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SOUTH AFRICA YEARBOOK 2012/13

Land and its p Land and

its people Situated at the southern tip of Africa, boasts an amazing variety of natural beauty and an abundance of wildlife, birds, Land and its p plant species and mineral wealth. In addi- tion, its population comprises a unique diversity of people and cultures. The southern tip of Africa is also where archaeologists discovered 2,5-million-year- old fossils of man’s earliest ancestors, as well as 100 000-year-old remains of modern man. The land Stretching latitudinally from 22°S to 35°S and longitudinally from 17°E to 33°E, South Africa’s surface area covers 1 219 602 km2. According to Census 2011, the shift of the national boundary over the in the north-east corner of KwaZulu-Natal to cater for the Isimangaliso Wetland Park led to the increase in South Africa’s land area. Physical features range from bushveld, grasslands, forests, deserts and majestic mountain peaks, to wide unspoilt beaches and coastal wetlands. The country shares common bound- aries with , , Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Swaziland, while the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho is landlocked by South African territory in the south-east. The 3 000-km shoreline stretching from the Mozambican border in the east to the Namibian border in the west is surrounded by the Atlantic and Indian oceans, which meet at Cape Point in the continent’s south- western corner. Prince Edward and Marion islands, annexed by South Africa in 1947, lie some 1 920 km south-east of . The oceans and coastline The warm Mozambique-Agulhas Current skirts the east and south coasts as far as Cape Agulhas, while the cold Benguela Cur- rent flows northwards along the west coast as far as southern Angola. The contrast in temperature between these two currents partly accounts for significant differences in climate and vegetation, as well as differ- ences in marine life.

2 South Africa Yearbook 2012/13

Owing to the cold waters of the west coast but several artificial lakes are used mostly for being much richer in oxygen, nitrates, phos- crop irrigation. phates and plankton than those of the east The is South Africa’s largest coast, the South African fishing industry is river. Rising in the Drakensberg Mountains, it centred on the west coast. traverses through the Lesotho Highlands and The 3 000-km coastline is an even, closed joins the Caledon River between the Eastern one with few bays or indentations naturally Cape and the . Before it empties suitable for harbours. into the Atlantic Ocean, it forms the border with Saldanha Bay on the west coast is the only Namibia. ideal natural harbour, but the area lacks fresh Other major rivers include the Vaal, Breede, water and does not offer natural lines of pen- Komati, Lepelle (previously Olifants), Tugela, etration to the interior. Umzimvubu, and Molopo rivers. Rivers and lakes Relief features None of the country’s rivers are commercially South Africa’s surface area falls into two major navigable and most river mouths are unsuit- physiographic categories: the interior plateau able as harbours because large sandbanks and the land between the plateau and the block entry for most of the year. coast. Forming the boundary between these South Africa has no significant natural lakes, two areas is the Great Escarpment, the most

Rainfall (mm) for the season July 2011 to April 2012 (Based on preliminary data. The number of stations used may vary depending on data availability)

3 Land and its people

prominent and continuous relief feature of the Climate country. Its height above sea level varies from A subtropical location, moderated by ocean about 1 500 m in the dolerite-capped Rog- on three sides of the country and the altitude geveld scarp in the south-west, to 3 482 m in of the interior plateau, account for the warm the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg. temperate conditions. Inland from the escarpment lies the interior Famous for its sunshine, South Africa is a plateau, which is the southern continuation of relatively dry country, with an average annual the great African plateau stretching north to the rainfall of about 464 mm, compared to a world Sahara Desert. The plateau is characterised by average of about 860 mm. While the Western wide plains with an average height of 1 200 m Cape gets most of its rainfall in winter, the rest above sea level. The dissected Lesotho plat- of the country is generally a summer-rainfall eau, which is more than 3 000 m above sea region. level, is the most prominent. At the same time, temperatures in South Between the Great Escarpment and the Africa tend to be lower than in other countries coast lies an area which varies in width from at similar latitudes – such as – owing 80 km to 240 km in the east and south, and mainly to greater elevation above sea level. 60 km to 80 km in the west. At least three major On the interior plateau the altitude – Johan- subdivisions are recognised – the eastern plat- nesburg lies at 1 694 m – keeps the average eau slopes, the Cape folded belt and adjacent summer temperatures below 30°C. In winter, regions, and the western plateau slopes. for the same reason, night-time temperatures can drop to freezing point or lower in some places. South Africa’s coastal regions are therefore Average temperatures (°C) in South Africa relatively warm in winter. There is, however, a striking contrast between temperatures on the City Summer Winter country’s east and west coasts, owing respect- Max Min Max Min ively to the warm Agulhas Current and cold 31 15 17 -2 Benguela Current that sweep the coastlines. Cape Town 26 16 18 7 28 21 23 11 The people East London 26 18 21 10 It is Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu who George 25 15 19 7 coined the well-known phrase “the Rainbow 26 15 17 4 Nation” to describe the melting pot of people Kimberley 33 18 19 3 and cultures living together in South Africa. 27 16 21 4 South Africa is a nation of diversity, with Musina 34 21 25 7 more than 50 million people and a wide variety

Nelspruit 29 19 23 6 Languages according to mother tongue 28 18 23 3

Polokwane 28 17 20 4 Language Percentage Language Percentage

Port Elizabeth 25 18 20 9 isiZulu 22,7% isiNdebele 2,1% 29 18 20 5 isiXhosa 16% siSwati 2,5% Richards Bay 29 21 23 12 13,5% Tshivenda 2,4% Skukuza 33 21 26 6 Sesotho sa 9,1% Xitsonga 4,4% Leboa Thohoyandou 31 20 24 10 English 9,6% Sesotho 7,6% 36 20 21 4 Setswana 8% Sign 0,5% Language

