> The Provinces
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The Provinces

Introduction

In terms of the Constitution of South Africa , 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 Limopo .

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Western Cape

* GGP (Gross Geographical Product) = GDP of a region
** GDP (Gross Domestic Product)

The Western Cape is situated on the southwestern tip of the African continent. It is a region of majestic mountains, well-watered valleys, wide, sandy beaches and breathtaking scenery.

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 or at the Port of Cape Town in the shadow of Table Mountain . A network of roads also leads to Cape Town , the capital, also known as the Mother City .

Other important towns in the province include Vredenburg - Saldanha , an important harbour for iron exports and the fishing industry; Worcester and Stellenbosch in the heart of the winelands; George , renowned for 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 six accepted floral kingdoms of the world. Although the smallest of them all, the Western Cape floral kingdom, locally called fynbos, contains more plant species than the whole of Europe . These include the famous proteas and heathers.

The Knysna - Tsitsikamma region has the country's biggest indigenous forests. This is 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.

The tourism sector is perceived as the most important growth force in the Western Cape .

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Eastern Cape

* GGP (Gross Geographical Product) = GDP of a region
** GDP (Gross Domestic Product)

The Eastern Cape , a land of undulating hills, endless, sweeping sandy beaches, majestic mountain ranges and emerald green forests, is in surface area the second largest of the nine provinces.

The region boasts a 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 main feature of the Eastern Cape is its astonishing coastline lapped by the Indian Ocean . With its long stretches of undisturbed sandy beaches, rocky coves, secluded lagoons and towering cliffs, the coastline provides the province with a rich natural tourist attraction.

The graceful curve of Algoa Bay provides an ideal setting for the Port of Port Elizabeth while there are also good harbour facilities at East London . The province is serviced by three airports situated in Port Elizabeth , East London and Umtata .

The architecture of many of the cities and towns reflects the rich heritage of the people. The capital is Bisho . Other important towns in the province include 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 mangroves 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 Karoo .

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KwaZulu-Natal

* GGP (Gross Geographical Product) = GDP of a region
** GDP (Gross Domestic Product)

Aptly called South Africa 's garden province, this verdant region forms the east coast of South Africa , stretching from Port Edward in the south, northwards to the Mozambique boundary. It is a province with a subtropical coastline, sweeping savanna in the east, and the magnificent Drakensberg mountain range in the west. The warm Indian Ocean washing its beaches makes it one of the country's most popular holiday destinations.

Visitors to KwaZulu-Natal can either disembark at Durban International Airport or the Durban Harbour , or make use of the extensive national road network.

Durban is one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the world. Its port is the busiest in South Africa and is one of the 10 largest in the world.

KwaZulu-Natal is the only province with a monarchy specifically provided for in its Constitution .

Pietermaritzburg and Ulundi are joint capitals of the province.

Other important towns include Richards Bay , an important coal-export harbour, and many 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.

Some of South Africa 's best-protected indigenous coastal forests are found along the ubtropical 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 Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park was declared a World Heritage Site.

Separating KwaZulu-Natal from the mountain Kingdom of 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, protected in several game parks.

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Northern Cape

* GGP (Gross Geographical Product) = GDP of a region
** GDP (Gross Domestic Product)

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 Upington . The Northern Cape is serviced by 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 missionary Moffat; De Aar , hub of the South African railway network; Sutherland, the coldest town in the country; and the sheep-farming towns of Carnarvon, Colesberg, Kenhardt and Prieska.

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 which, for a short period every year, attracts thousands of tourists.

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 and has a surface area of more than two million ha.

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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Free State

* GGP (Gross Geographical Product) = GDP of a region
** GDP (Gross Domestic Product)

The Free State lies in the heart of South Africa , with the Kingdom of 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 province has a well-known university and many other training institutions.

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.

The national road, which is the artery between Gauteng and the Western and Eastern Cape , passes through the middle of the Free State .

