, and had resided in the Colony for twelve, to apply for the vote. Such applications had to be supported by three duly qualified white electors, but the granting of the vote remained at the discretion of the Governor Work was begun on laying down a hard surface on Berea Road. To pay for the project tollgates were erected at points where it crossed Ridge and Umgeni Roads. 1866 County Alfred, between the Mtamvuna and Mzimkulu Rivers, was incorporated in Natal. 1 June, Durban High School opened its doors from a building in Smith Street, opposite the old police station, near Broad Street. In 1880 its premises were moved to the building previously used as the Natal Government Hospital, on the Esplanade, and in 1894 it was moved again to its present location, in St Thomas’ Road, on the Berea. Thereafter, from 1895 to 1907, the old hospital building was taken over by the Durban Boys Model School. 6 July, Earl of Carnarvon was appointed Colonial Secretary. 1867 Robert W Keate was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of the Colony. 8 March, Duke of Buckingham and Chandos was appointed Colonial Secretary. 4 April, The Durban to Umgeni railway line was opened. 1868 10 December, Earl Granville was appointed Colonial Secretary. 1869 The first “passenger Indians” arrived in Durban. The appellation referred to Indian immigrant traders, artisans, teachers and shop assistants who paid their own passage to the Colony. 1870 The Durban Fire Department was established, following the gift of a fire engine to the Borough Council by William Palmer, the local agent for the Royal Insurance Company. 6 July, Earl of Kimberley was appointed Colonial Secretary. 1872 Photographic record made of the surviving British settlers who had arrived in Durban before 1851. Anthony Musgrave was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of the Colony. Aboobaker Haji Ahmed Jhaveri arrived in Natal. Hilton College was founded. The Coolie Consolidation Amendment Act No 12 of 1872 made provision for a Protector of Indian Immigrants. It abolished flogging for breaches of the Masters and Servants Act, and legislated the improvement of medical treatment for Indian labourers. 25 November, Colonel Price-Lloyd was appointed the first Protector of Indian Immigrants. In order to give effect to the law he immediately set about building up a suitable administrative system. 1873 Langalibalele, chief of the Hlubi, refused to register his firearms and, in an attempt to evade the colonial authorities, began to move his clan to Griqualand East. In a skirmish that followed a number of people were killed, including seven policemen. Langalibalele was arrested, and after his trial, he was banished for life to Robben Island. Following an appeal by Dr John Colenso, Anglican Bishop of Natal, he was released and allowed to return to his lands where he died in 1887. The incident led to the recall of the Governor, Benjamin Pine. April, Musgrove retired frim his position as Lieutenant-Governor of the Colony. July, Sir Benjamin Pine returned for a second term as Lieutenant-Governor of the Colony. 22 December, The Protector of Indian Immigrants was appointed to the Natal Legislature’s Executive Council. He held this seat until 21 December 1876 when his seat was taken by the Colonial Engineer. 1874 2 January, The Immigration Trust Board was established in under Natal Law No 208 of 1874. 21 February, Earl of Carnarvon was appointed Colonial Secretary. 1875 Sir Henry Ernest Bulwer was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of the Colony. June, Aboobaker Amod, a Memon trader from Porbander, opened a store in West Street, thus establishing himself as the first “Arab” trader in Natal. In the 1870s White colonial perceptions differentiated between Hindu and Muslim Indian immigrants, the latter being commonly referred to as “Arabs”. 1877 The first Harbour Board was constituted. 1 January, The Point to Umgeni railway line was opened. On this same day, under Act No 4 of 1875, the Natal Government acquired the Natal Railway Co Ltd and all its holdings. 2 August, The Durban Young Ladies’ Evangelical Collegiate Institute, now known as Durban Girls’ High School was founded. 1878 Following a protracted drought in the town, Councillor HW Currie proposed to sink an artesian well at the foot of the Botanic Gardens, where a spring had previously provided local elephants with drinking water. This became known as Currie’s Fountain, and was capable of yielding 227,000 litres a day, enough to supply Durban’s needs for drinking water until the Umbilo Water Works were completed in 1887. Other waterworks completed subsequently included Umlaas in 1891, Camperdown in 1901, and Shongweni in 1827. Natal Law 20 of 1878 was passed governing Indian Education. The new Addington Hospital was opened 4 February, Sir Michael E Hicks-Beach, Bart, was appointed Colonial Secretary. May, The Durban to Pinetown railway line was opened. 25 May, The Umgeni to Avoca railway line was opened. 1879 General Sir Garnet J Wolseley was appointed Governor of the Colony. Establishment of the Indian Immigration School Board. The Resident Magistrate of Umzinto, JA Knight, was the first to use two crossed lines to denote a registered letter, an innovation which was eventually adopted by postal services throughout the world. 11 January, British forces invaded Zululand. 22 January, At a battle, which took place on the slopes of Isandlwana, more than 2,500 British troops and colonial levies lost their lives fighting against a Zulu army. Later that day, in an epic defence of the Rorke’s Drift Mission Station, 104 men of the 24th Regiment held off an attack by 4,500 Zulus under the command of Dabulamanzi. Eleven of the 89 survivors were awarded the Victoria Cross. March, The Pinetown to Botha’s Hill railway line was opened. 15 March, The Avoca to Mount Edgecombe railway line was opened. 4 July, Zulu forces were finally defeated at the battle of Ulundi. 21 September, The Mount Edgecombe to Verulam railway line was opened. 1880 Major-General Sir George Pomeroy-Colley was appointed Governor of the Colony. 1 February, The Rossburgh to Isipingo railway line was opened. 28 April, Earl of Kimberley was appointed Colonial Secretary. October, The Botha’s Hill to Camperdown railway line was opened. December, The Camperdown to Pietermaritzburg railway line was opened. 1881 The Harbour Board was reconstituted for a second time. 1882 Sir Henry Bulwer was appointed Governor of the Colony. Zulu workers arriving in Durban and registering with the police were issued with white calico trousers. The Theatre Royal opened its doors to patrons from premises in West Street. 1883 The franchise was extended to White male persons of 3 years’ residence in the Colony. 1885 Sir Arthur E Havelock was appointed Governor of the Colony. The South African Republic (ZAR) passed Law No 3 of 1885, the first legislation in South Africa directed specifically against Indian immigration, whereby “any of the native races of Asia, including so-called Coolies, Arabs, Malays, and Mohammedan subjects of the Turkish Empire” were grouped together. The act did not permit any of these groups to obtain rights of citizenship, to be “owners of fixed property in the Republic except only in such streets, wards and locations as the Government for purposes of sanitation shall assign to them”, and for all traders to be registered. Sir Henry Bulwer appointed a commission to investigate the position of Indian residents in Natal and the impact of potential new immigrants upon the Colony. Jacaranda trees were planted fir the first time in Durban. 25 October, Building was completed of Durban’s first Town Hall. In 1910 it was given over to the Post Office once a second Town Hall had been completed nearby. 1887 Opening of Umbilo’s Municipal Water Works. Annexation of Zululand by the British Crown. Durban’s municipal museum, reputedly the largest such establishment in South Africa, was opened in a section of the old Town Hall. It was subsequently re-housed in the City Hall. 1888 The Registration of Servants Act No. 2 of 1888 was passed by the Natal legislature. This classified Indians as members of an “uncivilized race” and made them liable to registration. Free Indians were forced to carry passes or face arbitrary arrest. The ZAR rejected a British-Indian petition and placed Asiatics in the same category as its indigenous African population, whom it regarded only as labourers. 1889 Sir Charles HH Mitchell was appointed Governor of the Colony. 1891 19 Law, known as the “Code of Native Law” was adopted. 1892 The firm of Hewlett & Sons Ltd was established. At first it dealt only in the production of tea, but it soon expanded into sugar cane farming, and in 1903 it opened its first sugar mill at Tinley Manor. In a general election Natal voted in favour of self-government. The following year a ministry under Natal’s first Prime Minister, Sir John Robinson, took office, with an elected lower house of 37 members. Rickshas introduced to Durban. Later their use was to spread to Pietermaritzburg and the Natal midlands, as well as Johannesburg, Lourenco Marques, Bulawayo and Mombasa. 1893 Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi arrived in Durban. The London-trained lawyer was brought to South Africa by a group of Indian citizens concerned with obtaining rights of equal citizenship in their new country. Having bought a first-class train ticket for Johannesburg at the Durban station, he was forcibly ejected from the train at Pietermaritzburg following complaints from fellow White passengers. Sir Walter Francis Hely-Hutchinson was appointed Governor of the Colony. 26 June, Law providing for the establishment of Responsible Government in the Colony was given Royal Assent, and became law in the Colony on 20 July 1894. 10 October, First Natal parliament, under Prime Minister Sir John Robinson, took office. 1894 The Franchise Bill, which aimed to disenfranchise Natal Indians, was introduced in the Natal Colonial Parliament. This issue was to begin Mahatma Gandhi's political career and eventually led to the founding of the first South African Indian political organisation, the Natal Indian Congress. A critical shortage of agricultural labour in the Cape led to the appointment by its Colonial Government of a Labour Commission. One of its findings came out strongly against the importation of indentured labour from India and China. 22 August, The Natal Indian Congress (NIC) was founded with Dada Abdullah Haji Adam as its first Chair and Mahatma Gandhi as its secretary. As a result of NIC-led protests against the Franchise Act, the British Government did not immediately sanction its passing, but allowed the legislation to be reintroduced in 1896. 1895 The promulgation of the Indian Immigration Law Amendment Act, Law No 17 of 1895, allowed the Colony of Natal to impose a £3 penalty tax upon all previously indentured Indians who either failed to re-indenture or to return to India after the expiration of their labour contracts. In 1903, the Act is extended to include girls aged 13 and older, and boys aged 16 and older. Durban’s main post office ran out of ha’penny stamps. 1896 Michaelhouse was founded. Gandhi returns to Durban by ship but is prevented from disembarking for nearly a month by quarantine regulations. Even then he was attacked by an angry crowd near the Ship Hotel in West Street, and was only saved from serious harm by the intervention of Mrs Sarah Jane Alexander, the Police Superintendent’s wife. The franchise was extended to exclude all persons who were either “Natives”, or descendants in the male line of “Natives” of countries which had not hitherto possessed elective representative institutions founded on the parliamentary franchise. This was obviously aimed at Black residents originating from the southern African interior. 1 July, Durban’s first sewage disposal system was inaugurated, discharging the town’s wastes into the sea from the Point. This was retained until 1938, probably to the great delight of the city’s off-shoe lobster population. Fernando Pessoa, 1888-1935, arrived in Durban from Portugal. After being educated at the Durban High School, from 1899-1904, he left Durban in 1905, and went on to become a poet of world repute. It seems doubtful that he ever wrote any of his work in Durban, but today his youthful and somewhat brief sojourn in the town is marked by a statue in his honour in Pessoa Square, opposite the old station building. Reclamation work begins on Durban’s bay area, as well as the creation of an esplanade along part of the foreshore and the making of an embankment along the town length of the bay. After this was completed in 1902 it was named the Victoria Embankment, in honour of the British monarch’s diamond jubilee. In 1896, there were 9,309 registered White voters in Natal, and although only three Africans and 251 Indians had also been allowed to acquire voting rights in the colony, this small number was disenfranchised by the Franchise Act No 8 of 1896. 17 April, The Tongaat Sugar Company successfully applied to the Natal Immigration Trust Board for permission to recruit indentured artisans from India. 18 September, The European Protection Association was established in Pietermaritzburg, calling for limits to be placed upon Indian immigration and the compulsory repatriation of indentured labourers upon expiration of their contracts. 26 November, As a result of anti-Indian sentiment, White residents of Durban held a meeting where they condemned Mahatma Gandhi and set up the Colonial Patriotic Union. 1897 The Natal Immigration Restriction Act, and its subsequent amendments in 1900, 1903 and 1906, imposes an educational, health, age and mean tests on Indians, other than indentured workers, seeking admission into the country. Zululand was incorporated into Natal Colony. The Natal Dealers Licenses Act No 18 of 1897 empowered licensing officers to arbitrarily refuse to issue licenses to Indian traders. 15 February, Second Natal parliament, under Prime Minister Harry Escombe QC, took office. 7 May, The Natal Indian Congress (NIC) collects £1,539 from South African Indians for famine relief in India. 5 October, Third Natal parliament, under Prime Minister Sir Henry Binns, took office. 1898 The Portuguese community donated a civic clock to mark the 400th anniversary of the naming of Natal by Vasco da Gama. The last outstanding areas of the Kingdom of Zululand were incorporated into Natal Colony. 1899 9 June, Fourth Natal parliament, under Prime Minister Lt-Col Albert Henry Hime, took office. 30 September, The Durban Light Infantry entrains from Durban Station in expectation of war with the Dutch Republics of the Orange Free State and the ZAR. This marks the first time that this regiment was deployed for action 11 October, Republican forces invaded the Cape and Natal, occupying Ladysmith. 23 December, Winston Churchill arrived in Durban aboard the SS Nduna,following his escape from a Republican jail in Pretoria. Timeline: Durban 1900 - 1990 1901 Colonel Sir Henry Edward McCullum was appointed Governor of the Colony. Urban myth has it that a Durban housewife prepared the first known “kitchen suit” for her young gardener by adapting one of her son’s old school uniforms. This idea was adopted by the clothing company Harvey, Greenacre & Co, who then produced a number of variations for male wear based upon the original design, including uniforms for house servants, gardeners, police and ricksha pullers. From the beginning Black employees found such apparel offensive. 1902 The former ZAR districts of Utrecht and Vryheid were ceded to Natal. 1 May, The first electric trams ran in Durban. 1903 Founding of newspaper Indian Opinion . This was subsequently published from the Phoenix Settlement . January, The districts of Vryheid and Utrecht were annexed to the Colony. 15 May, The steamship Umona ran onto a reef south of one of the Maldive islands. The passengers, which included a group of 475 Indian labourers headed for the coffee and sugar plantations of Natal, were all landed safely on the island, together with adequate provisions. 18 August, Fifth Natal parliament, under Prime Minister Sir George Morris Sutton, took office. 25 September, The last horse-drawn tram ran its route from the Town Hall to Prospect Road, in Umbilo. 1904 Settlement established at Phoenix by Gandhi. 26 June, The Armadale Castle enters the harbour following extensive dredging operations in the harbour mouth. 29 June, Durban’s new floating dock was brought on-line when, for the first time, it lifted the 7000 ton SS Kentout of the water for repairs. 1905 6 May, Sixth Natal parliament, under Prime Minister Charles John Smythe, took office. 1906 Martial law was repealed. Lillie Langtry visits Durban. Her personal ricksha puller, a man named Jim, is said to have worn her racing colours of fawn and turquoise. 1 January, A poll tax of £3 was introduced in Natal.on every Indian resident over 18 years of age February, The Bhambatha Rebellion erupted in Natal in protest against a so-called “hut tax” levied by the Natal Government. Martial Law proclaimed in the Colony. 24 April, The Natal Indian Congress, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, established an ambulance corps to render assistance to the wounded in the field during the Bhambatha uprising . 28 November, Seventh Natal parliament, under Prime Minister Frederick Robert Moore, took office. 1907 Lt-Col Sir Mathew Nathan was appointed Governor of the Colony. Council introduces two special “funeral” trams for the use of mourners. This was suspended for White use after only two trips, following a loud protest from the town’s undertakers, but remained in use until 1931 for Black customers. 1908 A private referendum run by The Natal Witness showed that only 438 of those polled favoured unification with the other colonies, while 1396 would welcome a federal solution. Isolation was preferred choice of 790 people. October, Twelve delegates from the Cape of Good Hope, five from Natal, eight from the Transvaal, five from the Orange River Colony, and three from Rhodesia, appointed by their respective parliaments, met in Durban to consider the viability of a South African union. These 33 representatives constituted the South African National Convention which deliberated at Durban for over three weeks and then adjourned to meet at Cape Town on 23 November 1908. 1909 The Electric Theatre, Durban’s first permanent cinema, opened its doors. The Native Administration Act of 1908 was adopted, providing for the appointment of a permanent Secretary for Native Affairs, and dividing the Colony into four districts, each under the control of a District Native Commissioner. They were then required to carry out the orders and directions of “the Supreme Chief”, which were given through the Secretary of Native Affairs. It also established a Council for Native Affairs which met in August of each year and whose members excluded persons of colour. 10 June, Referendum was held on the adoption of the Act of Union. From a total of 14, 822 ballots cast, a majority of 7,430 men voted in its favour. 1910 The first commercial wireless radio station in sub-Saharan Africa began broacasting from Jacobs. General Lord Methuen was appointed Governor of the Colony. 12 April, The new City Hall was inaugurated, at which stage the old City Hall was given over for use by the Post Office. 30 April, The first airplane flight took place in Durban. 31 May, Natal joined the Cape, Transvaal and Orange Free State, to form the Union of South Africa . A wireless-radio installation was built on The Bluff with a range of about 650 kms. 1911 The last ship to bring indentured Indian labour to Natal, the Umlazi, arrives in Durban. At this stage the indentured labour scheme was finally abolished. Isaiah Shembe founded the Nazareth Baptist Church at Ekuphakameni, near the Phoenix Settlement. 1912 12 July, The Durban Technical Institute (DTI) opens its doors. 1914 Outbreak of WWI. Many residents of Durban lost their lives in the conflict and the Cenotaph in Gardiner Street was dedicated to their memory. 1915 13 May, Following the sinking of the Lusitaniaby a German submarine, anti-German riots broke out in Durban as well as other major towns in South Africa. One of the premises targeted by the mob was a biscuit factory in Palmer Street belonging to JML Bauman, a town councillor whose two sons were serving in the South African army fighting Germans in East Africa. Subsequent to this incident the name of his business was changed to Bakers’ Ltd. 1916 The Durban and District Native Football Association was established. 1917 The Indian Printers Union and the Indian Workers Union were founded. Their secretaries, MK Moodley and Rev BLE Sigamoney, were both Natal-born Indians. The Umngeni River came down in flood. 1918 Outbreak of Spanish influenza. 1919 July, Indian entrepreneur Mr Siddhoo introduces the first truck to be converted to use as a passenger transport. 1920 Mrs Edith Benson became the town’s first woman Councillor. 1921 5 March, The Durban Land Alienation Ordinance, No 14 of 1922, was passed by the Durban Town Council, enabling it to exclude Indians from the ownership or occupation of property in designated White areas. This legislation preceded the imposition by the Nationalist Party of apartheid legislation by 27 years 6 March, The Natal Indian Congress was re-established in Durban for the second time. Ismail Gora was elected president. The first Comrades Marathon was run between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. 1922 The DTI was split into the University of Natal, now known as the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and the Natal Technicon, now known as the Durban University of Technology. 1923 31 May, The Mayor of Durban, Walter Gilbert, officially opened the third national conference of Indian organisations in the Durban Town Hall, which formally established the SA Indian Congress. Omar Hajee Amod Jhaveri was elected its first president. 1924 10 December, The town’s first public wireless programme was broadcast from the City Hall. 1925 15 June, Durban Transport introduced the first three Thornycroft single-decker petrol engine busses. The first Dennis single-decker diesel engine bus was run on 2 November 1834, while first Daimler double-decker diesel-powered bus came into service on 20 August 1938. 1927 Athlone Bridge, spanning over the Umngeni River, was opened to traffic. 11 November, The Memorable Order of Tin Hats (MOTHS) holds its first parade when 3,000 ex-servicemen marched through town to the cenotaph. The birth of the movement was inspired by Natal Mercury cartoonist, Charles Evenden. 1928 The Maharajah of Mysore presents the citizens of Durban with an elephant. Nellie, as she was soon named, became a firm favourite with local children. 1929 The Governor-General of South Africa, the Earl of Athlone, opened Sastri College, a high school for Indian boys in Durban. 1930 12 May, Durban’s first traffic lights were installed at the intersection of Pine and Field Streets. In 1931 an additional 14 units were ordered at a cost of £1040. In 1933 the first traffic signal with buried sensors was erected on an experimental basis at the intersection of St Thomas’ and Musgrave Roads. Regrettably, despite the time passed since then, Durban’s drivers have still to master the Rules of the Road regarding inoperative traffic lights. 1933 The first group of Indian girls was matriculated in South Africa. 1935 The Borough of Durban was granted city status. 24 February, The first electric trolley bus came into service on the Marine Parade route to phase out the old electric trams. 1938 The Fitzsimons Snake Park was opened. Although it was initially established to produce snake anti-venom, it went on to become one of the city’s most popular attractions. 1939 3 March, The fifth cricket test between England and South Africa began at Kingsmead, and although it had previously been resolved by its organisers that it would be played to a conclusion, no matter how long that took, the test was eventually declared a draw on March 14, when the English side, requiring only 42 runs for victory, was forced to leave to catch their ship home. This has since become known in sporting history as the Timeless Test. 3 September, Upon the outbreak of WWII, a number of defensive measures were set up around Durban, on the Bluff and at Battery Beach. Blockhouses were built at the harbour entrance and anti-submarine nets were thrown across the channel at the base of North and South piers. A number of prominent city features which, it was believed, could have assisted enemy navigation, were also dynamited, including the lighthouse and an unusual rock formation on the beach known as Hole in the Wall. 1940 April, Perla Siedle Gibson began to sing to every ship connected with the war effort, arriving or leaving from Durban harbour. Wearing a trademark white dress and floppy red hat, she serenaded over 13,000 ships and achieved worldwide recognition as “The Lady in White”. Durban celebrated the marriage of Sir Delvers Broughton and Diana Caldwell prior to their departure for Kenya. Early the following year Durban social climbers were horrified to learn of the arrest of Sir Delvers for the murder of Lord Erroll who, it was alleged, had begun a romantic dalliance with Lady Diana. This incident subsequently formed the basis in 1988 for a film White Mischief. 1941 The first, and probably only, vehicle accident in the world involving an overturned trolley bus took place at the corner of West and Farewell Streets. Thirtyseven passengers were injured in the process. 1943 20 September, Italian submarine Ammiraglio Cagni entered Durban Harbour under escort and surrendered to the Allies. 1949 Durban celebrated the centenary of the arrival of its 1849 Settlers. 13 January, Following an incident between a black youth and an Indian shopkeeper in Victoria Street, riots broke out in Victoria Street, Grey Street, Victoria Avenue, Tollgate, Mayville, Musgrave Road and Cato Manor. According to official figures 200 people were killed and 1029 injured with over 25,000 people being displaced from their homes. 2 August, The last electric tram to serve Durban pulled into the municipal sheds. 1958 Durban-born Penny Coelen wins the Miss World title. 1959 The so-called Beer-Hall Riots broke out in Cato Manor, in protest against the Durban Municipality’s monopoly on the brewing of sorghum beer. 1960 December, Municipal by-law prohibiting the wearing of bikinis on the city’s beaches was repealed. 1961 31 May, South Africa unilaterally proclaimed itself a Republic and left the Commonwealth. 1968 29 February, The city’s new water reservoir was opened at Durban Heights. 1971 The Natal Indian Congress was re-established for a third time. 1972 The Marine Hotel, on the corner of Gardiner Street and the Victoria Embankment, was demolished. Amongst its many prominent guests it numbered the Prince of Wales in 1923, Prince George in 1934 and Prince Bernhardt of The Netherlands in 1954. 1975 The Union Whaling Station, located on The Bluff, which had been in operation since 1908, closed down. At its peak in 1965 it processed 3640 whales killed by its fleet. In 1973 five members of the National Union of South African Students (NUSAS) were caught by the Harbour Police in an attempt to vandalise one of their ships, but were let off with a warning after pleading a severe case of youthful indiscretion. The hacksaw they used has never been preserved for posterity. 1982 Durban celebrated the 150th anniversary of its naming. 1986 Morris Fynn, descendant of early pioneer Henry Francis Fynn, initiated a campaign of vandalising apartheid signs on Durban’s beachfront. The hacksaw he used has been preserved for posterity in the Old Courthouse Museum, in Aliwal Street. 1990 The Separate Amenities Act was repealed, thus opening up Durban’s facilities to all races.