Source: South African Weather Service Source: Statistics South Africa (Census 2011)

4 South Africa Yearbook 2012/13

of cultures, languages and religious beliefs. the Win-Gallup International Religiosity and Black South Africans are in the majority, Atheism Index, which measures global self- making up 79,2% of the population, while white perceptions on belief, religious South Africans and coloured people each make up about 9%, dropped from 83% of the population in 2005 to and the Indian/Asian population 2,5%. 64% in 2012. According to the survey, 28% of South Af- Languages ricans do not consider themselves religious English is the mother tongue of only 9,6% of and 4% said they were atheists. the population, but it is the language most widely understood, and the second language The provinces of the majority of South Africans. English is South Africa is divided into nine provinces, each also most widely used for official and commer- with its own legislature, and executive cial communication. councils. They are the , Eastern Owing to South Africa’s cultural diversity, Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, , Free the country has 11 official languages. They State, North West, , and are Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, Limpopo. isiZulu, Sesotho sa Leboa, Sepedi, Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenda and Xitsonga. According to Census 2011, isiZulu is the The Eastern Cape, at 169 966 km2, is roughly most common home language, spoken by the size of Uruguay. It is South Africa’s second- nearly a quarter of the population. It is followed largest province after the Northern Cape, tak- by isiXhosa at 17,6%, Afrikaans at 13,3%, ing up 13,9% of the total land area. Sesotho sa Leboa at 9,4%, and Setswana and The province has a population of more than English each at 8,2%. 6,8 million people, the majority of whom speak Government developed the Use of Official isiXhosa, followed by Afrikaans and English. Languages Bill in 2012, as part of promoting It is a region of great natural beauty, particu- social cohesion. Another important part of pro- larly the rugged cliffs, rough seas and dense moting social cohesion was the protection and green bush of the stretch known as the Wild promotion of indigenous knowledge systems, Coast. The region boasts remarkable natural which included promoting formal indigenous diversity, ranging from the dry, desolate Great knowledge education and assisting indigenous to the lush forests of the Wild Coast and communities to establish cooperative struc- the Keiskamma Valley; the fertile tures to organise themselves. Valley, renowned for its rich apple harvests; and the mountainous southern Drakensberg Religion region at Elliot. According to August 2012 polls released by Various floral habitats meet in the province, ranging from tropical forests in the north to the more temperate woods of the south. Eastern Cape The province is home to a number of higher Capital: education institutions, including the Nelson Principal languages: Mandela Metropolitan University, the University isiXhosa 78,8% of Fort Hare and the Walter Sisulu University of Afrikaans 10,5% English 5,6% Technology. Population: 6 562 053 It has airports in , East London, Percentage share of the total population: Mthatha and Bhisho, and boasts two major 12,67% harbours in East London and Port Elizabeth Area: 168 966 km2 respectively. Source: Statistics South Africa (Census 2011)

5 Land and its people

Agriculture, fisheries and forestry The Legacy Bridge is cur- The fertile Langkloof Valley in the south-west rently under construction at former President has enormous deciduous fruit orchards, while Nelson Mandela’s birthplace, Mvezo Village sheep farming predominates in the Karoo. in the Eastern Cape. This is likely to boost the The Alexandria-Grahamstown area pro- tourism sector locally and in the province as a duces pineapples, chicory and dairy products, whole. The bridge, which joins two , while coffee and tea are cultivated at Magwa. OR Tambo to the east and Amathole to the west, People in the former Transkei region are will cut the distance between Mvezo Village and dependent on cattle, maize and sorghum farm- its closest town, Dutywa, by at least 50 minutes. Its construction contributed to job creation and ing. An olive nursery has been developed in skills development in the local communities, such collaboration with the University of Fort Hare as steel fixing, bricklaying, paving and carpentry. to form a nucleus of olive production in the Eastern Cape. The coastal areas receive summer The IDZ now has 21 operating in- rainfall and have a moderate climate, becom- vestors, which represents R1,24 billion in pri- ing more subtropical to the north-west, which vate sector investments. To date, this has cre- makes it particularly suitable for forestry. ated 3 645 construction jobs, and 2 985 direct The basis of the province’s fishing industry jobs. Another R7,6 billion projects are being is squid, some recreational and commercial implemented. fishing for line fish, the collection of marine is committed to invest over R10 bil- resources, and access to line-catches of hake. lion in energy infrastructure over the next six years, including increasing transfer of power Industry to the Nelson Mandela Bay and Buffalo City With two harbours and four airports offering metropolitan municipalities. direct flights to the main centres and an excel- A construction project on the Wild Coast lent road and rail infrastructure, the province is estimated to create well in excess of 6 800 has been earmarked as a key area for growth direct jobs and open up the Wild Coast and key and economic development. towns such as Port St Johns for investment The Provincial Industrial Development Strat- and economic development. egy identified the sectors that can diversify the economy and create jobs. Free State A total of 110 472 work opportunities had The Free State, a province of wide horizons been created in the province by the end of and blue skies, farmland, mountains, goldfields 2011/12, which exceeded the target of 94 504 and widely dispersed towns, lies in the heart of job opportunities announced for Phase 2 of the South Africa, with Lesotho nestling in the hol- Expanded Public Works Programme. The tar- low of its bean-like shape. Between the Vaal get for 2012/13 is 116 958 work opportunities. River in the north and the Orange River in the The two industrial development zones (IDZs) south, this immense rolling prairie stretches as have delivered much-needed investment, with far as the eye can see. the East London IDZ securing private investors According to the Mid-Year Population to the amount of R4,063 billion in the auto- Estimates, 2011, there were over 2,7 million motive, aquaculture, agro-processing, renew- people in the Free State on about 129 480 km2 able energy and business process outsourcing of land. The main languages spoken are Se- sectors. sotho, Afrikaans and isiXhosa. Of the R4,063 billion, R3,3 billion is ear- In May 2011, Manguang, comprising Bloem- marked for two renewable energy projects – fontein, Botshabelo and Thaba Nchu, became the Langa Renewable Energy Project in Berlin, South Africa’s newest metropolitan authority. and the Ikhwezi Photovoltaic Project. It has an established institutional, educational