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North West

* GGP (Gross Geographical Product) = GDP of a region
** GDP (Gross Domestic Product)

North West is centrally located in the sub- continent with direct road and rail links to all of the southern African countries, and its own airport. The province borders on Botswana and is fringed by the Kalahari desert in the west and the Witwatersrand area in the east.

The province is divided into five regions, namely 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 GGP of the province is produced.

The Klerksdorp and Rustenburg Regions together produce about 67% of the province's GGP while covering 33% of the surface area. Forty-eight per cent of the province's population reside here.

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Gauteng

* GGP (Gross Geographical Product) = GDP of a region
** GDP (Gross Domestic Product)

Although the smallest of the nine provinces, Gauteng (Sotho word for the place of gold) is the powerhouse of South Africa and the heart of its commercial business and industrial sectors.

In 2001, the largest contribution to South Africa 's economy was made by Gauteng , at 33,9% ( Census 2001 ).

Gauteng was also recorded as having the highest unemployment rate (19,9%).

The three most important sectors contributing to GGP are financial and business services, logistics and communications, and mining.

The growth and development plans for the province are underpinned by the Blue IQ projects.

These consist of 11 different mega projects in economic infrastructure development, in the areas of technology, tourism, transport and high-value-added manufacturing.

The aim is to attract some R100 billion in direct investment over the next 10 years. In excess of R2 billion has already been allocated by the G auteng Provincial Government to facilitate these investment projects.

Gauteng 's main cities are Johannesburg , the largest city in southern Africa , and Pretoria , the administrative capital of the country.

The province blends cultures and colours and first- and third-world traditions into a spirited mix that is flavoured by many foreign influences.

Gauteng 's primary attraction is business opportunity, but there is more to this province. There is a wealth of culture to be found in the museums, galleries, art routes and historical battlefields.

Most overseas visitors enter South Africa via Johannesburg International Airport .

Johannesburg , nicknamed Egoli (place of gold), is the capital of the province and is a city of contrasts. Mine-dumps and headgear stand proud 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 calls 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 . Soweto is estimated to be inhabited by over two million people, their homes ranging from extravagant mansions to make-shift 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, the Chris Hani-Baragwanath Hospital .

Some 50 km north of Johannesburg lies Pretoria .

As administrative capital of South Africa , the city 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 some 50 000 jacarandas envelop the avenues in mauve. The city developed at a more sedate pace than Johannesburg , and 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. Many buildings of historical and architectural importance have been retained or restored to their former splendour.

North of Pretoria is the industrial area of Rosslyn and the township of Soshanguve . To the east is Cullinan , known for its diamonds.

Other important Gauteng towns include Krugersdorp and Roodepoort on the West Rand , and Germiston, Springs, Boksburg, Benoni, Brakpan and Kempton Park on the East Rand . The hominid sites at Swartkrans , Sterkfontein and Kromdraai (also known as the Cradle of Humankind ) are a World Heritage Site.

Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging in the south of the province are major industrial centres, while Heidelberg , Nigel and Bronkhorstspruit to the east are important agricultural areas.

Although the province is highly urbanised and industrialised, it contains wetlands of international importance, such as Blesbokspruit near Springs.

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Mpumalanga

* GGP (Gross Geographical Product) = GDP of a region
** GDP (Gross Domestic Product)

Mpumalanga means 'place where the sun rises'. It is bordered by Mozambique and Swaziland in the east, and Gauteng in the west. It is situated mainly on the high plateau grasslands of the Middleveld, which roll eastwards for hundreds of kilometres. In the northeast, it rises towards mountain peaks and then terminates in an immense escarpment. In some places, this escarpment plunges hundreds of metres down to the low-lying area known as the Lowveld .

The area has a network of excellent roads and railway connections, making it highly accessible. Because of its popularity as a tourist destination, Mpumalanga is also served by a number of small airports.

The Cabinet approved the designation of Kruger Mpumalanga Airport as an international airport in April 2003. This entailed the transfer of the status of Nelspruit International Airport to the Kruger Mpumalanga Airport , with the former downgraded to 'national airport' status.

