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The land and its people
Introduction
South Africa boasts a rich cultural and ethnic diversity. It is home not only to South Africans, but also to immigrants from different parts of the world. in addition to the 11 official languages, several local and foreign dialects are also spoken here.
The sunny weather, scenic beauty and a wide array of fauna and flora make South Africa a destination of choice for regional and international tourists.
South Africa is often called the Cradle of Humankind, for it is where archaeologists discovered 2,5-million-year-old fossils of our earliest ancestors, and 100 000-year-old remains of modern man.
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The people
The results of the second democratic Census1 (Census 2001) were released in July 2003. On the night of 10 October 2001, there were 44 819 778 people in South Africa. Of these, 79% classified themselves as African; 9,6% as white; 8,9% as coloured; and 2,5% as Indian/Asian.
According to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), the mid-2007 population was estimated at 47,9 million. Africans were in the majority (about 38 million) and constituted 79,6% of the total South African population. The white population was estimated at 4,4 million, the coloured population at 4,2 million and the Indian/Asian population at 1,2 million.
The provincial estimates showed that KwaZulu-Natal had the largest share of the South African population at 21% of the population, followed by Gauteng with 20,2% and the Eastern Cape with 14,4%. The Free State constituted 6,2%; Limpopo 11,3%; Mpumalanga 7,4%; North West 7,1%; and Western Cape 10,1%. The Northern Cape had the smallest share of the population, namely 2,3%.
The South African population consists of the following groups: the Nguni (comprising the Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele and Swazi people); Sotho-Tswana, who include the Southern, Northern and Western Sotho (Tswana people); Tsonga; Venda; Afrikaners; English; coloureds; Indians; and those who have immigrated to South Africa from the rest of Africa, Europe and Asia and who maintain a strong cultural identity. A few remaining members of the Khoi and the San also live in South Africa.
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Languages
According to the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, everyone has the right to use the language and to participate in the cultural life of their choice, but no one may do so in a manner that is inconsistent with any provision of the Bill of Rights. Each person also has the right to instruction in their language of choice where this is reasonably practicable.
Official languages
The Constitution recognises 11 official languages, namely Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sesotho sa Leboa, Sesotho, Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenda and Xitsonga.
Recognising the historically diminished use and status of the indigenous languages, the Constitution expects government to imple ment positive measures to elevate the status and advance the use of these languages.
According to Census 2001, isiZulu is the mother tongue of 23,8% of the population, followed by isiXhosa (17,6%), Afrikaans (13,3%), Sesotho sa Leboa (9,4%), and English and Setswana (8,2% each).
The least-spoken indigenous language in South Africa is isiNdebele, which is spoken by 1,6% of the population.
Although English is the mother tongue of only 8,2% of the population, it is the language most widely understood, and the second language of the majority of South Africans. However, government is committed to promoting all the official languages.
Language policy
The National Language Service (NLS) provides a range of language services for official documentation, develops and promotes national language policy, and advises on standardising and disseminating information on a range of terminology. The NLS, which was allocated R50 million in 2007/08, is responsible for implementing the National Language Policy Framework (NLPF) [PDF].
By mid-2007, successful prototypes of spell checkers for Afrikaans, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sesotho sa Leboa and Setswana had been developed. The development of a multilingual telephone-based information system had been approved and signed, and the Human Language Technology (HLT) National Strategy was completed.
Projects to be implemented between 2007 and 2010 include:
- implementing the HLT National Strategy
- training HLT developers, including fluent speakers of all of South Africa’s official languages
- a machine-aided translation system optimised for all official languages
- promulgating the South African Language Practitioners Council Act
- establishing the South African Language Practitioner’s Council
- establishing language units within government departments.
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National Language Policy Framework
The NLPF is guided by the following principles:
- promoting and protecting linguistic and cultural diversity
- supporting democracy through the entrenchment of language equity and language rights
- asserting the view that multilingualism is a resource
- encouraging the learning of other South African languages.
Where government is required to communicate comprehensive information, documents will be published in all 11 official languages; otherwise national government departments will publish documents simultaneously in at least six languages on a rotational basis. Provinces will formulate their own policies according to regional circumstances. The NLPF is being phased in progressively.
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Telephone Interpreting Service of South Africa (Tissa)
Tissa was launched in Kimberley, Northern Cape, in February 2006.
Tissa provides telephone-interpreting services to people who need to access government, and aims to improve verbal communication between citizens and government agencies, thus allowing citizens to exercise their right to use the language of their choice when dealing with government.
Tissa was installed at over 300 sites in government departments as a pilot project, and has begun to set up sign-language sites to enable the deaf community to access the project’s services.
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Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB)
PanSALB was created in terms of Section 6 of the Constitution and defined by the PanSALB Act, 1995 (Act 59 of 1995).[PDF] Section 4 sets out the organisation’s independence and impartiality, and also provides that no organ of state or any other person is allowed to interfere with the board or its staff’s activities.
The board champions the recognition, implementation and promotion of multilingualism in South Africa, and the development of previously marginalised languages.
PanSALB’s vision is to achieve equal status and use of all official languages, including Khoi, Nama, San and South African Sign Language.
The board promotes multilingualism in South Africa by:
- creating conditions for the development and equal use of all official languages
- fostering respect for and encouraging the use of other languages in the country
- encouraging the best use of the country’s linguistic resources to enable South Africans to free themselves from all forms of linguistic discrimination, domination and division.
The board may also make recommendations on language legislation, practice and policy, and render advice on the co-ordination of language planning in South Africa.
PanSALB may investigate the alleged violation of any language right, policy or practice. It may also summon any person, body or state organ to give evidence. It is furthermore empowered to negotiate or mediate in cases of language conflict and attempts to achieve conciliation.
PanSALB has created national language bodies – one for each of the 11 languages and for the Khoi, Nama, San and South African Sign Language – to standardise spelling and orthography, terminology, literature and lexicography, do research and initiate ad hoc projects.
The 11 national lexicography units, which compile and creates dictionaries, were created by PanSALB and incorporated in terms of Section 21 of the Companies Act, 1973 (Act 61 of 1973).
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Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities
The Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities aims to contribute meaningfully and constructively to social transformation and nation-building. Its mission is to promote and develop peace, friendship, humanity, tolerance and national unity among linguistic communities. To achieve this, the commission:
- is a channel of communication between the State and communities
- monitors compliance by the State and civil society
- mediates in intercommunity conflict situations and facilitates harmonious co-existence
- facilitates the development of programmes that foster sensitivity, respect and understanding for cultural, religious and linguistic diversity
- lobbies government departments and legislative authorities to identify and recommends amending, repealing or enacting laws undermining or supporting those rights, respectively.
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Religion
Religious groups
Almost 80% of South Africa’s population follows the Christian faith. Other major religious groups are the Hindus, Muslims, Jews and Buddhists. A minority of South Africa’s population do not belong to any of the major religions, but regard themselves as traditionalists of no specific religious affiliation.
The Constitution guarantees freedom of worship and the official policy is one of non-interference in religious practices.