6 South Africa Yearbook 2012/13

R102,9 million in 2011 from government. Free State Known as the “bread basket” of South Africa, Capital: Bloemfontein about 90% of the province is under cultivation Principal languages: for crop production. It produces about 45% of Sesotho 64,2% the country’s sunflower crop, 34% of the total Afrikaans 12,2% isiXhosa 7,5% maize crop, 37% of wheat, 53% of sorghum, Population: 2 745 590 33% of potatoes, and almost all of its cherries Percentage share of the total population: (90%). Red meat and dairy are also important 5,3% products and game hunting is a fast-growing Area: 129 825 km2 industry. Source: Statistics South Africa (Census 2011) Mining and administrative infrastructure and with Mining is the Free State’s major employer with Bloemfontein being South Africa’s judicial capi- a gold reef of more than 400 km stretching tal, the province houses the Supreme Court across the Free State from Gauteng. South of Appeal. Important towns include Welkom, Africa’s largest gold-mining complex is Free Sasolburg, Odendaalsrus, Kroonstad, Parys, State Consolidated Goldfields, with an area of Phuthaditjhaba, Bethlehem and the charming 330 km2. village of Clarens situated in the rolling foothills The province has 12 gold mines, producing of the Maluti Mountains. 30% of South Africa’s output and making it the Some of South Africa’s most valued San fifth-largest producer of gold in the world. Gold can be found in the Free State. Other mines in the Free State also supply a substan- key tourist attractions in the province include tial portion of the total silver produced in the the Golden Gate National Park, the annual country. Uranium occurring in the gold-bearing air show in Bethlehem, the Cherry Festival in conglomerates of the goldfields is extracted as Ficksburg, and the Fauresmith International a by-product. Endurance Ride equestrian event. Bituminous coal is mined and converted to The annual Mangaung African Cultural Fest- petrochemicals at Sasolburg. ival, known as Macufe, is hosted in partnership The Free State also produces high-quality with the Tourism Authority and the Performing from its kimberlite pipes and fis- Arts Centre of the Free State. sures, and the country’s largest deposit of The Vredefort Dome, 10 km in diameter, bentonite is found in the Koppies . about 100 km south-west of Johannesburg, is South Africa’s seventh World Heritage Site. Manufacturing and industry The Free State economy has been very reli- Agriculture ant on primary sectors such as agriculture Agriculture dominates the Free State land- and mining, but it is now increasingly growing scape, with cultivated land covering 32 000 km2 its manufacturing sector, which accounts for and natural and grazing 87 000 km2 of the about 14% of the provincial gross domestic province. Field crops yield almost two thirds of product (GDP). the gross agricultural income of the province. The most important manufacturing subsec- Animal products contribute a further 30%, with tors, besides chemicals, are food and bever- the balance generated by horticulture. ages, textiles, furniture, agriprocessing, jewel- The Comprehensive Agricultural Support lery and engineering products. Programme seeks to support smallholder Some 14% of the province’s manufacturing farmers – both subsistence and commercial – is classified as being in high-technology indus- as well as the beneficiaries of land-reform pro- tries – the highest of all provincial economies. grammes. To this end, the Free State received The northern Free State’s chemicals sector

7 Land and its people

is one of the most important in the southern Gauteng hemisphere. Capital: Johannesburg Petrochemicals company Sasol, based in Principal languages: the town of Sasolburg, is a world leader in isiZulu 19,79% the production of fuels, waxes, chemicals and Afrikaans 12,4% low-cost feedstock from coal. Sasol is also the Sesotho 11,5% world leader in Fischer-Tropsch technology, a English 13,27% Population: 12 272 263 catalysed chemical reaction in which carbon Percentage share of the total population: monoxide and hydrogen are converted into liq- 23,7% uid hydrocarbons, producing a synthetic petro- Area: 18 178 km2 leum substitute for use as synthetic lubrication Source: Statistics South Africa (Census 2011) oil or as synthetic fuel. The magnificent Union Buildings, which over- Gauteng look the city from where it sits on Meintjieskop, Although Gauteng is the smallest of the nine represent the official seat of the South African provinces, it is the economic centre of South Government and house the offices of the Africa and the continent. Responsible for over country’s President. The industrial area of 34,8% of the country’s and 10% of the entire Rosslyn and the townships of Soshanguve continent’s GDP, it is also Africa’s financial- and GaRankuwa are situated north of Pretoria. services capital. Cullinan, which is well known for its diamonds, Financial and business services, logistics, and Mamelodi lie to the east. To the west lies manufacturing, property, telecommunications Atteridgeville. Other important Gauteng towns and trade are some of the province’s most include Krugersdorp and Roodepoort on the important economic sectors. West Rand; and Germiston, Springs, Boks- The population of 11 million people have the burg, Benoni, Brakpan and Kempton Park on highest per-capita income level in the country. the East Rand. Vanderbijlpark and Vereenig- The province blends cultures, colours and ing in the south of the province are major first- and third-world traditions in a spirited mix, industrial centres, while Heidelberg, Nigel and flavoured by a number of foreign influences. Bronkhorstspruit, to the east, are of agricultural Most overseas visitors enter South Africa via importance. OR Tambo International Airport. The province houses some of the most Johannesburg, widely referred to as Joburg important educational and health centres in the and nicknamed Jozi, is the capital of the prov- country. The University of Pretoria is the largest ince and a city of contrasts. South of Johan- residential university in South Africa, while the nesburg lies Soweto, the most populous black University of South Africa, known as Unisa, is urban residential area in the country, with a believed to be the largest correspondence uni- population of more than a million. versity in the world. Other universities include Some 50 km north of Johannesburg lies the University of the Witwatersrand and the South Africa’s administrative capital, Pretoria. University of Johannesburg. The province also has several other tertiary learning institutions In 2012/13, the Gauteng Provincial Government such as universities of technology and further spent more than R500 million on the construc- education and training colleges. tion and maintenance of roads in the province. Gauteng is also home to leading research Through the S’hambaSonke road maintenance institutions such as the Council for Scientific project, 100 new contractors were capacitated and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Agricul- and 6 500 jobs created, benefitting cooperatives tural Research Council, the Onderstepoort and companies owned by women, youths and people with disabilities. Veterinary Institute and the Human Sciences Research Council.