Nelspruit is the capital of the province and the administrative and business centre of the Lowveld. Witbank is the centre of the local coal-mining industry; Standerton , in the south, is renowned for its large dairy industry; Piet Retief in the southeast is a production area for tropical fruit and sugar, while a large sugar industry is also found at Malelane in the east; Ermelo is the district in South Africa that produces the most wool; Barberton is one of the oldest gold-mining towns in South Africa; and Sabie is situated in the forestry heartland of the country.

The Maputo Corridor , which links the province with Gauteng and Maputo in Mozambique , heralds a new era in terms of economic development and growth for the region.

As the first international toll road in Africa, the Corridor aims to attract investment, unlock local economic potential of the landlocked parts of the country and thus generate sustainable economic growth that will lead to sustainable high-quality jobs.

The best-performing sectors in the province include mining, manufacturing and services. Tourism and agroprocessing are potential growth sectors in this province.

The province falls mainly within the grassland biome. The Escarpment and the Lowveld form a transitional zone between this grassland area and the savanna biome. Long sweeps of undulating grasslands abruptly change to the thickly forested ravines and thundering waterfalls of the Escarpment, only to change again to present the subtropical wildlife splendour of the Lowveld.

Sabie and Graskop provide a large part of the country's total requirement for forestry products. These forestry plantations are an ideal backdrop for ecotourism opportunities, with a variety of popular hiking trails, a myriad waterfalls, patches of indigenous forest, and a variety of nature reserves.

Lake Chrissie is the largest natural fresh-water lake in South Africa , and is famous for its variety of aquatic birds, especially flamingos.

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Limpopo

* GGP (Gross Geographical Product) = GDP of a region
** GDP (Gross Domestic Product)

Limpopo lies within the great elbow of the Limpopo River and is a province of dramatic contrasts, from true Bushveld country to majestic mountains, primeval indigenous forests, latter-day plantations, unspoilt wilderness areas and a patchwork of farming land.

Limpopo has a strong rural basis. Its growth strategy centres on addressing infrastructure backlogs, the alleviation of poverty and social development.

Underpinning the growth and development strategies in the province are the Phalaborwa SDI and the N1 Corridor, which encompasses agroprocessing and mining-beneficiation activities.

Regional economic integration takes the form of the 'Golden Horse Shoe', which aims to create a single reserve that will arch from the Kruger National Park in the east to Botswana in the west. The culturally and historically significant Mapungubwe site will be included in this development initiative.

Limpopo is the gateway to the rest of Africa . It is favourably situated for economic co-operation with other parts of southern Africa as it shares borders with Botswana , Zimbabwe and Mozambique .

The highest average real-economic-growth rate recorded in South Africa between 1995 and 2001 was that of Limpopo , with an average growth rate of 3,8% ( Census 2001 ).

Polokwane is the capital city and lies strategically in the centre of the province.

The Great North Road through the centre of the province strings together a series of interesting towns. Bela-Bela , with its popular mineral spa, is near the southern border of the province.

Further north lies Modimolle with its table-grape industry and beautiful Waterberg range; Mokopane ; Polokwane; Makhado (until recently known as Louis Trichardt) at the foot of the Soutpansberg mountain range; and Musina , with its thick-set baobab trees.

The crossing into Zimbabwe is at Beit Bridge , where the South African section of this important route north into Africa ends.

Other important Limpopo towns include the major mining centres of Phalaborwa and Thabazimbi , and Tzaneen , producer of tea, forestry products and tropical fruits.

The Maputo Corridor will link the province directly with Maputo Port , creating development and trade opportunities, particularly in the south-eastern part of the province.

This province is in the savanna biome, an area of mixed grassland and trees, which is generally known as Bushveld. A trip through this summer-rainfall area soon convinces one that this is tree country.

The biggest section of the Kruger National Park is situated along the eastern boundary of Limpopo with Mozambique .

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