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Christian churches
There are many official and unofficial ecumenical relations between the various churches. One of the most important of these links is the South African Council of Churches (SACC), although it is not representative of the full spectrum of churches.
The Church of England in Southern Africa have congregations among all sections of the community.
The major African indigenous churches, most of the Afrikaans churches, and the Pentecostal and charismatic churches are, as a rule, not members of the SACC, and usually have their own coordinating liaison bodies.
Church attendance in South Africa is favourable in both rural and urban areas, and churches are well served by a large number of clerics and officials.
On the whole, training for the church ministry is thorough and intensive, and based on a variety of models due to the variety of church denominations.
Apart from the work of the churches, a number of Christian organisations (para-church organisations) operate in South Africa, doing missionary and evangelical work, and providing aid and training.
Regular religious programmes on radio and television, and the abundance of places of worship, reflect the importance of religion in South Africa. Many newspapers carry a daily scriptural message, and various religious magazines, newspapers and books are produced and sold in religious bookshops.
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African independent churches (AICs)
The largest grouping of Christian churches is the AICs, and one of the most dramatic aspects of religious affiliation has been the rise of this movement.
Although these churches originally resulted from a number of breakaways from various mission churches (the so-called “Ethiopian” churches), the AICs have developed their own dynamics and momentum, and continue to flourish. The majority are no longer regarded as Ethiopian churches, but rather Zionist or Apostolic churches. The Pentecostal move ment also has its independent offshoots in this group.
The Zion Christian Church (ZCC) is the largest of these churches in South Africa and the largest church overall. The teaching is a syncretism between Christianity and African Traditional Religion. More than a million members gather twice a year at Zion City, Moria, east of Polokwane in Limpopo, at Easter and for the September festival. Traditionally, Easter is the religious highlight of the year. ZCC members, estimated to exceed four million, are not obliged to make the pilgrimage, but have loyally observed the tradition for more than 80 years.
The 4 000 or more independent churches have a membership of more than 10 million people, making this movement the single most important religious group in South Africa.
The independent churches attract people from both rural and urban areas. There are, for example, hundreds of separate churches in rural KwaZulu-Natal, and at least 900 from all ethnic groups in the urban complex of Soweto alone. In the northern KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga areas, these churches serve more than half the population.
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Afrikaans churches
The Afrikaans churches are predominantly Protestant. Of these churches, the Dutch Reformed Church family of churches in South Africa is the largest and represents some 3,5 million people. The Dutch Reformed Church, also known as the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk, has a total of about 1 200 congregations countrywide.
Other churches are the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa, the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa and the smaller Reformed Church in Africa, with predominantly Indian members. The Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk and the Gereformeerde Kerk are regarded as sister churches of the Dutch Reformed Church.
There are several other churches with Afrikaans-speaking adherents, some with very large memberships, such as the Apostolic Faith Mission and the Afrikaanse Protestantse Kerk.
The Dutch Reformed Church also has six fully fledged English-language congregations, one congregation for Dutch-speaking people, and four for Portuguese-speaking people. In total, there are about 2 000 members in each of these congregations.
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Roman Catholic Church
The Roman Catholic Church has grown significantly in number and influence in recent years. It works closely with other churches on the socio-political front. The Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference, founded more than 50 years ago, is the representative body of this church in southern Africa.
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Other Christian churches
Other established churches in South Africa include the Anglican Church Southern Africa, the Methodist Church, various Lutheran and Presbyterian churches, and the Congregational Church.
Although the different Baptist groups are not large, they represent a strong church tradition. Together, they form the nucleus of the SACC.
The largest traditional Pentecostal churches are the Apostolic Faith Mission, the Assemblies of God and the Full Gospel Church, but there are numerous others. Many of them enjoy fellowship in groups such as the Church Alliance of South Africa, and operate in all communities.
Hundreds of independent charismatic churches have mushroomed across the country. The largest of these groups is the International Fellowship of Christian Churches (IFCC). Rhema Church, with its 32 000-member congregation, spearheads the movement. The IFCC, representing over 400 churches, is also a member of the SACC.
Also active in South Africa, among the smaller groups, are the Greek Orthodox Church, the Seventh Day Adventist churches, the Church of the Nazarenes and the Salvation Army.
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African traditionalists
Because the traditional religion of the African people has a strong cultural base, the various groups have different rituals, but there are certain common features.
A supreme being is generally recognised, but ancestors are of far greater importance, being the deceased elders of the group. They are regarded as part of the community; indispensable links with the spirit world and the powers that control everyday affairs. These ancestors are not gods, but because they play a key part in bringing about either good or ill fortune, maintaining good relations with them is vital and they have to be appeased regularly through a variety of ritual offerings.
While an intimate knowledge of herbs and other therapeutic techniques, and the use of supernatural powers, can be applied for the benefit of the individual and the community, some practitioners are masters of black magic, creating fear among people. As a result of close contact with Christianity, many people find themselves in a transitional phase somewhere between African Traditional Religion and Christianity.
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Other religions
The majority of Indians who originally came to South Africa were Hindu. They retained their Hindu religion and today some two thirds of South Africa’s Indians are Hindus. The rest are Muslims and a minority are Christians.
The Muslim community in South Africa is small, but growing rapidly. The Cape Malays, who are mostly descended from Indonesian slaves, make up most of this group, with the remaining 20% being of Indian descent.
The Jewish population numbers less than 100 000. Of these, the majority are Orthodox Jews.
Buddhism is barely organised in South Africa. However, the Nan Hua Buddhist temple has been built at Bronkhorstspruit near Pretoria.
The number of Parsees has decreased, while there is a small group of Jains in Durban. Followers of the Baha’i faith are establishing groups and temples in various parts of the country.
Number of individuals by religion (Census 2001)
| Number of individuals by Religion (Census 2001) |
% |
| Christian |
79,8% |
| African Traditional Religion |
0,3% |
| Judaism |
0,2% |
| Hinduism |
1,2% |
| Islam |
1,5% |
| Other |
0,6% |
| No religion |
15,1% |
| Undetermined |
1,4% |
| Total |
100% |
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The land
South Africa occupies the southernmost part of the African continent, stretching latitudinally from 22° to 35° S and longitudinally from 17° to 33° E. Its surface area is 1 219 090 km2. The country has common boundaries with Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, while Mozambique and Swaziland lie to the north-east. Completely enclosed by South African territory in the south-east is the mountain kingdom of Lesotho.
To the west, south and east, South Africa borders on the Atlantic and Indian oceans. Isolated, some 1 920 km south-east of Cape Town in the Atlantic, lie the Prince Edward and Marion islands, annexed by South Africa in 1947.
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The oceans
South Africa is surrounded by the ocean on three sides – to the west, south and east – and has a coastline of about 3 000 km. The coastline is swept by two major ocean currents – the warm south-flowing Mozambique-Agulhas and the cold Benguela. The former skirts the east and south coasts as far as Cape Agulhas, while the Benguela current flows northwards along the west coast as far as southern Angola.