8 South Africa Yearbook 2012/13

Mining and manufacturing full member of the International Association of Manufacturing includes basic iron and steel, Science Parks. Its community has become a fabricated and metal products, food, machin- regional centre of innovation and knowledge ery, electrical machinery, appliances and elec- creation, linked to the fast-moving world of trical supplies, vehicle parts and accessories, global interconnectivity, and made up of small, and chemical products. medium and micro-enterprises and multina- The major gold and mining houses tional companies, employing over 1 000 peo- all have their headquarters in Johannesburg, ple. the biggest being Anglo American and De In 2012, the Climate Innovation Centre and Beers. a Bioscience Park was established at the Inno- There are 159 mines, of which 44 are gold vation Hub to help entrepreneurs to develop mines. Together they account for a quarter of and commercialise green technologies that will South Africa’s total mineral production with help disadvantaged communities. gold-mining constituting 80% of Gauteng’s output. Industry and agriculture Although gold-mining and ancillary industries A large area of Gauteng falls within the so- provide thousands of jobs, the importance of called “Maize Triangle”. The province is an mining is declining compared to the manufac- integrated industrial complex with major areas turing and financial sectors. Mining produces of economic activity in three subregional areas, only 6% of Gauteng’s total income and 31% of namely the Vaal Triangle; the East, West and export earnings. Central Rand; and Pretoria. Johannesburg houses the Johannesburg Stock Exchange Technology Limited, the largest securities exchange in More than 60% of South Africa’s research and Africa. development takes place in Gauteng. The CSIR is one of South Africa’s leading KwaZulu-Natal science and technology research, develop- KwaZulu-Natal, or “KZN” as it is widely known, ment and implementation centres. Located in is one of the country’s most popular holiday Pretoria, the CSIR’s research and develop- destinations. It includes South Africa’s lush ment areas include biosciences; built envir- subtropical east coast – washed by the warm onment; information and communication; Indian Ocean, stretching from Port Edward in materials science and manufacturing; natural the south to Mozambique in the north. resources and the environment; mineral The province also boasts sweeping grass- resources; space technology; nanotechnology lands in the east and the majestic Drakensberg and synthetic biology. mountain range in the west. The Innovation Hub in Pretoria is Africa’s first The summer-rainfall coastal regions are hot internationally accredited science park and a and humid, with a subtropical climate. The Midlands area is drier, with extremely cold KwaZulu-Natal conditions in winter and snow on the high- Capital: Pietermaritzburg Principal languages: lying ground. In the north, the subtropical strip isiZulu 77,8% extends around Swaziland to the edge of the English 13,1% escarpment. Afrikaans 1,5% The province has a population of more than Population: 10 267 300 10 million people living on 92 100 km2 of land. Percentage share of the total population: isiZulu is spoken by the majority of the people, 19,8% followed by English. 2 Area: 94 361 km Visitors can enter the province through the Source: Statistics South Africa (Census 2011) King Shaka International Airport at La Mercy,

