| Although the smallest of the country’s
nine provinces, Gauteng (Sotho for "The Place of
Gold"), is by far the commercial and industrial powerhouse
of southern Africa, if not Africa.
It is the intersection
of African and global trade – incorporating Johannesburg,
Pretoria and Soweto. Gauteng is a cosmopolitan, multicultural
mix of people from all walks of life, from all corners
of the world. Gauteng is where the creative spirit of
a nation converges in a dense, cultural heartland.
Apart from big business, Gauteng has so much more
to offer. A wealth of culture can be
found in the museums, galleries, art routes
and historical battlefields. Gauteng is also an entertainment
playground, offering a a vast array of world-class restaurants,
"shebeens", shopping malls and music venues.
Where else on earth can you find a mini-Big Apple existing
alongside the remains of the first hominids? Gauteng
has a legacy of larger-than-life heroes and villains,
ancient civilisations, as well as turbulent political
history.
Johannesburg - also called Joburg - dates back to 1886
when the main Witwatersrand gold-bearing reef was discovered.
Almost immediately, the Transvaal (as it was known then)
was swamped by diggers from near and far. In 1900, Johannesburg fell to the British (during the Anglo-Boer War). Around
this time, the black townships were established - such
as Sophiatown and Alexandra. The thirties gave birth
to the township of Orlando - in the southwest of Johannesburg.
This is the area around which Soweto evolved. Much of
the history of the province was defined by apartheid
and forced removals.
Gauteng is the most densely populated province in South
Africa. It houses more than seven million of the country's
people. Being the transport hub of the continent, the
mix of people here is quite staggering, as is the level
of integration amongst races. About 70% of Gauteng’s
population is African; 23% white; 4% coloured (mixed
race) and 2% Indian/Asian.
The Highveld is said to offer one of the world’s
best climates: summer days are warm and wind-free (relatively)
and winter days are crisp and clear. Gauteng’s
summer-rainfall area has hot summers and mild winters
with frost. Hail is common during the summer thunderstorms.
Snowfalls rarely occur.
Johannesburg, also nicknamed Egoli (place of gold), is
the capital of the province. Here, mine dumps stand firmly
as symbols of its rich past, while modern architecture
rubs shoulders with examples of 19th century engineering
prowess. Gleaming skyscrapers contrast with Indian bazaars
and African 'muti' (medicine) shops, where traditional
healers dispense advice and traditional medicine. The
busy streets ring out with the call of fruit sellers
and street vendors. An exciting blend of ethnic and Western
art and cultural activities is reflected in theatres
and open-air arenas, throughout the city.
South of Johannesburg is Soweto, a city developed as
a township for black people under the apartheid system.
Most of the struggle against apartheid was fought in
and from Soweto. The name Soweto is an acronym, made
up - in apartheid days - from the first letters of
the words “south western township”.
Soweto is estimated to be inhabited by over two million
people, with homes ranging from extravagant mansions
to makeshift shacks. Soweto is a city of enterprise and
cultural interaction. It is a popular tourist destination
with sites such as Kliptown (where the Freedom Charter
was drawn up), the home of former President Nelson Mandela,
the Hector Petersen Memorial site, restaurants and shopping
malls. It boasts one of the largest hospitals on the
continent and the only African-owned private clinic.
Some 50 km north of Johannesburg lies Pretoria, which
resides within the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality
- a cluster of metropolitan municipalities and councils
that amalgamated in December 2002. As administrative
capital of the Republic, Pretoria is dominated by government
services and the diplomatic corps of foreign representatives
in South Africa.
Pretoria is renowned for its colourful gardens, shrubs
and trees, particularly beautiful in spring when the
50 000 jacarandas envelop the avenues in mauve. The city
developed at a more sedate pace than Johannesburg, and
the town planners had the foresight to include an abundance
of open spaces. Pretoria has more than 100 parks, including
bird sanctuaries and nature reserves.
An air of history pervades much of central Pretoria,
especially Church Square, around which the city has grown.
Church Square is regarded by many as the cradle of the
city and it is often the point of departure for historical
sightseeing tours. Many buildings of historical and architectural
importance have been retained or restored to their former
splendour.
Source: South Africa Tourism
• The Vaal Dam covers some 300km2 and is a popular
venue for water sport. Numerous resorts line the shore.
The Dam is popular for birders and anglers.
• The Sterkfontein Caves near Krugersdorp are the site
of the discovery of the skull of the famous Mrs Ples
(now believed to be Mr Ples), an estimated 2,5 million
year old hominid fossil; and Little Foot, an almost
hominid skeleton more than 3,3 million years old.
• The Witwatersrand National Botanical Garden boasts a 70m high
waterfall and stunning displays of indigenous plants.
• Forty kilometres north of Pretoria lies a
ring of hills a kilometre in diameter and 100m high.
These hills are the walls of an impact crater, the
Tswaing Meteorite Crater, left by an asterois 200 000
years ago.
• The National Zoological Gardens in Pretoria,
which is considered to be one of the 10 best in the
world.
• The new Constitutional Hill Precinct which
is set to become one of South Africa's most popular
landmarks.
• The old mining town of Cullinan is the place where the world's
biggest diamond, the 3106-carat Cullinan diamond was
found.
• A guided tour of Soweto makes a lasting impression of this vast
community's life and struggle against Apartheid.
• The Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg tells the story of the
legacy of Apartheid through photographs, film and artefacts.
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