The contrast in temperature between these two currents partly accounts for important differences in climate and vegetation between the east and west coasts of South Africa. It also accounts for the differences in marine life. The cold waters of the west coast are much richer in oxygen, nitrates, phosphates and plankton than those of the east coast. Consequently, the South African fishing industry is centred on the west coast.
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The coasts
The coastline itself is an even, closed one with few bays or indentations naturally suitable for harbours. The only ideal natural harbour along the coastline is Saldanha Bay on the west coast. However, the area lacks fresh water and offers no natural lines of penetration to the interior.
Most river mouths are unsuitable as harbours because large sandbars block entry for most of the year. These bars are formed by the action of waves and currents, and by the intermittent flow, heavy sediment load and steep gradients of most South African rivers. Only the largest rivers, such as the Orange and Limpopo, maintain narrow permanent channels through the bars. For these reasons, the country has no navigable rivers.
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Relief features
South Africa’s surface area falls into two major physiographic categories: the interior plateau, and the land between the plateau and the coast. Forming the boundary between these two areas is the Great Escarpment, the most prominent and continuous relief feature of the country. Its height above sea level varies from about 1 500 m in the dolerite-capped Roggeveld scarp in the southwest, to a height of 3 482 m in the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg.
Inland from the escarpment lies the interior plateau, which is the southern continuation of the great African plateau stretching north to the Sahara Desert.
The plateau itself is characterised by wide plains with an average height of 1 200 m above sea level.
The dissected Lesotho plateau, which is more than 3 000 m above sea level, is the most prominent. In general, the escarpment forms the highest parts of the plateau.
Between the Great Escarpment and the coast lies an area which varies in width from 80 km to 240 km in the east and south, and a mere 60 km to 80 km in the west. At least three major subdivisions are recognised: the eastern plateau slopes, the Cape folded belt and adjacent regions, and the western plateau slopes.
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Climatic features
The subtropical location, on either side of 30° S, accounts for the warm temperate conditions so typical of South Africa, making it a popular destination for foreign tourists.
The country also falls squarely within the subtropical belt of high pressure, making it dry, with an abundance of sunshine.
The wide expanses of ocean on three sides of South Africa have a moderating influence on its climate. More apparent, however, are the effects of the warm Agulhas and the cold Benguela currents along the east and west coasts respectively. While Durban (east coast) and Port Nolloth (west coast) lie more or less on the same latitude, there is a difference of at least 6° C in their mean annual temperatures.
Gale-force winds are frequent on the coasts, especially in the south-western and southern coastal areas.
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Rainfall
South Africa has an average annual rainfall of 450 mm, compared with a world average of 860 mm. About 65% of the country receives less than 500 mm per year, which is generally accepted as the minimum amount required for successful dry-land farming.
About 21% of the country, mainly the arid west, receives less than 200 mm per year.
In Cape Town, the capital city of the Western Cape, the average rainfall is highest in the winter months, while in the capital cities of the other eight provinces, the average rainfall is highest during summer.
South Africa’s rainfall is unreliable and unpredictable. Large fluctuations in the average annual rainfall are the rule rather than the exception in most areas of the country. Below-average annual rainfall is more commonly recorded than above-average total annual rainfall. South Africa is periodically afflicted by drastic and prolonged droughts, which often end in severe floods.
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Temperatures
Temperature conditions in South Africa are characterised by three main features. Firstly, temperatures tend to be lower than in other regions at similar latitudes, for example, Australia. This is due primarily to the greater elevation of the subcontinent above sea level.
Secondly, despite a latitudinal span of 13 degrees, average annual temperatures are remarkably uniform throughout the country. Owing to the increase in the height of the plateau towards the north-east, there is hardly any increase in temperature from south to north as might be expected.
The third feature is the striking contrast between temperatures on the east and west coasts. Temperatures above 32° C are fairly common in summer, and frequently exceed 38° C in the lower Orange River Valley and the Mpumalanga Lowveld.
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Frost, humidity and fog
Frost often occurs on the interior plateau during cold, clear, winter nights, with ice forming on still pools and in water pipes. The frost season (April to October) is longest over the eastern and southern plateau areas bordering on the escarpment. Frost decreases to the north, while the coast is virtually frost-free.
Average annual relative humidity readings show that, in general, the air is driest over the western interior and the plateau. Along the coast, the humidity is much higher, and at times may rise to 85%. Low stratus clouds and fog frequently occur over the cool west coast, particularly during summer. The only other area that commonly experiences fog is the “mist belt” along the eastern foothills of the escarpment.
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Sunshine
South Africa is famous for its sunshine. Generally speaking, April and May are the most pleasant months when the rainy season over the summer-rainfall region has ended, and before the rainy season in the winter-rainfall area has begun. At this time of year, the hot summer weather has abated and the winds are lighter than during the rest of the year.
In certain areas, however, notably the hot, humid KwaZulu-Natal coast, Mpumalanga and Limpopo, June and July are the ideal holiday months.
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The provinces
In terms of South Africa’s Constitution, the country is divided into nine provinces, each with its own legislature, premier and executive councils. The provinces, with their own distinctive landscapes, vegetation and climate, are the Western Cape, the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, the Northern Cape, Free State, North West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo. (See Chapter 20: Tourism.)
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Western Cape
| Capital: |
Cape Town |
| Principal languages: |
Afrikaans |
55,3% |
| isiXhosa |
23,7% |
| English |
19,3% |
| Population: |
4 839 800 (Mid-Year Population Estimates, 2007) |
| Area (km2): |
129 370 |
| % of total area: |
10,6% |
| GDPR* at current prices (2004): |
R199 412 million |
| % of total GDP**: |
14,4% |
* GDPR (gross domestic product per region)
** GDP (gross domestic product)
The Western Cape is situated on the southernmost tip of the African continent. It is a region of majestic mountains; beautiful valleys; wide, sandy beaches; and breathtaking scenery, making it one of South Africa’s prime tourist destinations.
The cold Atlantic Ocean along the west coast is a rich fishing area, while the warmer Indian Ocean skirts the province’s southern beaches.
Visitors to the Western Cape can disembark at Cape Town International Airport, George Airport or at the ports of Cape Town, Mossel Bay or Saldanha. A network of roads also leads to Cape Town, the capital, fondly known as the Mother City.
Cape Town houses Parliament and is the country’s legislative capital.
Other important towns in the province include Saldanha, a notable harbour for iron exports and the fishing industry; Worcester and Stellenbosch in the heart of the winelands; George, renowned for its indigenous timber and vegetable produce; Oudtshoorn, known for its ostrich products and the world-famous Cango caves; and Beaufort West on the dry, sheep-farming plains of the Great Karoo.
The Western Cape boasts one of the world’s six accepted floral kingdoms. Although it is the smallest of them all, the Cape Floral Kingdom, which is characterised by fynbos, contains more plant species than the whole of Europe. These include the famous proteas and heathers.