9 Land and its people

In August 2012, President Jacob Zuma unveiled cane plantations along the Indian Ocean a statue of former President Nelson Mandela in coastal belt form the mainstay of the region’s Howick at the site where he was arrested in 1962. economy and agriculture. Howick is famous for its beautiful scenery and its The coastal belt is also a large producer of close proximity to the magnificent Howick Falls, subtropical fruit and sugar, while the farmers in a major landmark and popular tourist attraction. the hinterland concentrate on vegetables, dairy and stock farming. north of Durban or use the extensive national Another major source of income is forestry in road network. There are also two major har- the areas around Vryheid, Eshowe, Richmond, bours – the port of Durban, which is one the Harding and Ngome, which is also known for busiest in Africa, and Richards Bay, which is an its tea plantations. important coal-export harbour. The province boasts several nature reserves Limpopo including the Royal Natal National Park, Giant’s South Africa’s northernmost province shares Castle and the Kamberg Nature Reserve. borders with Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Bo- It also has several tertiary institutions of tswana, making it the ideal gateway to Africa. learning, including the University of KwaZulu- Named after the Limpopo River that flows Natal and the Durban Institute of Technology. along its northern border, the province is rich KwaZulu-Natal is the only province with a in wildlife, natural beauty and historical and monarchy specifically provided for in the Con- cultural treasures. stitution. The province is linked to the Maputo Develop­ment Corridor through the Phalaborwa Industry and agriculture Spatial Development Initiative, which is a net- KwaZulu-Natal has a diverse industrial sector, work of rail and road corridors connected to the with major industries having developed around major seaports, opening up Limpopo for trade the port of Durban, as well as agricultural and and investment. This is complemented by the forestry industries. presence of smaller airports in centres such Major industries in the province are agri- as Phalaborwa and Musina, as well as the culture, forestry, aluminium, petro-chemicals, Gateway International Airport in Polokwane, automotive manufacturing, steel production, the , which lies strategically in the plastics and packaging, paper and board centre of the province. manufacturing, and a range of industries asso- The Great North Road, running through ciated with imports and exports though the two the centre of the province, strings together major ports of Durban and Richards Bay. a series of towns such as Bela-Bela, with its Richards Bay is the centre of operations popular mineral spa; Modimolle, with its beau- for South Africa’s aluminium industry. The tiful Waterberg mountain range; Mokopane; Richards Bay Coal Terminal is instrumental in securing the country’s position as the world’s Limpopo second-largest exporter of steam coal. Capital: Polokwane Richards Bay Minerals is the largest sand- Principal languages: mining and mineral-processing operation in the Sesotho sa Leboa 52,9% world. Tshivenda 16,7% A 50-year master plan is being developed Xitsonga 16,9% by the Richards Bay IDZ aimed at attracting Population: 5 404 868 Percentage share of the total population: billions from investment and at positioning the 10,4% IDZ to take advantage of business opportun- Area: 125 754 km2 ities emanating from government’s new Source: Statistics South Africa (Census 2011) special economic zone strategy. The sugar-

10 South Africa Yearbook 2012/13

The provincial “Ku Luma Vukanyi” (Tasting of the Agriculture First Fruit) Ceremony is celebrated in Limpopo Limpopo produces a wide range of agricultural in February each year to mark the start of the products. The area is a potato belt and is known marula season. Marula trees grow abundantly in for its superior quality potatoes for high-end the northern and northeastern parts of Limpopo. markets. It also produces 75% of the country’s It is not only a source of nutrition, but is also used mangoes; 65% of its papayas; 36% of its tea; for a variety of other products such as traditional 25% of its citrus, bananas and litchis; 60% of medicine, haircare products, beer, jam and soap. its avocados and two thirds of its tomatoes. Between January and March each year, hun- Other products include coffee, nuts, guavas, dreds of unemployed women from rural Limpopo sisal, cotton, tobacco, cotton, sunflower, make marula beer which they sell to locals, as well as in Johannesburg and other parts of Gaut- maize, wheat and grapes. In addition, more eng. The money they earn help them to support than 170 plantations produce timber. their families. Most of the higher-lying areas are devoted to cattle and game ranching, earning a reputation for quality biltong (salted, dried meat), which is Polokwane; Makhado, at the foot of the Sout- a popular South African delicacy. pansberg mountain range; and Musina, which is well-known for its majestic baobab trees. Industry and mining The crossing into Zimbabwe is at Beit Bridge. Limpopo also has abundant mineral resources, Phalaborwa and Thabazimbi are Limpopo’s making mining the critical sector of the prov- major mining centres, while the town of ince’s economy by contributing 22% of the Tzaneen in the picturesque Magoebaskloof is gross geographic product. Metals include plat- known for its tea plantations, forestry products inum, chromium, nickel, cobalt, vanadium, tin, and tropical fruits. limestone and uranium clay. Census 2011 statistics indicate that the Other reserves include antinomy, phos- province’s 5,5 million people live on about phates, fluorspar, gold, diamonds, copper, 123 910 km2 of land. The majority speak emeralds, scheelites, magnetite, vermiculite, Sesotho sa Leboa, followed by Tshivenda and silicon, mica, black granite, corundum, feldspar Xitsonga. and salt. The province is in the Savanna Biome, an The Medupi power station, a new dry-cooled, area of mixed grassland and trees, generally coal-fired power station, is under construction known as bushveld. Natural resources include near Lephalale. It is expected to create around more than 50 provincial nature reserves and 40 000 job opportunities. several private game reserves. The largest section of the Kruger National Park is along Mpumalanga Limpopo’s eastern boundary, which borders on Spectacular scenic beauty and an abundance Mozambique. of wildlife, make the province one of South Several museums and national monuments Africa’s major tourist destinations. bear testimony to the ancient people and fear- Mpumalanga, which means “Place Where less pioneers who braved the unknown. the Sun Rises”, is home to just more than Living museums include the Bakone Malapa 3,6 million people, according to the Mid-Year Museum near Polokwane and the Tsonga Population Estimates 2011 Report, with the Open-Air Museum near Tzaneen. Mapun- principle languages being Siswati en isiZulu gubwe (“Place of the Jackal”) Hill, some 75 km With a surface area of only 79 490 km2, it from Musina, is a world heritage site. It served is the second-smallest province after Gauteng, as a natural fortress for its inhabitants from yet has the fourth-largest economy in South about 950AD to 1200AD. Africa.

