See Also: KwaZulu
Natal | Western Cape | Mpumalanga | North West Province | Eastern Cape | Northern Province
Although it is the smallest
of the country’s nine provinces,
Gauteng (a Sotho word for the Place of Gold), is the commercial and
industrial powerhouse of southern Africa. Gauteng is where the creative
spirit of a nation converges in a dense, cultural heartland. 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's primary attraction is big business, but there is so much
more to this province. There is a wealth of culture to be mined in
the museums, galleries, art routes and historical battlefields. Gauteng
is also an entertainment playground, offering a plethora 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.
[
See www.soweto.co.za ]
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.
-
Gauteng’s restaurants offer everything from the most
mundane franchised burger, to elaborate and exotic themes
reserved for the well-heeled. From Africa, local traditions
are up against the best from our neighbours in Mozambique
and even as far afield as Morocco. Asia is represented in
a choice of Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Thai and even Vietnamese
restaurants. The traditions of Europe and the Middle East
have also filtered through in innumerable gastronomic offerings.
Gauteng is a melting pot of music and entertainment. It is
a place where cultures converge and continents collide. Jazz bars
and live music hangouts offer some of the best local music on the
continent.
Gauteng offers some of the best shopping this side of the equator.
From world-class sprawling malls, to outdoor flea markets, country
stalls and even muti markets – this part of the world is
a shopping Mecca for every taste.
The many monuments, such as the Hector Petersen Memorial (Soweto)
and the Women's Memorial (Pretoria), are some of the historic testimonies
to the bravery of our heroes. The Sharpeville Memorial - a reminder
of where protestors were killed, the Hector Petersen Memorial -
a tribute to the youth of Soweto who died in the 1976 uprising,
and many others stand as testament to the sons and daughters of
Gauteng.
- [ more
on sports tours in SA ]
Gauteng is the indisputable sporting epicentre of South Africa.
The province hosted the South African Formula One Grand Prix
in 1993, Rugby World Cup Final in 1995, and the All Africa Games
in 1998. We also hosted the Cricket World Cup in 2003 – with
superb feedback from around the globe.
Dedicated to South Africa’s darkest days – this incredible
world-class museum documents the forced removals, political executions,
the rise of Black Consciousness and the 1976 Soweto student uprisings
and its triumphs.
Newtown Cultural Precinct is where some of Johannesburg’s hot
and happening cultural scene can be found. At the heart of Newtown
sits the famous Museum Africa as well as the Market Theatre complex.
Newtown is part of the inner city regeneration project and promises
to be Joburg’s most popular tourist hotspot.
Take a tour to the Cradle of Humankind, at Sterkfontein, Gauteng’s
famous World Heritage Site – where caves have produced nearly
half of the world’s hominid fossil discoveries. Close to the
Cradle is the Kromdraai Wonder Cave, as well as the Rhino and Lion
Nature Reserve.
- [ www.sowetotours.co.za ]
Experience Township Life up close and personal, in Soweto.
Visiting the Regina Mundi Church, Sharpeville Memorial Site, Nelson
Mandela’s home – and/or stay for the night at any of
Soweto’s famous Bed and Breakfasts. There are also township
tours offered in Alexandra as well as the keen hospitality offered
by township dwellers around Tshwane.
The Magaliesberg area offers a wonderful arts-and-crafts route including
fabulous foodie options, country getaways and wildlife. The Crocodile
Ramble and the Magalies Meander are two well-known tourists routes
in the area.
A well-maintained nature reserve with over 600 species of flowering
plants, 210 species of birds, as well as a number of reptiles and
small mammals.
Spend a day at the famous Gold Reef City, where you can go underground
on a mine exploration and relive the old gold rush days of Johannesburg.
Pretoria offers a number of fantastic museums, grouped together as
Museum Park. Why not visit the Natural Cultural History Museum
of Science and Technology, the Transvaal Museum and the GeoScience
Museum, to mention just a few.
President Paul Kruger lived in a house situated just three blocks
from Church Square, from 1884 until 1900. The Victorian gabled
house – which represents a simplified version of the neo-Gothic
style - is a museum and displays his furniture, stagecoach, private
railway coach and all of his personal effects. A few hundred
metres to the west, is Pretoria’s Old Cemetery, Helde Akker
(heroes’ acre) where President Kruger lies buried.
Designed by British Architect Sir Herbert Baker to accommodate
the offices of the Prime Minister in 1913. The Union Buildings
is set in terraced gardens modelled on the famous Villa d’Este at
Tivoli near Rome, Italy, with magnificent views of the city. The
gardens of the Union Buildings are home to another group of memorial
structures. The Delville Wood memorial commemorates the
South African soldiers who died in the Battle of Delville Wood
in France (World War I). Today, the Union Buildings still house
the offices of the State President.
Perched conspicuously on top of one of the many hills that surround
the City of Pretoria, is the imposing Voortrekker Monument. This
enormous granite construction commemorates the Voortrekkers (pioneers)
who trekked from the Cape, between 1835 and 1854, in search of
independence from British rule.
Situated 40 km to the northwest of Pretoria, the Tswaing Meteorite
Crater is known as the Pretoria Saltpan. One of the best-preserved
meteorite craters in the world, this crater is home to a few stone
artefacts of the Late Stone Age as well as an impressive wetland.
All around Gauteng, one has the opportunity to experience wildlife
and nature at its most abundant. The much-loved Lanseria lion park
is a must for children of all ages and Krugersdorp Game Reserve
offers a safari-type adventure close to both Johannesburg and Pretoria
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