SA SA YEARBOOK YEARBOOK 2007/2008 2008/09 THETHE LANDLAND ANDAND ITSITS PEOPLEPEOPLE
South Africa is often called “A World in One Country” because of the contrast in its technologically advanced cities, its unspoilt natural beauty and the many cultures that make up the South African nation.
1 SA YEARBOOK 2008/09 THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE 1
The sunny weather, scenic beauty and a wide According to Census 2001, isiZulu is the mother array of fauna and flora make South Africa a desti- tongue of 23,8% of the population, followed by nation of choice for regional and international isiXhosa (17,6%), Afrikaans (13,3%), Sesotho sa tourists. Leboa (9,4%), and English and Setswana (8,2% South Africa is often called the “Cradle of Human- each). kind”, for it is where archaeologists discovered The least-spoken indigenous language in South 2,5-million-year-old fossils of our earliest ances- Africa is isiNdebele, which is spoken by 1,6% of tors, and 100 000-year-old remains of modern the population. man. Although English is the mother tongue of only 8,2% of the population, it is the language most The people widely understood, and the second language of the According to the Community Survey 2007, majority of South Africans. However, government is there are 48 502 063 people in South Africa. committed to promoting all the official languages. Of these, 79% classify themselves as African; 9,6% as white; 8,9% as coloured; and 2,5% as National Language Service (NLS) Indian/Asian. Africans are in the majority The NLS is a chief directorate in the Department (about 38 million) and constitute 79% of the total of Arts and Culture with the task of meeting the South African population. The white population is constitutional obligations on multilingualism by estimated at 9,6 million, the coloured pop ula tion managing language diversity through language at 4,2 million and the Indian/Asian population at planning, human-language technologies (HLTs) 2,6 million. and terminology projects. It also provides a trans- The South African population consists of the lation and editing service in the official languages following groups: the Nguni (comprising the Zulu, and foreign languages. Xhosa, Ndebele and Swazi people); Sotho-Tswana, As part of its strategy to strengthen and promote who include the Southern, Northern and Western social cohesion through multilingualism and also Sotho (Tswana people); Tsonga; Venda; Afrikan- to transform the South African society into an ers; English; coloureds; Indians; and those who information society, the NLS has embarked on the have immigrated to South Africa from the rest of development of HLT applications that will connect Africa, Europe and Asia and who maintain a strong South Africans equipped with nothing but a normal cultural identity. A few members of the Khoi and telephone to government information and services the San also live in South Africa. regardless of the level of literacy and location. The development of spellcheckers and machine- Languages aided translation tools will contribute to consist- According to the Constitution of the Republic of ency and quality of documents rendered in or South Africa, 1996, everyone has the right to use translated into all official languages, as required by the language and to participate in the cultural life the National Language Policy Framework (NLPF). of their choice, but no one may do so in a manner Once the National HLT Strategy aimed at co- that is inconsistent with any provision of the Bill of ordinating HLT activities in government structures Rights. Each person also has the right to instruc- has been approved by Cabinet, the strategy will tion in his or her language of choice where this is be fully implemented and the key element, the reasonably practicable. National Centre for HLT, will be established. To address the status of indigenous languages, Official languages the NLS introduced a bursary scheme to encourage The Constitution recognises 11 official languages, students to study in specialised language fields as namely Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, well as the most disadvantaged languages, siSwati, isiZulu, Sesotho sa Leboa, Sesotho, Setswana, isiNdebele, Xitsonga and Tshivenda. At the end of siSwati, Tshivenda and Xitsonga. 2007, 49 postgraduate students and 30 under- Recognising the historically diminished use and graduate students received their degrees. status of the indigenous languages, the Constitu- The NLS is facilitating the establishment of the tion expects government to imple ment positive African Language Practitioners’ Council, which measures to elevate the status and advance the will regulate the language profession. It will also use of these languages. go a long way to elevating the status of language