Covering an area of more than 553 000 hectares (ha), the Cape Floristic Region World Heritage Site comprises eight separate protected areas stretching from the Cape Peninsula into the Eastern Cape. The Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is included in this area, which makes it a world-first for South Africa, since no other world heritage site includes a botanical garden.
The Knysna-Tsitsikamma region has the country’s biggest indigenous forests; a fairyland of ancient forest giants, ferns and colourful birdlife. Products of the forests include sought-after furniture made from the indigenous yellowwood, stinkwood and white pear trees.
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Tourism
The Western Cape’s natural beauty, complemented by its famous hospitality, cultural diversity, excellent wine and colourful cuisine, make the province one of the world’s greatest tourist attractions.
In 2006, the number of foreign tourists to the Western Cape totalled 1,6 million while three million domestic tourists visited the province. They contributed R16,8 billion to the Western Cape’s gross domestic product (GDP) and sustained 200 000 formal jobs.
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The people
More than 4,8 million people live in the Western Cape on 129 370 km2 of land (Mid-Year Population Estimates, 2007) [PDF]. Afrikaans is spoken by the majority, with isiXhosa and English being the other main languages. The Western Cape has the highest adult-education level in the country, with only 5,7% of people aged 20 years or older having no schooling (Census 2001). The province has a strong network of Higher Education (HE) institutions, including the University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University, the University of the Western Cape and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.
A potpourri of diverse cultural back grounds gives the province a cosmopolitan ambiance, resulting in a demographic profile quite different from that of the national pattern.
The profile draws on elements from different parts of Europe, south-east Asia, India and Africa, which are richly reflected in the diversity of the area.
The official unemployment figure for the province is 17,2% (Labour Force Survey, March 2007) [PDF]. This was somewhat lower than the national unemployment rate of 25,5% in March 2007.
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Agriculture and marine fishery
The Western Cape is rich in agriculture and fisheries. Agricultural exports have increased threefold over the past few years, manifesting in a growth rate of 7,4% in 2005/06.
Primary industries, i.e. agriculture, forestry and fishing, and mining and quarrying, contributed 4,7% to the GDP of the province in 2004, which translated into R9 321 million (gross domestic product per region [GDPR], 2004).
The sheltered valleys between the mountains provide ideal conditions for the cultivation of top-grade fruits, such as apples, table grapes, olives, peaches and oranges. In the eastern part of the Western Cape, a great variety of vegetables is cultivated.
The province can be divided into three climatic regions. The area around the Cape Peninsula and the Boland, further inland, is a winter-rainfall region with sunny, dry summers.
Towards George, along the south coast, the climate gradually changes to year-round rainfall, while inland, towards the more arid Great Karoo, the climate changes to summer rainfall.
The Western Cape is known as one of the world’s finest grape-growing regions. Many of its wines have received the highest accolades at international shows.
The wheat-growing Swartland district around Malmesbury, and the Overberg around Caledon, form the bread basket of the country.
The inland Karoo region (around Beaufort West), and the Overberg district (around Bredasdorp), produce wool and mutton, and pedigree Merino breeding stock.
Other animal products include broiler chickens, eggs, dairy products, beef and pork. The Western Cape is the only province with an outlet for the export of horses. This earns the country millions of rands in foreign revenue.
The province has also established itself as the leading facilitator in the export of ostrich meat to Europe. In addition to meat, fine leatherware and ostrich feathers are also exported to destinations all over the world.
The plankton-rich cold Benguela current flows along the west coast of the province and is considered to be one of the world’s richest fishing grounds. This resource is protected from overfishing by foreign vessels by means of a 200-km commercial fishing zone and a strict quota system.
Snoek, Cape lobster, abalone, calamari, octopus, oysters and mussels are among the most sought-after piscatorial delights from this region.
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Industry
The Western Cape’s economy is growing at an average of 5% a year. By mid-2007, it was growing at 5,7%. Some 99 900 jobs had been created since 2004. The construction sector showed an average growth rate of 8% a year since 2004, resulting in full employment in the industry.
Many of South Africa’s major insurance companies and banks are based in the Western Cape. The majority of the country’s petroleum companies and the largest segment of the printing and publishing industry are located in Cape Town.
Information and communications technology (ICT) is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the province, and operations are being expanded to other countries.
After Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape’s manufacturing sector is the third-largest contributor to the national manufacturing sector. The clothing and textile industry remains the most significant industrial source of employment in the province.
Cape Town remains the economic hub of the province, encompassing industrial areas such as Epping, Montagu Gardens, Parow and Retreat. Along the west coast, the Saldanha Steel Project has led to increased economic activity.
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2010 FIFA World CupTM
South Africa is preparing to host the 2010 World Cup. Government is using the hosting of the 2010 World Cup to fast-track the growth and development of the country. The investment in 2010 will benefit South Africans long after the tournament.
The Western Cape Government has allocated R212 million for preparations for the tournament, in addition to the R1,9 billion contributed by national government.
The R2,7-billion investment into the Greenpoint Stadium is expected to attract at least another R7 billion to R8 billion in linked public investments for transport and infrastructure. Greenpoint Stadium will be able to accommodate 70 000 spectators.
A similar amount in private-sector investments into the leisure, tourism and retail sectors of the surrounding economy in the V&A Waterfront, the Somerset Hospital Precinct and the larger inner city bowl is expected.
This investment is expected to benefit ordinary citizens through employment in the construction, leisure, transport, tourism and service sectors.
Other benefits include:
- dedicated bus and taxi lanes from the R300 into Cape Town along the N2
- expanding the Cape Town International Airport through a R2-billion expansion investment
- a dedicated rail link from the airport into town
- doubling the capacity of the Cape Town Convention Centre
- building at least six new hotels in the Western Cape by 2010.
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Eastern Cape
| Capital: |
Bhisho |
| Principal languages: |
isiXhosa |
83,4% |
| Afrikaans |
9,3% |
| English |
3,6% |
| Population: |
6 906 200 (Mid-Year Population Estimates, 2007) |
| Area (km2): |
169 580 |
| % of total area: |
13,9% |
| GDPR at current prices (2004): |
R112 908million |
| % of total GDP: |
8,1 % |
The Eastern Cape, a land of undulating hills, expansive sandy beaches, majestic mountain ranges and emerald green forests, is the second-largest of the nine provinces in terms of surface area.
The region boasts remarkable natural diversity, ranging from the dry, desolate Great Karoo; to the lush forests of the Wild Coast and the Keiskamma Valley; the fertile Langkloof, renowned for its rich apple harvests; and the mountainous southern Drakensberg region at Elliot.
The Eastern Cape’s main feature is its spectacular coastline lapped by the Indian Ocean. With its long stretches of pristine sandy beaches, rocky coves, secluded lagoons and towering cliffs, the coastline provides the province with an unsurpassed natural tourist attraction.
The graceful curve of Algoa Bay provides an ideal setting for the Port of Port Elizabeth. East London offers equally favourable harbour facilities. The province is serviced by three airports situated in Port Elizabeth, East London and Mthatha.