11 Land and its people

Bordered by Mozambique and Swaziland in An abundance of citrus fruit and many other the east, and Gauteng in the west, it is situated subtropical fruit – mangoes, avocados, litchis, mainly on the high plateau grasslands of the bananas, papayas, granadillas, guavas – as Middleveld. In the north-east, it rises towards well as nuts and a variety of vegetables are mountain peaks terminating in an immense produced here. escarpment. In some places, this escarpment Mbombela is the second-largest citrus-pro- plunges hundreds of metres down to the low- ducing area in South Africa and is responsible lying area known as the Lowveld. for one third of the country’s orange exports. The province has a network of excellent The Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Crops roads and railway connections, making it highly is situated in the city. accessible. Owing to its popularity as a tourist Groblersdal is an important irrigation area, destination, Mpumalanga is also served by a which yields a wide variety of products such as number of small airports, including the Kruger citrus, cotton, tobacco, wheat and vegetables. Mpumalanga International Airport. Carolina-Bethal-Ermelo is mainly a sheep- Mbombela (previously Nelspruit) is the cap- farming area, but potatoes, sunflowers, maize ital of the province and the administrative and and peanuts are also grown there. business centre of the Lowveld area. Other important towns are eMalahleni (previously Industry and manufacturing Witbank), Standerton, , Malelane, Most of the manufacturing production in Mpu- Ermelo, Barberton and Sabie, which lies in the malanga occurs in the southern centre of one of the largest man-made forests region; especially in Highveld Ridge, where in the world. Mpumalanga lies mainly within large petrochemical plants such as Sasol 2 the Grassland Biome. The escarpment and the and Sasol 3 are located. Lowveld form a transitional zone between this Large-scale manufacturing occurs especially grassland area and the Savanna Biome. in the northern Highveld area, particularly The Maputo Corridor, which links the prov- chrome-alloy and steel manufacturing. ince with Gauteng, and Maputo in Mozam- In the Lowveld subregion, industries con- bique, facilitates economic develop­ment and centrate on manufacturing products from agri- growth for the region. cultural and raw forestry material. The growth in demand for goods and services for export Agriculture and forestry via Maputo will stimulate manufacturing in the Mpumalanga is a summer-rainfall area divided province. by the escarpment into the Highveld region Mpumalanga is rich in coal reserves with with cold frosty winters and the Lowveld region eMalahleni the biggest coal producer in Africa. with mild winters and a subtropical climate. South Africa’s major power stations are situ- The escarpment area sometimes experiences snow on the high ground. Thick mist is com- Mpumalanga mon during the hot, humid summers. Agriculture, as the backbone of the prov- Capital: Nelspruit Principal languages: ince’s economy, employs 8,1% of its total siSwati 27,67% workforce, compared to the national average of isiZulu 24,1% 4,7%. Although the agricultural sector’s contri- isiNdebele 10% bution to the province’s GDP has declined from Population: 4 039 939 4,2% in 1996 to 3,5% in 2010, the comparative Percentage share of the total population: advantage of agriculture over the same indus- 7,8% try in the national economy remains, providing Area: 76 495 km2 the province with expansion opportunities Source: Statistics South Africa (Census 2011) within the sector.

12 South Africa Yearbook 2012/13

ated in this province. Kendal power station’s With two major airports at Kimberley and cooling towers are currently the largest struc- Upington, and an excellent road network, the tures of their type in the world. When Kusile province’s interior is easily accessible from power station near Delmas is completed in South Africa’s major cities, harbours and 2016, it will be the country’s biggest, contribut- airports. Sutherland hosts the southern hemi- ing a massive 4 800 megawatts of electricity to sphere’s largest astronomical observatory, the national grid. the multinational-sponsored Southern African One of the country’s largest paper mills Large Telescope. is situated at Ngodwana, close to its timber In May 2012, the Northern Cape was chosen source. Middelburg, which produces steel and as one of two sites to host the Square Kilo- vanadium, is home to Columbus Stainless, metre Array radio-telescope (better known as South Africa’s only producer of stainless steel the SKA Project). Developed by scientists from flat products. 17 countries, it will be the largest and most advanced radio telescope in the world. Among Northern Cape many other benefits, the province’s tourism The Northern Cape is South Africa’s largest and hospitality industry is benefiting from the province, taking up almost a third of the coun- project, as scientists and other interested par- try’s total land area. However, the province is ties, are flooding into the town of Carnarvon. sparsely populated with only 1,1 million people The province has several national parks and on 361 830 km2 of land. conservation areas, including the Kgalagadi Afrikaans is spoken by about 68% of the Transfrontier Park, Ai-Ais/ Trans- people, while Setswana, isiXhosa and English frontier Conservation Park and Augrabies Falls are also widely spoken. National Park. The last remaining true San (Bushman) The largest part of the province lies in the people live in the Kalahari area, mainly along dry Nama-Karoo Biome, which contains a the Orange and Vaal rivers. Many fossils and number of fascinating plants, including the San rock engravings have been found here, elephant’s trunk (“halfmens” or half-man) tree, some of which are displayed at the McGregor aloe (“kokerboom” or quiver tree) and a variety Museum in Kimberley. of succulents. The area is well known for its The province lies to the south of its most spectacular annual explosion of spring flowers, important asset, the mighty Orange River, which attract thousands of tourists. which provides the basis for a healthy agricul- tural industry. The Northern Cape borders the Agriculture and industry Atlantic Ocean in the west with Namibia and The economy of the province’s Karoo region Botswana to the north-west and north, respect- depends on sheep farming, while the karakul- ively. It is fringed by the Swartberg mountain pelt industry is one of the most important in the range on its southern border. Gordonia district. The province has fertile agricultural land, Northern Cape especially in the Orange River Valley, where Capital: Kimberley at Upington, and a variety Principal languages: Afrikaans 53,75% of fruit is cultivated. The Vaalharts Irrigation Setswana 33,08% Scheme near Warrenton facilitates the produc- Population: 1 145 861 tion of wheat, fruit, peanuts, maize and cotton. (Mid-Year Population Estimates, 2011) Wine is also produced in the Northern Cape’s Percentage share of the total population: Orange River wine region, which accounts for 2,2% 25,6% of South Africa’s Colombard vines and Area: 372 889 km2 10% of Chenin Blanc. The 2010/11 production Source: Statistics South Africa (Census 2011) season will be remembered for the floods in