2 practitioners in general and also ensure that the NLBs were created for each of the 11 official services provided by language practitioners are of languages and for the Khoi, Nama, San and South an acceptable standard. African Sign Language. The aim is to develop each of the designated Telephone Interpreting Service of languages through the technical subcommit- South Africa (Tissa) tees, such as the Standardisation Subcommittee Tissa provides telephone-interpreting services to that standardises terminologies, spelling and people who need to access government, and aims orthography rules; and the Literature Subcommit- to improve verbal communication between citizens tee that develops forums for the production and and government agencies, thus allowing citizens recognition of literature for each of the designated to exercise their right to use the language of their languages. choice when dealing with government. The Language in Education Subcommit- tee looks into matters that deal with language in Pan South African Language education while the Communication Subcom- Board (PanSALB) mittee attends to communication issues such PanSALB was created in terms of Section Six of the production of journals on issues related the Constitution and defined by the PanSALB Act, to language development. The NLBs also do 1995 (Act 59 of 1995). Section Four sets out the research and initiate projects for the various desig- organisation’s independence and impartiality, and nated languages. also provides that no organ of state or any person The 11 NLUs, which compile and create is allowed to interfere with the board or its staff’s dictionaries, were created by PanSALB and incor- activities. porated in terms of Section 21 of the Compa- The board champions the recognition, imple- nies Act, 1973 (Act 61 of 1973). These NLUs have mentation and promotion of multilingualism in produced monolingual, bilingual and multilingual South Africa, and the development of previously dictionaries. marginalised languages. The PLCs comprise the status language plan- PanSALB’s vision is to achieve equal status and ning, translation and interpreting, linguistic human use of all official languages, and the Khoi, Nama, rights and mediation and language in education San and South African Sign Language. subcommittees. The board promotes multilingualism in South PanSALB has nine provincial offices that Africa by: carry out the administrative function of PanSALB, s CREATING CONDITIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND and form the base on which PanSALB’s three equal use of all official languages structures operate in the provinces. s FOSTERING RESPECT FOR AND ENCOURAGING THE USE OF other languages in the country s ENCOURAGING THE BEST USE OF THE COUNTRYS linguistic resources to enable South Africans South Africa has 12 public holidays: to free themselves from all forms of linguistic discrimination, domination and division. New Year’s Day – 1 January The board may also make recommendations on Human Rights Day – 21 March i language legislation, practice and policy, and Good Friday – Friday before Easter Sunday renders advice on the co-ordination of language Family Day – Monday after Easter Sunday planning in South Africa. Freedom Day – 27 April PanSALB may investigate the alleged violation of Workers’ Day – 1 May Youth Day – 16 June any language right, policy or practice. It may also National Women’s Day – 9 August summon any person, body or state organ to give Heritage Day – 24 September evidence. Day of Reconciliation – 16 December It is furthermore empowered to negotiate or Christmas Day – 25 December mediate in cases of language conflict and attempts Day of Goodwill – 26 December to achieve conciliation. If any of these days fall on a Sunday, then the following PanSALB works through provincial language Monday becomes a public holiday. committees (PLCs), national language bodies (NLBs) and national lexicography units (NLUs).
3 Commission for the Promotion and On the whole, training for the church ministry Protection of the Rights of Cultural, is thorough and intensive, and based on a variety of Religious and Linguistic Communities models due to the variety of church denominations. The Commission for the Promotion and Protection Apart from the work of the churches, a of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguis- number of Christian organisations (para-church tic Communities aims to contribute to social organisations) operate in South Africa, doing transformation and nation-building. Its mission is missionary and evangelical work, and providing aid to promote and develop peace, friendship, human- and training. ity, tolerance and national unity among linguistic Regular religious programmes on radio and communities. To achieve this, the commission: television, and the abundance of places of worship, s IS A CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN reflect the importance of religion in South Africa. the State and communities Many newspapers carry a daily scriptural message, s MONITORS COMPLIANCE BY THE 3TATE AND CIVIL and various religious magazines, newspapers and society books are produced and sold in religious book- s MEDIATES IN INTERCOMMUNITY CONmICT SITUATIONS shops. and facilitates harmonious co-existence s FACILITATES THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRAMMES THAT African independent churches (AICs) foster sensitivity, respect for and understanding The largest grouping of Christian churches is the of cultural, religious and linguistic diversity AICs, and one of the most dramatic aspects of reli- s LOBBIES GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND LEGISLA- gious affiliation has been the rise of this move- tive authorities to identify laws undermining or ment. supporting those rights, and recommends the Although these churches originally resulted from repeal of laws that undermine those rights and a number of breakaways from various mission the enactment of laws that support them. churches (the “Ethiopian” churches), the AICs have developed