Northern Cape Northern Cape, province, western South Africa . It is bordered to the north by Namibia and Botswana ; to the east by North West , Free State , and Eastern Cape provinces; to the south and southwest by Western Cape province; and to the west by the Atlantic Ocean . Northern Cape was administratively created out of northern and central Cape of Good Hope province in 1994. Kimberley is the provincial capital. Northern Cape’s eastern half and southwest form part of the Highveld, an arid plateau that gradually rises to the Great Escarpment (more than 6,000 feet [1,900 metres] in elevation) along the province’s southern border. To the northwest is desert, including the sand dunes of Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park , a conservation area jointly managed by South Africa and Botswana. The Orange River traverses the province from east to west and provides water for irrigation. The Orange is joined by one of its main tributaries, the Vaal River , near Douglas, in the east. In the west, near the Namibian border, the river plunges in a series of cataracts and rapids at Augrabies Falls , a total drop of more than 600 feet (183 metres). Thornveld is the natural vegetation of the province, and the climate is generally hot and arid. Annual rainfall increases from 4 inches (100 mm) in the west to about 14 inches (350 mm) in the east. Northern Cape is the largest and most sparsely populated province of South Africa. About half of the population is of mixed race. Blacks make up about one-third of the population, and whites constitute about one-tenth. Afrikaans is by far the most widely used language, spoken by about two-thirds of the population. Tswana is spoken by about one-fifth of the population. Several other languages are also spoken, including Xhosa and English. More than two-thirds of the population live in urban areas. The major urban centres are Kimberley and Upington. Annual spring wildflower display, Northern Cape province, South Africa. Merino sheep are raised in the south and Karakul sheep in the north, and cattle graze throughout the province. Pig raising and horse breeding are also practiced. Wheat, alfalfa (lucerne), cotton, peanuts (groundnuts), citrus fruit, and grapes are grown under irrigation. There are vineyards in the north. Winter rains in the western part of the province sustain an abundance of wildflowers. Mining is an important industry in Northern Cape. Major copper mines are located in Nababeep, Okiep, and Aggeneys. Diamonds are recovered throughout the province. Many diamonds and other precious stones are mined in the arid region of Namaqualand in the west, along the Atlantic coast. Kimberley, in the east, is well known for its diamond-mining past and is still a centre for mining and cutting diamonds. Northern Cape province produces almost all of the manganese mined in South Africa. Tungsten, zinc, lead, asbestos, iron ore, and limestone are also extracted at various locations. Area 143,973 square miles (372,889 square km). Pop. (2009 est.) 1,147, 600. The Northern Cape Province is the largest province in South Africa, with the lowest number of residents. The capital city is Kimberley. Some of its best-known attractions in this province are several of South Africa’s best national parks. This includes the Augrabies Falls National Park, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Namaqua National Park and the Ai Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park. Read more about South Africa’s 9 provinces. The province borders the Free State Province, Eastern Cape Province, North-West Province and Western Cape Province. It also borders Namibia in the Northwest. Find out more about South Africa’s location. Towns in the Northern Cape Province The biggest city in the Northern Cape Province is Kimberley, the capital city. The other main towns include: Barkly West Calvinia Carnarvon Colesberg Danielskuil De Aar Fraserburg Griekwastad Hondeklipbaai Kakamas Kamieskroon Kathu Kuruman Loeriesfontein Loxton Nieuwoudtville Prieska Springbok Upington Northern Cape The Northern Cape (Afrikaans : Noord-Kaap [ˈnuərtkɑːp] ; Tswana : Kapa Bokone; Xhosa : Mntla-Koloni) is the largest and most sparsely populated province of South Africa . It was created in 1994 when the Cape Province was split up. Its capital is Kimberley . It includes the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park , part of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and an international park shared with Botswana . It also includes the Augrabies Falls and the diamond mining regions in Kimberley and Alexander Bay . The Namaqualand region in the west is famous for its Namaqualand daisies . The southern towns of De Aar and Colesberg found within the Great Karoo are major transport nodes between Johannesburg , Cape Town and Gqeberha . Kuruman can be found in the north-east and is known as a mission station. It is also well known for its artesian spring and Eye of Kuruman . The Orange River flows through the province, forming the borders with the Free State in the southeast and with Namibia to the northwest. The river is also used to irrigate the many vineyards in the arid region near Upington . Native speakers of Afrikaans comprise a higher percentage of the population in the Northern Cape than in any other province. The Northern Cape's four official languages are Afrikaans, Tswana , Xhosa , and English . Minorities speak the other official languages of South Africa and a few people speak indigenous languages such as Nama and Khwe . The provincial motto, Sa ǁa ǃaĩsi 'uĩsi ("We go to a better life"), is in the Nǀu language of the Nǁnǂe (ǂKhomani) people. It was given in 1997 by one of the language's last speakers, Ms. Elsie Vaalbooi of Rietfontein , who has since died. It was South Africa's first officially registered motto in a Khoisan language . Subsequently, South Africa's national motto , ǃKe e ǀxarra ǁke, was derived from the extinct ǀXam language . History Main article: History of the Northern Cape The Northern Cape was one of three provinces made out of the Cape Province in 1994, the others being Western Cape to the south and Eastern Cape to the southeast. Politically, it had been dominated since 1994 by the African National Congress (ANC). Ethnic issues are important in the politics of the Northern Cape. For example, it is the site of the Orania settlement, whose leaders have called for a Volkstaat for the Afrikaner people in the province. The Northern Cape is also the home of over 1,000 San who emigrated from Namibia following the independence of the country; they had served as trackers and scouts for the South African Defence Force during the South African Border War , and feared reprisals from their former foes. They were awarded a settlement in Platfontein in 1999 by the Mandela government. The precolonial history of the Northern Cape is reflected in a rich, mainly Stone Age, archaeological heritage . Cave sites include Wonderwerk Cave near Kuruman, which has a uniquely long sequence stretching from the turn of the twentieth century at the surface to more than 1 million (and possibly nearly 2 million) years in its basal layer (where stone tools , occurring in very low density, may be Oldowan ). Many sites across the province, mostly in open air locales or in sediments alongside rivers or pans, document Earlier, Middle and Later Stone Age habitation. From Later Stone Age times, mainly, there is a wealth of rock art sites – most of which are in the form of rock engravings such as at Wildebeest Kuil and many sites in the area known as ǀXam -ka !kau , in the Karoo . They occur on hilltops, slopes, rock outcrops and occasionally (as in the case of Driekops Eiland near Kimberley), in a river bed. In the north eastern part of the province there are sites attributable to the Iron Age such as Dithakong . Environmental factors have meant that the spread of Iron Age farming westwards (from the 17th century – but dating from the early first millennium AD in the eastern part of South Africa) was constrained mainly to the area east of the Langeberg Mountains, but with evidence of influence as far as the Upington area in the eighteenth century. From that period the archaeological record also reflects the development of a complex colonial frontier when precolonial social formations were considerably disrupted and there is an increasing 'fabric heavy' imprint of built structures, ash-heaps, and so on. The copper mines of Namaqualand and the diamond rush to the Kimberley area resulted in industrial archaeological landscapes in those areas which herald the modern era in South African history. Geography See also: List of cities and towns in the Northern Cape A waterfall situated a few kilometres north of Nieuwoudtville on the road to Loeriesfontein , in the Northern Cape (Namaqualand region). The Northern Cape is South Africa's largest province, and distances between towns are enormous due to its sparse population. Its size is just shy of the size of the American state of Montana and slightly larger than that of Germany. The province is dominated by the Karoo Basin and consists mostly of sedimentary rocks and some dolerite intrusions. The south and south-east of the province is high-lying, 1,200–1,900 metres (3,900–6,200 ft), in the Roggeveld and Nuweveld districts. The west coast is dominated by the Namaqualand region, famous for its spring flowers. This area is hilly to mountainous and consists of granites and metamorphic rocks . The central areas are generally flat with interspersed salt pans. Kimberlite intrusions punctuate the Karoo rocks, giving the province its most precious natural resource, diamonds . The north is primarily Kalahari Desert, characterised by parallel red sand dunes and acacia tree dry savanna. Northern Cape has a shoreline in the west on the South Atlantic Ocean. It borders the following areas of Namibia and Botswana: ǁKaras Region , Namibia – northwest Hardap Region, Namibia – far northwest Kgalagadi District, Botswana – north Domestically, it borders the following provinces: North West – northeast Free State – east Eastern Cape – southeast Western Cape – south and southwest Rivers The major river system is the Orange (or Gariep ) River Basin, draining the interior of South Africa westwards into the Atlantic Ocean. (The political philosopher Neville Alexander has used the idea of the 'Garieb' as a metaphor for nationhood in South Africa, a flowing together, in preference to the rainbow metaphor where the diverse colours remain distinct) The principal tributary of the Orange is the Vaal River , which flows through part of the Northern Cape from the vicinity of Warrenton . The Vaal, in turn, has tributaries within the province: the Harts River and the Riet River , which has its own major tributary, the Modder River . Above the Orange-Vaal confluence, the Seekoei River drains part of the northeastern Karoo into the Orange River above the Vanderkloof Dam . Next downstream from the Orange-Vaal confluence is the Brak River , which flows nonperennially from the south and is in turn fed by the Ongers River , rising in the vicinities of Hanover and Richmond respectively. Along the Orange River near the town of Kakamas , the Hartebeest River drains the central Karoo . Above Kenhardt the Hartebeest is known as the Sak River , which has its source on the northern side of the escarpment, southeast of Williston . Further downstream from Kakamas, below the Augrabies Falls , and seldom actually flowing into the Orange River, is the Molopo River , which comes down from the Kalahari in the north. With its tributary, the Nossob River , it defines part of the international boundary between South Africa and Botswana . Further tributaries of the Molopo River include the Kuruman River , fed by the Moshaweng River and Kgokgole River , and the Matlhwaring River . Flowing west into the Atlantic, in Namaqualand , is the Buffels River and, further south, the Groen River . [citation needed ] Climate Windmills in Namaqualand, Northern Cape Mostly arid to semiarid, few areas in the province receive more than 400 mm (16 in) of rainfall per annum and the average annual rainfall over the province is 202 mm (8.0 in).[13] Rainfall generally increases from west to east from a minimum average of 20 mm (0.79 in) to a maximum of 540 mm (21 in) per year. The west experiences most rainfall in winter, while the east receives most of its moisture from late summer thunderstorms. Many areas experience extreme heat, with the hottest temperatures in South Africa measured along the Namibian border. Summers maximums are generally 30 °C (86 °F) or higher, sometimes higher than 40 °C (104 °F). Winters are usually frosty and clear, with southern areas sometimes becoming bitterly cold, such as Sutherland , which often receives snow and temperatures occasionally drop below the −10 °C (14 °F) mark. Kimberley averages: January maximum: 33 °C (91 °F) (min: 18 °C (64 °F)), June maximum: 18 °C (64 °F) (min: 3 °C (37 °F)), annual precipitation: 414 mm (16.3 in) Springbok averages: January maximum: 30 °C (86 °F) (min: 15 °C (59 °F)), July maximum: 17 °C (63 °F) (min: 7 °C (45 °F)), annual precipitation: 195 mm (7.7 in) Sutherland averages: January maximum: 27 °C (81 °F) (min: 9 °C (48 °F)), July maximum: 13 °C (55 °F) (min: −3 °C (27 °F)), annual precipitation: 237 mm (9.3 in) Demographics - Race/Ethnicity - Languages - Religion Demographics Population density in the Northern Cape <1 /km2 1–3 /km2 3–10 /km2 10–30 /km2 30–100 /km2 100–300 /km2 300–1000 /km2 1000–3000 /km2 >3000 /km2 Dominant home languages in the Northern Cape Afrikaans English Xhosa Tswana No language dominant As of the 2022 census , the Northern Cape had a population of 1,355,629, an increase of 18.3% from the prior census in 2011 . It is least populous and by a considerable margin the least densely populated of South Africa's nine provinces. The median age is 27, an increase of 2 years from 2011. Race/Ethnicity In the 2022 census, 50.1% of the population described themselves as Black African , 41.6% as Coloured , 7.3% as White and 0.8% as Indian/Asian . Coloureds form a higher proportion of the population in the Northern Cape than in any other province except for the Western Cape . Historic Breakdown of Population by Group Population Group1996200120112022 Black African 44.9%46.5%50.4%50.1% Coloured 43.7%42.9%40.3%41.6% White 11.2%10.3%7.1%7.3% Indian/Asian 0.2%0.2%0.7%0.8% Othern/an/a1.6%0.2% Languages In the 2022 census, 54.6% of the population reported their first language as Afrikaans , 35.7% as Setswana , 4.5% as Xhosa , and 2.4% as English . The Northern Cape is the only province in which native Afrikaans-speakers form a majority of the population. It is also the province with the second-highest proportion of Setswana speakers, after North West province. Religion The population of the Northern Cape is overwhelmingly Christian . As of the 2022 census, 97.8% of the population described themselves as Christians , the highest proportion among South Africa's provinces. Among other religions, 0.8% of the population described themselves as Muslim , and 0.7% of the population stated that they practiced Traditional African religions. Only 0.3% of the population described themselves as being atheist, agnostic, or having no religious affiliation Municipalities - Cities and towns - Economy Municipalities Main article: List of municipalities in the Northern Cape Northern Cape districts and local municipalities Sign along R354 welcoming motorists into the Northern Cape from the Western Cape . The sign is in Afrikaans (top left), English (bottom left), Tswana (top right), and Xhosa (bottom right) The Northern Cape Province is divided into five district municipalities . The district municipalities are in turn divided into 27 local municipalities : District municipalities Frances Baard District Sol Plaatje Dikgatlong Magareng Phokwane John Taolo Gaetsewe District Moshaweng Ga-Segonyana Gamagara Namakwa District Richtersveld Nama Khoi Kamiesberg Hantam Karoo Hoogland Khâi-Ma Pixley ka Seme District Ubuntu Umsobomvu Emthanjeni Kareeberg Renosterberg Thembelihle Siyathemba Siyancuma ZF Mgcawu District (formerly Siyanda) Kai !Garib Dawid Kruiper !Kheis Tsantsabane Kgatelopele Cities and towns Main article: List of cities and towns in the Northern Cape Springbok viewed from the old cemetery Population 50,000+ Kimberley Upington Population 10,000+ Douglas Barkly West Colesberg De Aar Jan Kempdorp Kathu Kuruman Postmasburg Prieska Springbok Victoria West Warrenton Population < 10,000 Orania Carnarvon Garies Griekwastad Groblershoop Hartswater Keimoes Kakamas Pofadder Port Nolloth Strydenburg Sutherland Vanderkloof Economy As reported by the Northern Cape Provincial Government, unemployment still remains a big issue in the province. Unemployment was reported to be at 24.9% during Q4, 2013. Unemployment also declined from 119,000 in Q4, 2012 to 109,000 in Q4, 2013. The Northern Cape is also home to the Square Kilometer Array (SKA), which is located 75 km North-West of Carnarvon . The economy of the Northern Cape relies heavily on two sectors, mining and agriculture, which employ 57% (Tertiary Sector) of all employees in the province.[citation needed ] See also: Northern Cape wine Most famous for the diamond mines around Kimberley , it also has mining activities for Manganese and iron ore. The Northern Cape also has a substantial agricultural area around the Orange River , including most of South Africa's sultana vineyards. Some Wine of Origin areas have been demarcated. The Orange River also attracts visitors who enjoy rafting tours around Vioolsdrif . Extensive sheep raising is the basis of the economy in the southern Karoo areas of the province. See also Northern Cape Provincial Legislature Griqualand West List of speakers of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature BACK TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE

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South African Flag Songs South Africa’s national anthem is a musical diamond, being the only neo-modal national anthem in the world. But what does that mean, and what are the lyrics? South Africa’s national anthem combines new English lyrics with extracts from the 19th-century hymn ‘Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika’ and the Afrikaans song ‘Die Stem van Suid-Afrika’. ‘Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika (Lord, Bless Africa)’ is the official anthem of the African National Congress, while ‘Die Stem van Suid-Afrika (The Call of South Africa)’ was the country’s national anthem during Apartheid. When South Africa won the Rugby World Cup back in 1995, the songs were as usual heard alongside each other – and the powers-that-be decided to finally acknowledge both songs as national anthems. Two years later, they merged into one song. Today, South Africa’s anthem is the only neo-modal national anthem in the world, meaning it is the only one that starts in one key and finishes in another. Read more: The greatest national anthems in the world The South African national anthems What are the lyrics to South Africa’s national anthem? South Africa’s national anthem features five of the most widely spoken of the country’s eleven official languages – Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans and English. You can find all the lyrics below, along with an English translation beside each line. Language: isiXhosa and isiZulu Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika (God Bless Africa) Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo, (Raise high Her glory) Yizwa imithandazo yethu, (Hear our Prayers) Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo (God bless us, we her children) Language: Sesotho Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso, (God protect our nation) O fedise dintwa le matshwenyeho, (End all wars and tribulations) O se boloke, O se boloke setjhaba sa heso, (Protect us, protect our nation) Setjhaba sa South Afrika - South Afrika. (Our nation South Africa - South Africa) Language: Afrikaans Uit die blou van onse hemel, (Ringing out from our blue heavens) Uit die diepte van ons see, (From the depth of our seas) Oor ons ewige gebergtes, (Over our everlasting mountains) Waar die kranse antwoord gee, (Where the echoing crags resound) Language: English Sounds the call to come together, And united we shall stand, Let us live and strive for freedom, In South Africa our land. "The Call of South Africa" Ringing out from our blue heavens, From our deep seas breaking round; Over everlasting mountains, Where the echoing crags resound; From our plains where creaking wagons Cut their trails into the earth, Calls the spirit of our country, Of the land that gave us birth. At thy call we shall not falter, Firm and steadfast we shall stand, At thy will to live or perish, O South Africa, dear land. In our body and our spirit, In our inmost heart held fast; In the promise of our future, And the glory of our past; In our will, our work, our striving, From the cradle to the grave – There's no land that shares our loving, And no bond that can enslave. Thou hast borne us and we know thee, May our deeds to all proclaim Our enduring love and service To thy honour and thy name. In the golden warmth of summer, In the chill of winter's air, In the surging life of springtime, In the autumn of despair; When the wedding bells are chiming Or when those we love do depart, Thou dost know us for thy children And dost take us to thy heart Loudly peals the answering chorus: We are thine, and we shall stand, Be it life or death, to answer To thy call, beloved land. In thy power, Almighty, trusting, Did our fathers build of old; Strengthen then, O Lord, their children To defend, to love, to hold – That the heritage they gave us For our children yet may be: Bondsmen only to the Highest[a] And before the whole world free. As our fathers trusted humbly, Teach us, Lord to trust Thee still: Guard our land and guide our people In Thy way to do Thy will. Literal translation of "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" From the blue of our heavens From the depths of our sea, Over our eternal mountain ranges Where the cliffs give an echo. Through our far-deserted plains With the groan of ox-wagon – Rises the voice of our beloved, Of our country South Africa. We will answer to your calling, We will offer what you ask: We will live, we will die – We for Thee, South Africa. In the marrow of our bones, In our heart and soul and spirit, In the glory of our past, In our hope of what will be. In our will and work and wander, From our crib to our grave – Share no other land our love, No other loyalty can sway us. Fatherland! We will bear the nobility, Of your name with honour: Dedicated and true as Afrikaners – Children of South Africa. In the sunglow of our summer, In our winter night's cold, In the spring of our love, In the autumn of our sorrow. At the sound of wedding bells, At the stonefall on the coffin – Soothes your voice us never in vain, You know where your children are. At your call we never say no, We always, always say yes: To live, to die – Yes, we come, South Africa. On your almight steadfast entrusted Had our fathers built: Give to us also the strength, o Lord! To sustain and to preserve – That the heritage of our fathers For our children heritage remain: Servants of the almighty, Against the whole world free. As our fathers trusted, Teach us also to trust, o Lord – With our land and with our nation It will be well, God reigns. History National anthems of South Africa "God Save the King"1901–1952 "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika"1938–1952 "God Save the Queen"1952–1957 "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika"1952–1994 "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika "1994–1997 "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika"1994–1997 "National anthem of South Africa "1997–present Duration: 2 minutes and 12 seconds.2:12 A 1938 recording of "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" being performed by the ASAF Choir, featuring the first and last verses. Duration: 1 minute and 5 seconds.1:05 Mid-20th century recording of "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" being performed by the South African Air Force Band. Duration: 5 minutes and 7 seconds.5:07 "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika"'s all four stanzas sung by a choir in the mid-20th century Duration: 5 minutes and 19 seconds.5:19 "The Call of South Africa" all four stanzas sung by a choir in the mid-20th century in English Duration: 1 hour, 23 minutes and 52 seconds.1:23:52 "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" performed by a US military band in 1994 as part of an official state visit by South African president Nelson Mandela to the US capital of Washington, DC. Background and inception In May 1918, C.J. Langenhoven wrote an Afrikaans poem called "Die Stem", for which music was composed in 1921 by Marthinus Lourens de Villiers [af ], a reverend.The music composed that ended up being accepted was actually a second version; the first did not satisfy Langenhoven. It was widely used by the South African Broadcasting Corporation in the 1920s, which played it at the close of daily broadcasts, along with "God Save The King ". It was recorded for the first time in 1926 when its first and third verses were performed by Betty Steyn in England for the Zonophone record label it was sung publicly for the first time on 31 May 1928 at a raising of the new South African national flag . In 1938, South Africa proclaimed it to be one of the two co-national anthems of the country, along with "God Save the King ". It was sung in English as well as Afrikaans from 1952 onward, with both versions having official status in the eyes of the state, while "God Save the Queen " did not cease to be a co-national anthem until May 1957, when it was dropped from that role. However, it remained the country's royal anthem until 1961, as it was a Commonwealth realm until that point. The poem originally had only three verses, but the government asked the author to add a fourth verse with a religious theme. The English version is for the most part a faithful translation of the Afrikaans version with a few minor changes. Composition It is uplifting in tone, addressing throughout of commitment to the Vaderland (English: Fatherland) and to God . However, it was generally disliked by black South Africans , who saw it as triumphalist and strongly associated it with the apartheid regime where one verse shows dedication to Afrikaners (though the specific mention of Afrikaners is omitted in the English version to avoid alienating the British-descent Anglophone whites living in South Africa as they are not considered Afrikaners) and another to the Great Trek of the Voortrekkers . P. W. Botha , who was the state president of South Africa during the 1980s, was fond of the song and made his entourage sing it when they visited Switzerland during his presidency. Decline As the dismantling of apartheid began in the early 1990s, South African teams were readmitted to international sporting events, which presented a problem as to the choice of national identity South Africa had to present. Agreements were made with the African National Congress (ANC) that "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" would not be sung at rugby matches, due to its connection to the apartheid system and minority rule (which led the ANC and other such groups at the time to view the song as offensive). However, at a rugby union test match against New Zealand in 1992 , the crowd spontaneously sang "Die Stem" during a moment of silence for victims of political violence in South Africa, and although it was ostensibly agreed upon beforehand that it would not be played, an instrumental recording of "Die Stem" was played over the stadium's PA system's loudspeakers after the New Zealand national anthem was performed, and spectators sang along, sparking controversy afterwards. Although it remained the official national anthem of the state during this time period, both the usage of it and the then-national flag began to dwindle whenever possible, particularly overseas. For example, at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona that year, Schiller's "Ode to Joy ", as set to Beethoven 's music, was used instead of it, along with a neutral Olympic-style flag instead of the South African flag at the time. "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika"'s future seemed in doubt as the country prepared to transition to majority rule , with many predicting that it would not remain after the transition into the new democratic dispensation. In 1993, a commission sought out a new national anthem for South Africa, with 119 entries being suggested, but none were chosen. Instead, it was decided to retain "Die Stem"'s official status after the advent of full multi-racial democracy which followed the 1994 general election . When the old South African flag was lowered for the last time at the parliament building in Cape Town , "Die Stem" was performed in Afrikaans and then in English as the new South African flag was raised. After 1994, it shared equal status with "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika ", which had long been a traditional hymn used by the ANC. In 1995, "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" was sung by a black choir at the Rugby World Cup final match, as it had been done at the 1994 South African presidential inauguration in Pretoria, first in Afrikaans and then in English. Consolidation The practice of singing two different national anthems had been a cumbersome arrangement during the transition to post-apartheid South Africa . On most occasions, it was usually the first verse of "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" that was sung at ceremonies, in both official languages prior to 1994, with some English medium schools in what was then Natal Province singing the first verse in Afrikaans and the second in English. During this period of two national anthems, the custom was to play both "Die Stem" and "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" during occasions that required the playing of a national anthem. However, this proved cumbersome as performing the dual national anthems took as much as five minutes to conclude. In 1997, with the adoption of a new national constitution, a new composite national anthem was introduced, which combined part of "Nkosi Sikelel 'iAfrika" and part of "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" into a single composition in order to form a new hybrid song. Legacy Since the end of apartheid and the adoption of a new national anthem in the 1990s, the status of "Die Stem" has become somewhat controversial in contemporary South Africa, due to its connection with the apartheid regime and white minority rule. Although elements of it are used in the current South African national anthem, in recent years some South Africans have called for those segments to be removed due to their connection with apartheid, whereas others defend the inclusion of it, as it was done for post-apartheid re-conciliatory reasons. When "Die Stem" was mistakenly played by event organisers in place of the current South African national anthem during a UK-hosted women's field hockey match in 2012, it sparked outrage and confusion among the South African staff members and players present. The Afrikaans version remains popular with Afrikaner nationalists [60] and far-right organisations such as the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging , where it is sometimes performed at the funerals of such groups' members or at demonstrations by them. Die Stem was also the name of a far-right periodical during the apartheid era. Oranje-blanje-blou Oranje-blanje-blou (Afrikaans for Orange, white and blue) refers, of course, to the old South African flag used between 1928 and 1994. This song was popular especially among Afrikaners when this flag flew over South Africa. The tune is by Henry Hugh Pierson (they don't say whether it was borrowed from this composer), and the lyrics are by an Afrikaans poet who wrote under the name Eitemal. The attribution for the text reads: "EITEMAL na: ,,O.D., hoch in Ehren''. (There is a commonly used style of quotation marks, primarily German but often used in Afrikaans, that opens a quote with commas rather than the more familiar "inverted commas"). The title simply gives the colours of the 1928 South African flag, or, more strictly, the Dutch Princenvlag: orange, white and blue. (I am not certain of the derivation of "blanje", since it is not used in ordinary spoken Afrikaans, but I would guess that it is a form of the French "blanc", white). The text reads: Die Hoogland is ons woning, die land van son en veld, waar woeste vryheidswinde waai oor graf van meenge held. Die ruimtes het ons siel gevoed, ons kan g'n slawe wees, want vryer as die arendsvlug, die vlugte van ons gees. Chorus: Dis die tyd, (repeated) dis die dag, (repeated) om te handhaaf