The architecture of many of its cities and towns reflects the rich heritage of its people. Important towns in the province include Bhisho, the capital; Uitenhage, which has important motor vehicle-manufacturing and related industries; King William’s Town, rich in early settler and military history; Grahamstown, also known as the City of Saints because of its more than 40 churches; Graaff-Reinet, with its interesting collection of historic buildings; Cradock, the hub of the Central Karoo; Stutterheim, the forestry centre of the province; Aliwal North, famous for its hot sulphur springs; and Port St Johns, the largest town on the Wild Coast.
In the Eastern Cape, various floral habitats meet. Along the coast, the northern tropical forests intermingle with the more temperate woods of the south. This makes for an interesting forest habitat of various species endemic to this region.
Age-old forests occur at Keiskammahoek, Dwesa, Port St Johns and Bathurst; dune forests are found at Alexandria; and man groves along the Wild Coast.
Rolling grasslands dominate the eastern interior of the province, while the western central plateau is savanna bushveld. The northern inland is home to the aromatic, succulent-rich Karoo.
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The people
The Eastern Cape has almost seven million people living on 169 580 km2 of land. The majority of the people speak isiXhosa, followed by Afrikaans and English.
The province has a number of HE institutions, including the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, the University of Fort Hare and the Walter Sisulu University of Technology. Despite the high quality of education facilities, 22,8% of the population aged 20 years or older has never received any schooling, while 6,3% has completed some form of HE (Census 2001).
In 2007, the unemployment rate of the province stood at 25,5% (Labour Force Survey, March 2007 [PDF]).
The provincial economy has performed well over the past three years. Provincial GDP increased by an estimated 4,7% in 2006 (4,8% in 2005), compared with the national GDP growth of 5% in 2006 (5,1% in 2005).
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Agriculture, fishing and forestry
The Eastern Cape has excellent agricultural and forestry potential. The fertile Langkloof Valley in the south-west has enormous deciduous fruit orchards, while the Karoo interior is an important sheep-farming area. Angora wool is also produced here.
The Alexandria-Grahamstown area produces pineapples, chicory and dairy products, while coffee and tea are cultivated at Magwa. People in the former Transkei region are dependent on cattle, maize and sorghum-farming. An olive nursery has been developed in collaboration with the University of Fort Hare to form a nucleus of olive production in the Eastern Cape.
Extensive exotic forestry plantations in the high rainfall areas of Keiskammahoek provide employment for large numbers of the population. The province is a summer-rainfall region with high rainfall along the coast, becoming gradually drier behind the mountain ranges into the Great Karoo.
The Eastern Cape Provincial Government plans to develop the province’s forestry and timber industry by creating up to 100 000 ha of plantations over the next 10 years.
Nationwide, the timber industry employs about 170 000 people and annually contributes about R16 billion to the economy.
The Eastern Cape has been selected as the national pilot for the implementation of biofuels, through the mass planting of canola. This project has the potential to create 21 600 direct and indirect job opportunities.
The basis of the province’s fishing industry is squid, some recreational and commercial fishing for line fish, the collection of marine resources and access to line-catches of hake.
Ostrich exports are flourishing and the provincial Department of Agriculture has been hailed for the support it is giving this industry. Each ostrich-export establishment has a resident official veterinarian, which is a requirement for exporting ostrich products to the European Union.
The game industry is enjoying unprecedented demand in the international market due to health-conscious consumers increasingly demanding lean organic game meat.
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Industry
The metropolitan economies of Port Elizabeth and East London are based primarily on manufacturing, the most important industry being motor manufacturing. The province is the hub of South Africa’s automotive industry.
Several of the world’s biggest motor manufacturers, such as Volkswagen, Ford (Samcor), General Motors (Delta) and DaimlerChrysler, have plants in the Eastern Cape.
With two harbours and three airports offering direct flights to the main centres, and an excellent road and rail infrastructure, the province has been earmarked as a key area for growth and economic development. Environmentally friendly projects include the Fish River Spatial Development Initiative (SDI), the Wild Coast SDI, and two industrial development zones (IDZs), namely the West Bank (East London) and the Coega IDZs. The latter, 20 km east of the Port Elizabeth-Uitenhage metropoles, was the first IDZ to be earmarked, and is one of the biggest initiatives ever undertaken in South Africa. Plans for the development of the area as an export-orientated zone include the building of the Port of Ngqura.
By mid-2007, the Department of Public Enterprises was in the process of designing the framework for a partnership in the operation of the new container terminal under construction at the port.
The railway from Mthatha to East London was refurbished and the process of finding an operator for the line initiated.
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2010 World Cup
The new 50 000-seater Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth will host seven matches. By March 2007, construction of the stadium had started.
In King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality, the final design for a new 15 000-seater stadium had been approved.
In Buffalo City, two stadiums – Absa Stadium, which seats 10 000 and Bhisho Stadium with 20 000 seats – were being refurbished. The city has been identified as a basecamp city for training both prior to and during the 2010 World Cup.
The provincial Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture has partnered with the Educational Institute for Service Studies in Port Alfred, to upscale the capacity of 40 bed-and-breakfast owners.
Parallel to the football spectacular, there will be an arts and culture programme. A crafters’ database was being compiled, together with three additional crafters-hubs in Dimbaza, Dispatch and Flagstaff.
Fan parks – public viewing areas with large-screen TVs, entertainment and food and beverage stands – will be established for the tournament.
Port Elizabeth will spend more than R500 million upgrading the city’s transport system – which includes a new bus system – ahead of the 2010 World Cup. The city will have a “bus rapid transit” system that will use low-platform buses travelling in designated bus lanes.
A total of R58 million will be spent on purchasing new buses. The city’s innovative business model also integrates the bus and taxi systems.
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KwaZulu-Natal
| Capital: |
Pietermaritzburg |
| Principal languages: |
isiZulu |
80,9% |
| English |
13,6% |
| Afrikaans |
1,5% |
| Population: |
10 014 500 (Mid-Year Population Estimates, 2007) |
| Area (km2): |
92 100 |
| % of total area: |
7,6% |
| GDPR at current prices(2004): |
R231 616 million |
| % of total GDP: |
16,7% |
Aptly called South Africa’s garden province, KwaZulu-Natal is one of the country’s most popular holiday destinations. This verdant region includes South Africa’s lush subtropical east coast. Washed by the warm Indian Ocean, it stretches from Port Edward in the south, and northwards to the Mozambique boundary. In addition to the magnificent coastline, the province also boasts sweeping savanna in the east, and the majestic Drakensberg mountain range in the west.
Visitors to KwaZulu-Natal can either disembark at Durban International Airport, which handles more than 2,5 million passengers a year, or at Durban harbour. Alternatively, they can make use of the extensive national road network.
KwaZulu-Natal is one of the major tourist destinations in South Africa. In 2005, the province retained its number-one status as South Africa’s leading domestic tourism destination and surpassed the Western Cape in terms of overall foreign tourism arrivals.
According to statistics for 2005 provided by the Tourism Authority of KwaZulu-Natal, the province received 11,6 million domestic visitors and 1,6 million international visitors. This translated to an injection of R20,7 billion into the provincial economy.