their own dynamics and momentum, Religion and continue to flourish. Religious groups The majority are no longer regarded as Ethiopian Almost 80% of South Africa’s population follows the churches, but rather Zionist or Apostolic churches. Christian faith. Other major religious groups are the The Pentecostal movement also has its independ- Hindus, Muslims, Jews and Buddhists. A minority ent offshoots in this group. of South Africa’s population do not belong to any The Zion Christian Church (ZCC) is the largest of the major religions, but regard themselves as of these churches in South Africa and the largest traditionalists of no specific religious affiliation. church overall. The teaching is a syncretism The Constitution guarantees freedom of worship between Christianity and African Traditional Reli- and the official policy is one of non-interference in gion. More than a million members gather twice religious practices. a year at Zion City, Moria, east of Polokwane in Limpopo, at Easter and for the September festival. Christian churches Traditionally, Easter is the religious highlight of There are many official and unofficial ecumenical the year. ZCC members, estimated to exceed four relations between the various churches. One of the million, are not obliged to make the pilgrimage, but most important of these links is the South African have loyally observed the tradition for more than 80 Council of Churches (SACC), although it is not repre- years. sentative of the full spectrum of churches. The 4 000 or more independent churches have The Church of England in Southern Africa has a membership of more than 10 million people, congregations among all sections of the commu- making this movement the most important religious nity. The major African indigenous churches, most group in South Africa. of the Afrikaans churches, and the Pentecostal and The independent churches attract people from charismatic churches are, as a rule, not members of both rural and urban areas. There are, for example, the SACC, and usually have their own co-ordinating hundreds of separate churches in rural KwaZulu- liaison bodies. Natal, and at least 900 from all ethnic groups in Church attendance in South Africa is favourable the urban complex of Soweto alone. In the north- in both rural and urban areas, and churches are well ern KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga areas, these served by a large number of clerics and officials. churches serve more than half the population.
SA YEARBOOK 2008/09 4 THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE Afrikaans churches the movement. The IFCC, representing more than The Afrikaans churches are predominantly Prot- 400 churches, is also a member of the SACC. Also estant. Of these churches, the Dutch Reformed active in South Africa, among the smaller groups, Church family of churches in South Africa is the are the Greek Orthodox Church, the Seventh Day largest and represents about 3,5 million people. Adventist churches, the Church of the Nazarenes The Dutch Reformed Church, also known as the and the Salvation Army. Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk, has about 1 200 congregations countrywide. African traditionalists Other churches are the Uniting Reformed Church Because the traditional religion of the African in Southern Africa, the Dutch Reformed Church in people has a strong cultural base, the various Africa and the smaller Reformed Church in Africa, groups have different rituals, but there are certain with predominantly Indian members. The Neder- common features. duitsch Hervormde Kerk and the Gereformeerde A supreme being is generally recognised, but Kerk are regarded as sister churches of the Dutch ancestors are of far greater importance, being the Reformed Church. deceased elders of the group. They are regarded as There are several other churches with Afrikaans- part of the community; indispensable links with the speaking adherents, some with very large member- spirit world and the powers that control everyday ships, such as the Apostolic Faith Mission and the affairs. These ancestors are not gods, but because Afrikaanse Protestantse Kerk. they play a key part in bringing about either good The Dutch Reformed Church also has six fully or ill fortune, maintaining good relations with them fledged English-language congregations, one is vital and they have to be appeased regularly congregation for Dutch-speaking people, and four through a variety of ritual offerings. for Portuguese-speaking people. There are about While an intimate knowledge of herbs and other 2 000 members in each of these congregations. therapeutic techniques, and the use of super- natural powers, can be applied for the benefit of Roman Catholic Church the individual and the community, some practi- The Roman Catholic Church has grown signifi- tioners are masters of black magic, creating fear cantly in number and influence in recent years. It among people. As a result of close contact with works closely with other churches on the socio- Christianity, many people find themselves in a political front. The Southern African Catholic transitional phase between African Traditional Bishops’ Conference, founded more than 50 years Religion and Christianity. ago, is the representative body of this church in southern Africa. Other religions The majority of Indians who originally came to Other Christian churches South Africa were Hindu. They