en te bou. Hoog die hart, (repeated) hoog die vlag, (repeated) hoog Oranje-blanje-blou! Ons gaan saam die donker toekoms in om as een te sneuwel of oorwin, met ons oog gerig op jou, ons Oranje-blanje-blou! (Note: In the sixth line [hoog Oranje-blanje-blou], there is an echo of "blou, blanje-blou!") Die ruwe berge-reekse staan hoog teen awendlug, soos gryse ewighede daar versteen, verstyf in vlug. En stewig soos die grou graniet ons Boeretrots en -trou, die fondament warop ond hier 'n nuwe nasie bou. (Chorus) Die God van onse vaders het ons hierheen gelei ons dien sy grootse skeppings-plan, solank ons Boere bly. Ons buig ons hoof voor Hom alleen; en as Hy ons verhoor omgord ons bly die lendene: Die toekoms wink daar voor. Translation (off the cuff - any improvements welcome). Note: the reference to Hoogland (translated here as highlands) is probably poetic licence for Highveld (Afrikaans Hoe"veld), a region which includes large parts of both the former Transvaal Province (Zuid- Afrikaansche Republiek) and the current Free State Province (the old Oranje Vrij Staat). The highlands are our home, the land of sun and veld, where wild winds of freedom blow over [the] grave of many a hero. The open spaces have fed our souls, we cannot be slaves [literaaly "we can be no slaves"] as freer than the eagle's flight, the flights of our spirit. Chorus: It's the time, it's the day, to maintain and to build. High the heart, high the flag, high Orange-white-blue! We go together into the dark future together to die or win, with our eye fixed on you, our Orange-white-blue! (Sneuwel means literally to die in warfare; oorwin means to win in battle.) The rugged mountain ranges stand high against the evening light like petrified grey eternities there, stiffened in flight. And firmly like the grey granite our Boer pride and loyalty, the foundation upon which we here are building a new nation. (The word awendlug [evening air] seems to be an error; it seems more logical to say awendlig [evening light]; awend is a poetic form [harking back to Dutch] for the more usual Afrikaans "aand"). The God of our fathers led us here, we serve his mighty creation plan, as long as we Boers remain. Webend our heads before Him alone; and if He hears us we gird our loins joyfully: The future waves us on. (Source: The FAK [Federasie van Afrikaanse Kultuurvereninge] Sangbunde). Mike Oettle, 06 Feb 2004 Ons Vlag Nou waai ons Vlag en wapper fier! Sy kleure is ons vreugde; hul skoonheid spoor ons harte aan tot ware, ed'le deugde. Oranje dui op heldemoed wat krag vind by die Here; die Blanje eis 'n rein gemoed; die Blou verg trou en ere. Ons Vlag bly steeds ons eenheidsband. Al kom ook sware tye; dis God wat waak oor Volk en Land, Suid-Afrika ons eie. Translation: Now our flag waves and flaps bravely! Its colours are our joy; their beauty encourages our hearts to true, noble virtues. Orange stands for heroic courage which draws strength from the Lord; the White demands a pure attitude; the Blue wants loyalty and honour. Our flag remains our bond of unity. Even if times get hard; it's God who watches over Nation and Land, South Africa our own. The forms "sware" (where "swaar" would be the usual way of speaking), "ed'le" (for "edele") and "ere" (for "eer") are poetic forms, adaptations to the scansion. The same goes for the word "meen'ge" in Oranje-blanje-blou, which would normally be "menige". (Source: The FAK [ Federasie van Afrikaanse Kultuurvereninge] Sangbunde). Mike Oettle, 10 Feb 2004 DIE VLAGLIED Die betekenis van 'n eie nasionale vlag word n�rens mooier en treffender besing as in die woorde van C.J. Langenhoven se Vlaglied nie. Die Vlaglied is slegs die laaste strofe van die gedig �Ons eie vlag�. Dit is deur F.J. Joubert getoonset. Nooit hoef jou kinders wat trou is te vra: Wat beteken jou vlag dan, Suid-Afrika? Ons weet hy's die se�l van ons vryheid en reg Vir naaste en vreemde,vir oorman en kneg; Die pand van ons erf'nis,geslag op geslag, Om te hou vir ons kinders se kinders wat wag; Ons nasie se grondbrief van eiendomsland, Uitgegee op gesag van die Hoogste se hand. Oor ons hoof sal ons hys, in ons hart sal ons dra, Die vlag van ons eie Suid-Afrika. Which I translate as follows: THE FLAG SONG Nowhere the meaning of an own national flag is expressed more beautifully and fittingly than in the words of C.J. Langenhoven's Flag Song. This is the last stanza of the poem �Ons eie vlag� (Our own flag). It was set to music by F.J. Joubert. Never your children so faithful need ask: What does you flag mean then, South Africa? We know it's the seal of our freedom and rights For neighbour and stranger, for servant and boss; The pledge of our heritage, from parent to child To keep for our children's children to be The writ of our nation of the right to the land. That was written on authority of the Highest own hand We'll hoist ov'r our heads, and we'll hold in our heart The flag of our dearest South Africa Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 31 Aug 2007 De Vlaamse Leeuw This song is an odd one to find in the FAK Sangbundel, since its title translates as "The Flemish Lion" and the language is Dutch, definitely not Afrikaans. Clearly, it was included because, centuries after the Eighty Years War, the symbol of Flanders still finds a resonance with Afrikaner descendants of those Protestant Flemings who fled Spanish rule and went to live in the Seven Provinces. The words are credited to T H van Peene, and the tune to K Mirij, arrangement by Dirkie de Villiers (son of M L de Villiers, the composer of the music to Die Stem van Suid-Afrika, the former South African national anthem). There are two verses and a refrain: Zij zullen hem niet temmen, de fiere Vlaamse Leeuw, al dreigen zij zijn vrijheid met kluisters en geschreeuw. Zij zullen hem niet temmen, zolang e'e'n Vlaming leeft, zolang de Leeuw kan klauwen, zolang hij tanden heeft. Refrain: Zij zullen him niet temmen zolang e'e'n Vlaming leeft, zolang de Leeuw kan klauwen, zolang hij tanden heeft, zolang de Leeuw kan klauwen, zolang hij tanden heeft. De tijd verslindt de steden, geen tronen blijven staan, de legerbenden sneven, een volk zal niet vergaan. De vijand trekt te velde, omringd van doodsgevaar. Wij lachen met zijn woede, die Vlaamse Leeuw is daar. Here's an attempt at a translation: They won't tame him, the proud Flemish Lion, even if they threaten his freedom with chains and shouting. They will not be able to tame him as long as even one Fleming lives, as long as the Lion can claw, as long as he has teeth. Refrain: They will not tame him, the proud Flemish Lion, as long as one Fleming lives, as long as the Lion has claws, as long as he has teeth, as long as the Lion has claws, as long as he has teeth. Time eats up the cities, no thrones last forever, the armed companies die in battle, a people will not disappear. The enemy goes out to war, surrounded by deadly danger. We laugh at his anger, the Flemish Lion is there. I have written the word een as e'e'n - each 'e' carries an acute accent. This emphasises the word, giving the meaning "even if only one Fleming is left alive". The word verslindt means to destroy by eating - this verb is used literally only of animals (never humans) and, poetically, of things that destroy in like manner. I am not certain that I have the right word for "kluisters" - I don't have a dictionary at hand as I write this - and would be grateful if some Dutch correspondent would check that. "Geschreeuw" can mean either shouting or screaming, but shouting seems more appropriate. In the second verse, "de legerbenden sneven" - "leger" means army, but "armed companies" seems to fit better with "benden" or bands. "Sneven" (in Afrikaans "sneuwel") means to die in war or in battle (rather than dying of disease, another common way in which soldiers have traditionally lost their lives). I have rendered "een volk" as "a people", but "a nation" could also be appropriate. "Trekt te velde" means literally to go out into the fields, but its application to an enemy means that it is out on campaign (after all, campaign comes from a word meaning "fields", also). Mike Oettle, 02 Mar 2004 Words and tune of this song were created 1847, one of the most difficult times for Flemish identity and Dutch language in Belgium. Since 1973 it has been the official hymn of the Vlaamse Gemeenschap (Flemish Community). More information (in Dutch) can be found at: http://docs.vlaanderen.be/channels/hoofdmenu/vlaamseoverheid/volkslied.jsp In 20th Century Protestant, and probably also Catholic, songbooks in the (Northern) Netherlands the song was a standard item. It was one of the first tunes I learnt to play on the piano (after listening to my grandfather playing it on his organ). Gerard van der Vaart, 03 Mar 2004 I may add that the original version was deliberatly transposed (lowered, I believe) at the moment of adoption by the (then) Flemish Community so as to start with the same note as the Dutch hymn, 'Wilhelmus'. As can be seen on the link provided, the flag relation is mainly prescribed usage; the Lion is present metaphorically. "Kluisters" are shackles, but "chains" is all right. There are some who think that the song is old-fashioned, preferring "Waar Maas en Schelde vloeien" (Where Maas/Meuse and Scheldt are flowing"). In the recent past, song festivals such as the "Vlaams Nationaal Zangfeest" (Flemish National Songfest") ended by singing the 'Vlaamse Leeuw', the 'Wilhelmus', and 'Die Stem van Suid-Afrika'. Jan Mertens, 03 Mar 2004 Transvaalse Volkslied The Transvaalse Volkslied, although the official anthem of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek and when the territory was officially called Transvaal (1879-81and 1901 onwards), it was not well thought of by the authorities. The words and music of the Transvaalse Volkslied are by Catharina F van Rees, and it is dated 1875 - surprisingly it dates to the period before the annexation of 1879, since the emotions seem to blend well with those of the victorious rebels of 1881. Possibly this date accounts for the song's non-avoidance of the word Transvaal, which was the name of the state so strongly rejected in the uprising of 1880-81. The arrangement is by G G Cillie'. (There is an acute accent on the final letter in this surname; it is pronounced "Sil-yee". The surname is French, although its spelling is no longer authentically French; other members of this family spell it as Cilliers or Celliers.) The language is Dutch. (As mentioned previously, Afrikaans was the spoken language of all the 19th-century Boer republics, but was hardly ever written, and was not generally well thought of by those who had been educated in either English or Dutch.) Kent gij dat volk vol heldenmoed en toch zo lang geknecht? Het heeft geofferd goed en bloed voor vryheid en voor recht. Komt burgers! laat de vlaggen wapp'ren, ons lijden is voorbij; roemt in die zege onzer dapp'ren: Dat vrije volk zijn wij! Dat vrije volk, dat vrije volk, dat vrije, vrije volk zijn wij! Kent gij dat land, zo schaars bezocht en toch zo heerlik schoon; waar de natuur haar wond'ren wrocht, en kwistig stelt ten toon? Transvalers! laat ons feestlied schallen! Daar waar ons volk hield stand, waar onze vreugdeschoten knallen, daar is ons vaderland! Dat heerlik land, dat heerlik land, dat is, dat is ons vaderland! Kent gij die Staat, nog maar een kind in's werelds Statenrij, maar tog door 't machtig Brits bewind weleer verklaard voor vrij? Transvalers! edel was uw streven, en pijnlik onze smaad, maar God die uitkomst heeft gegeven, zij lof voor d'eigen Staat! Looft onze God! Looft onze God! Looft onze God voor land en Staat! Now for a translation (again lease excuse and correct! any errors): Do you know the people full of heroic courage and yet so long servants? It has offered possessions and blood for freedom and for justice. Come, citizens, let the flags wave, our suffering is past; be joyous in the victory of our brave ones; We are the free people! The free people, the free people, the free, free people are we! Do you know the land, so seldom visited, and yet so wonderfully beautiful; where nature has wrought her wonders, and profligately puts them on display? Transvalers! let our festival song resound! There were our people stood fast, where our gunshots of joy resound, there is our fatherland, That wonderful land, that wonderful land, that is, that is our fatherland! Do you know the State, yet still a child among the States of the world, but nontheless by the mighty British power truly declared as free? Transvalers! Noble was your struggle, and painful our suffering, but God has given the outcome, and praise for our own State! Praise our God! Praise our God! Praise our God! Praise our God for land and State! In the first verse, "wapp'ren" and "dapp'ren" are poetic forms that omit the middle vowel. The same goes for "wond'ren" in the second verse. "Geknecht" means "reduced to the state of servants" (not quite slaves). In the third verse the word Statenrij has no exact equivalent in English, although English occasionally uses the same construction of ending a word with -ry to form a noun from a shorter one, as in "heraldry". "Statenrij" is perhaps best rendered as "the multitude of States" or "the variety of States" (independent states, that is). "Door't" is a typically Dutch construction which has disappeared from Afrikaans, except in one or two idioms, where the definite object "het" is reduced to its final letter and (sometimes) tagged onto the previous word. (North country English has a comparable usage, although this is a shortening of "the".) Mike Oettle, 04 Mar 2004 Vryheidslied On flipping through the FAK book I came across a song. The title is Vryheidslied. The lyrics are by Jan F E Celliers, and the music by Emiel Hullebroeck. The words are: Vrome vad're, fier en groot Deur vervolging, ramp en nood, was hul leuse, tot die dood: Vryheid! Vryheid! Erf'nis van hul moed en trou is die grond waar ons op bou. Juigend tot die hemel-blou: Vryheid! Vryheid! Ere wie die dood mag lei om te rus aan hulle sy, met die sterwenswoord te skei: Vryheid! Vryheid! Op dan, broers, en druk hul spoor, voorwaarts, broers, die vaandel voor, laat die veld ons krygsroep hoor: Vryheid! Vryheid! Woes geweld mag hoogty hou, kettings mag ons lede knou, maar die leuse bly ons trou: Vryheid! Vryheid! Jukke mag vir slawe wees, manneharte ken geen vrees, duld geen boei vir lyf of gees: Vryheid! Vryheid! Now the English translation: Pious fathers (ancestors), proud and brave Through persecution, disaster and need their motto, to the death, was: Freedom! Freedom! The heritage of their courage and faith is the land we build on. Joyful to the blue heavens: Freedom! Freedom! Honours to those led by death to rest at its side, uttering their final word: Freedom! Freedom! Up, then, brothers, and follow their tracks, forwards, brothers, the banner in front, may the veld hear our battle cry: Freedom! Freedom! Brutal force might with the day, chains may chafe our limbs, but to this motto we are faithful: Freedom! Freedom! Yokes may be for slaves, the hearts of men know no fear, tolerating no shackles for body or soul: Freedom! Freedom! Notes: The word "vader" translates as "father", and its usual plural is "vaders" ("fathers"). The plural form "vadere" (here poetically shortened to "vad're") means "ancestors". The word "lede" means "members", but is here an abbreviation of "ledemate" ("body parts" or "limbs"). "Ledemate" is used also of members of a church community, a reference to St Paul's description of the Church as being the Body of Christ, made up of people with different functions. The ordinary translation of "vaandel" is "ensign" (a naval ensign is a vlootvaandel), but in the poetic context, "banner" seems more appropriate. Mike Oettle, 14 April 2004 Vaarwel aan die Vierkleur Here are the lyrics of Vaarwel aan die Vierkleur, as they appear in the FAK-Sangbundel (Fourth Edition 1979, sixth printing of 2002) published by Protea Boekhuis for the Federasie van Afrikaanse Kultuurvereniginge (FAK). I don't know if I've managed to turn out an acceptable rendition in English. The original is rather tearful I'm afraid. The word 'Vierkleur' I kept, 'Fourhue' rather sounds like a steed ridden by a LOTR character. To pronounce 'Vierkleur', say "veerckler" with -er as in 'her'. One strong image gets lost in translation, the word 'vlag' is feminine you see. Here goes: No longer may the Vierkleur wave, in tears we gave it up, it has been buried with our braves sunk into an honourable grave it has been buried with our braves sunk into an honourable grave. Happier those who fell when still the Flag was borne, than us who had to see and mourn it dragged into the dust than us who had to see and mourn it dragged into the dust. No happy morning for it there, we part from it forever now resting in the Nation's heart and dedicated to the Past now resting in the Nation's heart and dedicated to the Past. Blessed to those who bore it boldly to brave the prideful foe whose feeble arms to it did cling as they went to their death whose feeble arms to it did cling as they went to their death. Let Future Ages never forget them as long as men endure till even Heaven is outworn and Earth reels before its fall, till even Heaven is outworn and Earth reels before its fall. Jan Mertens, 30 Apr 2004 Die Vlaglied / The Song of the Flag Another flag song, this time abut the former South African flag called "Die Vlaglied" / "The Song of the Flag" which was composed by CJ Langenhoven, the composer of the former South African National Anthem "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" / "The Call of South Africa". This song was sung by a Children's Choir at the dedication ceremony marking the establishment of the Republic of South Africa held at the Cape Show Grounds in Cape Town on 31 May 1961. The English and Afrikaans versions are as follows: "The Song of the Flag" Cradled in beauty forever shall fly In the gold of her sunshine the blue of her sky, South Africa's pledge of her freedom and pride In their home by sacrifice glorified. By righteousness armed, we'll defend in our might The sign and the seal of our freedom and right, The emblem and loyalty, service and love; To our own selves true and to God above, Our faith shall keep what our hearts enthrone - The flag of the land that is all our own. "Die Vlaglied" Nooit hoef jou kinders wat trou is te vra: "Wat beteken jou vlag dan, Suid-Afrika?" On sweet hy's die seel van ons vryheid en reg Vir naaste en vreemde, vir oorman en kneg; Die pand van ons erf'nis, geslag op geslag, Om te hou vir ons kinders se kinder swat wag; Ons nasie se grondbrief van eiendomsland, Uitgegee op gesag van die Hoogste se hand. Oor ons hoof sal ons hys, in ons hart sal ons dra, Die vlag van ons eie Suid-Afrika. Bruce Berry, 31 Aug 2007 The Fallen Flag While this is not a song about a flag (it has no tune that I am aware of), it is very much a poem about the vierkleur of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek , and to my mind belongs with the South African flag songs which have already been posted to FOTW. This poem was published in England in 1902 as part of a collection entitled "Songs of the Veld". The book was banned in South Africa by the British military authorities at that time. A new edition of "Songs of the Veld" has just been published in Cape Town, with the addition of commentary and historical notes in both Afrikaans and English. The ISBN is 978-0-620-39432-1. THE FALLEN FLAG Inscribed to Albert Cartwright � The African Bonivard. Furl the fourfold banner, Lay that flag to rest; In the roll of honour � The brightest, bravest, best. Now no hand may wave it, O'er valley, pass or hill; Where thousands died to save it � The patriot hearts are still. It flew o'er proud Majuba, Where the victor farmers stood: O'er the tide of the Tugela � Dark-dyed with hostile blood. On Stormberg passes glorious � And o'er Ma'rsfontein* height, � Wher Cronje's host victorious Withstood the British might. But a prouder grander story Is the record of the band, Which surpassed all former glory, In the latest greatest stand. When ten to one outnumbered � Of hope and help bereft, On ground with graves encumbered, Defenders still were left. There were hero hearts to lead them, On the path where death was won; To float the flag of Freedom Where the eagle sees the sun. To keep the Vierkleur flying On every fortress hill; From the cold clasp of the dying There were hands to sieze it still. O Land, so fondly cherished � Endeared by patriot graves, � The soil where such have perished Is not the soil for slaves. From age to age your story Shall sound to other days: You leave your sons the glory That fallen flag to raise. O sacred smitten Nation, Crowned on thy Calvary, There's a day of restoration � An Easter Morn for Thee. Vierkleur, young hands shall grab thee � New armies round thee stand; Men whose fathers died shall clasp thee On the blood-bought Burghers' Land. * Magersfontein should thus be pronounced. [This footnote, explaining the spelling Ma'rsfontein, appears under the second stanza.] Mike Oettle, 18 Dec 2008 Nkosi Sikelele Afrika Song Nkosi Sikelel\'i Afrika (Herr Gott segne Afrika) Maluphakanyisw\'uphondo Iwayo (Lass seinen Ruf erhoben sein) Yizwa imithandazo ythu (Höre und vernehme unsere Gebete) Nkosi sikelela, Nkosi sikelela (Oh Herr Gott segne Afrika) Nkosi Sikelel\'i Afrika (Herr Gott segne Afrika) Maluphakanyisw\'uphondo Iwayo (Lass seinen Ruf erhoben sein) Yizwa imithandazo ythu (Höre und vernehme unsere Gebete) Nkosi sikelela, Thina lusapho Iwayo (Oh Gott segne uns, uns Kinder Afrikas) Woza moya (Komm Geist) Woza moya woza (Komm Geist komm) Woza moya (Komm Geist) Woza moya woza (Komm Geist komm) Nkosi sikelela (Oh Herr Gott segne) Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso (Gott segne unsere Nation) Ofedise dintwa le matshwenyeho (und stop alle Kriege und Leiden) Oh se boloke (Und segne es) O se boloke morena (Und segne es Herr, Oh Gott) Setjhaba sa heso (Segne unsere Nation) Setjhaba sa Afrika (Unsere Nation, Afrika) Nkosi Sikelel\'i Afrika (Herr Gott segne Afrika) Maluphakanyisw\'uphondo Iwayo (Lass seinen Ruf erhoben sein) Yizwa imithandazo ythu (Höre und vernheme unsere Gebete) Nkosi sikelela (Oh Gott segne uns, uns Kinder Afrikas) Nkosi sikelel\'i Afrika (Gott segne Afrika) "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika Uit die blou van onse hemel, Uit die diepte van ons see, Oor ons ewige gebergtes Waar die kranse antwoord gee. Deur ons vêr-verlate vlaktes Met die kreun van ossewa – Ruis die stem van ons geliefde, Van ons land Suid-Afrika. Ons sal antwoord op jou roepstem, Ons sal offer wat jy vra: Ons sal lewe, ons sal sterwe – Ons vir jou, Suid-Afrika. In die murg van ons gebeente, In ons hart en siel en gees, In ons roem op ons verlede, In ons hoop op wat sal wees. In ons wil en werk en wandel, Van ons wieg tot aan ons graf – Deel geen ander land ons liefde, Trek geen ander trou ons af. Vaderland! Ons sal die adel, Van jou naam met ere dra: Waar en trou as Afrikaners – Kinders van Suid-Afrika. n die songloed van ons somer, In ons winternag se kou, In die lente van ons liefde, In die lanfer van ons rou. By die klink van huw'liks-klokkies, By die kluit-klap op die kis – Streel jou stem ons nooit verniet nie, Weet jy waar jou kinders is. Op jou roep sê ons nooit nee nie, Sê ons altyd, altyd ja: Om te lewe, om te sterwe – Ja, ons kom, Suid-Afrika. Op U Almag vas vertrouend Het ons vadere gebou: Skenk ook ons die krag, o Here! Om te handhaaf en te hou – Dat die erwe van ons vad're Vir ons kinders erwe bly: Knegte van die Allerhoogste, Teen die hele wêreld vry. Soos ons vadere vertrou het, Leer ook ons vertrou, o Heer – Met ons land en met ons nasie Sal dit wel wees, God regeer. See also Music portal South Africa portal List of historical national anthems National anthem of South Africa National anthem of the Orange Free State National anthem of the Transvaal Flag of South Africa (1928–1994)

LIMPOPO "Northern Transvaal" redirects here. For the rugby union team, see Blue Bulls . For the cricket team previously called Northern Transvaal, see Northerns (cricket team) . Limpopo (/lɪmˈpoʊpoʊ/ ) is the northernmost province of South Africa . It is named after the Limpopo River , which forms the province's western and northern borders. The capital and largest city in the province is Polokwane , while the provincial legislature is situated in Lebowakgomo . The province is made up of three former homelands of Lebowa , Gazankulu and Venda and part of the former Transvaal province. The Limpopo province was established as one of nine provinces after the 1994 South African general election . The province's name was first "Northern Transvaal", later changed to "Northern Province" on 28 June 1995, with two other provinces. The name was later changed again in 2002 to the Limpopo Province. Limpopo is made up of three main ethnic groups: the Pedi , the Tsonga and the Venda . Traditional leaders and chiefs still form a strong backbone of the province's political landscape. Established in terms of the Limpopo House of Traditional Leaders Act, Act 5 of 2005, the Limpopo House of Traditional Leaders' main function is to advise the government and the legislature on matters related to custom, tradition, and culture, including developmental initiatives that affect rural communities. On 18 August 2017, Kgosi Malesela Dikgale was re-elected as the Chairperson of the Limpopo House of Traditional Leaders. Geography Sundown over one of the mountain ranges found in Limpopo. Limpopo Province shares international borders with districts and provinces of three countries: Botswana 's Central and Kgatleng districts to the west and northwest respectively, Zimbabwe 's Matabeleland South and Masvingo provinces to the north and northeast respectively, and Mozambique 's Gaza Province to the east. Limpopo is the link between South Africa and countries further afield in sub-Saharan Africa . On its southern edge, from east to west, it shares borders with the South African provinces of Mpumalanga , Gauteng , and North West . Its border with Gauteng includes that province's Johannesburg -Pretoria axis, the most industrialised metropolis on the continent. The province is central to regional, national, and international developing markets. Limpopo contains much of the Waterberg Biosphere , a massif of approximately 15,000 km2 (5,800 sq mi) which is the first region in the northern part of South Africa to be named a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve . Law and government Main article: Politics of Limpopo The current Premier of Limpopo Province is Stanley Mathabatha , representing the African National Congress . Municipalities Main article: List of municipalities in Limpopo Limpopo districts and local municipalities Limpopo Province is divided into five district municipalities . The district municipalities are in turn divided into 25 local municipalities : District municipalities Capricorn District Blouberg Lepele-Nkumpi Molemole Polokwane Mopani District Ba-Phalaborwa Greater Giyani Greater Letaba Greater Tzaneen Maruleng Sekhukhune District Elias Motsoaledi Ephraim Mogale Fetakgomo Tubatse Makhuduthamaga Vhembe District Makhado Musina Collins Chabane Thulamela Waterberg District Bela-Bela Lephalale Modimolle–Mookgophong Mogalakwena Thabazimbi Economy Man and his donkeys collecting wood in a rural area Limpopo has a total population of 6.015 Million with 1.641million Households., The province has a high Human Development Index (HDI) of 0.710, which is the third highest in South Africa. Agriculture The bushveld is beef cattle country, where extensive ranching operations are often supplemented by controlled hunting. About 80% of South Africa's game hunting industry is in Limpopo. Sunflowers , cotton , maize and peanuts are cultivated in the Bela-Bela and Modimolle areas. Modimolle is also known for its table grapes . An embryotic wine industry is growing in Limpopo. Tropical fruit, such as bananas , litchis , pineapples , mangoes and pawpaws , as well as a variety of nuts , are grown in the Tzaneen and Louis Trichardt areas. Tzaneen is also at the centre of extensive citrus , tea , and coffee plantations and a major forestry industry. Most of the farmers and households lack a water supply. Therefore, they drill their boreholes on their premises. Housing Most Limpopo residents live in rural areas; this has led to a new phenomenon of rural development, where the residents have invested in building lavish homes on their tribal land. Limpopo rural houses have been profiled by TV channels, lifestyle vloggers, social media influencers, and Africa's biggest facts brand, Africa Facts Zone. According to 96.2% of Limpopo live in formal housing, above the national average of 84.0%. This makes Limpopo the province with the highest percentage of people living in formal housing in South Africa. Mining Ajoite in quartz , from the Messina mine, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Scale at bottom is one inch, with a rule at one cm. Limpopo's rich mineral deposits include the platinum group metals, iron ore, chromium, high- and middle-grade coking coal , diamonds, antimony , phosphate , and copper, as well as mineral reserves like gold, emeralds, scheelite , magnetite , vermiculite , silicon , and mica . Commodities such as black granite , corundum , and feldspar are also found. Mining contributes to over a fifth of the provincial economy. Limpopo has the largest platinum deposit in South Africa. The Waterberg Coalfield , the eastern extension of Botswana 's Mmamabula coalfields, is estimated to contain 40% of South Africa's coal reserves. Tourism The Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism has targeted the province as a preferred eco-tourism destination. Its Environment and Tourism Programme encompasses tourism, protected areas, and community environment development to achieve sustainable economic growth. While Limpopo is one of South Africa's poorest provinces, it is rich in wildlife, which gives it an advantage in attracting tourists. Both the private and public sectors are investing in tourism development. Near Modjadjiskloof , at Sunland Baobab farms, there is a large Baobab tree which has been fashioned into a relatively spacious pub. Transportation and communications The province has excellent road, rail, and air links. The N1 route from Johannesburg , which extends the length of the province, is the busiest overland route in Africa in terms of cross-border trade in raw materials and beneficiated goods. The port of Durban , South Africa's busiest, is served directly by the province, as are the ports of Richards Bay and Maputo . Polokwane International Airport is situated just north of Polokwane . Limpopo province contains approximately 56 airports and airstrips. Education The Department of Education is responsible for effecting quality education and training for all. The Department has to coordinate all professional development and support. Policies, systems, and procedures had to be developed. Educational institutions As of December 2020, 12.9% of the Limpopo population had attained some post-school qualifications. The following higher education institutions are found in Limpopo: University of Limpopo (Polokwane , Mankweng ) University of Venda (Thohoyandou ) Tshwane University of Technology (Polokwane Campus) Capricorn College for TVET (Seshego ) Capricorn College for TVET (Polokwane) Lephalale TVET College (Lephalale)[ Letaba TVET College (Tzaneen)[ Mopani South East TVET College (Phalaborwa) Sekhukhune TVET College (Motetema) Vhembe TVET College (Venda) Waterberg TVET College (Mokopane) Giyani Campus Of Nursing College Limpopo Province College of Nursing (Giyani Campus) Limpopo Province The Limpopo province is one of the nine provinces in South Africa . It is the northernmost province. Read more about South Africa’s 9 provinces here. Where Is the Limpopo Province of South Africa? The Limpopo province of South Africa borders Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Botswana. Some Facts About the Limpopo Province They named the Limpopo province after the Limpopo River that runs through the province. Its capital city is Polokwane, the only South African town bordering the Kruger National Park. The province covers 48,554 square miles or km and is South Africa’s fifth-largest province. The highest elevation in the province is 2,126 metres or 6,975 feet. Districts or Regions in The Limpopo Province The province has five regions: 1. Capricorn They named the Capricorn region after the Tropic of Capricorn. It is the region where the Bapedi people live. The region starts at the Ysterberg, along the Wolkberg and extends to the tropic of Capricorn in the north. This region is perfect for an overnight stop when travelling from Gauteng to other areas in the province. 2. Maponi It is primarily the Vatsonga people who live in the Maponi region. The region is also called the Valley of Elephants. The Maponi region includes the northern part of the Drakensberg. 3. Sekhukhuni The Sekhukhuni region’s name is from King Skhukhune, who was the king of the Bapedi people in the 18th century. This region has many farms producing grapes, maize, cotton and sweet potatoes. Currently, the Bapedi and Ndebele people live here. 4. Vhembe The Vhavenda and Vatsonga people live in the Vhembe region. Visitors can see many baobab trees, abundant wildlife and bird life in this region. The Soutpansberg mountain is part of this region. 5. Waterberg The Waterberg region is the largest region of the Limpopo province. It contains the Waterberg mountain range and has natural beauty and diverse landscapes. Most of the region forms part of conservation efforts, especially for white rhinos and elephants. The Batswana people live here. Cities and Towns in The Limpopo Province The main towns in the Limpopo Province include: Haenertsburg Bela-Bela Hoedspruit Lephalale Louis Trichardt Modimolle (previous name: Nylstroom) Mokopane (previous name: Potgietersrus) Mookgophong (previous name: Naboomspruit) Musina Phalaborwa Thabazimbi Thohoyandou Tzaneen Vaalwater Sports Sports Association football : Polokwane was one of South Africa's host cities for the 2010 FIFA World Cup , with matches being played at the Peter Mokaba Stadium . Football clubs in the province include Real Rovers, Silver Stars, Black Leopards, Polokwane City, Baroka, Ria Stars, and Dynamos. Rugby union : Limpopo has no provincial rugby team of its own; it is represented in the domestic Currie Cup by the Pretoria -based Blue Bulls . The Blue Bulls also operate a Super Rugby franchise, known simply as the Bulls . Limpopo nonetheless produces its share of top players. Most notably, the two most-capped forwards in the history of the country's national team , John Smit and Victor Matfield , are both natives of Polokwane. Basketball : The province is home to Limpopo Pride , a professional team that plays in South Africa's top basketball division, the Basketball National League . Demographics The population of Limpopo consists of several ethnic groups distinguished by culture, language, and race. 97.3% of the population is Black , 2.4% is White , 0.2% is Coloured , and 0.1% is Indian /Asian . The province has the smallest percentage and second smallest total number of White South Africans in the country. However, there are several localities with a White majority, notably Hoedspruit and Modimolle . It also has the highest Black percentage out of all the provinces. The Northern Sotho people comprise the largest percentage of the population, 52% of the province. The Tsonga people comprise about 24.0% of the province; the Tsonga also comprise about 11.5% of Mpumalanga province since the southern part of their homeland, Gazankulu , was cut off from Limpopo and allocated to Mpumalanga. The Venda make up about 16.7%. Afrikaners make up the majority of Limpopo's White population, about 95,000 people; English -speaking Whites number just over 20,000. Vhembe district has the smallest share of White people in Limpopo, about 5,000 total. In contrast, the Waterberg district has the largest share of Whites, with more than 60,000 Whites residing there. Coloureds and Asians /Indians make up a tiny percentage of the province's total population. HIV / AIDS At 18.5% (2007), Limpopo has a relatively high incidence of HIV compared to other South African provinces. Cases rose from 14.5% to 21.5% between 2001 and 2005, with a slight fall between 2005 and 2007. However, as at 2019, the Limpopo province HIV stats sat at (13.2%) which is one of the lowest in comparison with other provinces in South Africa. BACK TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE

FREE STATE Free State (province) The Free State (Sotho : Freistata; Afrikaans : Vrystaat [ˈfrɛistɑːt] ; Xhosa : iFreyistata; Tswana : Foreistata; Zulu : iFuleyisitata), formerly known as the Orange Free State, is a province of South Africa . Its capital is Bloemfontein , which is also South Africa 's judicial capital. Its historical origins lie in the Boer republic called the Orange Free State and later the Orange Free State Province . History Further information: Orange Free State The current borders of the province date from 1994 when the Bantustans were abolished and reincorporated into South Africa. It is also the only one of the four original provinces of South Africa not to undergo border changes, apart from the reincorporation of Bantustans, and its borders date from before the outbreak of the Boer War . The Free State is one of the nine provinces of South Africa and is centrally located. It represents 10.6% of the total land area of the country. It boasts wide horizons, blue skies, mountains and goldfields. The province covers an area of 129 464 km2 and is roughly the size of Nicaragua. In 2011, the province had a population of 2.7 million with four district municipalities and one metropolitan municipality. The Free State is situated on the flat, boundless plains in the centre of South Africa. It borders most of the other provinces, the exceptions being Limpopo and the Western Cape. To the east, it has an international boundary with Lesotho nestling in the hollow of its beanlike shape, and the escarpment separates it from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. The Orange and Vaal rivers form the southern, western and most of the northern border and the last section of the north-eastern boundary is formed by the Klip River. The western part of the Free State consists of plains, with pans as primary hydrological feature. The eastern part is mountainous. The Maluti Mountains along the border are connected to the Drakensberg on the border with KwaZulu-Natal. The province consists mainly of grasslands with some Karoo vegetation in the south. Climate Almost uniformly at about 1,300m above sea level, the Free State climate is typical of the interior plateau with rain falling in summer, cold winters and lots of sunshine. Almost all precipitation falls in the summer months, with aridity increasing towards the west. Frost occurs throughout the region usually from May to early September in the west and up to early October in the east. To the north, the Vaal irrigation area nourishes the small assortment of farming towns below it, and the hue of the Free State countryside is often green. Areas in the east experience frequent snowfalls in winter, especially on the higher ranges, whilst the west can be extremely hot in summer. The south brings hot, dry summer days and long, cold winter nights. This semi-desert area also brings fluctuations of temperature from day to night. The west is warm and cold in equal measure, its inhabitants making use of the many man-made water recreation facilities to endure the heat as much as using heating facilities in winter’s low temperatures. Regions Regions 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. Tourism The Free State lies at the heart of the country. The province disposes of inter alia 14 nature reserves with varying facilities; four large holiday resorts; 12 state dams with banks totalling some 760 km; numerous sports and outdoor opportunities; nine restored battlefields; some 12 000 tourist beds and a booming guesthouse industry. Each region offers its own unique tourism attractions; Mangaung Phillip Sanders and Maselspoort resorts near Bloemfontein Botanical Gardens, Naval Hill and Franklin Game Reserve Bloemfontein Zoo National Museum – huge collection of fossils and archaeological discoveries Women’s Memorial Monument Anglo-Boer War Museum SA Military Museum Freshford House Museum Waaihoek precinct, founding venue of the ANC Digareteneng (Place of curtains), built to coincide with the visit of King George V in 1952 Maphikela House has been declared as a national monument and named after Mr Thomas Maphikela who was the first Secretary-General of the ANC Dr Sebe James Moroka House historical site (Thaba Nchu) Sand Du Plessis Theatre Loch Logan Waterfront Mimosa Mall Shopping Complex Oliewenhuis Art Gallery President Brand Street -housing inter alia Appeal Court, Free State Legislature, Gen. CR de Wet Statue, City Hall, Afrikaans Literature Museum Fezile Dabi District Vredefort Dome World Heritage Site The Vredefort Dome World Heritage Site, declared a heritage site by UNESCO in 2005, came about in a matter of minutes an estimated 2 billion years ago when an asteroid that hit the earth, with the resultant rock formation today mainly between Parys, Vredefort and an adjacent part of North West Province spanning some 10 km in diameter. As such it is the largest known impact structure on earth. Eco-tourism at the Ghoya Africa conservancy situated on the R34 ± 12 km south of Heilbron en route to Edenville and the Francolin Creek Conservancy situated approximately 30 km east of Heilbron Two luxurious golf estates, private game ranches and nature reserves in the Parys region Deneysville at the Vaal Dam, hosts the biggest annual inland regatta, the Round the Island Race – on the 300 km² sprawling Vaal Dam. Lejweleputswa District Aventura Aldam Holiday Resort and Willem Pretorius Game Reserve NAMPO Harvest Farm near Bothaville Golden Arts & Crafts Scramble at Hennenman and Virginia Aco tractor factory near Hoopstad Voortrekker Monument at Winburg Gold Museum in the Welkom Library Underground mine tours Phakisa Racetrack Folk Dancing Monument at Boshof Thabo Mofutsanyane District Golden Gate National Highlands Park near Bethlehem Basotho Cultural Village at QwaQwa Seekoeivlei Nature Reserve near Memel constitutes a wetland with RAMSAR status is a bird-watching mecca Wolhuterskop Nature Reserve in Bethlehem Sterkfontein Dam Titanic Rock at the northern entrance of Clarens Bushman rock art at 27 farms near Fouriesburg Korannaberg Hiking Trail at Excelsior Mountain bike trails at Marquard Claerhout Art Gallery at Tweespruit Cherry Festival annually in November at Ficksburg Xhariep District Gariep Dam and resort Annual Equestrian Endurance event at Fauresmith Railroad tracks running through the centre of Fauresmith Landzicht Wine Cellar at Jacobsdal Open Mine Museum and mining hole at Jagersfontein Open Mine Museum at Koffiefontein Transgariep Museum and Laurens van der Post Memorial at Philippolis The ‘Little Gallery’ at Smithfield Gariep Dam The ‘Eye’ of Zastron DH Steyn bridge near Bethulie The Free State (Sotho : Freistata; Afrikaans : Vrystaat [ˈfrɛistɑːt] ; Xhosa : iFreyistata; Tswana : Foreistata; Zulu : iFuleyisitata), formerly known as the Orange Free State, is a province of South Africa . Its capital is Bloemfontein , which is also South Africa 's judicial capital. Its historical origins lie in the Boer republic called the Orange Free State and later the Orange Free State Province . History Further information: Orange Free State The current borders of the province date from 1994 when the Bantustans were abolished and reincorporated into South Africa. It is also the only one of the four original provinces of South Africa not to undergo border changes, apart from the reincorporation of Bantustans, and its borders date from before the outbreak of the Boer War . Law and government See also: Executive Council of the Free State The provincial government consists of a premier, an executive council of ten ministers, and a legislature. The provincial assembly and premier are elected for five-year terms, or until the next national election. Political parties are awarded assembly seats based on the percentage of votes each party receives in the province during the national elections. The assembly elects a premier, who then appoints the members of the executive council. The provincial legislature meets at the Vierde Raadsaal in Bloemfontein . As of February 2023 the premier of Free State is Mxolisi Dukwana of the African National Congress (ANC).[8] Geography Cornelia in the Riemland region The Free State is situated on a succession of flat grassy plains sprinkled with pastureland, resting on a general elevation of 3,800 feet only broken by the occasional hill or kopje . The rich soil and pleasant climate allow for a thriving agricultural industry. The province is high-lying, with almost all land being 1,000 metres above sea level. The Drakensberg and Maloti Mountains foothills raise the terrain to over 2,000 m in the east. The Free State lies in the heart of the Karoo Sequence of rocks, containing shales , mudstones , sandstones and the Drakensberg Basalt forming the youngest capping rocks. Mineral deposits are plentiful, with gold and diamonds being of particular importance, mostly found in the north and west of the province. Fauna and flora The flats in the south of the reserve provide ideal conditions for large herds of plain game such as black wildebeest and springbok . The ridges, koppies and plains typical of the northern section are home to kudu , red hartebeest , southern white rhinoceros and buffalo . The Southern African wildcat , black wildebeest , zebra , eland , white rhinoceros and wild dog can be seen at the Soetdoring Nature Reserve near Bloemfontein . The South African cheetahs were reintroduced in the Free State for the first time in June 2013 after a hundred years of regional extinction, at Laohu Valley Reserve near Philippolis .[9] Following the reintroduction of an adult female South African cheetah in early 2016, three wild cheetah cubs were born for the first time in Laohu Valley Reserve in February 2017, making the three new cubs the first cheetahs born in the wild since their disappearance from the Free State province in over a century. Climate The Free State experiences a continental climate , characterised by warm to hot summers and cool to cold winters. Areas in the east experience frequent snowfalls, especially on the higher ranges, whilst the west can be extremely hot in summer. Almost all precipitation falls in the summer months as brief afternoon thunderstorms , with aridity increasing towards the west. Areas in the east around Harrismith , Bethlehem and Ficksburg are well watered. The capital, Bloemfontein , experiences hot, moist summers and cold, dry winters frequented by severe frost. Bloemfontein averages: January maximum: 31 °C (min: 15 °C), July maximum: 17 °C (min: -2 °C), annual precipitation: 559 mm Bethlehem averages: January maximum: 27 °C (min: 13 °C), July maximum: 16 °C (min: -2 °C), annual precipitation: 680 mm Borders Borders Mafahlaneng township at Tweeling In the southeast, the Free State borders seven districts of Lesotho : Mokhotlong – farthest to the east Butha-Buthe – northwest of Mokhotlong and northeast of Leribe Leribe – southwest of Butha-Buthe and northeast of Berea Berea – southwest of Leribe and north of Maseru Maseru – south of Berea and northeast of Mafeteng Mafeteng – southwest of Maseru and northwest of Mohale's Hoek Mohale's Hoek – southeast of Mafeteng Domestically, it borders the following provinces: KwaZulu-Natal – east Eastern Cape – south Northern Cape – west North West – northwest Gauteng – north Mpumalanga – northeast The Free State borders more districts of Lesotho and more provinces of South Africa than any other province. It is traversed by the northwesterly line of equal latitude and longitude. Municipalities Main article: List of municipalities in the Free State Free State districts and local municipalities The Free State Province is divided into one metropolitan municipality and four district municipalities . The district municipalities are in turn divided into 19 local municipalities : Metropolitan municipalities Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality District municipalities Fezile Dabi District Moqhaka Ngwathe Metsimaholo Mafube Thabo Mofutsanyana District Setsoto Dihlabeng Maluti-a-Phofung Nketoana Phumelela Mantsopa Lejweleputswa District Masilonyana Tokologo Tswelopele Matjhabeng Nala Xhariep District Letsemeng Kopanong Mohokare Major cities and towns See also: List of cities and towns in the Free State The Free State's major towns include: Bloemfontein & Botshabelo in Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality Welkom , Odendaalsrus and Virginia in Lejweleputswa Bethlehem , Harrismith and Phuthaditjhaba in Thabo Mofutsanyana Kroonstad , Sasolburg and Parys in Fezile Dabi Health The Free State is the only province in South Africa that operates a free 24-hour dedicated rotor-wing aeromedical service from a public hospital. They are able to reach far-flung areas in only 45 minutes and deliver a high level of care on scene. On 31 October 2018, Free State Emergency Medical Service launched an additional 65 road ambulances to augment the fleet. The Free State has many public and private hospitals. Economy The province is the granary of South Africa, with agriculture central to its economy, while mining on the rich goldfields reef is its largest employer. Agriculture Cattle grazing near Winburg Agriculture dominates the Free State landscape, with cultivated land covering 32,000 square kilometres, and natural veld and grazing a further 87,000 square kilometres of the province. It is also South Africa's leader in the production of biofuels, or fuel from agricultural crops, with a number of ethanol plants under construction in the grain-producing western region. South Africa is one of the top ten Maize producers in the world (12,365,000 tons as of 2013). 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. Ninety percent of the country's cherry crop is produced in the Ficksburg district, which is also home to the country's two largest asparagus canning factories. Soya, sorghum, sunflowers and wheat are cultivated in the eastern Free State, where farmers specialise in seed production. About 40% of the country's potato yield comes from the province's high-lying areas. The main vegetable crop is asparagus, both white and green varieties. Although horticulture is expanding and becoming increasingly export-orientated, most produce leaves the province unprocessed. The Free State's advantage in floriculture is the opposing seasons of the southern and northern hemispheres. Mining The Free State is also rich in mineral wealth, gold representing 20% of the world's total gold production. Mining is the province's major employer. 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. The Harmony Gold Refinery and Rand Refinery are the only two gold refineries in South Africa. Gold mines in the Free State also supply a substantial portion of the total silver produced in the country, while considerable concentrations of uranium occurring in the gold-bearing conglomerates of the goldfields are extracted as a byproduct. Bituminous coal is also mined, and converted to petrochemicals at Sasolburg. The Free State 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. Industry Since 1989, the Free State economy has moved from dependence on primary sectors such as mining and agriculture to an economy increasingly oriented towards manufacturing and export. Some 14% of the province's manufacturing is classified as being in high-technology industries – the highest of all provincial economies. The northern Free State's chemicals sector is one of the most important in the southern hemisphere. Petrochemicals company Sasol , based in the town of Sasolburg , is a world leader in the production of fuels, waxes, chemicals and low-cost feedstock from coal. Tourism On top of Koranaberg In the northeastern Free State, nestled in the rolling foothills of the Maluti mountains, the Golden Gate Highlands National Park is the province's prime tourist attraction. The park gets its name from the brilliant shades of gold cast by the sun on the spectacular sandstone cliffs, especially the imposing Brandwag or Sentinel Rock, which keeps vigil over the park. Brandwag (The Sentinel) The sandstone of this region has been used for the lovely dressed-stone buildings found on the Eastern Highlands, while decoratively painted Sotho houses dot the grasslands. Some of South Africa's most valued San (Bushman) rock art is found in the Free State, particularly in the regions around Clarens , Bethlehem , Ficksburg , Ladybrand and Wepener . Sesotho is the dominant home language in most of the province. Zulu is the major language in the far eastern municipality of Phumelela . Setswana is the main language in Tokologo in the northwest, and in and around the area of Thaba Nchu . The Free State is the only province in South Africa with a Sesotho majority. Afrikaans is widely spoken throughout the province, as a first language for the majority of whites and coloureds (who constitute a minority) and as a second or third language by Sesotho, Setswana and Xhosa speakers. Although there are relatively few native English speakers, English is becoming increasingly important as the language of business and government. This is evidenced by the shift of tertiary institutions such as the University of the Free State from solely using Afrikaans as the medium of instruction to using both Afrikaans and English. Ethnicity The majority of the population are black Africans who speak Sotho as a first language. The vast majority of white people in the Free State are Afrikaans-speaking. In 1880 the white population made up 45.7% of the total population. In 1904 this had fallen to 36.8%.[11] Of the 142,679 people in 1904, only 60% were born in the province. Of the 2,726 European immigrants born in non-British states, 1,025 came from the Russian Empire , mainly Jews . In 1904 whites made up a majority in most settlements, namely Ficksburg (52.3%), Wepener (60.2%), Ladybrand (60.0%), and Kroonstad (51.6%), and made up a substantial minority in Bloemfontein (45.7%) and Winburg (36.3%). Education Universities University of the Free State (Bloemfontein , Phuthaditjhaba ) Central University of Technology (Bloemfontein , Welkom ) Other educational institutions Akademia (Bloemfontein ) Boston City Campus (Bloemfontein ) Damelin (Bloemfontein ) Flavius Mareka FET College (Kroonstad , Mphohardi , Sasolburg ) Goldfields FET College (Welkom , Tosa ) Maluti TVET College (QwaQwa , Bethlehem , Harrismith ) Motheo TVET College (Bloemfontein , Botshabelo , Thaba nchu , Koffiefontein ) Qualitas Career Academy (Bloemfontein ) Media Newspapers Die Volksblad (Bloemfontein ) Bloem news (Bloemfontein ) Bloemfontein Courant Dumelang News (The People's Paper ) Express-News (Bloemfontein , Botshabelo , Thaba Nchu ) Free State Times Vista Newspaper (Welkom ) VrystaatKroon Radio OFM Lesedi FM Motheo FM Radio Rosestad 100.6 FM Kovsie FM CUT FM 104.1 MedFM BACK TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE

The First Boer War (Dutch: Eerste Boerenoorlog, Afrikaans: Eerste Vryheidsoorlog, Boer War 1899 - 1902 Introduction The Anglo Boer War was fought by Britain and her Empire against the Boers. The Boers were comprised of the combined forces of the South African Republic and the Republic of the Orange Free State. The Boer Republics declared war on 11th October 1899 and the conflict ended on 31st May 1902, a duration of 2 years and 8 months. There were three distinct phases to the War: Stage 1 - Boer offensive. At first, the Boer republican fighters were successful in three major offensives. Their commandos invaded northern Natal and besieged the town of Ladysmith, invaded Cape Colony to lay siege to the British garrisons in Kimberley and Mafeking. While the British did achieve some tactical victories at Talana and Elandslaagte, there were serious defeats for the British at Stormberg, Magersfontein and Colenso which became known as 'Black Week' (10th - 15th December 1899). Stage 2 - British response. With heavy reinforcements and the assumption of overall command by Lord Roberts with Lord Kitchener as his Chief of Staff, the British turned the situation around. Imperial troops eventually relieved the besieged towns of Ladysmith (28th February 1900), Kimberley (15 February 1900) and Mafeking (18th May 1900). On 13th March 1900 Roberts occupied Bloemfontein, the capital of the Orange Free State, and on 28th May the province was annexed and renamed the Orange River Colony. On 31st May, British troops entered Johannesburg and, on 5th June, Pretoria was taken. The Transvaal was annexed on 1st September 1900. To many it seemed that the war was over. At the end of November, Roberts made a triumphal return to England. Stage 3 - Guerrilla war. Under the leadership of Louis Botha, Christiaan de Wet, Jan Smuts and de la Rey, the Boers abandoned the British style of warfare and increased their reliance on small and mobile military units. The mobility of these units enabled them to capture supplies, disrupt communications and undertake raids on the army of occupation. They were very successful in evading capture. In response, the British embarked on a scorched earth policy to deny supplies to the fighters. Approximately 30,000 farms were burnt. In March 1901 the need to restrict the movement of the Boers brought the development of 8,000 blockhouses and 3,700 miles of wire fencing guarded by 50,000 troops. This was followed by a number of 'drives' which had the intention of cornering the Boers but the operations mainly produced large numbers of displaced Boer and African families. These refugees were sent to concentration camps around South Africa. These measures were largely responsible for bringing the Boers to the negotiation table to end the War. Chronology 1899 October: 11th.-Time fixed by Boers' ultimatum expired at 5 p.m. 14th.-Boers march on Kimberley and Mafeking. 15th.-Kimberley isolated. 20th.-Talana Hill captured by British under Symons. 21st.-Boers routed at Elandslaagte. 22nd.-Yule retires from Dundee on Ladysmith. 23rd.-Death of Gen. Symons at Dundee. 30th.-Nicholson's Nek disaster. 31st.-Gen. Buller lands at Cape Town. November: 1st.-Boers invade Cape Colony. 2nd.-Ladysmith isolated. 9th.-General attack on Ladysmith repulsed. 15th.-Armoured train wrecked near Chievely. 23rd.-Methuen successfully attacks Boers at Belmont. 25th.-Methuen successfully attacks Boers at Enslin. 28th.-Methuen defeats Boers at Modder River. December: 10th.-Gatacre surprised in night attack on Stormberg. 11th.-Methuen repulsed at Magersfontein, Gen. Wauchope killed. 15th.-Buller's force repulsed at Colenso. 18th.-Lord Roberts appointed Com.-in-Chief in S. Africa. 1900 January: 6th.-Disaster to Suffolk Regt. near Rensburg.-Attack on Ladysmith repulsed. 10th.-Lords Roberts and Kitchener arrive at Capetown.-Movement for relief of Ladysmith resumed. 11th. –Dundonald seizes pont at Potgeiter's Drift. 18th.-Buller makes second attempt to relieve Ladysmith. 23rd-24th.-Spion Kop captured on 24th, but evacuated during night.-Gen. Woodgate fatally wounded. February: 5th. -Buller's third attempt to relieve Ladysmith commenced.-Lyttlelton crosses Tugela, and captures Vaal Krantz. 9th.-Lord Roberts arrives at Modder River. 13th.-Lord Roberts at Dekiel's Drift. 15th.-Lord Roberts at Jacobsdal.-Relief of Kimberley. 17th.-Rearguard action between Kelly-Kenny and Cronje en route to Bloemfontein.-Fourth attempt to relieve Ladysmith.-Buller advances on Monte Cristo Hill. 19th.-Buller takes Hlangwane Hill. 20th.-Cronje bombarded by Lord Roberts near Paardeberg. 21st.-Fifth Division crosses Tugela. 23rd.-Buller unsuccessfully attacks Railway Hill. 26th.-Buller makes fresh passage of Tugela. 27th.-Cronje surrenders at Paardeberg.-Pieter's Hill carried by Hildyard. 28th.-Relief of Ladysmith.-Clements occupies Colesberg. March: 5th.-Gatacre occupies Stormberg.-Brabant defeats and pursues Boers. 7th.-Lord Roberts routs Boers at Poplar Grove. 10th.-Lord Roberts defeats Boers at Driefontein. 13th.-Lord Roberts occupies Bloemfontein. 31st.-Broadwood attacked at Waterworks.-Artillery entrapped at Koorn Spruit. April: 7th.-Col. Dalgety isolated near Wepener. 25th.-Dalgety relieved by Chermside. May: 12th-Lord Roberts enters Kroonstad.-Attack on Mafeking repulsed, Commandant Eloff taken. 13th.-Mahon repulses attack at Koodoosrand. 15th.-Buller occupies Dundee.-Plumer joint hands with Mahon. 17th-18th.-Relief of Mafeking. 28th.-Annexetion of Orange Free State. 31st.-British flag hoisted at Johannesburg.-Surrender of Yeomanry at Lindley. June: 5th.-Occupation of Pretoria. 8th.-Hildyard takes Botha's Pass.-Mishap to 4th Derbyshires at Roodeval. 11th.-Fight at Allemans Nek. 12th.-Boers evacuate Langs Nek.-Roberts defeats Botha at Diamond Hill. 14th.-Boer attack on Sand River repulsed. July: 4th.-Roberts and Buller join hands at Vlakfontein. 11th.-Disaster to Scots Greys and Lincolns at Uitval Nek. 21st.-Advance towards Komati Poort begins. 30th.-Surrender of Prinsloo and 3,000 Boers to Hunter in Brandwater basin. August: 16th.-Eland's River garrison relieved. 26th.27th.-Fighting at Dalmanutha. 30th.-Nooigedacht occupied and 2,000 prisoners released. September: 6th.-Buller occupies Lydenburg. 13th.-Proclamation issued by Roberts calling on burghers to surrender.-French occupies Barberton. 25th.-British force occupies Komato Poort. October: 9th.-De Wet driven across the Vaal. 24th.-Buller leaves Cape Town for England. 25th.-Formal annexation of S. African Republic. November: 6th.-De Wet defeated at Bothaville. 23rd.-Garrison at Dewetsdorp captured by De Wet. 29th.-Lord Kitchener takes supreme command. December: 5th.-De Wet’s attempt to enter Cape Colony frustrated by Knox. 11th.-Roberts leaves Cape Town for England. 13th.-Clements defeated by Delarey at Nooitgedacht.-Mishap to Brabant's Horse at Zastron. 14th.-De Wet and Steyn escape through Sprinkhaans Pass. 16th-20th.-Boer raid into Cape Colony. 28th.-De Wet fails to break back into Cape Colony. 29th.-Mishap to Liverpools at Helvetia. 1901 January: 7th.-Boer attack on Belfast. 18th.-Delarey's force defeated near Ventersburg. 28th.-French enters Ermelo.-Smith-Dorrien repels Botha.-Sweeping movement commences in S. E. Transvaal. February: 10th.-De Wet enters Cape Colony. 28th.-De Wet recrosses Orange River, having lost his guns. March: 3rd.-Unsuccessful attack by Delarey on Lichtenburg. 22nd-23rd.-Babington routs Delarey at Ventersdorp. April: 8th.-Plumer occupies Pietersburg. 14th.-Rawlinson captures laager at Klerksdorp. May: 29th.-Delarey defeated by Dixon at Vlakfontein. June: 2nd.-Kruitzinger captures James Town, Cape Colony. 6th.-Elliot captures De Wet's convoy near Reitz. 12th.-Disa.ster to Victorians near Wilmansrust. 26th.-Boers attack blockhouses on Delagoa Railway. July: 13th.-Broadwood surprises Reitz.-Narrow escape of Steyn. August: 6th.-Proclamation by Lord Kitchener of banishment of Boer leaders taken in arms after Sept. 15. 13th. -Kruitzinger's commandos routed near Steynsburg by Col. Gorringe. 17th.-Boer laager near Middelsburg captured by B.A.C. September: 5th.-Lotter's commando captured by Col. Scobell. 10th.-Col. Crabbe routs Scheepers's commando at Laingsburg. 17th.-Major Gough surprised near Utrecht. Smut's commando surprises 17th Lancers at Elands River Poort. 26th.-Botha's attack upon Forts Itala and Prospect, on Zulu Border, repulsed. 30th.-Delarey's attack upon Kekewich's camp at Moedwill repulsed. October: 16th.-Rhenoster River blockhouse line attacked. 20th.-Col. Dawkins captures three laagers, Nylstroom. 22nd.-Col. Benson surprises laager near Clipportje. 24th.-Kemp attacks Von Donop's convoy near Marico River. 25th.-Major Damant disperses Boers near Villiersdorp. 30th.-Col. Benson's column attacked at Brakenlaagte. November: 1st.-Col. Kekewich captures Van Albert's laager. 7th.-Maritz attacks Picquetberg. 11th.-Major Pack Beresford, S.A.C., captures Dutoit's laager at Doornhoek. 14th.-De Wet attacks Col. Byng near Heilbron. 26th.-Gen. C. Knox captures Commandant Joubert. December: 4th.-Gen. Bruce Hamilton captures laager near Ermelo. 10th.-Bruce Hamilton captures Bethel commando. 12th.-Bruce Hamilton captures Piet Viljoen's laager. 20th.-Majors Damant's and Bridgeford's columns severely handled by Boers. 23rd.-Kroonstad-Lindley blockhouse line completed. 24th.-De Wet captures Col. Firman's camp at Tweefontein. 29th.-Bruce Hamilton captures Gen. Erasmus east of Ermelo. 1902 January: 10th.-Bruce Hamilton captures Wolmaran's laager. 22nd.-Beyers enters Pietersburg concentration camp. 25th.-Gen. Ben Viljoen captured near Lydenburg. 28th.-Col. Du Moulin killed at Abraham's Kraal. 30th.-Col. Price takes Wessel's laager in Cape Colony. February: 4th.-De Wet's last gun captured by Col. Hon. J. Byng. 5th.-Lord Kitchener commences Wolvehoek drive against De Wet. 8th.-British convoy captured near Fraserburg. 12th.-Mishap to 28th Co. Mounted Inf. at Klip River. 20th.-Col. Park captures commando in Bothasberg. 22nd.-Col. Mackenzie captures Hans Grobelaar's commando near Lake Chrissie. 24th.-Delarey captures Von Donop’s convoy near Wolmaranstad. March: 7th.-Major Paris's column overwhelmed near Tweebosch by Delarey.-Methuen wounded and captured. 15th.-Bruce-Hamilton surprises Emmett's commando, captures Gen. Cherry Emmett. 31st.-W. Kitchener's column repulse Delarey. April: 1st.-2nd Dragoons surprise laager at Boschman’s Kop. 8th.- Col. Colenbrander attacks Beyers near Pietersburg. 11th.-Kemp's men attack Kekewich's column at Rooiwal; repulsed with heavy loses. May: 11th.-Col. Barker captures Manie Botha.-Rebels invest Ookiep. 7th.-Col. Cooper relieves Ookiep.-Serious accident to armoured train near Pretoria. 16th.-Conference at Vereeniging.-Jack Hindon, train wrecker, surrenders at Balmoral. 