13 Land and its people

the middle and especially the lower parts of North West the Orange River. A second spell of flooding occurred in early February 2011, which caused Capital: Mahikeng large-scale damage to crops and agricultural Principal languages: infrastructure. Setswana 63,38% In 2012, work was underway to add 40 000 Afrikaans 8,96%% isiXhosa 5,51% tons of grapes to meet the shortage in the pro- Population: 3 509 953 duction of grapes for wine, juice and raisins. Percentage share of the total population: To this end, the Northern Cape Vineyard 6,8% Development Scheme was formed with the Area: 140 882 km2 Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Source: Statistics South Africa (Census 2011) Rural Development, the National Agricultural Marketing Council, the Land Bank, Distell, east, and the Free State to the south. It is Winetech and Oranjerivier Wynkelders, better known as the “Platinum Province”, owing to its known as OWK. wealth of this precious metal. The Niewoudtville Rooibos Tea process- The province has a population of 3,2 million ing initiative is centred on development and people who mainly speak Setswana. economic empowerment of the smallholder Mafikeng is the capital city and well known farmers. It is aimed at unlocking economic for the Mafikeng Siege, which took place in potential, creating sustainable jobs and October 1899 during the Anglo-Boer/South increasing the skills base. The installation of African War. the pasteurisation equipment has been com- Most of the province’s economic activity is pleted and tea has been exported to countries concentrated between Potchefstroom and such as Germany, Spain and Japan. Klerksdorp, as well as in Rustenburg and the eastern region, where more than 83,3% of the Mining province’s economic activity takes place. Mining contributes 27,6% to the gross regional The province boasts a variety of tourist domestic product. Iron-ore mining in the attractions including Sun City, the Pilanesberg north-eastern corner of the province has been National Park, the Madikwe Game Reserve, expanding despite the global recession, driven and the De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Trust. A largely by a demand for steel from China. portion of one of South Africa’s seven Unesco Sishen is the biggest iron-ore mine in the coun- world heritage sites also fall within the borders try and its owner, Kumba Iron Ore, is engaging of North West namely the Taung hominid fossil in a new project at Kolomela (previously known site, which has been incorporated into South as South Sishen). New manganese projects Africa’s Cradle of Humankind. are also underway. Diamond mining, in contrast, has seen de- Mining and manufacturing clining volumes and jobs losses. Diamond min- Mining contributes 23,3% to the North West’s ing is increasingly moving away from the older economy, and makes up 22,5% of the South mines to alluvial mining along the Orange River African mining industry. The Rustenburg and its tributaries and in the Atlantic Ocean. and Brits districts produce 94% of the coun- The province also has copper, asbestos, try’s platinum, which is more than any other fluorspar, semi-precious stones and marble. single area in the world. In addition to granite, marble, fluorspar and diamonds, the province North West also produces a quarter of South Africa’s gold. South Africa’s North West province is bordered Employment along the Platinum Corridor, from by Botswana in the north and is fringed by the Pretoria to eastern Botswana, accounts for in the west, Gauteng to the over a third of the province’s total employment.

14 South Africa Yearbook 2012/13

North West’s manufacturing sector is centred in the municipalities of Brits, Rustenburg, Western Cape Potchefstroom, Klerksdorp and Mafikeng, Capital: Cape Town which account for more than 50% of the prov- Principal languages: ince’s total manufacturing production. Afrikaans 49,6% The industries in Brits concentrate on manu- isiXhosa 24,7% facturing and construction, while those in English 20,2% Klerksdorp are geared towards the mining Population: 5 822 734 industry. In the manufacturing arena, auto Percentage share of the total population: 11,2% motive parts, machinery, electronic, audio, and 2 Area: 129 462 km medical equipment are manufactured using Source: Statistics South Africa (Census 2011) local materials and resources.

Agriculture majority, with isiXhosa and English being the Some of the largest cattle herds in the world other main languages. Census 2011 statstics are found at Stellaland near , which also indicate that the Western Cape has the explains why this area is often referred to as lowest rate of . the Texas of South Africa. Marico is also cattle The province has a strong network of country. higher education institutions including the North West is South Africa’s major producer universities of Cape Town, Stellenbosch and of white maize. The areas around Rustenburg the Western Cape, and has the highest adult and Brits are fertile, mixed-crops farming land, education level in the country. with maize and sunflowers being the most The cold Atlantic Ocean along the West important crops. Coast is a rich fishing area, while the warmer Indian Ocean skirts the province’s southern Western Cape beaches. Situated on the south-western tip of the Cape Town, often referred to as the “Mother African continent, the Western Cape with City”, houses Parliament and is South Africa’s its wide beaches and breathtaking scenery, legislative capital. complemented by a rich variety of cultures, Visitors to the province can disembark at historical landmarks, world-class restaurants one of the province’s two main airports, Cape and entertainment, is a world-famous tourist Town International or George Airport or at destination. the seaports of Cape Town, and Table Mountain, the Cape winelands, Rob- Saldanha. ben Island and the Kirstenbsch Botanical Gar- dens are among the province’s most popular Agriculture and fisheries tourist attractions. The Western Cape’s sheltered valleys be- The Western Cape is also known for its flo- tween mountains are ideal for the cultivation of ral diversity. The Cape Floristic Region World export-grade fruit such as apples, table grapes, Heritage Site, comprising eight separate pro- olives, peaches and oranges. tected areas, covers an area of more than A variety of vegetables is cultivated in the 553 000 ha stretching from the eastern part of the Western Cape, while the to the Eastern Cape. Swartland and Overberg districts are well- The Knysna-Tsitsikamma region has the known as the country’s prime wheat-growing country’s biggest indigenous forests. areas. According to Census 2011, about 5,8 mil- The agricultural sector is critical for the lion people live in the Western Cape on Western Cape economy, accounting for 60% 129 370 km2 of land. Afrikaans is spoken by the of regional exports.