retained their Other established churches in South Africa include Hindu religion and today some two thirds of South the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, the Meth- Africa’s Indians are Hindus. The rest are Muslims odist Church, various Lutheran and Presbyterian churches, and the Congregational Church. Number of individuals by religion (Census 2001) Although the different Baptist groups are not Religion % large, they represent a strong church tradition. Together, they form the nucleus of the SACC. Christian 79,8% The largest traditional Pentecostal churches are African Traditional Religion 0,3% the Apostolic Faith Mission, the Assemblies of God Judaism 0,2% and the Full Gospel Church, but there are numerous others. Many of them enjoy fellowship in groups Hinduism 1,2% such as the Church Alliance of South Africa, and Islam 1,5% operate in all communities. Hundreds of independent charismatic churches Other 0,6% have mushroomed across the country. The largest No religion 15,1% of these groups is the International Fellowship of Undetermined 1,4% Christian Churches (IFCC). Rhema Church, with its 32 000-member congregation, spearheads Total 100%
5 and a minority are Christians. The Muslim The coasts community in South Africa is small, but growing The coastline itself is an even, closed one with few rapidly. The Cape Malays, who are mostly bays or indentations naturally suitable for harbours. descended from Indonesian slaves, make up The only ideal natural harbour along the coastline most of this group, with the remaining 20% is Saldanha Bay on the west coast. However, the being of Indian descent. area lacks fresh water and offers no natural lines of The Jewish population numbers less than penetration to the interior. 100 000. Of these, the majority are Orthodox Jews. Most river mouths are unsuitable as harbours Buddhism is barely organised in South Africa. because large sandbars block entry for most of the However, the Nan Hua Buddhist temple has been year. These bars are formed by the action of waves built at Bronkhorstspruit near Pretoria. The number and currents, and by the intermittent flow, heavy of Parsees has decreased, while there is a small sediment load and steep gradients of most South group of Jains in Durban. Followers of the Baha’i African rivers. Only the largest rivers, such as the faith are establishing groups and temples in various Orange and Limpopo, maintain narrow permanent parts of the country. channels through the bars. For these reasons, the country has no navigable rivers. The land South Africa occupies the southernmost part Relief features of the African continent, stretching latitudinally from South Africa’s surface area falls into two major 22° to 35° S and longitu dinally from 17° to 33° E. physiographic categories: the interior plateau, Its surface area is 1 219 090 km2. The country and the land between the plateau and the coast. has common boundaries with Namibia, Botswana Forming the boundary between these two areas and Zimbabwe, while Mozambique and Swaziland is the Great Escarpment, the most prominent and lie to the north-east. Completely enclosed by South continuous relief feature of the country. Its height African territory in the south-east is the mountain above sea level varies from about 1 500 m in the kingdom of Lesotho. dolerite-capped Roggeveld scarp in the south- To the west, south and east, South Africa borders west, to a height of 3 482 m in the KwaZulu-Natal on the Atlantic and Indian oceans. Isolated, some Drakensberg. 1 920 km south-east of Cape Town in the Atlantic, Inland from the escarpment lies the interior lie the Prince Edward and Marion islands, annexed plateau, which is the southern continuation of the by South Africa in 1947. great African plateau stretching north to the Sahara Desert. The oceans The plateau itself is characterised by wide plains South Africa is surrounded by the ocean on three with an average height of 1 200 m above sea sides – to the west, south and east – and has a level. coastline of about 3 000 km. The coastline is The dissected Lesotho plateau, which is more swept by two major ocean currents – the warm than 3 000 m above sea level, is the most promi- south-flowing Mozambique-Agulhas and the cold nent. In general, the escarpment forms the highest Benguela. parts of the plateau. The former skirts the east and south coasts as Between the Great Escarpment and the coast far as Cape Agulhas, while the Benguela current lies an area which varies in width from 80 km to flows northwards along the west coast as far as 240 km in the east and south, and a mere 60 km southern Angola. to 80 km in the west. At least three major subdivi- The contrast in temperature between these two sions are recognised: the eastern plateau slopes, currents partly accounts for important differences the Cape folded belt and adjacent regions and the in climate and vegetation between the east and western plateau slopes. west coasts of South Africa. It also accounts for the differences in marine Climatic features life. The cold waters of the west coast are much The subtropical location, on either side of 30° S, richer in oxygen, nitrates, phosphates and plank- accounts for the warm temperate conditions so ton than those of the east coast. Consequently, the typical of South Africa, making it a popular destina- South African fishing industry is centred on the tion for foreign tourists. west coast.