18th.-Aberdeen attacked by 120 Boers. 21st.-Lord Lovat captures Fouche's camp at Stapleford. 25th.-J. Hindon's corps surrenders at Balmoral. 27th.-Commandant Malan, mortally wounded, captured at Ripon Road, Cape Colony. 31st.-Conditions of surrender signed. The First Boer War (Dutch: Eerste Boerenoorlog, Afrikaans: Eerste Vryheidsoorlog, literally First Freedom War) also known as the First Anglo-Boer War or the Transvaal War, was fought from 16 December 1880 until 23 March 1881.The southern part of the African continent was dominated in the 19th century by a set of epic struggles to create within it a single unified state. British aggression into southern Africa was fuelled by three prime factors: first, the desire to control the trade routes to India that passed around the Cape; second, the discovery in 1868 of huge mineral deposits of diamonds around Kimberley on the joint borders of the South African Republic (called the Transvaal by the British), Orange Free State and the Cape Colony, and thereafter in 1886 in the Transvaal of a major gold find, all of which offered enormous wealth and power; and thirdly the race against other European colonial powers, as part of a general colonial expansion in Africa. Other potential colonisers included Portugal, who already controlled West (modern day Angola) and East Africa (modern day Mozambique), Germany (modern day Namibia), and further north, Belgium (modern day Democratic Republic of the Congo) and France (West and Equatorial Africa, and Madagascar). The British attempts in 1880 to annexe the Transvaal, and in 1899 both the Transvaal and the Orange Free State (leading to the Second Boer War), were their biggest incursions into southern Africa, but there were others. In 1868, the British annexed Basutoland in the Drakensberg Mountains (modern Lesotho, surrounded by the Orange Free State and Natal) following an appeal from Moshesh, the leader of a mixed group of African refugees from the Zulu wars, who sought British protection against both the Boers and the Zulus. The British did not try to stop Trekboers from moving away from the Cape. The Trekboers served as pioneers, opening up the interior for those who followed, and the British gradually extended their control away from the Cape along the coast toward the east, eventually annexing Natal in 1845. Indeed, the British subsequently ratified the two new Republics in a pair of treaties: the Sand River Convention of 1852 which recognised the independence of the Transvaal Republic, and the Bloemfontein Convention of 1854 which recognised the independence of the Orange Free State. However, British colonial expansion was, from the 1830s, marked by skirmishes and wars against both Boers and native African tribes .n 1875 Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli's Colonial Secretary, Lord Carnarvon, in an attempt to extend British influence, approached the Orange Free State and the Transvaal Republic and tried to organise a federation of the British and Boer territories to be modelled after the 1867 federation of French and English provinces of Canada, however the Boer leaders turned him down. The successive British annexations, and in particular the annexation of West Griqualand, caused a climate of simmering unease for the Boer republics. Outbreak of War With the defeat of the Zulus, and the Pedi, the Transvaal Boers were able to give voice to the growing resentment against the 1877 British annexation of the Transvaal and complained that it had been a violation of the Sand River Convention of 1852, and the Bloemfontein Convention of 1854.Major-General Sir George Pomeroy Colley, after returning briefly to India, finally took over as Governor of Natal, Transvaal, High Commissioner of SE Africa and Military Commander in July 1880. Multiple commitments prevented Colley from visiting the Transvaal where he knew many of the senior Boers. Instead he relied on reports from the Administrator, Sir Owen Lanyon, who had no understanding of the Boer mood or capability. Belatedly Lanyon asked for troop reinforcements in December 1880 but was overtaken by events.The Boers on 16 December 1880 revolted and took action at Bronkhorstspruit against a British column of the 94th Foot, who were returning to reinforce Pretoria.After Transvaal formally declared independence from the United Kingdom, the war began on 16 December 1880 with shots fired by Transvaal Boers at Potchefstroom. This led to the action at Bronkhorstspruit on 20 December 1880, where the Boers ambushed and destroyed a British Army convoy. From 22 December 1880 to 6 January 1881, British army garrisons all over the Transvaal became besieged.Although generally called a war, the actual engagements were of a relatively minor nature considering the few men involved on both sides and the short duration of the combat, lasting some ten weeks of sporadic action. The fiercely independent Boers had no regular army; when danger threatened, all the men in a district would form a militia organised into military units called commandos and would elect officers.Commandos being civilian militia, each man wore what he wished, usually everyday dark-grey, neutral-coloured, or earthtone khaki farming clothes such as a jacket, trousers and slouch hat. Each man brought his own weapon, usually a hunting rifle, and his own horses. The average Boer citizens who made up their commandos were farmers who had spent almost all their working life in the saddle, and, because they had to depend on both their horse and their rifle for almost all of their meat, they were skilled hunters and expert marksmen.Most of the Boers had single-shot breech loading rifle such as the Westley Richards, the Martini-Henry, or the Remington Rolling Block. Only a few had repeaters like the Winchester or the Swiss Vetterli. As hunters they had learned to fire from cover, from a prone position and to make the first shot count, knowing that if they missed the game would be long gone. At community gatherings, they often held target shooting competitions using targets such as hens' eggs perched on posts over 100 yards away. The Boer commandos made for expert light cavalry, able to use every scrap of cover from which they could pour accurate and destructive fire at the British with their breech loading rifles.The British infantry uniforms at that date were red jackets, black trousers with red piping to the side, white pith helmets and pipe clayed equipment, a stark contrast to the African landscape.The Highlanders wore the kilt. The standard infantry weapon was the Martini Henry single-shot breech loading rifle with a long sword bayonet. Gunners of the Royal Artillery wore blue jackets. This enabled the Boer marksmen easily to snipe at red-clad British troops from a distance. The Boers carried no bayonets leaving them at a substantial disadvantage in close combat, which they avoided as far as possible. Drawing on years of experience of fighting frontier skirmishes with numerous and indigenous African tribes, they relied more on mobility, stealth, marksmanship and initiative while the British emphasised the traditional military values of command, discipline, formation and synchronised firepower. The average British soldier was not trained to be a marksman and got little target practice. What shooting training British soldiers had was mainly as a unit firing in volleys on command. At the first battle at Bronkhorstspruit, Lieutenant-Colonel Anstruther and 120 men of the 94th Foot (Connaught Rangers) were dead or wounded by Boer fire within minutes of the first shots. Boer losses totalled two killed and five wounded. This mainly Irish regiment was marching westward toward Pretoria, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Anstruther, when halted by a Boer commando group. Its leader, Piet Joubert, ordered Anstruther and the column to turn back, stating that the territory was now again a Boer Republic and therefore any further advance by the British would be deemed an act of war. Anstruther refused and ordered that ammunition be distributed. The Boers opened fire and the ambushed British troops were annihilated. With the majority of his troops dead or wounded, the dying Anstruther ordered surrender.The Boer uprising caught by surprise the six small British forts scattered around Transvaal, housing some 2,000 troops between them, including irregulars with as few as fifty men at Lydenburg in the east where Anstruther had just left. Being isolated, and with so few troops, all the forts could do was prepare for sieges, and wait to be relieved. The other five forts, with a minimum of fifty miles between any two, were at Wakkerstroom and Standerton in the south, Marabastadt in the north and Potchefstroom and Rustenburg in the west. The three main engagements of the war were all within about sixteen miles of each other, centred on the Battles of Laing’s Nek (28 January 1981), Ingogo River (8/2/81) and the rout at Majuba Hill (27 February 1981). These battles were the outcome of Major-General Sir George Pomeroy Colley’s attempts to relieve the besieged forts. Although Colley had requested reinforcements these would not reach him until mid-February. He was, however, convinced that the garrisons would not survive until then. Consequently, at Newcastle, near the Transvaal border he mustered a relief column (the Natal Field Force) of available men although this amounted to only 1,200 men. Colley’s force was further weakened in that few were mounted, a serious disadvantage in the terrain and type of warfare. Most Boers were mounted and good riders. Nonetheless, Colley’s force set out on 24 January 1881 northward for Laing’s Nek on route to relieve Wakkerstroom and Standerton, the nearest forts.At the Battle of Laing's Nek on 28 January 1881, the Natal Field Force under Major-General Sir George Pomeroy Colley attempted with cavalry and infantry attacks to break through the Boer positions on the Drakensberg mountain range to relieve their garrisons. The British were repulsed with heavy losses by the Boers under the command of Piet Joubert. Of the 480 British troops who made the charges, 150 never returned. Furthermore, sharpshooting Boers had killed or wounded many senior officers.Further actions included the Battle of Schuinshoogte (also known as Ingogo) on 8 February 1881, where another British force barely escaped destruction. Major-General Sir George Pomeroy Colley had sought refuge with the Natal Field Force at Mount Prospect, three miles to the south to await reinforcements. However, Colley was soon back into action. On 7 February a mail escort on its way to Newcastle had been attacked by the Boers and forced back to Mount Prospect. The next day Colley, determined to keep his supplies and communication route open, escorted the mail wagon personally and this time with a larger escort.The Boer attacked the convoy at the Ingogo River crossing, but with a stronger force of some 300 men. The firepower was evenly matched and the fight continued for several hours, but the Boer marksmen dominated the action until darkness and a storm permitted Colley and the remainder of his troops to retreat back to Mount Prospect. In this engagement the British lost 139 officers and men, half the original force that had set out to escort the mail convoy.On 14 February hostilities were suspended, awaiting the outcome of peace negotiations initiated by an offer from Kruger. During this time Colley’s promised reinforcements arrived with more to follow. The British government in the meantime had offered a Royal Commission investigation and possible troop withdrawal, and their attitude toward the Boers was conciliatory. Colley was critical of this stance and, whilst waiting for Kruger’s final agreement, decided to attack again with a view to enabling the British government to negotiate from a position of strength. Unfortunately this resulted in the disaster of the Battle of Majuba Hill on 27 February 1881, the greatest humiliation for the British. On 26 February 1881, Colley led a night march of some 360 men to the top of Majuba Hill that overlooked the main Boer position. Early the next morning the Boers saw Colley occupying the summit, and started to ascend the hill. The Boers, shooting accurately and using all available natural cover, advanced toward the trapped British position. Several Boer groups stormed the hill and drove off the British at great cost to the British, including the loss of Major-General Colley. Many of the British were killed or wounded, some falling to their deaths down the mountain. This had such an impact that during the Second Boer War, one of the British slogans was "Remember Majuba." The Boers suffered only one killed and five wounded.Hostilities continued until 6 March 1881, when a truce was declared, ironically on the same terms that Colley had disparaged. The Transvaal forts had endured, contrary to Colley’s forecast, with the sieges being generally uneventful, the Boers content to wait for hunger and sickness to strike. The forts had suffered only light casualties as an outcome of sporadic engagements, except at Potchefstroom, where twenty-four were killed, and seventeen at Pretoria, in each case resulting from occasional raids on Boer positions.Although the Boers exploited their advantages to the full, their unconventional tactics, marksman skills and mobility do not fully explain the heavy losses of the British. Like the Boers, British soldiers were equipped with breech-loading rifles (the Martini-Henry) but they were (unlike the Boers) professionals and the British Army had previously fought campaigns in difficult terrains and against elusive enemy such as the tribesmen of the Northern Territories in modern day Afghanistan.Historians lay much of the blame at the feet of the British command and Major-General Sir George Pomeroy Colley, in particular, but poor intelligence and bad communications also contributed to British losses.At Laing’s Nek it seems that Colley not only underestimated the Boer capabilities, but had been misinformed of, and was surprised by, the strength of the Boers forces. The confrontation at Ingogo Nek was perhaps rash, given that reserves were being sent, and Colley had by then experienced the Boer strength and capabilities. Indeed, strategists have speculated as to whether the convoy should have proceeded at all when it was known to be vulnerable to attack, and whether it was necessary for Colley himself to take command of the British guard. Colley's decision to initiate the attack at Majuba Hill when truce discussions were already underway appears to have been foolhardy particularly as there was limited strategic value, as the Boer positions were out of rifle range from the summit. Once the Battle of Majuba Hill had begun, Colley’s command and understanding of the dire situation seemed to deteriorate as the day went on, as he sent unclear signals to the British forces at Mount Prospect by heliograph, first requesting reinforcements and the next stating that the Boers were retreating. The poor leadership, intelligence and communications resulted in the deaths of many British soldiers.The British government of William Gladstone was conciliatory as it realised that any further action would require substantial troop reinforcements, and it was likely that the war would be costly, messy and protracted. Unwilling to get bogged down in a distant war with apparently minimal returns (the Transvaal at the time had no known mineral resources, or other significant resources, being essentially a cattle and sheep agricultural economy), the British government ordered a truce.Under instructions from the British government, Sir Evelyn Wood (who had replaced Colley upon his death on 27 February 1881) signed an armistice to end the war, and subsequently a peace treaty was signed with Kruger at O'Neil's Cottage on 6 March. In the final peace treaty on 23 March 1881, the British agreed to Boer self-government in the Transvaal under a theoretical British oversight, the Boers accepting the Queen’s nominal rule and British control over African affairs and native districts. A three-man Royal Commission drew up the Pretoria Convention, which was ratified on 25 October 1881, by the Transvaal Volksraad (parliament). This led to the withdrawal of the last British troops.When in 1886 a second major mineral find was made at an outcrop on a large ridge some thirty miles south of the Boer capital at Pretoria, it reignited British imperial interests. The ridge, known locally as the "Witwatersrand" (literally "white water ridge" – a watershed) contained the world's largest deposit of gold-bearing ore. Although it was not as rich as gold finds in Canada and Australia, its consistency made it especially well-suited to industrial mining methods. By 1899, when tensions erupted once more into the Second Boer War, the lure of gold made it worth committing the vast resources of the British Empire and incurring the huge costs required to win that war. The sharp lessons the British learned during the First Boer War which included Boer marksmanship, tactical flexibility, and good use of ground had largely been forgotten when the second war broke out 18 years later, which also led to heavy casualties as well as many setbacks for the British. Nicolaas Pieter Johannes ("Niklaas" or "Siener") Janse van Rensburg Anglo-Zulu Wars 1879-1896 The destruction of the Zulu kingdom 1879 -1896 In the 1870s settler and colonial determination to bring Blacks under firm political control had undermined the hard-won security that many African societies had achieved. This was due to changes in economic conditions in South Africa's hinterland, and the consequent need to secure sufficient political authority over Africans- which would ensure security and access to labour. These societies attempted to resist the extension of colonial control over them, one of which was the Zulu kingdom. Sir Bartle Frere was appointed British high commissioner to South Africa in 1879 to realise the Policy of Confederation. This policy was set to bring the various British colonies, Boer republics and independent African groups under common control- with a view to implementing a policy of economic development. Sir Bartle Frere saw the self-reliant Zulu kingdom as a threat to this policy, a belief which was supported by Shepstone, the Secretary for Native Affairs. Shepstone averred that the Zulu people had revived their military power under Cetshwayo , which made them more of a threat to peace and prosperity in South Africa. On 11 December 1878, under the flimsy pretext of a few minor border incursions into Natal by Cetshwayo's followers, the Zulu were given an impossible ultimatum- that they should disarm and Cetshwayo should forsake his sovereignty. The inevitable invasion of Zululand began after the ultimatum had expired on *10 January 1879 (see insert note). Instead of fragmenting the Zulu as Shepstone predicted, this rallied the Zulu to their king's cause. Many historians mark the 10* January 1879 as the beginning of the Anglo-Zulu war, while others claim that the 12 January 1879 (first attack) or the 22 January 1879 (first decisive battle of Isandlwana) marked the beginning of the war. However, even the 10 January date is disputed as many sources say that the ultimatum actually expired on the 11 January 1879. Under the overall command of Lord Chelmsford, the British forces -many of them colonials (Whites) or members of the Natal Native Contingent (Blacks) – began carrying out the general plan put in place for the invasion of Zululand. The main objective was to occupy the Zulu royal kraal at Ulundi by advancing on it from three directions. This operation was similar to the Zulu tactic of attacking from three sides by means of the main force or chest in the centre, and an extended left and right ‘horn’ on each side. The right or Number I Column, commanded by Colonel C.K. Pearson, was to cross the lower Tugela River and advance towards Ulundi by way of Eshowe. The centre or main force, the Number III Column, advanced from Pietermaritzburg via Greytown to Helpmekaar, under the leadership of Lord Chelmsford himself. From Helpmekaar the centre force was to enter Zululand at Rorke's Drift and move eastwards to the royal kraal. The left or Number IV Column, commanded by Brevet Col Sir H. Evelyn Wood, concentrated at Utrecht with the object of reaching Ulundi from the north-west. In addition, two minor forces guarded the borders. The first of these forces was the Number II Column at Krantzkop, under Brevet Col A.W. Durnford to prevent the Zulus crossing the Tugela. The second was the Number V Column at Luneberg to safeguard the Transvaal, which had been annexed by the British in 1877 (see map). The first attack of the war took place on 12 January 1879, when the position of Sihayo's kraal, situated in the Batshe valley, threatened the successful advancement of the British column. Under Chelmsford’s orders, the attacking force moved across the Batshe to attack a rocky gorge into which Sihayo's men had retreated, driving their cattle before them. The Natal Native Contingent showed reluctance to face the Zulus, some of whom were armed with rifles. In an attempt to thwart the attack, stones were also rolled down onto the attackers and after sharp action, the Zulus retreated, with 30 dead, 4 wounded and 10 captured. The British however, suffered only 2 casualties, with 15 wounded. The Battle of Isandlwana The main Zulu army left Nodwengu on 17 January to defend Zululand from the centre column. These forces were under the command of chiefs Ntshingwayo kaMahole Khoza and Mavu-mengwana kaNdlela Ntuli. Cetshwayo had promised his men that the British would be defeated in a 'single day'. On the 17 January Chelmsford and his forces rode to Isandlwana, which he had selected as the site for his next camp. On 20 January Chelmsford’s men arrived and set up camp at Isandlwana hill. Chelmsford encountered some local resistance and mistakenly assumed it to be the main Zulu force. This divided his column, half of which he took to support an engagement some fifteen kilometres away. Colonel Henry Pulleine was left in charge of the remaining forces, but did not organise his troops into a defensive circular ‘laager’ formation, as the wagons would be needed shortly to transport supplies. Colonel A.W. Durnford arrived the next day with a detachment to reinforce the camp and take over command. Durnford, described as being 'as plucky as a lion but as imprudent as a child', impetuously pursued a Zulu foraging party. As he proceeded over the ridge of the Mabaso heights he encountered, to his horror, the Zulu army, a mass of 20 000 strong below. The Zulu had not intended to attack then, as it was a new moon and it was considered unwise to fight on a 'dark day'. However, once discovered, they had no choice but to go on the offensive. Pulleine was therefore forced to spread his firepower over a long distance, instead of concentrating his men in a tight formation. The Zulu steadily advanced in the horn formation, their centre, or chest, pitted against Puileine's left flank. They suffered huge losses as the British concentrated fire on the chest, and the attack was temporarily stalled. The Zulu’s left horn outflanked Durnford's infantry and descended onto the British camp from behind. Realising he was surrounded, Pulleine tried to retreat in order to save the endangered camp. This allowed the Zulu centre to advance again, and while raising the national cry of 'uSuthu' the Zulu interposed themselves between the retreating British and their camp. Hand to hand combat ensued and the Zulu carried the day. A detachment of British troops tried to mount a final stand at a stream two miles away, but most retreated to Rorke's Drift or fled down the Mzinyathi River with the Zulu in pursuit. The British lost 52 officers, 727 white soldiers and 471 black men of the Native Contingent - a third of Chelmsford's men. The Zulu, ‘as was their custom, took no prisoners at Isandlwana, and spared no lives, despite pleas for mercy'’. Everything else left behind was carried off as booty. The Battle of Rorke’s Drift and the Aftermath The Charge of the 17th Lancers at the Battle of Ulundi. Source: http://www.britishbattles.com/ One day later, a depot at Rorke's Drift was attacked against the orders of Cetshwayo, who favoured a defensive strategy. After the overwhelming victory over the British at Isandlwana, Zulu reserve forces who were not involved in the previous day’s battle retaliated with an attack on the “hastily erected fort” at the small garrison of Rorke’s Drift. Here the British fought with ‘rifle fire and bayonets’ and the Zulu force, led by Prince Dabulamanzi, suffered 500 casualties in this fruitless engagement. This provided the British with “much needed propaganda to counter the Zulu success at Isandlwana”. On the coast, the right column brushed aside Zulu resistance at the Nyezane river, before advancing to occupy the deserted mission station at Eshowe. The left column was also involved in heavy skirmishing around the Hlobane mountain. When the central British collapsed at Isandlwana, however, the left and right flanking columns were left exposed. The Zulus managed to cut Colonel C.K. Pearson’s right column off from the border, and Pearson's men were besieged for three months at Eshowe. The left flank column, however, managed to remain operative. Chelmsford swiftly made his way back to Natal. The might of the British army had suffered a severe repulse and any thoughts of a quick British victory were put to rest. On the other hand, the Zulu themselves suffered terrible casualties, and worse was to follow. After the defeat at Isandlwana British pride had to be restored, and reinforcements were sent for. Chelmsford's army advanced again into Zululand, inflicting heavy defeats on the Zulu in April at Gingindlovu, relieving Pearson's column, and at Khambula. The Zulu were now on the back foot. In July Chelmsford moved in on oNdini, and in a final onslaught known as the Battle of Ulundi, they secured an overwhelming military success. More than 1 000 Zulu were killed and Cetshwayo was forced to flee for safety, until he was captured in the Ngome forest in August and exiled to the Cape. The Zulu were then instructed to return to their homesteads and resume productive activities. The British, nonetheless, were at pains to explain that the war was against the Zulu royal house. The Division of Zululand The war itself had not destroyed the kingdom, but subsequent events served to divide the Zulu and undermine their economic and social cohesion. Taking a leaf out of Shepstone’s 'native policy', Sir Garnet Wolseley, the new British commander in Natal, divided the kingdom into thirteen territories under appointed chiefs. They were meant to represent the chiefly lineages of pre-Shakan times, which was a shaky argument at best, especially since one of them was John Dunn who had joined the British when hostilities began. Others had either been outrightly opposed to Cetshwayo or had shown little loyalty to him during the war. The chiefs’ allegiance was to those who had appointed them, and Britain thus effectively began to administer indirect rule over Zululand. Melmoth Osborn, who enthusiastically supported Shepstone's views, was appointed as British Resident in Zululand. Unsurprisingly Zululand suffered civil strife as a result of this arrangement. Those who continued to espouse the old Zulu order were known as the uSuthu, and were led by Ndabuko kaMpande, Cetshwayo's brother. They were to come into conflict with the appointed chiefs and by 1887 had 'fought themselves to a standstill'. In addition, a hut tax was imposed, not only on each hut but on every wife regardless of whether she occupied a hut. Wolseley's infamous settlement of Zululand had not destroyed the Zulu homestead-the basic productive unit in the kingdom's economy- nor had the Zulu been deprived of their land. The hut tax, however, served to divert some of the surplus accruing to an individual homestead head to the British government. Subsequently over 70% of the annual cost of administering Zululand was derived from this tax. As the civil war intensified, the British realised that this settlement was simply not workable. Cetshwayo, encouraged by Bishop Colenso and his daughter Harriette- who both visited him in Cape Town-petitioned the British government and was granted permission to visit England to put forward his case for the restoration of the Zulu monarchy. In Zululand similar petitions were presented to the British Resident by the uSuthu. Early in 1883 Cetshwayo was reinstalled as king, but his powers had been severely reduced. He was confined to a smaller area, surrounded by enemies, and his every move was watched by a Resident. Those who wished to show their loyalty to Cetshwayo were obliged to move into his central district of the kingdom. Zibhebhu, an arch opponent of Cetshwayo, whose allegiance was more to the colonial order than the royal house, occupied a large tract of territory to Cetshwayo's north, and forced uSuthu loyalists resident in his portion to return to Cetshwayo's area. A pre-emptive strike by the uSuthu against Zibhebhu failed. Later Zibhebhu and Hamu, another of the appointed chiefs, invaded the uSuthu. Cetshwayo was soundly defeated at his newly built capital at oNdini in 1883, with the level of bloodshed exceeding anything the Zulu had experienced during Cetshwayo's reign. Matters worsened for the uSuthu when Cetshwayo died in late 1883- as the balance of power in Zululand had now shifted decisively to the Imperial administration, and its supporters in Zululand. In a last-ditch measure to regain power, Cetshwayo's son, Dinuzulu, entered into a treaty with the Transvaal. In military terms, the alliance proved successful and Zibhebhu's army was forced out of the loyalists' territory. But this agreement came at a huge cost. In return for their assistance, the Boers were promised vast tracts of territory on Zululand's western margin, which they called The New Republic, with its 'capital' at Vryheid. When the Transvaalers tried to claim even more land than what was agreed upon, the uSuthu refused. Having realised the extent of the chaos in Zululand, the British intervened. Dinuzulu was allowed to retain control of his portion of central Zululand, but the Boers were also acknowledged as owners of the New Republic. This lead to a Reserve area being set aside for those opposed to the loyalists. In Natal, pressure mounted for the annexation of Zululand, and almost inevitably it was annexed to the Crown in 1887. The promulgation of a Code of Laws placed Zululand under a similar 'Native Policy' to that in Natal. Once more the uSuthu mounted resistance to the annexation, and again Zibhebhus services were called upon. The revolt was spectacularly successful for a short period, as the uSuthu under Dinuzulu made good use of the mountainous terrain to repulse a police contingent sent to arrest their leaders. Zibhebhus followers were attacked by Dinuzulu and forced to flee hastily from the Ndwandwe district. Finally reinforcements arrived, the uSuthu were driven from their hideouts, leading Dinuzulu to surrender. In 1889, he and his leading adherents were tried for treason, found guilty and sentenced to prison terms on St Helena. In 1894 Dinuzulu was pardoned and allowed to return to Zululand, but as a mere induna, or state official, with no chiefly powers or privileges. To appease colonial interests, his return was coupled with the annexation of Zululand by Natal in 1897. After eighteen years, settler interests had prevailed in the land of the Zulu, and the plans Shepstone initially envisaged for the kingdom could be put into place. White settlers and traders entered Zululand in increasing numbers, and Zululand was thus 'reconstructed'. The territory was divided among compliant chiefs who ruled with limited authority, and the governor of Natal became the supreme chief over Zululand. The situation was worsened further by several natural disasters between 1894 and 1897. These disasters included a plague of locusts, drought and the devastating rinderpest epidemic of 1897- which led to a massive decline in homestead production. Already under stress from the imposition of the hut tax, many more Zulu men were forced into the Witwatersrand labour market to make ends meet and pay taxes. The gradual emergence of a permanent labouring class alongside a traditional economy, based on homestead production and cattle-keeping, led to new social divisions in Zulu society. August 30, 1864 – March 11, 1926) was a Boer from the South African Republic - also known as the Transvaal Republic - and later a citizen of South Africa who was considered by some to be a prophet of the Boere (who are the smaller section of the language based macro group which became known as Afrikaners). Consequently his nickname became Siener, which is Afrikaans for "seer" or "soothsayer". His seemingly accurate predictions of future events were typically wrapped in a patriotic, religious format. During the Boer War he soon acquired a