Durban is one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the world. Its port is the busiest in South Africa and one of the 10-largest in the world.
The Port of Richards Bay handles over 1 000 containers per month. Combined, these two ports handle about 78% of South Africa’s cargo tonnage.
KwaZulu-Natal is the only province with a monarchy specifically provided for in the Constitution.
Richards Bay is an important coal-export harbour. The province has several popular coastal holiday resorts, such as Port Shepstone, Umhlanga Rocks and Margate. In the interior, Newcastle is well-known for steel production and coal mining, Estcourt for meat processing, and Ladysmith and Richmond for mixed agriculture. The KwaZulu-Natal coastal belt yields sugar cane, wood, oranges, bananas, mangoes and other tropical fruit.
The province is also well-known for its active conservation activities. There are several reserves in the province such as the Royal Natal National Park, Giant’s Castle and the Kamberg Nature Reserve.
Some of South Africa’s best-protected indigenous coastal forests are found along the subtropical coastline of KwaZulu-Natal, for example, at Dukuduku and Kosi Bay. It is also along this coast that the magnificent St Lucia Estuary and Kosi Bay lakes are located. In 1999, the former Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park was declared a world heritage site. It has since been renamed iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
Separating KwaZulu-Natal from Lesotho, the Drakensberg runs 200 km along the western boundary of the province.
The northern part of the province, south of the Swaziland border, is typical African savanna, providing a natural backdrop for its rich wildlife, which is protected in several game parks.
The GDPR of KwaZulu-Natal is the second-largest in the country after Gauteng. The GDPR growth rate rose over fivefold from 1% in 1999 to 5,3% in 2005, suggesting the potential to reach a 10% growth rate by the year 2014, which is far above the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa’s target of 6%.
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The people
KwaZulu-Natal has more than 10 million people living on 92 100 km2 of land (Mid-Year Population Estimates, 2007 [PDF]) . The principal language spoken is isiZulu, followed by English and Afrikaans. Remnants of British colonialism, together with Zulu, Indian and Afrikaans traditions, make for an interesting cultural mix in the province.
The province boasts several universities, universities of technology and other educational institutions, including the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the Durban Institute of Technology.
As at 2001, a total of 21,9% of the province’s population aged 20 and above had no form of education (Census 2001). By February 2007, the literacy rate in this province had improved to 88,6%.
KwaZulu-Natal was the second-highest contributor to the South African economy during 2005, at 16,4% (at current prices) of GDP.
By March 2007, the unemployment rate was 29,2%.
The key strength of this province’s economy is its trade and transport infrastructure.
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Agriculture and industry
Richards Bay is the centre of operations for South Africa’s aluminium industry. The Richards Bay Coal Terminal is instrumental in securing the country’s position as the second-largest exporter of steam coal in the world. Richards Bay Minerals is the largest sand-mining and mineral-processing operation in the world.
The motor vehicle-manufacturing industry has created a considerable multiplier effect in component- and service-providers. In recent times, the province has undergone rapid industrialisation owing to its abundant water supply and labour resources. Industries are found at Newcastle, Ladysmith, Dundee, Richards Bay, Durban, Hammarsdale, Richmond, Pietermaritzburg and Mandeni.
The sugar-cane plantations along the Indian Ocean coastal belt form the mainstay of the economy and agriculture of the region. The coastal belt is also a large producer of subtropical fruit, while the farmers in the hinterland concentrate on vegetable-, dairy- and stock-farming. Another major source of income is forestry in the areas around Vryheid, Eshowe, Richmond, Harding and Ngome, which is also known for its tea plantations.
The summer-rainfall coastal regions of this province are hot and humid with a subtropical climate. The KwaZulu-Natal Midlands between the coastal strip and the southern Drakensberg Escarpment are drier, with extremely cold conditions in winter and snow on the high-lying ground. In the north, the subtropical strip extends around Swaziland to the edge of the escarpment.
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2010 World Cup
From March 2007, R2,2 billion is being spent on the construction of the new stadium in Durban, which will have the capacity to seat 70 000 spectators.
Some R4 billion is expected to be spent on the construction of the new international airport and the Dube Tradeport at La Mercy. By mid-2007, the R350-million P700 Corridor from Richards Bay to Ulundi and the R300-million P577 from Mtubatuba to Hlabisa and Nongoma were under construction.
On completion, the Dube Tradeport alone is expected to contribute R12,4 billion to the economy and create thousands of new jobs.
eThekwini Municipality will spend more than R1 billion over the next three years leading up to the World Cup, to overhaul the public transport system by making it rail-based. The municipality envisages taxis transporting people from places outside the city to railway stations. Trains will then take them to the inner city where buses will be used for further travel.
The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government will provide R300 million to upgrade stadiums and build multipurpose sports facilities to allow some of its communities to host teams during the 2010 tournament. The selected municipalities for the projects include Umgungundlovu, Amajuba, Ugu and Uthungulu.
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Northern Cape
| Capital: |
Kimberley |
| Principal languages: |
Afrikaans |
68,0% |
| Setswana |
20,8% |
| isiXhosa |
2,5% |
| Population: |
1 094 500 (Mid-Year Population Estimates, 2007) |
| Area (km2): |
361 830 |
| % of total area: |
29,7% |
| GDPR at current prices (2004): |
R30 087 million |
| % of total GDP: |
2,2% |
The Northern Cape lies to the south of its most important asset, the mighty Orange River, which provides the basis for a healthy agricultural industry. The landscape is characterised by vast arid plains with outcroppings of haphazard rock piles. The cold Atlantic Ocean forms the western boundary.
This region covers the largest area of all the provinces and has the smallest population. Its major airports are situated at Kimberley, the capital, and at Upington. The Northern Cape has an excellent road network, which makes its interior easily accessible from South Africa’s major cities, harbours and airports.
Important towns are Upington, centre of the karakul sheep and dried-fruit industries, and the most northerly wine-making region of South Africa; Springbok, in the heart of the Namaqualand spring-flower country; Kuruman, founded by the Scottish missionary Robert Moffat; and De Aar, second most important junction of South Africa’s railway network. Sutherland is host to the southern hemisphere’s largest astronomical observatory, the multinational-sponsored Southern African Large Telescope.
South Africa has been shortlisted as one of two countries to host the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), a giant next-generation radio telescope being developed by scientists from 17 countries. The proposed SKA will be located in the Northern Cape.
Other important Northern Cape towns include the sheep-farming towns of Carnarvon, Colesberg, Kenhardt and Prieska, which are renowned for its semi-precious stones and variety of succulents.
Apart from a narrow strip of winter-rainfall area along the coast, the Northern Cape is a semi-arid region with little rainfall in summer. The weather conditions are extreme – cold and frosty in winter, with extremely high temperatures in summer.
The largest part of the province falls within the Nama-Karoo biome, with a vegetation of low shrubland and grass, and trees limited to water courses. The area is known worldwide for its spectacular display of spring flowers that attracts thousands of tourists every year.