SA YEARBOOK 2008/09 6 THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE The country also falls squarely within the The third feature is the striking contrast between subtropical belt of high pressure, making it dry, temperatures on the east and west coasts. Temper- with an abundance of sunshine. atures above 32° C are fairly common in summer, The wide expanses of ocean on three sides of and frequently exceed 38° C in the lower Orange South Africa have a moderating influence on its River Valley and the Mpumalanga Lowveld. climate. More apparent, however, are the effects of the warm Agulhas and the cold Benguela currents Frost, humidity and fog along the east and west coasts respectively. While Frost often occurs on the interior plateau during Durban (east coast) and Port Nolloth (west coast) lie cold, clear, winter nights, with ice forming on still more or less on the same latitude, there is a differ- pools and in water pipes. The frost season (April to ence of at least 6° C in their mean annual temper- October) is longest over the eastern and southern atures. plateau areas bordering on the escarpment. Frost Gale-force winds are frequent on the coasts, decreases to the north, while the coast is virtually especially in the south-western and southern frost-free. coastal areas. Average annual relative humidity readings show that, in general, the air is driest over the western Rainfall interior and the plateau. Along the coast, the humid- South Africa has an average annual rainfall of ity is much higher, and at times may rise to 85%. 450 mm, compared with a world average of Low stratus clouds and fog frequently occur over 860 mm. About 65% of the country receives less the cool west coast, particularly during summer. than 500 mm per year, which is generally accepted The only other area that commonly experiences fog as the minimum amount required for successful is the “mist belt” along the eastern foothills of the dry-land farming. escarpment. About 21% of the country, mainly the arid west, receives less than 200 mm per year. Sunshine In Cape Town, the capital city of the Western South Africa is famous for its sunshine. Gener- Cape, the average rainfall is highest in the winter ally speaking, April and May are the most pleasant months, while in the capital cities of the other eight months when the rainy season over the summer- provinces, the average rainfall is highest during rainfall region has ended, and before the rainy summer. season in the winter-rainfall area has begun. At this South Africa’s rainfall is unreliable and unpre- time of year, the hot summer weather has abated dictable. Large fluctuations in the average annual and the winds are lighter than during the rest of rainfall are the rule rather than the exception in the year. most areas of the country. In certain areas, however, notably the hot, humid Below-average annual rainfall is more commonly KwaZulu-Natal coast, Mpumalanga and Limpopo, recorded than above-average total annual rainfall. June and July are the ideal holiday months. South Africa is periodically afflicted by drastic and prolonged droughts, which often end in severe The provinces floods. South Africa is divided into nine provinces, each with its own legislature, premier and executive Temperatures councils. The provinces, with their own distinc- Temperature conditions in South Africa are tive landscapes, vegetation and climate, are characterised by three main features. Firstly, the Western Cape, the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu- temperatures tend to be lower than in other regions Natal, the Northern Cape, Free State, North West, at similar latitudes, for example, Australia. Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo. (See Chapter This is due primarily to the greater elevation of 20: Tourism.) the subcontinent above sea level. Secondly, despite a latitudinal span of Western Cape 13 degrees, average annual temperatures are The Western Cape is situated on the southernmost remarkably uniform throughout the country. Owing tip of the African continent. It is a region of majestic to the increase in the height of the plateau towards mountains; beautiful valleys; wide, sandy beaches; the north-east, there is hardly any increase in and breathtaking scenery, making it one of South temperature from south to north as might be Africa’s prime tourist destinations. expected.