reputation which made him a trusted companion, if not advisor to General de la Rey and President Steyn. The true extent of his influence with these figures is disputed,though the very religious de la Rey seemed to have considered him a prophet of God He was born on the farm Palmietfontein in the Potchefstroom district as son of Willem Jacobus Janse van Rensburg and Anna Catharina Janse van Rensburg. He only received 20 days of formal school training at the Rooipoort farm school, and spent much of his youth as a cattle herder. He could never write, but assisted by his mother learnt to read from the Bible. He never read anything else. At age 16 he participated in a government expedition against the rebellious tribal leader Mapog. He survived malaria acquired on the expedition and settled near Wolmaranstad in the then western ZAR. He was elected as elder for the Hervormde Kerk at age 21, possibly due to his scriptural knowledge. He married Anna Sophia Kruger in 1884. Van Rensburg and his brother were commandeered to participate in the second Anglo-Boer War under General du Toit. He was however unarmed and never fired a shot, but delivered a stream of prophesies that continued throughout the war. As the seer would later explain, a nightly visitor would have woken him only a day before the outbreak of war, with a message that his work was dedicated to God. Following the encounter he was beset with a fear that wouldn't dissipate. When his disturbed state continued to their sojourn in Kimberley, his superiors sent him home. Experiencing no relief, he returned to the Siege of Kimberley, where a vision revealed to him the defeat and loss of life that the war would bring about.Shortly afterwards, possibly at Graspan, his disturbed state lifted permanently when a soldier was wounded on his side, as a vision revealed to him shortly before. Van Rensburg then travelled with general Piet Cronjé but escaped the encirclement by British forces at Paardeberg. Subsequently he travelled with different commandos, where a number of apparently accurate predictions established his reputation. A report of his visions attracted the attention of General de la Rey, who recruited Van Rensburg for his commando. On December 7, 1900, General de Wet found himself cornered against the Caledon River which was in flood, while British forces were assailing his position. When his surrender appeared imminent, a message of De la Rey was delivered by a Boer scout. Van Rensburg had foreseen the situation and the message outlined an escape route, which was duly followed, leaving the pursuers to succumb in the torrent De Wet had just traversed.De la Rey, also hard pressed by his enemy, dispatched Van Rensburg to accompany President Steyn to Roodewal, De Wet's safe retreat in the northern Free State. Here Van Rensburg advised them to wait upon two horsemen which he described, who arrived the next day with a message from acting President Schalk Burger. On September 13, 1901, Van Rensburg found himself in the camp of Commandant Roux at Rietkuil near Vredefort. Sensing imminent danger, he advised those present, who had just retired for the day, to depart from the camp at once. Roux was slow to take heed, and his men more so, as scouts had not observed any enemy units. Van Rensburg, his wife and children escaped on a cart, shortly before the greater part of the camp was captured in a surprise attack Van Rensburg was present when Commandant Van Aardt's company returned from the action at Yzerspruit on February 25, 1902. Van Aardt was despondent as his brother was missing in action but Van Rensburg assured him that he was neither dead nor captured, but alive though in great pain. The wounded soldier was returned to camp the same evening, carried on the horse of a burgher who found him. Before the Battle of Tweebosch, Van Rensburg gave a number of predictions indicating how the enemy would approach along the Harts River, and when he deemed them most vulnerable. He also envisaged how the victory would enhance De la Rey's reputation. Methuen's force collapsed in the face of De la Rey's sudden attack on March 7, 1902, and Methuen was captured. On March 17, 1902, President Steyn, in the company of De Wet and Hertzog, arrived at Zendelingsfontein, De la Rey's headquarters near Klerksdorp, to consult De la Rey's physician about an eye ailment. Van Rensburg was once again dispatched to guard the president. Around the 23rd he had a vision of English troops arriving, but the president was unwilling to heed his warning, until De la Rey intervened urgently on Van Rensburg's behalf. The president departed for the safety of the Molopo River on the evening of the 24th. British troops arrived at Zendelingsfontein during the early hours of the 25th and captured two of De la Rey's adjutants. Gaining entry to General Kemp's war council in the bushveld region, he soon warned them against attacking a retreating enemy, which would leave them vulnerable to encirclement. At the subsequent Battle of Harts River on March 31, 1902, some British units did fall back, though some Canadians stood their ground until overpowered by burgher forces. Kemp, though partially or grudgingly heeding the seer's visions, was generally reluctant to give him credit. In January 1901 Van Rensburg had a vision indicating the flight of three Boer women, who were soon found and rescued by his host Willem Bosman. Days after rejoining De la Rey's commando he had visions of members of his own family being captured, and asked for leave to assist them. The Van Rensburg family fled from their farmhouse as English forces approached, but the wagon train carrying the elderly, women and neighbours was surprised and captured by traitors the following morning. Van Rensburg's parents, eldest daughter Hester and four younger children were subsequently interned at the Mafeking concentration camp. Van Rensburg, his wife, eldest son Willem and two daughters travelled with a group which managed to evade their pursuers, and Van Rensburg once again joined De la Rey's commando. Upon meeting his wife again in mid October 1901, they found their farmhouse destroyed. Van Rensburg's ominous premonition concerning their daughters, Anna and Maria, was confirmed when news arrived that they and two relatives had died during an outbreak of measles in the concentration camp. When the Union of South Africa came out in support of the Allied Powers in World War I, Van Rensburg allied with the rebels. The rebellion received a fatal blow even before it started, when the influential general Koos de la Rey was accidentally killed on September 15, 1914. De la Rey, when killed, was en route to General J.G.C. Kemp, who subsequently organised the rebellion in western Transvaal. On November 2, Kemp addressed a public meeting at Vleeskraal, near Schweizer-Reneke, with the locally influential Van Rensburg at his side. Van Rensburg also addressed the assembly, and assured them that his visions indicated they had little to fear. 610 men then joined the rebel cause, and with conscription imminent, the number of rebel volunteers grew to 1,800. General Kemp decided on a company of 720 men, mostly farmers, which included Van Rensburg and his son. They departed immediately on a journey to join Manie Maritz in German South-West Africa. After a desert trek and much hardship they linked up with Maritz's company on November 29. Rebels under De Wet and Beyers were rounded up by South African forces in the days that followed. Returning to South Africa, Maritz and Kemp engaged government forces at Nous, Lutzputs and finally at Upington, on February 3, 1915. Van Rensburg's son Willem was mortally wounded in the Upington clash, and the whole rebel force captured, with the exception of Maritz who fled via German South-West Africa, to Angola and from thence to Portugal,Van Rensburg, like his comrades, received a prison sentence. He however served about a year, first in Boksburg, then in the Old Fort, Johannesburg After his release Nicolaas van Rensburg returned to his farm Rietkuil, near Wolmaranstad. Some of his visions were then recorded by reverend Dr. Rossouw. Van Rensburg's daughter Anna Badenhorst also recorded a set of visions up to his death at age 61. The latter set is considered to be difficult to interpret and not very coherent. With the outbreak of World War II, the collections of visions were considered inflammatory. Distribution was prohibited and some copies seized on orders of prime minister Jan Smuts. Upon Anna's death her hand written documents were transferred to Lichtenburg museum's archives, where they were rediscovered in 1991. The farm and van Rensburg family cemetery are located 11 km from Ottosdal, in the North West Province. Gen.De La Rey His mother perceived his visions even as a toddler, and noticed that these seemed to disturb him. General Hertzog described him as someone continuously distracted by a maze of imagery and symbolism. In all, some 700 visions have been recorded. The nature of his visions invariably concerned the welfare of the Boere, the Netherlands and Germany, and were experienced by him as visual imagery to be interpreted afterwards. When the image of the sisal plant occurred in his visions, he for instance interpreted this as a portend of an important meeting, assembly or parliament. He is believed by some to have made many accurate predictions of local events, including foretelling the death of general Koos de la Reyand the political transition of South Africa after his own death. At times his visions also concerned international events, among which the start of World War Iand the rise of Communism.He was unable to interpret some of his own visions. These, written down, are still open to interpretation, and believed by some to pertain to future events. Boer soldier Deneys Reitz's account of the Boer War contains a colourful objective account of one of the seer's predictions (shortened): ... a prophet, a strange character, with long flowing beard and wild fanatical eyes, who dreamed dreams and pretended to possess occult powers. I personally witnessed one of the lucky hits while we were congregated around the General's cart. Van Rensburg was expounding his latest vision to a hushed audience. It ran of a black bull and a red bull fighting, until at length the red bull sank defeated to its knees, referring to the British. Arms outstretched and eyes ablaze, he suddenly called out: See, who comes?; and, looking up, we made out a distant horseman spurring towards us. When he came up, he produced a letter from General Botha, hundreds of miles away. General de la Rey opened it and said: Men, believe me, the proud enemy is humbled. The letter contained news that the English had proposed a peace conference. Coming immediately upon the prophecy, it was a dramatic moment and I was impressed, even though I suspected that van Rensburg had stage-managed the scene. Of the general's sincerity there could be no doubt as he firmly believed in the seer's predictions. Second Anglo-Boer War - 1899 - 1902 'South African War ( a.k.a. the Anglo-Boer War) remains the most terrible and destructive modern armed conflict in South Africa’s history. It was an event that in many ways shaped the history of 20th Century South Africa. The end of the war marked the end of the long process of British conquest of South African societies, both Black and White'. - Gilliomee and Mbenga (2007). The Causes A number of interrelated factors led to the Second Anglo-Boer War. These include the conflicting political ideologies of imperialism and republicanism, the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand, tension between political leaders, the Jameson Raid and the Uitlander franchise. Conflicting political ideology After the First Anglo-Boer War the British government did not give up its ambition for unifying South Africa under Imperial British rule. The two Boer republics of the Orange Free State and the South African Republic or Transvaal still maintained their desire for independence. The Boer republics were a stumbling block for the British Empire. The discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand Gold had been mined since the early 1870s but was discovered on the Witwatersrand, in the Transvaal, in 1886. Thousands of white and black South Africans were employed on the mines by 1890. South Africa became the single biggest gold producer in the world and this meant great growth for the independent Boer governments. The Transvaal now also became more prominent in international finance because the importance of gold as an international monetary system. Britain was the centre of industry and trade in the world at the time and needed a steady supply of gold to maintain this position. Neighbouring independent states like the Orange Free State and British colonies like Natal could also gain from the riches and investment brought to the country. The Cape Colony wasn’t the leading economic state in the country anymore and a Boer republic took its place. Even though the Transvaal gold mines were the richest in the world they were also the most difficult to mine because the reefs lay so deep under the ground. The gold had to be mined by shafts as opposed to open mines, like diamonds. Mining as an individual was not as efficient as using groups of miners with special skills. Large companies were created with local and international investment and individual miners were soon squeezed out. Prospectors streamed to South Africa from all over the world, and especially from Europe. The Transvalers saw these foreigners, or Uitlanders, as a threat to their independence. In order to maintain its control of gold mining and the growth of the as they called them immigrant population, the Transvaal government restricted the voting rights of Uitlanders.Only foreigners who had been in the country for 14 years or more could vote. It was called the Uitlander franchise and didn’t really bother most Uitlanders, who had come to South Africa to make their fortunes, but it did cause strain between the Transvaal and British governments. Tension between political leaders Paul Kruger. Source: wikipedia.org There were various political leaders with opposing views in power in different parts of South Africa during the 1890s. Paul Kruger was president of the Transvaal or South African Republic (SAR) and Cecil John Rhodes became the premier of the Cape Colony in 1890. Rhodes was from Britain and had made his fortune in South Africa by mining diamonds. He was also a supporter of the British imperial plan to unite South Africa under British rule. Kruger was a supporter of Boer independence and the two leaders were in direct conflict with each other. Rhodes believed that if the SAR was left to grow financially it would eventually grow in size and topple Britain from its position of power in South Africa. He specifically did not want the SAR to gain access to a route to the sea, as this would seriously affect the economies of the British colonies. Rhodes and Britain were determined to stop the SAR’s expansion. The Jameson Raid By 1895 Britain was getting more confident about taking action in South Africa. Joseph Chamberlain was appointed Colonial Secretary. He joined forces with Rhodes to try to develop and promote the British Empire in South Africa. In September and October 1895 the Drift Crisis between the Cape Colony and the Transvaal or SAR developed. The Cape had finished building a railway line to Johannesburg and tried to get as much of the Transvaal’s railway traffic by reducing its rates.It was aware that the Transvaal's Delagoa Bay line was al most complete.The Transvaal government increased the rates on the part of the railway that ran through the Transvaal once it had crossed the Vaal River. In answer to this goods, were taken to the Vaal River by train, and then taken further by wagon to avoid paying the higher prices in the Transvaal. Kruger reacted by blocking access to the Transvaal, closing the drifts on the Transvaal side. The British government demanded that Kruger open the drifts and used the situation to involve itself directly in Transvaal affairs. Rhodes planned an uprising of Uitlanders in Johannesburg. The uprising was timed to coincide with an invasion of the Transvaal from Bechuanaland (present day Botswana), by Dr Leander Starr Jameson . Rhodes wanted to take over the government of the Transvaal and turn it into a British colony that would join all the other colonies in a federation. Chamberlain helped plan the Jameson Raid. The Jameson Raid which began on on 29th December 1895, was a total failure. Jameson waited on the border, but the Uitlander leaders in Johannesburg argued among themselves about the kind of government to be put into place after the invasion. Many of the Uitlanders had no interest in violent uprising, but preferred to celebrate the New Year. Rhodes decided to stop the raid, but it was too late because Jameson and his party had already crossed into the Transvaal. Jameson’s troops tried to cut communication lines to Pretoria, but cut the wrong lines. This meant that the Transvaal government knew the raiders were on their way before they reached Johannesburg. On 2 January 1896 Jameson had to surrender at Doornkop near Krugersdorp. The prisoners were handed over to their own government and the Uitlander leaders who had been part of the plot were put to trial in Johannesburg. Some of them were condemned to death, but the sentences were later reduced to large fines. Rhodes was forced to resign as the premier of the Cape Colony and the political problems between Afrikaans and English-speaking people became worse than ever in the colony. The Orange Free State co-operated more closely with the Transvaal. Transvaal residents felt that they were being threatened and Uitlanders were treated with more suspicion than ever before. Read a more detailed feature on the Jameson raid The Uitlander Franchise The Uitlanders were not only from Britain, but came from all over the world to make money on the goldfields in the Transvaal. Some of them were not interested in the political situation in the republic and were not concerned about the fact that they couldn’t vote. Some Uitlanders felt that they contributed to the exploitation of the riches in the republic and had the right to a say in the way the country was being run. The Transvaal government realised that this could be a threat to the republic’s independence, but also knew that it couldn’t ignore the Uitlanders’ demands. The foreigners could apply for citizenship or naturalisation after 5 years of living in the Transvaal. A Second Volksraad was created in 1890 and new laws were made. Uitlanders who had been naturalised for two years could now vote. The Second Volksraad only had say in local matters in Johannesburg and on the mines; any bills it put forward could only become laws if the First Volksraad agreed. Only Uitlanders who had been in the country for a full 14 years or longer could vote for the first Volksraad. Now Uitlanders had a say in political matters, but the First Volksraad still ran the country. Very few Uitlanders used their right to vote, but the Second Volksraad took its responsibilities seriously.After the Jameson Raid Chamberlain wanted to win back some of the respect he had lost because of the raid’s failure. He was more determined to make the South African union a reality and decided to use diplomatic power to do so. He invited Kruger to London for talks about the Uitlander Franchise, but the president would not discuss his country’s internal affairs. He felt that this would create the impression that the SAR could not take care of its own politics independently. Next Chamberlain called a meeting in London to try to involve Britain directly in Transvaal affairs. His interference caused even more tension between the two countries. He also sent Sir Alfred Milner , another loyal supporter of British expansion, to South Africa as British High Commissioner.Milner hoped that Kruger would not be re-elected, but in 1898 he was. Milner was afraid that the Boer republics wanted to take over the whole country and told Chamberlain that war was the only way to prevent that from happening. In December 1898 Transvaal police shot an Uitlander called Tom Edgar. The officer responsible said that it was in self-defence, but the Uitlander community reacted as if it was a political incident. This made the franchise issue an important factor in the outbreak of the war because political tension between Boers and British subjects in the Transvaal became worse. MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ANGLO BOER WAR - 1 &2 First Anglo Boer War Causes of the War The First Anglo-Boer is also known as the First Transvaal War of Independence because the conflict arose between the British colonizers and the Boers from the Transvaal Republic or Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR). The Boers had some help from their neighbours in the Orange Free State. There were several causes of the First Anglo-Boer War. The expansion of the British Empire. Problems within the Transvaal government. The British annexation of the Transvaal. The Boer opposition to British rule in the Transvaal. Henry Herbert, the 4th Earl of Carnarvon was the British Secretary of State for the Colonies (referred to as Lord Carnarvon) under Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, who was premier from 1868 to 1880. At the time the British government wanted to expand the British Empire. Lord Carnarvon wanted to form a confederation of all the British colonies, independent Boer republics and independent African groups in South Africa under British control. By 1876 he realised that he would not be able to achieve his goal peacefully. He told Disraeli that: "By acting at once, we may ... acquire ... the whole Transvaal Republic after which the Orange Free State will follow." He was prepared to use force to make the confederation a reality, a fact that was proved by the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879. Problems within the Transvaal Government T. F. Burgers was the president of the Transvaal Republic from 1872 until its annexation in 1877. The Republic was in serious financial trouble, especially as a war had just started between the Boers and the Pedi under their leader, Sekhukhune , in the North Eastern Transvaal, and because the Boer people not paid their taxes. The Transvaal public was disappointed with their leadership and although Sekhukhune agreed to peace in February 1877, and was willing to pay a fine to the Republic, it was too late. Herbert sent Sir Theophilus Shepstone , the former Secretary for Native Affairs in Natal, to the Transvaal as special commissioner. Shepstone arrived in the Transvaal on 22 January 1877 with 25 men as support. Initially, he was vague about his real purpose. He used the weakness in the Transvaal government by making the Boers aware of the dangers of a bankrupt state and focusing on the government’s lack of control over black people like the Pedi and the Zulu. This demoralised the Boers. Burgers did very little tried to stop Britain from taking over the Transvaal. Shepstone had told Burgers what his intentions were by the end of January 1877 and Burgers tried to convince the Transvaal government to take the situation seriously, but they refused to see the urgency of the matter. The British annexation of the Transvaal Lord Carnarvon thought that annexing the Transvaal would be the first step to confederation. English speaking people in the republic were positive towards the idea and the Boers were disappointed in their own government, which the thought would make it easier to convince them that they could not avoid annexation. Shepstone said that he had more than 3 000 signatures from people who wanted to be part of the British Empire.What he did not tell Carnarvon was that within the Boer population, there were many against the idea and wanted to retain their independence. On 12 April 1877 a proclamation of annexation was read out in Church Square in Pretoria, the capital of the Transvaal Republic. There was no resistance and the Union Jack replaced the Vierkleur. The Transvaal Republic or Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR) did not exist anymore, but was now the British Colony of the Transvaal Colony. The Volksraad decided in May 1877 to send a delegation to England to make sure that the British government knew that most of the residents of the Transvaal Republic did not agree with the annexation but this delegation failed.. They also asked citizens not to resort to violence because this would create a negative impression in Britain. The Boer opposition to British rule in the Transvaal Former President T. F. Burgers and other people loyal to the former Transvaal Republic objected to the annexation and Paul Kruger and E. J. P. Jorissen went to London, England, in 1877 to present their case to Carnarvon. They failed and in 1878 they took a petition with more than 6 500 signatures from Boers to London, but the British government insisted that the Transvaal remain a British possession. Sir Theophilus Shepstone was now the administrator of the Transvaal Colony and he realised that running it was going to be much more difficult than annexing it. The British government had made promises to the Boers to allow them some self-government, but Shepstone was slow to initiate this process. The colony remained nearly bankrupt and British plans to build a railroad to Delagoa Bay had to be put on hold. Shepstone became increasingly unpopular with the Colonial Office in London. British Native commissioners were trying to control the black people in the area, but they could not get Sekhukhune and the Pedi to pay the fine he owed to the Transvaal Republic because they did not have enough soldiers to force him to do so. Shepstone also failed to control the Zulus on the southeastern border of the colony and many farmers had to leave their farms. Sir Owen Lanyon replaced Shepstone as administrator in 1879. In September of the same year Sir Garnet Wolseley was appointed High Commissioner of South East Africa and governor of Natal and Transvaal. The Anglo-Zulu War in 1879 was supposed to increase British standing in South Africa, but had the opposite effect. The Zulu and Pedi were both defeated by the British in 1879, but non-violent Boer opposition had grown. In January 1878 a large group of Boers gathered in Pretoria to protest against the annexation. Another Boer delegation had gone to London in 1877, but they also returned unsuccessful in 1879, even though they spoke to Sir Michael Hicks Beach, Carnarvon's successor, who was far less committed to confederation. The Boers had hoped that the election of the Liberal Party in Britain in April 1880 would mean independence for the Transvaal, but the new Prime Minister, W. E. Gladstone, insisted on maintain British control in Pretoria. The Volksraad of the Orange Free State, south of the Vaal River backed the Transvaal Boers in their call for the independence of the Transvaal in May 1879. Even Boers in the Cape Colony gave moral support to their comrades in the north. In October 1880 a newspaper from Paarl in the Cape Colony took the view that: "Passive resistance is now becoming futile." The War The first open conflict between the British and Boers began in November 1880 in Potchefstroom. P. L. Bezuidenhout refused to pay extra fees on his wagon saying he already paid his taxes. The British authorities then confiscated the wagon. On 11 November 1880 a commando of 100 men under P. A. Cronje took back the wagon from the British bailiff and returned it to Bezuidenhout. Following this, between 8 000 and 10 000 Boers gathered at Paardekraal, near Krugersdorp on 8 December 1880. As a result a triumvirate of leaders; Paul Kruger , Piet Joubert and M. W. Pretorius were appointed. On 13 December 1880 the leaders proclaimed the restoration of the Transvaal Republic and three days later raised their Vierkleur flag at Heidelberg, thus rejecting British authority. The events of the 13 December 1880 thus in effect started the war and ended passive resistance. British Soldiers and their artillery. © Museum Africa The first shots were fired in Potchefstroom. The Boers had about 7 000 soldiers, and some Free Staters joined their fellow Boers against the British enemy. There were only about 1 800 British soldiers stationed in towns across the Transvaal so British were outnumbered. Sieges and battles during the First Anglo-Boer War There were 4 main battles and several sieges during the First Anglo-Boer War. The Battles were at Bronkhorstspruit, Laingsnek, Schuinshoogte (Ingogo) and Majuba. The sieges were at Potchefstroom, Pretoria, Marabastad, Lydenburg, Rustenburg, Standerton and Wakkerstroom. Early in the war it became clear that the colonisers had underestimated their opponents. They had assumed that the Boers were no match for the superior might of the British military force. The Boers had the advantage of knowing the local terrain. They were skilled with firearms because they hunted often. The red British uniforms made soldiers easy targets while the Boers who simply wore their civilian clothing, had good enemy cover. At the battles of Laingsnek and Schuinshoogte the British forces suffered heavy losses and had to retreat. Major-General Sir George Pomeroy Colley had to wait for more reinforcements. Sir Evelyn Wood was appointed as his second-in-command, and Colley wanted him to lead in the extra soldiers from Newcastle. On 16 February 1881 Colley agreed to stop fighting on condition that the Boers gave up their hopes of requiring independence of the Transvaal. Negotiations came to nothing. On 26 February 1881 Colley decided to march on Majuba with 554 men, where the Boers had an outpost. On the same day, General Piet Joubert and the Boer forces took up a position at Laing's Nek to check on the arrival of British reinforcements. Colley’s men reached the top of the mountain in the early hours of the morning and were very tired. From the hill Colley could see the Boer laager of tents and covered wagons, but as he could not bring his heavy guns up the steep slopes, he was unable to fire on their encampment. Joubert, however, immediately ordered his men to climb the steep hill, take cover and shoot down on the British. At 7 a.m., a force of 150 Boers in three divisions under veld-cornets S J Roos, J Ferreira and D J Malan began to climb from ledge to ledge up the mountain, firing steadily and effectively on the British as they climbed. Untrained in guerrilla warfare, the exposed British soldiers made easy marks, and when Colley himself was killed and the Boers were almost at the summit, the British fled. The magnitude of their defencelessness may be appraised from the fact that they had over 200 casualties killed and wounded, whereas the Boers lost only one man killed and one who died later of his wounds. There are two simple monuments on the battlefield: an obelisk erected by the Boers, and a rectangular column commemorating the British fatalities. The humiliating British defeat at Majuba brought about the end of the First Anglo-Boer War and introduced a short-lived peace. Gladstone's Liberal government abandoned the previous government's federation policy, and, by the signing of the Pretoria Convention in August 1881, the Transvaal was granted 'complete self-government, subject to the suzerainty of Her Majesty Queen Victoria'. Many British, however, assured of the innate power of their imperial status, continued to regard the Boer commandos as inferior adversaries. Looking on the Majuba Hill disaster as a 'freak' victory, they vowed retribution. The Transvaal War (also known as the First Boer War or the First War of Independence) was a 'curtain-raiser' to the far more ruthless Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902. "Remember Majuba!" became a rallying cry of the British during Second Anglo-Boer War. During the first Anglo-Boer War there were several sieges. Lydenburg, Potchefstroom, Pretoria, Marabastad, Rustenburg, Standerton and Wakkerstroom were all surrounded in by the Boers in order to stop the British forces stationed there from taking part in the fighting. Prior to the war the British had been building a fort in Potchefstroom. Progress was very slow. On 15 December 1880 a large group of Boers on horses rode up to Potchefstroom. Major Thornhill, who saw them, raced back to the fort to warn his comrades. When a small group of Boers approached the fort shots were fired. Soon afterwards the Boers started firing on the fort from three directions. The fort’s low walls didn’t provide much protection.On 16 December 1880 the Boers replaced the Union Jack at the Landdrost’s office with a white flag. The thatched roof building was also set alight. The Boers demanded the British surrender of the fort but Colonel Winsloe refused. The siege continued and after 95 days the British force inside the fort surrendered as a result of hunger. The siege of Lydenburg lasted from 6 January 1881 to 30 March 1881. After 5 December 1880 less than a hundred soldiers under 