RUSTENBURGThe first Voortrekker farmers settled in the Rustenburg area in 1841, following the defeat of Mzilikazi and the Ndebele during a punitive expedition two years earlier. The third-oldest town north of the Vaal River, the settlement was proclaimed in 1851 and named Rustenburg, meaning ‘town of rest’. Its growth accelerated after Dr Hans Merensky discovered a seam of platinum-bearing rock near here in 1925. Today Rustenburg is an important centre for the nearby mines producing platinum-group metals and chromite, as well as an agricultural district known for its citrus fruit, tobacco, sunflower seed, maize and beef production. Places of interest include the Anglican Church(1871), Dutch Reformed Church (1903) and a replica of the stump of a seringa tree under which the Gerevormeerde Church was founded in February 1859. Also of interest is the Hervormde Church Square, where the divided Voortrekker leaders Andries Potgieter and Andries Pretorius were reconciled in 1852. West of the town is Boekenhoutsfontein farm, where Paul Kruger lived from 1873 until his election as President of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR) in 1883. A complex of farm buildings is now a museum. |
RUSTENBURG NATURE RESERVE...covers 4 257 ha of the Magaliesberg on the southwestern outskirts of the town. It is home to a variety of antelope, including sable, kudu, black wildebeest, red hartebeest, blesbok, springbok and reedbuck, as well as Burchell’s zebra. Among the more than 230 bird species recorded to date are Cape vulture, martial eagle, 11 chat and thrush species, Meyer’s parrot and the striking lilacbreasted roller. Facilities for visitors include an information centre, interpretive trail and an overnight hiking trail. |
SUN CITY & LOST CITYIt was the vision of one man – hotel and casino magnate Sol Kerzner – that transformed a tract of African bush into an internationally famous resort. The focal point of the Sun City complex is the magnificent Palace of the Lost City, conceived as a mythical kingdom destroyed by an earthquake and ‘lost’ until its rediscovery in 1991. Attractions of the Lost City include the Valley of Waves, which features a wave pool, 13 waterfalls, numerous cascades and a water slide with a 97-m drop. In addition to the Palace Hotel, there are three other hotels and a wide range of entertainment and recreational facilities. Among the other amenities are the Entertainment Centre (consisting of the Superbowl, slot machine area, restaurants and bars), a Casino, the Sun City Lake with a variety of water sports, and the Gary Player Country Club, famous for the annual Nedbank Million Dollar Golf Tournament. |
PILANESBERG NATIONAL PARK...is home to the Big Five, a rich diversity of other game and over 350 bird species. Covering 580 km2, Pilanesberg is home to one of the largest white rhino populations in the world, as well as sable, roan, kudu, blue wildebeest, gemsbok, springbok and impala, while hippo and crocodile inhabit the crater lake in the centre of the park. Other species to be seen include giraffe and Burchell’s zebra, cheetah and brown hyaena. The park lies within one of the most fascinating geological areas in southern Africa: an alkaline complex produced by volcanic activity some 200 million years ago. There are nearly 200 km of game-viewing roads, numerous viewing points, picnic sites, hides and a walk-in aviary near the Manyane Gate. Accommodation ranges from three luxury lodges to chalets and campsites. |
SWARTRUGGENSNamed after the distinctive black ridges in the area, the village of Swartruggens is a centre for the surrounding cattle, maize and tobacco farms. It was established on the farm Brakfontein in 1875. |
GROOT MARICOWere it not for mampoer and the writings of Herman Charles Bosman, Groot Marico would probably have remained a little-known backwater. Although the area was settled around 1845, the town was only established over a century later, in 1948, on the farm Wonderboom. Mampoer, a potent home-distilled spirit made from peaches and other soft fruit, is still produced in the district. |
KLEINFONTEIN BATTLEFIELD...is marked by a roadside memorial to the southwest of Groot Marico. By the end of 1900, the Boer strategy of guerrilla warfare was beginning to pay off, and the guerrillas of General Koos de la Rey had regained control over large areas of the southwestern Transvaal. On 24 October 1901 De la Rey’s forces captured a British convoy, including 12 wagons of ammunition and many horses and mules. |
|