15 Land and its people

South Africa’s 300-year-old wine industry is another six travelled to Holland for business based in the south of the province. The region and 22 wine businesses, six of which were produces 3,1% of the world’s wine and ranks BEE, participated in the Yantai International as number nine in overall volume production, Wine Show in China. with 100 200 ha under vines for wine produc- tion. Industry Some 75% of all South African fishing take The Western Cape economy contributes place along the Western Cape coastline. The roughly 14,5% to South Africa’s GDP, growing rich fishing grounds on the west coast are at an average of 3,2% a year. Sectors such protected from exploitation by a 200 km com- as finance, real estate, information and com- mercial fishing zone and a strict quota system. munication technology, retail and tourism have Snoek, Cape lobster, abalone, calamari, shown substantial growth, and are the main octopus, oysters and mussels are among the contributors to the regional economy. delicacies produced in these waters. Cape Town remains the economic hub of the Key exports are also fruit, wine, and province, encompassing industrial areas such ostrich. The high quality of exports, combined as Epping, Montague Gardens, Parow and with the relative weakness of the local cur- Retreat. rency, makes the products some of the most Many of South Africa’s major insurance affordable high-quality exports in the world. companies and banks, as well as petroleum Hortgro, the fruit industry body, in partner- companies and the largest segment of the ship with the Western Cape Department of printing and publishing industry are based in Agriculture, is establishing 600 ha of fruit trees the Western Cape. for various empowerment projects, creating After Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, the West- 570 permanent and 545 temporary job oppor- ern Cape’s manufacturing sector is the third- tunities. largest contributor to the national manufactur- In 2012, the department allocated R11 mil- ing sector. The clothing and textile industry lion towards food security projects. Six Black remains the most significant industrial source Economic Empowerment (BEE) wine firms of employment in the province. exhibited their wines in Nigeria in 2012;

16 South Africa Yearbook 2012/13

Acknowledgements Original text by Theuns and Heila van Rensburg Beeld Provincial Economies (May 2003), published by the Department of Trade and Industry Community Survey 2007, published by Statistics South Africa Mid-Year Population Estimates, 2012, published by Statistics South Africa SAPA South African Weather Service http://cms.privatelabel.co.za www.news24.co.za www.capegateway.gov.za www.northerncapebusiness.co.za www.cesa.org.za www.pansalb.org.za www.clarens.co.za www.places.co.za www.cr/commission.org.za www.sacc.org.za www.engineeringnews.co.za www.sagoodnews.co.za www.freestatebusiness.co.za www.sanews.gov.za www.gauteng.net www.sa-venues.com www.gautengonline.gov.za www.southafrica.info www.gdace.gpg.gov.za www.southafrica.net www.geda.co.za www.theinnovationhub.com www.gov.za www.thenewage.co.za www.inw.org.za www.tourismnorthwest.co.za www.iol.co.za/mercury www.tradeinvestsa.co.za www.joburg.org.za www.un.org www.kzntransport.gov.za www.weathersa.co.za www.mpumalangacompanies.co.za www.yeboweb.co.za www.mpumalangainfotourism.info www.zulu.org.za

Suggested reading Biko, S. 2012. I Write What I Like: A Selection of His Writings. Johannesburg: Picador Africa. Chidester, D. 2012. Wild Religion: Tracking the Sacred in South Africa. Berkeley: University of California Press. De Jongh, M. 2012. Roots & Routes: The Karretjie People of the Great Karoo. Pretoria: Unisa Press. Dickow, H. 2012. Religion & Attitudes Towards Life in South Africa: Pentecosts, Charismatics and Reborns. Nomos Publishers. Johnson, D. 2012. Imagining the : History, Literature, and the South African Nation. Claremont: UCT Press. Gumede, WM. 2012. Making Sense of Troubled Times. Cape Town: Tafelberg. Kuljian, C. 2013. Sanctuary. Auckland Park: Jacana Media. Mahoney, MR. 2012. The Other Zulus: The Spread of Zulu Ethnicity in Colonial South Africa. Durham: Duke University Press. Molema, SM. 2012. Lover of His People: A Biography of . Johannesburg: Wits Uni- versity Press. Moletsane, R, Mitchell, C & Smith, A. 2012. Was it Something I Wore? Dress, Identity, Material- ity. Cape Town: HSRC Press. Naidoo, M. [2012]. Between the Ideal and the Real: Ministerial Formation in South African Churches. Pretoria: Unisa Press. Ngcobo, LG. 2012. Prodigal Daughters: Stories of South African Women in Exile. Scottsville: University of KwaZulu-Natal Press.

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