24 year-old Lieutenant Walter Long were left in Lydenburg. Although Long improved the fort's defences the water supply ran low by 23 January 1881. Long rejected a peace offering from the Boers and the siege only came to an end after 84 days. Marabastad was a military station with about 50 000 British soldiers put in place to control the black population in the area. It was about 165 miles or 265 km north of Pretoria.Two companies of the 94th regiment that had been positioned in Lydenburg arrived at Marabastad in February 1880 and on 29 November 1880 they were ordered to march into Pretoria. This left only 60 men at the fort. On the same day the news of the British defeat at Bronkhorstspruit arrived and Brook was told to protect the fort against any attack. This siege began on 29 December 1880. The local residents supported the British fort and provided food. Captain Brook was told about the armistice on 22 March 1881, but decided to keep on defending the fort. The siege ended on 2 April 1881. There were very few British soldiers at Rustenburg when the war broke out. When Boers demanded the surrender of the fort on 27 December 1880 the British force refused. The small mud fort provided little protection and the people inside suffered from the lack of food and water and diseases. The Boers issued terms of a truce on 14 March 1881 and on 30 March they received confirmation that it had been accepted. When the news of the British loss at Bronkhorstspruit reached Pretoria, Colonel W. Bellairs, commander of the soldiers in the Transvaal, declared martial law and moved the whole civil population of Pretoria into 2 military camps. All food was taken and stored within the camps and 5 000 people waited for relief from Natal. There were about 1 340 fighting men and 2 forts were built south of the town. Boer General Piet Joubert was happy with the effective containment of the British soldiers in Pretoria. This allowed him free movement elsewhere so he did not attack Pretoria. There were very few Boers stationed in the area and the British force tried to attack them on 29 December 1880, but gave up after several efforts.The siege dragged on because the British garrison was not aware of the events in Natal. On 28 March 1880 news of the peace terms reached Pretoria and by 8 August the Boer government took office in Pretoria once again. The aftermath of the War In the aftermath of the war the South African Republic (Tranvaal) regained its independence. The Pretoria Convention (1881) and the London Convention (1884) laid down the terms of the peace agreement. We must now look at these terms in more detail. Peace President Brand of the Orange Free State had been trying to get both the Transvaal Boers and the British to the negotiation table from the beginning of the conflict. Several peace offerings had been made from both sides with the most important ones being in January 1881, when Paul Kruger offered peace on the condition that the Transvaal independence was guaranteed. Another was made on 21 February 1881, when the British government offered peace if the Boers laid down their weapons. Major-General Sir George Pomeroy Colley didn’t forward the message from the British government fast enough and because Paul Kruger was not in Natal, the battle of Majuba took place before peace negotiations could begin. On 5 March 1881 Sir Evelyn Wood and Piet Joubert agreed on an armistice in order to start peace negotiations at O’Neill’s cottage, which lay between the British and Boer lines. Negotiations were successful and the war ended on 23 March 1881. The Pretoria Convention and the Independence of the Transvaal After peace had been negotiated a British royal commission was appointed to draw up the Transvaal’s status and new borders. These decisions were confirmed and formalised at the Pretoria Convention that took place on 3 August 1881. The new republic was named the Transvaal and was to be bean independent Republic, but it still had to have its foreign relations and policies regarding black people approved by the British government. The new state was also not allowed to expand towards the West. All these policies meant that the Transvaal was still under British suzerainty or influence. The Boer Triumvirate was worried about some of the requirements, but they took over the rule of the Transvaal on 10 August. The conditions put forward by the British government were unacceptable from the Transvalers’ point of view and in 1883 a delegation including Paul Kruger, the new President of the Transvaal, left for London to review the agreement. The London Convention In 1884 the London Convention was signed. The Transvaal was given a new Western border and adopted the name of the South African Republic (SAR). Although the word suzerainty did not appear in the London Convention, the SAR still had to get permission from the British government for any treaty entered into with any other country other than the Orange Free State. The Boers saw this as a way for the British government to interfere in Transvaal affairs and this led to tension between Britain and SAR. This increased steadily until the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Boer War in 1899. Second Anglo-Boer War - 1899 - 1902 'South African War ( a.k.a. the Anglo-Boer War) remains the most terrible and destructive modern armed conflict in South Africa’s history. It was an event that in many ways shaped the history of 20th Century South Africa. The end of the war marked the end of the long process of British conquest of South African societies, both Black and White'. - Gilliomee and Mbenga (2007). The Causes A number of interrelated factors led to the Second Anglo-Boer War. These include the conflicting political ideologies of imperialism and republicanism, the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand, tension between political leaders, the Jameson Raid and the Uitlander franchise. Conflicting political ideology After the First Anglo-Boer War the British government did not give up its ambition for unifying South Africa under Imperial British rule. The two Boer republics of the Orange Free State and the South African Republic or Transvaal still maintained their desire for independence. The Boer republics were a stumbling block for the British Empire. The discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand Gold had been mined since the early 1870s but was discovered on the Witwatersrand, in the Transvaal, in 1886. Thousands of white and black South Africans were employed on the mines by 1890. South Africa became the single biggest gold producer in the world and this meant great growth for the independent Boer governments. The Transvaal now also became more prominent in international finance because the importance of gold as an international monetary system. Britain was the centre of industry and trade in the world at the time and needed a steady supply of gold to maintain this position. Neighbouring independent states like the Orange Free State and British colonies like Natal could also gain from the riches and investment brought to the country. The Cape Colony wasn’t the leading economic state in the country anymore and a Boer republic took its place. Even though the Transvaal gold mines were the richest in the world they were also the most difficult to mine because the reefs lay so deep under the ground. The gold had to be mined by shafts as opposed to open mines, like diamonds. Mining as an individual was not as efficient as using groups of miners with special skills. Large companies were created with local and international investment and individual miners were soon squeezed out. Prospectors streamed to South Africa from all over the world, and especially from Europe. The Transvalers saw these foreigners, or Uitlanders, as a threat to their independence. In order to maintain its control of gold mining and the growth of the as they called them immigrant population, the Transvaal government restricted the voting rights of Uitlanders.Only foreigners who had been in the country for 14 years or more could vote. It was called the Uitlander franchise and didn’t really bother most Uitlanders, who had come to South Africa to make their fortunes, but it did cause strain between the Transvaal and British governments. Tension between political leaders Paul Kruger. Source: wikipedia.org There were various political leaders with opposing views in power in different parts of South Africa during the 1890s. Paul Kruger was president of the Transvaal or South African Republic (SAR) and Cecil John Rhodes became the premier of the Cape Colony in 1890. Rhodes was from Britain and had made his fortune in South Africa by mining diamonds. He was also a supporter of the British imperial plan to unite South Africa under British rule. Kruger was a supporter of Boer independence and the two leaders were in direct conflict with each other. Rhodes believed that if the SAR was left to grow financially it would eventually grow in size and topple Britain from its position of power in South Africa. He specifically did not want the SAR to gain access to a route to the sea, as this would seriously affect the economies of the British colonies. Rhodes and Britain were determined to stop the SAR’s expansion. The Jameson Raid By 1895 Britain was getting more confident about taking action in South Africa. Joseph Chamberlain was appointed Colonial Secretary. He joined forces with Rhodes to try to develop and promote the British Empire in South Africa. In September and October 1895 the Drift Crisis between the Cape Colony and the Transvaal or SAR developed. The Cape had finished building a railway line to Johannesburg and tried to get as much of the Transvaal’s railway traffic by reducing its rates.It was aware that the Transvaal's Delagoa Bay line was al most complete.The Transvaal government increased the rates on the part of the railway that ran through the Transvaal once it had crossed the Vaal River. In answer to this goods, were taken to the Vaal River by train, and then taken further by wagon to avoid paying the higher prices in the Transvaal. Kruger reacted by blocking access to the Transvaal, closing the drifts on the Transvaal side. The British government demanded that Kruger open the drifts and used the situation to involve itself directly in Transvaal affairs. Rhodes planned an uprising of Uitlanders in Johannesburg. The uprising was timed to coincide with an invasion of the Transvaal from Bechuanaland (present day Botswana), by Dr Leander Starr Jameson . Rhodes wanted to take over the government of the Transvaal and turn it into a British colony that would join all the other colonies in a federation. Chamberlain helped plan the Jameson Raid. The Jameson Raid which began on on 29th December 1895, was a total failure. Jameson waited on the border, but the Uitlander leaders in Johannesburg argued among themselves about the kind of government to be put into place after the invasion. Many of the Uitlanders had no interest in violent uprising, but preferred to celebrate the New Year. Rhodes decided to stop the raid, but it was too late because Jameson and his party had already crossed into the Transvaal. Jameson’s troops tried to cut communication lines to Pretoria, but cut the wrong lines. This meant that the Transvaal government knew the raiders were on their way before they reached Johannesburg. On 2 January 1896 Jameson had to surrender at Doornkop near Krugersdorp. The prisoners were handed over to their own government and the Uitlander leaders who had been part of the plot were put to trial in Johannesburg. Some of them were condemned to death, but the sentences were later reduced to large fines. Rhodes was forced to resign as the premier of the Cape Colony and the political problems between Afrikaans and English-speaking people became worse than ever in the colony. The Orange Free State co-operated more closely with the Transvaal. Transvaal residents felt that they were being threatened and Uitlanders were treated with more suspicion than ever before. Read a more detailed feature on the Jameson raid The Uitlander Franchise The Uitlanders were not only from Britain, but came from all over the world to make money on the goldfields in the Transvaal. Some of them were not interested in the political situation in the republic and were not concerned about the fact that they couldn’t vote. Some Uitlanders felt that they contributed to the exploitation of the riches in the republic and had the right to a say in the way the country was being run. The Transvaal government realised that this could be a threat to the republic’s independence, but also knew that it couldn’t ignore the Uitlanders’ demands. The foreigners could apply for citizenship or naturalisation after 5 years of living in the Transvaal. A Second Volksraad was created in 1890 and new laws were made. Uitlanders who had been naturalised for two years could now vote. The Second Volksraad only had say in local matters in Johannesburg and on the mines; any bills it put forward could only become laws if the First Volksraad agreed. Only Uitlanders who had been in the country for a full 14 years or longer could vote for the first Volksraad. Now Uitlanders had a say in political matters, but the First Volksraad still ran the country. Very few Uitlanders used their right to vote, but the Second Volksraad took its responsibilities seriously.After the Jameson Raid Chamberlain wanted to win back some of the respect he had lost because of the raid’s failure. He was more determined to make the South African union a reality and decided to use diplomatic power to do so. He invited Kruger to London for talks about the Uitlander Franchise, but the president would not discuss his country’s internal affairs. He felt that this would create the impression that the SAR could not take care of its own politics independently. Next Chamberlain called a meeting in London to try to involve Britain directly in Transvaal affairs. His interference caused even more tension between the two countries. He also sent Sir Alfred Milner , another loyal supporter of British expansion, to South Africa as British High Commissioner.Milner hoped that Kruger would not be re-elected, but in 1898 he was. Milner was afraid that the Boer republics wanted to take over the whole country and told Chamberlain that war was the only way to prevent that from happening. In December 1898 Transvaal police shot an Uitlander called Tom Edgar. The officer responsible said that it was in self-defence, but the Uitlander community reacted as if it was a political incident. This made the franchise issue an important factor in the outbreak of the war because political tension between Boers and British subjects in the Transvaal became worse. Black Concentration Camps during the Anglo-Boer War 2, 1900-1902 While the two main forces in the Anglo-Boer War 2 were White, it was not an exclusively White war. At least 15 000 Blacks were used as combatants by the British, especially as scouts to track down Boer commandoes and armed block house guards, but also in non-combatant roles by both British and Boer forces as wagon drivers, etc. They suffered severely as result of the British "scorched earth policy" during which those who lived on White farms were removed to concentration camps, as were the women and children of their White employers. The rural economy was destroyed as crops were ravaged and livestock butchered. Displaced and captured civilians were forced into 'refugee camps', a total misnomer, because more often they did not seek refuge in the camps, but were rounded up by the British forces and forced into the camps, which soon became known as 'concentration camps'. Field-Marshal Lord Roberts had an ulterior motive in putting Blacks into camps, namely to make them work, either to grow crops for the troops or to dig trenches, be wagon drivers or work as miners once the gold mines became partly operational again. They did not receive rations, hardly any medical support or shelter and were expected to grow their own crops. The able-bodied who could work, could exchange labour for food or buy mealie meal at a cheaper price. The British along racial lines separated the White and Black camps. The inmates of the Black camps, situated along railway lines and on the border, became the eyes and ears of the British army. They formed an early warning system against Boer attacks on the British military's primary logistic artery - the railway lines and acted as scouts for British forces. This strategy alienated Whites and Blacks from each other by furthering distrust between the two population groups and was detrimental to racial harmony in South Africa after the war. Concentration Camps for Blacks. Transvaal Colony: Balmoral; Belfast; Heidelberg; Irene; Klerksdorp; Krugersdorp; Middelburg; Standerton; Vereeniging; Volksrust; Bantjes; Bezuidenhout's Valley; Boksburg; Brakpan; Bronkhorstspruit; Brugspruit; Elandshoek; Elandsrivier; Frederikstad; Greylingstad; Groot Olifants River; Koekemoer; Klipriviersberg; Klip River; Meyerton; Natalspruit; Nelspruit; Nigel; Olifantsfontein; Paardekop; Platrand; Rietfontein West; Springs; Van der Merwe Station; Witkop; Wilgerivier. Free State: Allemans Siding; America Siding; Boschrand; Eensgevonden; Geneva; Harrismith; Heilbron; Holfontein; Honingspruit; Houtenbek; Koppies; Rooiwal; Rietspruit; Smaldeel; Serfontein; Thaba 'Nchu; Taaibosch; Vet River; Virginia; Ventersburg Road; Vredefort Road; Welgelegen; Winburg; Wolwehoek. Cape Colony and British Bechuanaland.(Administered by the O.R.C): Kimberley; Orange River; Taungs; Dryharts. 1900 21 December, The inaugural meeting of the Burgher Peace Committee is held in Pretoria. Lord Kitchener discusses his concentration camp policies with this group, mentioning that stock and Blacks would also be brought in. 1901 22 January, At the Boschhoek concentration camp for Blacks, about 1 700 inmates, mostly Basuto, hold a protest meeting. They state that when they have been brought into the camps they have been promised that they will be paid for all their stock taken by the British, for all grain destroyed and that they will be fed and looked after. They are also unhappy because "... they receive no rations while the Boers who are the cause of the war are fed in the refugee camps free of charge ... they who are the 'Children of the Government' are made to pay'. 23 January, Two inmates of the Heuningspruit concentration camp for Blacks, Daniel Marome and G.J. Oliphant, complain to Goold-Adams: "We have to work hard all day long but the only food we can get is mealies and mealie meal, and this is not supplied to us free, but we have to purchase same with our own money. "We humbly request Your Honour to do something for us otherwise we will all perish of hunger for we have no money to keep on buying food." 30 January, The population for the Black camps is 85 114 and 2 312 deaths are recorded for the month. 31 January, The population of Blacks in camps is 75 950 and 1 327 deaths are recorded for the month. 4 May, The first gold mine on the Rand re-opens, after all mines have been closed in October 1899, a few days before war was declared. The Minister for Native Affairs permits the Witwatersrand Native Labour Association to recruit mining labour from the concentration camps. Simultaneous to the resumption of economic activity is the establishment of the Department of Native Refugees (DNR) under direct British military command. 15 June, The British authority establishes the Department of Native Refugees in the 'Transvaal Colony'. The Transvaal camps are brought under the control of the newly formed department. 30 June, The official camp population of the Black camps is 32 360 and the deaths are not shown in official returns. 31 July, The camp population in Black camps is 37 472 and 256 have died in the Free State camps during the month, while in Transvaal deaths are not yet recorded. 31 August, The Free State camps are also brought under the control of the Department of Native Refugees 31 August, The camp population in Black camps is 53 154 and 575 deaths are recorded for August. 30 September, The camp population in Black camps is 65 589 and 728 deaths are recorded. 31 December, The population in Black camps is 89 407, while the deaths peak during December at 2 831. 1902 18 January, Major De Lorbiniere, in charge of the Native Refugee Department, writes that supplying workers to the army 'formed the basis on which our system was founded'. The department's mobilisation of Black labour is very successful - not really surprising, considering the incentives offered: those in service and their families can buy mealies at a halfpence per lb, or 7/6 a bag, while those who do not accept employment have to pay double, or 1d per lb and 18/- or more per bag. By the end of 1901, when the death rate peaks, more than 6 000 accept employment in the British army. This figure grows to more than 13 000 in April 1902. The labourers are largely housed in Black concentration camps, situated close to military garrisons and towns, mines and railways sidings. 31 January, The population of Black camps is 97 986 and 2 534 deaths are recorded. 28 February, The population in Black camps is 101 344 and 1466 deaths are recorded. 24 March, Mr H.R. Fox, Secretary of the Aborigines Protection Society, after being made aware by Emily Hobhouse of the fact that the Ladies Commission (Fawcett Commission) ignored the plight of Blacks in the concentration camps, writes to Joseph Chamberlain, Colonial Secretary. He requests that such inquiries should be instituted by the British government "as should secure for the natives who are detained no less care and humanity than are now prescribed for the Boer refugees". On this request Sir Montagu Ommaney, the permanent under-secretary at the Colonial Office, is later to record that it seems undesirable "to trouble Lord Milner ... merely to satisfy this busybody". 31 March, The population of the Black camps is 101 299 and 972 deaths are recorded. 30 April, The population of the Black camps is 108 386 and 630 deaths are recorded. 31 May, Black concentration camp population in the 66 Black camps (some sources give the number as 80) reach 115 700, of which 60 000 are in the Free State camps and 55 969 in the ZAR (South African Republic/Transvaal). 523 deaths are recorded for the month. 31 May, The final peace conditions, The Treaty of Vereeniging, is signed by both the Burghers and the British at 23:05 at Melrose House, Pretoria. The total Black deaths in camps are officially calculated at a minimum of 14 154 (more than 1 in 10), though G. Benneyworth estimates it as at least 20 000, after examining actual graveyards. According to him incomplete and in many cases non-existent British records and the fact that many civilians died outside of the camps, caused the final death toll to be higher . The average official death rate, caused by medical neglect, exposure, infectious diseases and malnutrition inside the camps was 350 per thousand per annum, peaking at 436 per thousand per annum in certain Free State camps. Eighty-one percent of the fatalities were children. Anglo Boer War Museum, Bloemfontein One of the most significant events in the history of South Africa was the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902. Although the protagonists were Britain and the two Boer Republics, the population of South Africa as a whole became embroiled in the war either directly or indirectly. The War Museum in Bloemfontein does not only give the visitor insight into the Boer War through it`s unique art collection, dioramas and exhibits but also brings the visitor closer to understanding the background against which the war took place. The outcome was bitterness, hatred, dispossession and division for many decades to come. More than a Century later South Africans can look back at this event as a shared tragedy that shaped the social, political, economic and historical landscape of South Africa as we know it today. The museum not only provides the visitor with an insight into the course and development of the Anglo-Boer War through its unique collection and exhibitions, but it also brings the visitor closer to understanding the background against which the war took place and the universal suffering it caused. A visit to the War Museum is an absolute necessity for anyone who wants to understand the History of South Africa. References https://www.places.co.za/html/warmuseum.html https://www.wmbr.org.za/ https://shongololo.com/activity/anglo-boer-war-museum/ Further Reading https://www.sa-venues.com/things-to-do/freestate/anglo-boer-war-museum-and-battlefields/ https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/History-Museum/Official-Anglo-Boer-War-Museum-247267542136112/ https://shongololo.com/ Anglo-Boer War 2 - Kitchener proposes establishment of concentration camps Giliomee, H and Mbenga, B (2007) A New History of South Africa. Cape Town|SAHO Lord A. Kitchener [online] Available at: www.sahistory.org.za [Accessed on 3 December 2013] The arrival of Lord Kitchener and Lord Roberts, with the latter taking up the role of Supreme Commander of British forces in 1900 helped turn the tide in the Anglo-Boer War. In the early stages of the war, the Boer Commandos were scoring important victories over British forces. Several British garrisons in the Cape, Mafikeng and Natal had come under siege and subsequent attempts to relieve them ended disastrously for the British forces. The Colonial Office sent Roberts and Kitchener along with reinforcements of up to 180 00 troops. The impact of these reinforcements was immediate. Roberts managed to relieve all the garrisons, and in June 1900 entered and took control of Pretoria. This, the British had hoped, would bring the Boer Republics to their knees. So confident were they that Roberts was allowed to return to Britain, handing over the command of British forces to Lord Kitchener. To their chagrin, the Boers embarked on a campaign of guerrilla warfare, attacking key military installations in territories held by the British. And clearly, the Anglo-Boer war was far from over. Kitchener realised that the success of the Boers depended heavily on the support they received from the civilian populations, mainly women and children. He proposed the establishment of concentration camps around the country where Afrikaaner children and women were to be confined. At the end of the war, 27 000 Afrikaaner women and children had perished. Most historians observe that this is the one single incident that inspired the rise and growth of Afrikaaner Nationalism, whose ultimate triumph was realised with the Nationalist Party (NP) seizing power in the elections of 1948. Anglo-Boer War 2: The Battle of Bothaville or Doornkraal is fought with Gen. De Wet surrendering Cloete, P.G. (2000). The Anglo-Boer War: a chronology, Pretoria: Lapa | Wallis, F. (2000). Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000 jaar, Kaapstad: Human & Rousseau Anglo-Boer War 2: The Battle of Bothaville or Doornkraal is fought with Gen. De Wet surrendering, after heavy losses on both sides. SA National Museum of Military History. (1999). Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902, Johannesburg: The Museum.) Emily Hobhouse reports on her findings regarding concentration camps during the Second Anglo Boer War Wallis, F. (2000). Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000 jaar, Kaapstad: Human & Rousseau.| Cloete, P.G. (2000). The Anglo-Boer War: a chronology, Pretoria: Lapa.| spartacus ,'Emily Hobhouse ', [Online]Available at:www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk , [Accessed on 17 December 2013] Emily Hobhouse , an English philanthropist and social worker who visited the Transvaal and Orange Free State Republics during the Second Anglo Boer War , reported to the British government that she found 2 000 women and children in shocking circumstances in the British concentration camp at Bloemfontein. The British government was unsympathetic to the plight of the prisoners and the dire circumstances continued. It was estimated that more than 27 000 people in White camps and more than 18 000 inhabitants of Black camps had died in captivity during the war. 523 people die in the Black concentration camps of the Second Anglo Boer War On 11 October 1899 war was officially declared between Britain and the Boers. In March 1901 Lord Kitchener, the commander of the British forces, decided to cut off the Boers supply of food. The Boers were being supported by farmers so he initiated the "scorched earth" policy. About 30 000 Boer farmhouses and more than 40 towns were destroyed and livestock was killed. Boer women and children and Black African people were put into separate concentration camps. Towards the end of the war approximately 116 000 Boer women and children were housed in concentration camps, with camps housing approximately 115 000 Black African people. These camps were overcrowded, the captives underfed and the conditions poor. There were limited medical supplies and staff. Diseases like measles, whooping cough, typhoid fever, diphtheria and dysentery resulted in the death of 1 in every 5 people. 26 370 Boer women and children died in the concentration camps and it is estimated that more than 15 000 Black African people died in segregated concentration camps. 81% of the total fatalities in the camps were children Click here for more information on Black Concentration Camps during the Anglo-Boer War 2, 1900-1902 References 1. Pieter G. Cloete (2000). The Anglo-Boer War: A chronology. ABC Press, Cape Town, p.331. Benneyworth, G.,August 2006, The department of native refugee camps,[online],Available at www.sahistory.org.za ,[Accessed:28 May 2013] The Anglo-Boer War 1 (Transvaal War of Independence) begins 13 December 1880 References Wallis, F. (2000). Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000 jaar, Kaapstad: Human & Rousseau.|Swart, M.J., et al. (eds) (1980). Afrikaanse Kultuuralmanak, Aucklandpark: Federasie van Afrikaanse Kultuurvereniginge.|Potgieter, D.J. et al. (eds) (1970). Standard Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa, Cape Town: NASOU, v. 1, p. 381. Three years prior to this date, the British had annexed the Transvaal under Shepstone. Following this was a period of passive resistance and repeated attempts by Boer leaders to have the annexation of the Transvaal revoked. These attempts did not work. So on 8 December 1880 between 8 000 and 10 000 Boers gathered at Paardekraal, near Krugersdorp. A triumvirate of leaders were elected (Paul Kruger, Piet Joubert and M. W. Pretorius) and on 13 December 1880 the leaders resolved to restore the Transvaal Republic and three days later raised their Vierkleur flag at Heidelberg, thus rejecting British authority. The events of the 13 December 1880 thus in effect started the war and ended passive resistance. The war became known as the Anglo-Boer War 1 or the Transvaal War of Independence. Armistice negotiations are concluded during the First Anglo-Boer War 6 March 1881 References Potgieter, D.J. et al. (eds)(1970). Standard Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa, Cape Town: NASOU, v. 1, p. 383 & v. 10, p. 611."/> Paving the way for the end of Anglo-Boer War 1 (Transvaal War of Independence or First Transvaal War), a provisional armistice was agreed upon by General Evelyn Wood of the British forces and Republican General J.P. Joubert. This led to the commencement of peace negotiations, which were concluded on 23 March 1881. The end of the war was finally reached with the signing of the Convention of Pretoria on 3 August 1881, recognising limited independence of the Transvaal Republic. The Volksraad accepted the provisions of the Convention with reluctance, as it differed considerably from those agreed upon in March. Winston Churchill, is captured by Boer forces during the Anglo-Boer War Wallis, F. (2000). Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000. Kaapstad:Human& Rousseau.| War Correspondent. The Winston Churchill Centre [online] Available at: winstonchurchill.org [Accessed 10 November 2009] Winston Churchill joined the British army in 1893 and developed a keen interest in war correspondence. Some of his early literary works were reports on various military campaigns. This led Churchill to work as a war correspondent for The Morning Post, in which he was to cover the occurrences of the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa. Soon after his arrival in South Africa, he accompanied a scouting expedition on an armored train. The train was ambushed by the Boers and on 15 November 1899, Churchill was captured and imprisoned in a Prisoner of War (POW) camp. He managed to escape, and with the assistance of an English mine manager, made his way to Delagoa Bay. Hailed as a hero in England, Churchill then joined the army that marched on Mafikeng. On his return to England, he published a volume on his experiences during the war in South Africa. Later, Churchill turned his attention to politics, winning a seat in Parliament in the 1906 general election. He became the Chancellor of Exchequer (Cabinet Minister) in 1924 upon rejoining the Conservative Party. Churchill was outspoken on a number of issues, such as the danger of Germans re-armament after World War One. His warnings against Hitler were largely ignored, but at the outbreak of the Second World War, his foresight was acknowledged and he became the war-time Prime Minister. His speeches and military strategy were a great encouragement to the British. Churchill was said to have a very close relationship with South African Prime Minister Jan Smuts, who offered him great support during the Second World War. The Anglo Boer War Britain sends 30 000 additional troops to South Africa in the Anglo-Boer War (now called the South African War). Initially, the British government thought that the war would last only weeks. This was largely because they underestimated the resilience of the Boers to defend their autonomy from being usurped by the British government. Instead of lasting for a few weeks the war dragged on for four years. 