This biome is home to many wonderful plant species, such as the elephant’s trunk (halfmens), tree aloe (kokerboom) and a variety of succulents.
The province has several national parks and conservation areas. The Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, together with the Gemsbok National Park in Botswana, is Africa’s first transfrontier game park, known as the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. It is one of the largest nature-conservation areas in southern Africa and one of the largest remaining protected natural ecosystems in the world. The park provides unfenced access to a variety of game between South Africa and Botswana.
In October 2007, President Thabo Mbeki officially opened the Mata Mata Tourist Access facility to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
The Ai-Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Conservation Park spans some of the most spectacular scenery of the arid and desert environments in southern Africa. Bisected by the Orange River, which forms the border between South Africa and Namibia, it comprises the Ai-Ais Hot Springs Game Park in Namibia and the Richtersveld National Park in South Africa. Some of the distinctive features in the area include the Fish River Canyon (often likened to the Grand Canyon in the United States of America) and the Ai-Ais hot springs. This arid zone is further characterised by a unique and impressive variety of succulent plant species.
Nowhere is the Orange River more impressive than at the Augrabies Falls, which ranks among the world’s greatest cataracts on a major river. The Augrabies Falls National Park was established to preserve this natural wonder.
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The people
The Northern Cape is sparsely populated and houses more than 1,1 million people on 361 830 km2 of land (Mid-Year Population Estimates, 2007)[PDF]. About 68% of the population speak Afrikaans. Other languages spoken are Setswana, isiXhosa and English.
The official unemployment rate of the Northern Cape is 26,5% (Labour Force Survey, March 2007 [PDF]).
The last remaining true San (Bushman) people live in the Kalahari area of the Northern Cape. The area, especially along the Orange and Vaal rivers, is rich in San rock engravings. A good collection can be seen at the McGregor Museum in Kimberley. The province is also rich in fossils.
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Agriculture and industry
The Northern Cape is enjoying tremendous growth in value-added activities, including game-farming. Food production and processing for the local and export market is also growing significantly.
Underpinning the growth and develop ment plan of the province are the investment projects that link up with the existing plans of the Namaqua Development Corridor, where the focus is on the beneficiation and export of sea products.
The economy of a large part of the Northern Cape, the interior Karoo, depends on sheep-farming, while the karakul-pelt industry is one of the most important in the Gordonia district of Upington.
The province has fertile agricultural land. In the Orange River Valley, especially at Upington, Kakamas and Keimoes, grapes and fruit are cultivated intensively. Wheat, fruit, peanuts, maize and cotton are produced at the Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme near Warrenton.
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Mining
The Northern Cape is rich in minerals. The country’s chief diamond pipes are found in the Kimberley district. In 1888, the diamond industry was formally established with the creation of De Beers Consolidated Mines. Alluvial diamonds are also extracted from the beaches and the sea between Alexander Bay and Port Nolloth.
The Sishen Mine near Kathu is the biggest source of iron ore in South Africa, while the copper mine at Okiep is one of the oldest mines in the country. Copper is also mined at Springbok and Aggeneys. The province is rich in asbestos, manganese, fluorspar, semi-precious stones and marble.
Until recently, the majority of small- to medium-scale alluvial operations were concentrated along or near the Vaal River system. With the deposits available for mining declining rapidly, there has been a gradual shift towards the Orange River system. Two recent larger-scale investments also show continued prospects in this sector.
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Free State
| Capital: |
Bloemfontein |
| Principal languages: |
Sesotho |
64,4% |
| Afrikaans |
11,9% |
| isiXhosa |
9,1% |
| Population: |
2 958 480 (Mid-Year Population Estimates, 2006) |
| Area (km2): |
129 480 |
| % of total area: |
10,6% |
| GDPR at current prices (2004): |
R75 827 million |
| % of total GDP: |
5,5% |
The Free State lies in the heart of South Africa, with Lesotho nestling in the hollow of its bean-like shape. Between the Vaal River in the north and the Orange River in the south, this immense rolling prairie stretches as far as the eye can see.
The capital, Bloemfontein, has a well established institutional, educational and administrative infrastructure, and houses the Supreme Court of Appeal. The city, also referred to as the City of Roses, is home to some of the province’s many tertiary educational institutions, including the University of the Free State and the Central University of Technology.
Important towns include Welkom, the heart of the goldfields and one of the few completely pre-planned cities in the world; Odendaalsrus, another gold-mining town; Sasolburg, which owes its existence to the petrol-from-coal installation established there; Kroonstad, an important agricultural, administrative and educational centre; Parys, on the banks of the Vaal River; Phuthaditjhaba, well known for the beautiful handcrafted items produced by the local people; and Bethlehem, gateway to the Eastern Highlands of the Free State.
Nestled in the rolling foothills of the Maluti mountains in the north-eastern Free State, the Golden Gate Highlands National Park is the province’s prime tourist attraction. The park derives its name from the brilliant shades of gold cast by the sun on the spectacular sandstone cliffs, especially the imposing Brandwag rock, which keeps vigil over the park.
The national road, which is the artery between Gauteng and the Western and Eastern Cape, passes through the middle of the Free State.
The annual Mangaung African Cultural Festival, popularly called Macufe, is now being hosted in partnership with the Tourism Authority and the Performing Arts Centre of the Free State. It is expected to develop into a true global arts and cultural pilgrimage.
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The people
The Free State houses more than 2,9 million people on about 129 480 km2 of land (Mid-Year Population Estimates, 2007 [PDF]). The main languages spoken are Sesotho and Afrikaans. Some 16% of the population aged 20 years or older have no schooling (Census 2001).
According to the Labour Force Survey of March 2007 [PDF], the official unemployment rate is 26,4%.
Many of the towns display a cultural mix that is clearly evident in street names, public buildings, monuments and museums. Dressed-sandstone buildings abound on the Eastern Highlands, while beautifully decorated Sotho houses dot the grasslands. Some of South Africa’s most valued San rock art is found in the Free State. The districts of Bethlehem, Ficksburg, Ladybrand and Wepener have remarkable collections of this art form.
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Agriculture
This summer-rainfall region can be extremely cold during the winter months, especially towards the eastern mountainous regions. The western and southern areas are semi-desert.
Known as the “Granary of the country”, the Free State has cultivated land covering 3,2 million ha, while natural veld and grazing cover 8,7 million ha.
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, while the two largest asparagus-canning factories are also situated in this district. Soya, sorghum, sunflowers and wheat are cultivated, especially in the eastern Free State, where farmers specialise in seed production.
About 40% of the country’s potato yield comes from the high-lying areas of the Free State.
The province produces about 100 000 (tons) t of vegetables and 40 000 t of fruit each year.
The main vegetable crop is asparagus, both white and green varieties. The industry is expanding and becoming increasingly export-orientated.
In terms of floriculture, the Free State has an advantage due to the opposing seasons of the southern and northern hemispheres. The province exports some 1,2 million t of cut flowers per year.
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Mining
The mining industry is the major employer in the Free State. Investment opportunities are substantial in productivity-improvement areas for mining and related products and services.