7 The cold Atlantic Ocean along the west coast is of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University, the Univer- a rich fishing area, while the warmer Indian Ocean sity of the Western Cape and the Cape Peninsula skirts the province’s southern beaches. University of Technology. A potpourri of diverse Visitors to the Western Cape can disembark at cultural backgrounds gives the province a cosmo- Cape Town International Airport, George Airport or politan ambiance, resulting in a demographic profile at the ports of Cape Town, Mossel Bay or Saldanha. quite different from the national pattern. A network of roads also leads to Cape Town, fondly The profile draws on elements from different known as the “Mother City”. parts of Europe, south-east Asia, India and Africa, Cape Town houses Parliament and is the coun- which are richly reflected in the diversity of the try’s legislative capital. area. Other important towns in the province include The official unemployment figure for the prov- Saldanha, a notable harbour for iron exports and ince is 17% (Labour Force Survey, March 2008). the fishing industry; Worcester and Stellenbosch in the heart of the winelands; George, renowned Agriculture and marine fishery for its indigenous timber and vegetable produce; The Western Cape is rich in agriculture and fish- Oudtshoorn, known for its ostrich products and the eries. The sheltered valleys between the moun- world-famous Cango caves; and Beaufort West on tains provide ideal conditions for the cultivation the dry, sheep-farming plains of the Great Karoo. of top-grade fruits, such as apples, table grapes, The Western Cape boasts one of the world’s six olives, peaches and oranges. In the eastern part of accepted floral kingdoms. Although it is the small- the Western Cape, a great variety of vegetables is est of them all, the Cape Floral Kingdom, which cultivated. The province can be divided into three is characterised by fynbos, contains more plant climatic regions. The area around the Cape Penin- species than the whole of Europe. These include sula and the Boland, further inland, is a winter-rain- the famous proteas and heathers. fall region with sunny, dry summers. Covering an area of more than 553 000 hectares Towards George, along the south coast, the (ha), the Cape Floristic Region World Heritage Site climate gradually changes to year-round rainfall, comprises eight separate protected areas stretch- while inland, towards the more arid Great Karoo, ing from the Cape Peninsula into the Eastern the climate changes to summer rainfall. Cape. The Western Cape is known as one of the world’s The Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is finest grape-growing regions. Many of its wines included in this area, which makes it a world-first have received the highest accolades at interna- for South Africa, since no other world heritage site tional shows. includes a botanical garden. The wheat-growing Swartland district around The Knysna-Tsitsikamma region has the coun- Malmesbury, and the Overberg around Caledon, try’s biggest indigenous forests; a fairyland of form the bread basket of the country. ancient forest giants, ferns and colourful birdlife. The inland Karoo region (around Beaufort West), Products of the forests include sought-after furni- and the Overberg district (around Bredasdorp), ture made from the indigenous yellowwood, produce wool and mutton, and pedigree Merino stinkwood and white pear trees. breeding stock. Other animal products include broiler chick- Tourism ens, eggs, dairy products, beef and pork. The The Western Cape’s natural beauty, complemented Western Cape is the only province with an outlet for by its famous hospitality, cultural diversity, excel- the export of horses. This earns the country millions lent wine and colourful cuisine, make the province of rands in foreign revenue. one of the world’s greatest tourist attractions. Western Cape The people More than 5,2 million people live in the Western Capital: Cape Town Cape on 129 370 km2 of land (Community Survey, Principal languages: Afrikaans 55,3% 2007). Afrikaans is spoken by the majority, with isi- isiXhosa 23,7% Xhosa and English being the other main English 19,3% languages. Population: 5 278 585 (Community Survey, 2007) The province has a strong network of Higher Area (km2): 129 370 Education (HE) institutions, including the University % of total area: 10,6%
SA YEARBOOK 2008/09 8 THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE The province has also established itself as the s 2 BILLION WAS INVESTED IN IMPROVING AND leading facilitator in the export of ostrich meat to extending the province’s road infrastructure, Europe. In addition to meat, fine leatherware and realising 104 623 kilometres of road, includ- ostrich feathers are also exported to destinations ing the widening of the N2, the Koeberg Inter- all over the world. change The plankton-rich cold Benguela current flows s 2 MILLION WAS SPENT ON UPGRADING TAXI RANKS along the west coast of the province, which is public transport routes, paths for bicycles and considered to be one of the world’s richest fishing pedestrians and disability access. grounds. Many of South Africa’s major insurance companies This resource is protected from over- and banks are based in the Western Cape. fishing by foreign vessels by means of a The majority of the country’s petroleum compa- 200-km commercial fishing zone and a strict quota nies and the largest segment of the printing and system. Snoek, Cape lobster, abalone, calamari, publishing