30 000 Blacks fight for Britain in Anglo-Boer War BBC News, "Race and apartheid ", from BBC News, [online], Available at www.bbc.co.uk [Accessed: 14 March 2014]|Cloete, P.G. (2000). The Anglo-Boer War: a chronology, Pretoria: Lapa. David Lloyd George stated in the British House of Commons that as many as 30 000 armed Blacks were at that stage employed in the British army during the Second Anglo Boer War. Although theoretically both the Boer and the British sides were opposed to using armed Blacks in the war, realities gradually started to influence their approach. Since the 1980s, the perception that the war was a 'White man's war' was considerably weakened. Anglo-Boer War 2: President Steyn takes General Snyman to task for a cattle raid against Chief Montshiwain Cloete, P.G. (2000). The Anglo-Boer War: a chronology, Pretoria: Lapa. Anglo-Boer War 2: President Steyn takes General Snyman to task for a cattle raid against Chief Montshiwa in which 203 head of cattle and 1 570 sheep and goats have been taken, admonishing him that it was not advisable to alienate the local people for the sake of a small herd of livestock. Anglo-Boer War 2. The British Colonial Office appoints a Ladies Commission to investigate the concentration camps in South Africa. HistoryWiz, ‘The Concentration Camp ’, [online] Available at www.historywiz.com [Accessed: 15 July 2014]|South African History Online, 'Women & Children in White Concentration Camps during the Anglo-Boer War, 1900-1902 ', [online] Available at www.sahistory.org.za [Accessed: 15 July 2014]| Anglo Boer, 'Concentration camps ', [online] Available at www.anglo-boer.co.za [Accessed: 15 July 2014] On 16 July 1901, the Ladies commission was appointed. The members who were considered impartial were, Mrs. Millicent G. Fawcett, Emily Hobhouse and Dr. Jane Waterson. They were appointed by the British Office to investigate the concentration camps in South Africa during the Second Anglo Boer War. The camps were found to have been inadequately built and maintained, unclean, and overcrowded. These factors contributed to the spread of disease. There was a shortage of both medical supplies and medical staff. At least 25 000 children and women died from epidemics of dysentery, measles, and enteric fever. Emily Hobhouse visited the camps to try and improve the life of the prisoners living on the concentration camps. Hobhouse was an English philanthropist and social worker who tried her best to make the British authorities aware of the plight of women and children in these inhumane conditions. Due to the publicising of what was occurring in the concentration camps international opinion turned against the British, and critics were outspoken about their disdain and disgust over the situation. This led to the British General Kitchener changing and ceasing the practice of imprisoning women and children in the camps. Anglo-Boer War 2: The British evacuate Rustenburg to occupy Commando Nek and Silkaatsnek After the fall of Pretoria on 5 June 1900, the British maintained a favourable command of several strategic points in the Transvaal area. Western Transvaal burghers, or farmers, who had begun to think the war was at an end, had surrendered Rustenburg to Col. Robert Baden-Powell. At this stage of the Second Anglo Boer War, set-piece battles had become futile, and the Boers, under leaders like General De la Rey, had realized that war would now have to be conducted by unconventional means- guerrilla warfare. The surrounding areas of Pretoria were places of strategic importance due to seven passes or neks [necks]. As wheeled-traffic could only cross these passes at certain points, Commando Nek and Silkaatsnek were of tactical importance, and so Col. Baden-Powell was ordered to occupy this area. The British occupation of Silkaatsnek led to the Battle of Silkaatsnek on 11 July 1900, when De la Rey was informed that the nek was lightly held and that the British had ignored the "shoulders" of the pass. He decided to attack, and the battle began in the early hours of 11 July 1900. The British surrendered the next morning. Baden-Powell is an important figure in the military history of South Africa, as he is also credited with founding the international Boy Scouts and Girl Guides movement, which began partly as a result of his observations of children during the siege of Mafikeng and throughout the British Empire. References: Cloete, P.G. (2000) The Anglo-Boer War: a chronology. Pretoria: Lapa. Copley, I.B. "The Battle of Silkaatsnek- 11 July 1900". Military History Journal - Vol. 9 No 3 [online] Available at: samilitaryhistory.org [Accessed 23 June 2009] KÁ¶hler, K. "Some Aspects of Lord Baden-Powell and the Scouts at Modderfontein". Military History Journal - Vol. 12 No 1 [online] Available at: samilitaryhistory.org [Accessed 23 June 2009] Anglo-Boer War 2: The Battle of Silkaatsnek begins Cloete, P G (2000). The Anglo-Boer War: a chronology. ABC Press, Cape Town, pg 169.| Wallis, F. (2000). Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000 jaar, Kaapstad: Human & Rousseau).| Kormorant, (2009), ‘The Battle of Silkaatsnek 11 July 1990 - ARMAGEDDON OF THE MOUNTAIN ’, from Kormorant, 18 February [Online], Available at www.kormorant.co.za [Accessed: 10 July 2013] There is a pass in the Magaliesberg known as Silkaatsnek It was here that the two 12-pounder guns of 'O' Battery, Royal Horse Artillery (RHA), were placed and ultimately captured in the first battle of Silkaatsnek on 11 July 1900. After the fall of Pretoria on 5 June 1900, the British forces found themselves in command of most strategic points, but with enormously extended lines of communication. In the then 'Western Transvaal', communications were maintained through huge tracts of inhospitable country, which were difficult to fight in; rough hills, tenacious bushes and hard stony ground with infrequent sources of water, especially in the southern winter. Conditions were ideal for guerrilla warfare conducted by tough, unsophisticated fighters who were brought up as horsemen and marksmen, who knew the country intimately and who could adapt themselves to harsh conditions using the topography to their advantage. 11 July 1900 marked the beginning of this type of war with four Boer actions, of which the action of Silkaatsnek was but one of three successes, with resultant timely encouragement to Boer morale in the Western Transvaal, and dismay amongst English garrisons and outposts. General De la Rey had commanded the northern sector of the Boer forces at Diamond Hill. After this battle, De la Rey, who also commanded the Western Transvalers, fell back to the Bronkhorstspruit-Balmoral area. On lO July, De la Rey was travelling north of Silkaatsnek towards Rustenburg with some 200 men, when his scouts brought information that the Nek was lightly held and that the commanding shoulders of the Nek had been ignored. He decided to attack. De la Rey launched a three-pronged attack on the small British force commanded by Colonel HR Roberts. De la Rey personally lead the frontal assault from the north and sent two groups of 200 men to scale both shoulders of the pass, where the British had placed small pickÂets. The burghers surrounded and captured two British field-guns, but the British put up a gallant fight that lasted the entire day. Colonel Roberts surrendered the next morning. 23 British troops were killed, Colonel Roberts and 44 others were wounded and 189 (including the wounded) were captured. The Boers casualties are unknown, but De la Rey's nephew and his adjutant were both killed, and a known 8 men were wounded. The Boers captured two field-guns, a machine gun, a numÂber of rifles ammunition. De la Rey used these weapons to rearm several burghers who returned to duty. Read SAHO's Anglo-Boer war feature. Anglo-Boer War 2: Lord Methuen, British general, destroys the village of Schweizer-Reneke Black Concentration camps time line : website: www.sahistory.org.za | Paul Sanford Methuen,theThird Baron Methuen . Website: www.scottsboro.org | Anglo-Boer War Museum . Website: www.anglo-boer.co.za Paul Sanford Methuen (b. 1845 d.1932) was the 3rd Baron Methuen and a soldier all his life. Before arriving in South Africa in 1899, he had served in the Ango-Ashante campaigns in present day Ghana as well as Egypt, and Bechuanaland (Botswana). At the outbreak of war in South Africa, he was given command of the British 1st Division. In December 1899 he commanded the British forces at the Battle of Magersfontein where the British suffered a humiliating defeat with heavy losses, one of three that week which became known in England as Black Week (the others were at Stormberg and Colenson). Methuen was effectively sidelined for the remainder of the war and his command replaced by Lord Roberts. Methuen's destruction of Schweizer-Reneke took place towards the end of the war, when the British were pursuing a devastating scorched earth policy towards the Boers to deprive Boer guerilla forces of local support in the form of food, water and shelter. During the course of the war, some 30 000 Boer farmhouses were destroyed and tens of thousands of head of cattle slaughtered. Inevitably, those most heavily affected were boer women and children and the elderly who were left destitute and starving. The British solution was to intern them in concentration camps, the first time the term was used. It was also the first time that razor wire was used in battle. Extremely poor shelter in tents, poor diets and chronic shortage of medical supplies meant that the camps were overrun with diseases, among them whooping cough, measles, typhoid fever, diphtheria, diarrhoea and dysentery, especially amongst the children. Eventually 26 370 Boer women and children (81% were children) died in the concentration camps. The British scorched earth policy also displaced thousand of African farmworkers and the British established 66 concentration camps for them, accommodating 11 500 people at the height of their existence. Mortality rates in Black camps were as high as in Boer camps. Half of the recorded Black deaths occurred in the three months between November and January 1901 (2831 deaths were recorded in December 1901). Officially 14 154 deaths were recorded but as the records of the camps are unsatisfactory the number could be as high as 20000. Click to read our feature on the Ango-Boer War 2 BACK TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE

THE GREAT TREK SOUTH AFRICA The Great Trek was a significant event in South African history that took place in the 1830s. It involved the migration of thousands of Boers, or Afrikaans-speaking farmers, from the British-controlled Cape Colony to the interior of the country. The reasons for the trek were complex, but included dissatisfaction with British rule, a desire for greater independence, and a search for new land to farm. The Great Trek had a profound impact on South African history, shaping the country's politics, culture, and society in important ways. Intro Great Trek 1835-1846 … TheGreatTrek was a movement of Dutch-speaking colonists up into the interior of southern Africa in search of land where they could establish their own homeland, independent of British rule. … December 16 and the Construction of Afrikaner Nationalism … The date, December 16, holds a special significance in South African history. On this day in 1838, the Voortrekkers fought a … abolition of slavery that sparked a unique event that would transform the former Dutch colonists into a new ‘volk’ – theGreatTrek ). The British outlawed slavery in 1834. Without slaves, the burghers could not survive as farmers, and the Dutch Cape … Louis Botha … Louis Botha was born near Greytown in Natal in 1862. He was the son of Voortrekker parents and was brought up on a farm in the Free State, and was educated at the local German mission … included both British and Dutch. Botha was a leading figure in the Paris Peace Conference at the end of World War I. A great man of action, he was renowned for his simplicity, humanity, quick wit and good nature. He was endowed with natural … of his descendants signed themselves as 'Both' and 'Boota'. His paternal grandfather Philip Rudolf took part in theGreatTrek. Louis, the ninth among thirteen children, was born near Greytown in the Colony of Natal on 27 September 1862. The … Deployment of Racism in South Africa by Rooha Variava … Contents Chapter 1: Theoretical Debates and Methodological Controversies Chapter 2: Questions Method Chapter 3: The Constitution of Black as ‘Other’ Chapter 4: The Black as Uncivilized Chapter 5: The Management of Blacks Chapter 6: The … or 'total' history situates events into grand explanatory systems and linear processes, celebrating individuals and great movements, seeking to record a specific point of origin for a particular historical process, whereas genealogical … I should wish that the Hottentots be given no rights, because otherwise we shall be obliged to leave our property and to trek as well. 83 The Afrikaner wanted to retain control over blacks without let or hindrance from outside. The Great Trek in South Africa between 1835 and 1840 The Great Trek in South Africa started in 1835 when over a time span of three years more then 12,000 Boers (farmers) left the Cape Colony. They trekked (moved) into the interior by ox wagon, in search of land where they would be free and beyond British control. In time, after facing many hardships, these farmers started to build a unique identity and started calling themselves "Afrikaners". They also developed a hybrid language, Afrikaans, which stemmed from high Dutch but incorporated strong French, Malay, German and Black influences. The Afrikaans-speaking descendants of these people would later simply be called "Boere" (Farmers) Causes of The Great Trek,... One of the most important causes of the Great Trek in South Africa was the unrest on the eastern border. The government was unable to segregate the Xhosas from the whites and the two groups kept on clashing. The Xhosas stole the white farmers’ cattle and the farmers occupied territory that had traditionally belonged to the Xhosa. Not even the establishment of neutral territory could keep the parties from becoming involved in battles with each other. Some governors did more than others to protect the frontier farmers but there was nevertheless a significant number of wars on the eastern frontier. During the sixth eastern frontier war, farmers lost livestock to the value of R600 000. Vagrant Hottentots also plundered the farms. Conditions deteriorated badly after the institution of Ordinance 50 of 1828, which cancelled the pass laws. In 1834, when the slaves were freed, the situation worsened even further, as many of them had no option but to steal to make a living. The freeing of the slaves also meant financial loss for the farmers and this added to their dissatisfaction. Sketch of a 17th century farm house in the cape colony The Great Trek in South Africa The Dutch-speaking people also felt that their identity was being threatened. A series of laws proclaimed between 1823 and 1828 enabled the government to substitute the official use of Dutch with English. When the magistrates and councils were also abolished, the colonists no longer had any say in the government and their desire for self-government increased. Leaders of The Great Trek,... Trichardt and Van Rensburg Andries Hendrik Potgieter Gerrit Maritz Piet Retief Piet Uys Trichardt and Van Rensburg,... The Great Trek in South Africa started with Louis Trichardt and Hans van Rensburg leading the first groups to leave the Colony. There were 53 people in Trichardt’s group and they crossed the Orange River in 1835 on their way to the Soutpansberg. Hans van Rensburg also left the colony at the same time with his group of followers but his aim was to move to Mozambique. The Van Rensburg party was subsequently massacred near the Limpopo River. Louis Trichardt moved on to the area where the town of Louis Trichardt is situated today. He waited for some time for Potgieter’s trek to meet up with them but eventually became impatient and moved on to Lourenco Marques (present day Maputo). By the time Trichardt reached Maputo, on 13 April 1838, many of his cattle had been killed by tsetse flies and nearly half of his group had died of malaria. Sketch of a Voortrekker with his wagon encampment in the background The Great Trek in South Africa Andries Hendrik Potgieter,... Potgieter left the Cape Colony towards the end of 1835 with 200 people. They also wanted to go to Lourenco Marques for trading purposes, but they did not get that far. They were attacked by an army of 1 000 men sent by Mzilikazi. A few of the Voortrekkers were killed and Potgieter left his trek temporarily to meet up with Louis Trichardt. On his return, he instructed his people to form a laager (circle of ox wagons) as a defence strategy against the black armies. Two months later, all their cattle were stolen during another attack at Vegkop. Moroka (chief of the Barolong) and Gerrit Maritz helped Potgieter’s group to get back to Thaba Nchu. Gerrit Maritz,... Gerrit Maritz, also joining the Great Trek in South Africa, left for Thaba Nchu with 700 people. When they arrived in November 1836, they held a mass meeting with the Voortrekkers who had already arrived. Maritz was elected as the president of a council of 7 members who were to look after the interests of the Voortrekkers. Potgieter was elected the military leader. One of the first decisions of the council was to send an expedition out to recapture their cattle from Mzilikazi. Encampment of a Voortrekker family The Great Trek in South Africa Piet Retief,.. . Piet Retief was the commandant of the Winterberg ward in the district of Albany. He was also a farmer, building contractor and speculator and had sufficient money to finance a venture into the interior. Before he left, he published a manifesto in the Grahamstown Journal in which he explained his reasons to join the Great Trek in South Africa. He left the Cape in March 1837, together with 400 people. When he joined the Voortrekkers in the Free State, they numbered more or less 5 000. Retief was elected governor and military leader at a convention held at Winburg. At the same convention Maritz was elected chairman of the Political Council. Piet Uys,... Piet Uys and his followers were the last to leave the Cape as part of a big organised trek. These 100 odd men, women and children departed from the district of Uitenhage in April 1837. They arrived in the Free State in August of the same year. The Voortrekkers in Zululand and Natal,... 1938 photograph of a column of ox wagons in commemoration of the Great Trek in South Africa The Voortrekkers had opposing views about the direction the trek should take. Potgieter felt it best to remain in Transvaal, since Britain might annex Natal, which would mean that the Voortrekkers would once again be under British rule. Maritz, Cilliers and Retief did not share his fears and decided to move to Natal. Piet Uys was not quite sure where his trek should be heading. When the Voortrekkers arrived in Natal, one of the favourite destinations during the Great trek in South Africa, the greater part of Natal was under the control of Dingane. Retief attempted to buy land from Dingane who promised to sell it if the Voortrekkers agreed to recover the cattle which had been stolen by Sikonyela. When Retief and his people brought back the stolen cattle, they signed a contract with Dingane. Later that day, however, Dingane’s people killed 67 of the Voortrekkers, including Retief. Dingane’s soldiers then went to the laagers (camps) of the Voortrekkers and killed many more, including women and children. The Zulus also drove off the bulk of the Voortrekkers' cattle. Portrait of Voortrekker leader Andries Pretorius The Great Trek in South Africa In April 1838, Uys and Potgieter retaliated by launching a counterattack against the Zulus. They were defeated by the Zulus at Italeni. The Zulus attacked again on 13 August and in December 1838, the last remaining Voortrekker leader, Maritz, died. As the Voortrekkers needed a new leader, they sent for Andries Pretorius. Pretorius acted as their leader in the Battle of Blood River on 16 December 1838 when they defeated the Dingane’s Zulu army. Dingane fled, after setting fire to his kraal. At Kwa Maritane, the skeletons of Retief and his men were found, together with a satchel containing the treaty between Dingane and the Voortrekkers. The Voortrekkers were now the owners of the land between the Drakensberg Mountains, from the Tugela River to the Umzimvubu River and the sea. Dingane was finally defeated by Mpande who became the new paramount chief of the Zulus. The Voortrekkers now felt safer and on 14 February 1840, Andries Pretorius proclaimed Natal a Voortrekker Republic, the Republic of Natal. They formed a government and Pietermaritzburg was chosen as the new capital. The Republic of Natal existed for only 5 years until the governor of the Cape, Sir George Napier, sent Sir Harry Smith and his men to annex Natal. A struggle followed, during which the British suffered a number of casualties and lost two of their cannon. Dick King (a legend in the history of the Great Trek in South Africa) escaped on horseback, and astonishingly, it took him only six days to reach Grahamstown. The British sent reinforcements and the Voortrekkers were forced to retreat to Pietermaritzburg. On 12 May 1843, Natal became a British colony and most of the Voortrekkers chose to return to the Free State and the Transvaal. The Voortrekkers in the Transvaal,... Voortrekker family settling down on their new land The Great Trek in South Africa After being attacked by Chief Mzilikazi and his Matabele army, the Voortrekkers in the Transvaal moved back to Thaba Nchu under the leadership of Andries Potgieter. In two attacks against Mzilikazi, one a counter-attack and the second a precautionary attack, the Matabele were defeated and Potgieter and his followers thought it safe to remain in Transvaal. Soon after, Potgieter gave in to pressure and moved to Natal, but soon returned to the Transvaal where he founded the town of Potchefstroom. He proclaimed the district as the Republic of Winburg-Potchefstroom. From here, the Voortrekkers moved to Marico and Rustenburg. Potgieter and his people wanted to move as far away from the Cape as possible and in the process, other towns such as Ohrigstad and Lydenburg were founded. Conflict arose between Potgieter and another group and Potgieter moved even further north and founded the town of Schoemansdal. Some of the Voortrekkers who had fled to northern Natal after the British occupation, asked to be incorporated into the ZAR (the South African Republic) as the Transvaal had been named. In order to do this, the land on which the town of Utrecht was founded, had to be bought from Zulu king Mpande. Britain did not recognise the independence of Transvaal, but made no attempt at annexation. The reason for its inactivity was the hostile attitude of certain black tribes towards Britain and also the fact that war was looming in Europe. On 17 January 1852, the Sand River Convention was signed between Britain and the Transvaal Republic. It was the first time that Britain had acknowledged the independence of a Voortrekker Republic. The Voortrekkers in the Orange Free State,... The Voortrekker monument in Pretoria in commemoration of the Voortrekkers The Great Trek in South Africa Long before the Great Trek in South Africa started, the "Trek Boers" had already moved into the area that would come to be known as the Free State, as early as the 17th and 18th centuries. At the start of the 19th century there were already different groups present in the area. Some of these groups were the Basotho (under leadership of Moshweshwe, the Griqua (under Adam Kok), the Batlokwa, the Bataung and the Barolong. The area that became known as Trans Orangia was situated between the Orange and the Vet Rivers. Many of the Trek boers settled in the Phillippolis area, where Adam Kok rented land to them. The Trek boers considered themselves British subjects but, when the Voortrekkers passed through the area, some Trek boers joined them while others chose to remain. When the Potgieter trek arrived at Thaba Nchu in 1836, Potgieter made an arrangement with Makwana, chief of the Bataung, that, in exchange for cattle and protection against Mzilikazi, Potgieter would be given land in an area between the Vet and Vaal Rivers. This area became known as Winburg. When Retief arrived, it was decided that the Trekkers should move to Natal. Potgieter eventually agreed, but he moved back to Winburg after his defeat at Italeni by Dingane. He later also founded Potchefstroom, a town next to the Mooi River. Potgieter linked the towns of Winburg and Potchefstroom by declaring the Winburg Potchefstroom Republic. The Vet River divided the area between the Vaal River and the Orange River. The southern part became known as Trans-Orangia and the Northern area formed part of the Winburg - Potchefstroom Republic. The Voortrekkers had to travel across wild country, negotiating rivers, mountains and gorges The Great Trek in South Africa The Vet River divided the area between the Vaal River and the Orange River. The southern part became known as Trans-Orangia and the Northern area formed part of the Winburg - Potchefstroom Republic. Jan Mocke and Jan Kok were the leaders of the Voortrekkers who lived in the vicinity of the Vet River. After the annexation of Natal, their numbers increased because many people who were not prepared to submit to British rule moved back to the area. In Trans-Orangia, however, the Trek boers, under the leadership of Machiel Oberholzer, wished to remain under British authority. Oberholzer therefore informed the judge at Colesberg of the plans of the upper region to establish a republic. Without consulting the British government, the judge immediately annexed the area but the British government would not ratify the annexation. When Sir Harry Smith became governor of the Cape Colony in 1847 long after the Great Trek in South Africa had fizzled out, he wanted to annex the territory as far as the Vaal River. He informed the British government that the majority of the people living in the area strongly supported such an annexation, which was not true. Typical Voortrekker wagon on display at the Voortrekker monument museum The Great Trek in South Africa However, Smith went ahead and annexed the area up to the Vaal River and called it the Orange River Sovereignty. The citizens of Winburg revolted but were defeated at Boomplaats by Smith’s soldiers. Potgieter was outlawed and magistrates were appointed in the districts of Bloemfontein, Winburg and the Vaal River. The Battle of Boomplaats disturbed the British government because it cost a lot of money and proved that many of the inhabitants were opposed to the annexation. The Basotho under Moshweshwe were one of the dissatisfied groups and in 1854 they defeated a British armed force sent to punish them for their raids. The British government was of the opinion that since the independence of Transvaal had been recognised in 1852, there was no reason why the same could not be done for the Orange Free State. When the Basotho defeated another British force in the area of Berea, Britain decided to officially recognise the Republic of the Orange Free State. On 23 February 1854, the Bloemfontein Convention was signed and the area between the Vaal and Orange Rivers officially became the Republic of the Orange Free State. With the Independence of the republics Transvaal and Free State, the Voortrekkers saw their dreams come true. Dreams of freedom, independence and self-government that had moved them to embark upon the Great trek in south Africa. SHORT INTRODUCTION ABOUT THE GREAT TREK Introduction The Great Trek was a very important event in the history of South Africa. It came about because of disagreements between British and Afrikaner settlers in the colony known as the Cape Colony. As a result of the disagreements, many Afrikaner farmers moved away from the Cape Colony and established their own colonies. This was a first step in establishing their independence from Britain and forming their own country. The farmers would later be called Voortrekkers, or “early migrants.” Background In the 1830s, Afrikaner farmers in the eastern part of the Cape Colony (now Eastern Cape) were unhappy. They were descendants of Dutch settlers who had first landed in the area in 1652. The British had taken over the colony in the early 1800s, and the Afrikaners did not like the change. They were also unhappy about cattle theft by the Xhosa, a group of people who lived nearby. Journey to Independence The Great Trek began in 1835. More than 10,000 farmers left the Cape Colony. They took about 10,000 black workers and large herds of cattle with them. The farmers mostly traveled by horse and ox wagon. They were armed with muzzle-loading guns. The most well-known leaders were Piet Retief, Gerrit Maritz, and Andries Pretorius. There were many battles between the Voortrekkers and black tribes during the Great Trek. The main tribes were the Ndebele (beyond the Vaal River) and the Zulu tribes in Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal). The Zulu king Dingane had Piet Retief and his men killed. Later, other Voortrekkers were also killed by the Zulus. The Voortrekkers recovered from those setbacks. The most famous battle between the Voortrekkers and the Zulu took place on December 16, 1838. In what became known as the Battle of Blood River, more than 3,000 Zulu warriors were killed. The Voortrekkers eventually defeated the Ndebele and the Zulus. Then they were able to set up their own republics, or places where they could live and make their own laws. But their republics were taken over by Britain. Their battles ended only when the Voortrekker republics in the Orange Free State and Transvaal were recognized as independent states by Britain in the 1850s. That meant that the Voortrekkers were free to establish their own governments in those places. Andries Pretorius was a leader of the Boers of southern Africa. Pretorius helped to gain independence for the Transvaal, a Boer republic. The city of Pretoria, South Africa,... Piet Retief was one of the leaders of the Boers during the Great Trek in the 1830s. The Boers were mostly descendants of early Dutch settlers. They undertook the Great Trek... A long journey to a new home is called a migration. Migrating animals generally go back and forth between summer and winter homes. When people migrate, however, they often... Voortrekkers were a group of European settlers in what is now South Africa. The word Voortrekkers means “those who trek ahead.” They were called Voortrekkers because they... South Africa is the southernmost country on the continent of Africa. It has three capital cities: Pretoria (Tshwane), Cape Town, and Bloemfontein. They each are home to a... Dingane was one of the most famous kings of the Zulu people of South Africa. He was king of the Zulus from 1828 to 1840. Dingane was born in about 1795. He was the son of... World War II started in 1939. By the time it ended in 1945, the war involved nearly every part of the world. The two sides that fought the war were called the Axis powers and... The Cape Frontier Wars were a series of wars between European colonists and the Xhosa people of southern Africa. Nine wars took place between 1779 and 1878. They were fought... The Battle of Blood River took place on December 16, 1838, in what is now South Africa. On that day a group of European settlers called Voortrekkers defeated an army of Zulu... The countries that won World War I (1914–18) set up an organization called the League of Nations. They wanted the League to be a place where countries could settle... Jacob Zuma is a politician who served as the president of South Africa from 2009 to 2018. He also served as president of his party, the African National Congress (ANC). Early... 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