South Africa is the world’s largest producer of gold. A gold reef of over 400 km long, known as Lejweleputswa (formerly known as the Goldfields), stretches across Gauteng and the Free State; the largest gold-mining complex being Free State Consolidated Goldfields, with a mining area of 32 918 ha.
Some 82% of the region’s mineral production value is derived from this activity, primarily in the goldfields region, which comprises the districts of Odendaalsrus, Virginia and Welkom. Twelve gold mines operate in the province. Roughly 30% of South Africa’s gold is obtained from this region, and the province lies in fifth position as a global producer.
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 by-product.
Bituminous coal is mined in the province and converted to petrochemicals at Sasolburg. Diamonds from this region, extracted from kimberlite pipes and fissures, are of a high quality.
The largest deposit of bentonite in the country occurs in the Koppies district.
The Free State Provincial Government has approved the establishment of two biofuel plants in Bothaville and Hoopstad.
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Manufacturing and industry
Since 1989, the Free State economy has changed from being dependent on the primary sector to being a manufacturing, export-orientated economy. The Free State GDPR amounted to about R75 827 million in 2004, representing a 5,5% contribution to the South African economy.
Some 14% of the province’s manufacturing is classified as being in high-technology industries, which is the highest percentage of all the provincial economies.
An important manufacturing industry in the province can be found in the northern Free State, which is one of the most important chemical hubs in the southern hemisphere. The province has competitive advantages in the production of certain fuels, waxes, chemicals and low-cost feedstock from coal.
The growth in high-tech industries is significant in the context of the changing contribution of the gold-mining industry to gross geographic product (GGP).
The province’s development strategy centres on competitiveness, empowerment, capacity-building and beneficiation.
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2010 World Cup
Mangaung Stadium Park in Bloemfontein will host five first-round marches and one second-round match in the World Cup. It has 48 000 seats.
The province was expected to embark on the following projects from 2007:
- developing the N8 Road-Development Corridor
- rehabilitating and reviving the rail network from Thaba Nchu to Bloemfontein
- constructing an international convention centre, which will be linked to other 2010 initiatives such as the revamping of the Bloemfontein airport, Macufe and the intermodal transport facility.
- developing the R220-million Inter-Model Public Transport Facility project.
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North West
| Capital: |
Mafikeng |
| Principal languages: |
Setswana |
65,4% |
| Afrikaans |
7,5% |
| isiXhosa |
5,8% |
| Population: |
3 374 200 (Mid-Year Population Estimates, 2007) |
| Area (km2): |
116 320 |
| % of total area: |
9,5% |
| GDPR at current prices (2004): |
R87 127 million |
| % of total GDP: |
6,3% |
North West, also known as the Platinum Province, is centrally located on the subcontinent with direct road and rail links to all southern African countries, and with its own airport near the capital city, Mafikeng. The province borders Botswana and is fringed by the Kalahari desert in the west and the Witwatersrand area in the east. North West is divided into the Central, Bophirima (towards the west), Southern, Rustenburg and Eastern regions. Most economic activity is concentrated in the Southern Region (between Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp), Rustenburg, and the Eastern Region, where more than 83,3% of GDPR of the province is generated.
The province offers several tourist attractions, including the internationally renowned Sun City, the popular Pilanesberg National Park, the Madikwe Game Reserve and the Rustenburg Nature Reserve.
The province recorded an economic growth rate of 4,9% in 2004/05, compared with 4,5% in 2003/04. The largest contributors to the GDP of the province in 2004 were the mining and quarrying industries (24,9%); finance, real estate and business services (13,6%); and the general government-services sector (12,1%). The lowest contribution to GDP was by the electricity, gas and water industries.
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The people
Of the 3,4 million people living in the North West, 65% live in the rural areas (Mid-Year Population Estimates, 2007 [PDF]). The official unemployment rate is 32% (Labour Force Survey, March 2007 [PDF]).
The province has the lowest number of people aged 20 years and older (5,9%) who have received HE. The literacy rate is in the region of 57%.
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Mining
One of the programmes of the Mafikeng Industrial Development Initiative is the establishment of the Mining Supply and Industrial Park that will result in the creation of a mining goods-and-service warehouse and delivery park for the convenience and benefit of most mining companies around Rustenburg.
This multiyear project envisages benefits being gained from local and Black Economic Empowerment preferential procure ment opportunities offered by the Mining Charter.
Diamonds are mined at Lichtenburg, Koster, Christiana and Bloemhof, while Orkney and Klerksdorp have gold mines. The area surrounding Rustenburg and Brits boasts the largest single platinum-production area in the world. Marble is also mined here. Fluorspar is exploited at Zeerust.
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Manufacturing
Manufacturing contributes 7% to the province’s GDP and 9% of its employment opportunities. It provides 2,6% of the South African manufacturing sector’s contribution to GDP.
Manufacturing is almost exclusively dependent on the performance of a few sectors in which the province enjoys a competitive advantage. These are fabricated metals (51%), the food sector (18%) and non-metallic metals (21%) (Provincial Economies, 2003).
Industrial activity is centred in the towns of Brits, Klerksdorp, Vryburg and Rustenburg.
The Brits industries concentrate mostly on manufacturing and construction, while those at Klerksdorp are geared towards the mining industry, and those at Vryburg and Rustenburg towards agriculture.
The Platinum SDI, situated on the Coast-to-Coast Highway that links the Port of Maputo in Mozambique to Walvis Bay in Namibia, is expected to unlock further development. About 200 potential project opportunities in tourism, manufacturing, agriculture and mining have been identified.
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Agriculture
Agriculture is of extreme importance to the North West. It contributes about 2,6% to the total GDPR and 19% to formal employment.
Some 5,9% of the South African GDP in agriculture and 16,96% of total labour in agriculture are based in the North West (Provincial Economies, 2004).
The province is an important food basket in South Africa. Maize and sunflowers are the most important crops, and the North West is the major producer of white maize in the country.
Some of the largest cattle herds in the world are found at Stellaland near Vryburg, which explains why this area is often referred to as the “Texas of South Africa”. Marico is also cattle-country. The areas around Rustenburg and Brits are fertile, mixed-crop farming land.
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2010 World Cup
Rustenburg is the official hosting city in the North West, with the Royal Bafokeng Stadium being the official match venue.
The stadium will seat 42 000 people. More than R400 million will be spent on road and traffic infrastructure in Rustenburg and Phokeng ahead of the 2010 World Cup.
Rustenburg Local Municipality received a R19-million grant from the Transport Department which will be used to help improve transport facilities in the city. The municipality, together with the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality, will in line with the North West Provincial Transport Master Plan, spend a further R400 million on major road-infrastructure projects ahead of the 2010 World Cup.
A western bypass is planned to link the N4 with the Sun City Resort and an eastern bypass will link the N4 with the Rustenburg airfield.
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Gauteng
| Capital: |
Johannesburg |
| Principal languages: |
isiZulu |
21,5% |
| Afrikaans |
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