industry are located in Cape Town. octopus, oysters and mussels are among the most Information and communications technology sought-after piscatorial delights from this region. (ICT) is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the province, and operations are being expanded Industry to other countries. After Gauteng and KwaZulu- The average growth in the Western Cape’s gross Natal, the Western Cape’s manufacturing sector is domestic product (GDP) stands at 5,8%, having the third-largest contributor to the national manu- averaged over 5 % since 2004. facturing sector. Between 2004 and 2008, the Western Cape The clothing and textile industry remains the welcomed 270 investment projects to the province, most significant industrial source of employment valued at R6,4 billion and creating 61 746 jobs. in the province. The backbone of the Western Cape’s economy Cape Town remains the economic hub of the is small, medium and micro-enterprises (SMMEs). province, encompassing industrial areas such as Between 2004 and 2008, the province spent Epping, Montagu Gardens, Parow and Retreat. R56 million in financial and mentoring support to Along the west coast, the Saldanha Steel Project assist 38 121 SMMEs (of which 80% are histori- has led to increased economic activity. cally disadvantaged). The Western Cape is poised for significant These, and 4 355 tourism SMMEs and 6 267 economic investment, including: entrepreneurs were beneficiaries of support s UPGRADING THE AIRPORT IN RESPONSE TO THE NUMBERS infrastructure programmes. of airlines that come directly to Cape Town from In 2004, infrastructure-led growth was an idea. diverse destinations, now bringing 1,7 million By 2008: foreign visitors a year s 2 MILLION WAS REALISED THROUGH THE CAREFUL s CONSTRUCTING THE MULTIBILLION 2AND #APE 4OWN release of property assets and investing it in film studio, Dreamworld health and education infrastructure s A 2 MILLION CALL CENTRE TRAINING FACILITY
Total population by province – Census 1996, 2001 and Community Survey, 2007 Provinces Census 1996 Census 2001 % change CS 2007 % change Eastern Cape 6 147 244 6 278 651 2,1 6 527 747 4,0 Free State 2 633 504 2 706 775 2,8 2 773 059 2,4 Gauteng 7 624 893 9 178 873 20,4 10 451 713 13,9 KwaZulu-Natal 8 572 302 9 584 129 11,8 10 259 230 7,0 Limpopo 4 576 133 4 995 534 9,2 5 238 286 4,9 Mpumalanga 3 124 203 3 365 885 7,7 3 643 435 8,2 Northern Cape 1 011 864 991 919 -2,0 1 058 060 6,7 North West 2 936 554 3 193 676 8,8 3 271 948 2,5 Western Cape 3 956 875 4 524 335 14,3 5 278 585 16,7
South Africa 40 583 573 44 819 778 10,4 48 502 063 8,2
9 2010 FIFA World CupTM Important towns in the province include Bhisho, South Africa is preparing to host the 2010 World the capital; Uitenhage, which has important motor Cup. Government is using the hosting of the vehicle-manufacturing and related industries; King 2010 World Cup to fast-track the growth and William’s Town, rich in early settler and military development of the country. The investment in history; Grahamstown, also known as the “City 2010 will benefit South Africans long after the of Saints” because of its more than 40 churches; tournament. Graaff-Reinet, with its interesting collection of Cape Town’s preparations are well on track. historic buildings; Cradock, the hub of the Central These include: Karoo; Stutterheim, the forestry centre of the s DEDICATED BUS AND TAXI LANES FROM THE 2 INTO province; Aliwal North, famous for its hot sulphur Cape Town along the N2 springs; and Port St Johns, the largest town on the s EXPANDING THE #APE 4OWN )NTERNATIONAL !IRPORT Wild Coast. through a R2-billion expansion investment In the Eastern Cape, various floral habitats meet. s THE RAIL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE UPGRADED Along the coast, the northern tropical forests inter- airport and the Cape Town Central Station, mingle with the more temperate woods of the whose construction is scheduled to com- south. mence early in 2009 and which represents a This makes for an interesting forest habitat of R1-billion investment in the Western Cape various species endemic to this region. s UPGRADING THE #APE 4OWN #ENTRAL 3TATION Age-old forests occur at Keiskammahoek, s DOUBLING THE CAPACITY OF THE #APE 4OWN #ONVEN- Dwesa, Port St Johns and Bathurst; dune forests tion Centre are found at Alexandria; and mangroves along the s BUILDING AT LEAST SIX NEW HOTELS IN THE 7ESTERN Wild Coast. Cape by 2010 Rolling grasslands dominate the eastern interior s BUILDING THE 'REEN 0OINT 3TADIUM WHICH WILL BE of the province, while the western central plateau completed by December 2009 is savanna bushveld. The northern inland is home s COMPLETING PHASE ONE OF THE +OEBERG )NTER- to the aromatic, succulent-rich Karoo. change s THE . #ORRIDOR SCHEDULED TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND The people its provision of public-transport priority lanes. The Eastern Cape has almost seven million people living on 169 580 km2 of land. The majority of the Eastern Cape people speak isiXhosa, followed by Afrikaans and The Eastern Cape, a land of undulating hills, expan- English. sive sandy beaches, majestic mountain ranges and The province has a number of HE institutions, emerald green forests, is the second-largest of the including the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Univer- nine provinces in terms of surface area. sity, the University of Fort Hare and the Walter The region boasts remarkable natural diversity, Sisulu University of Technology. Primary education ranging from the dry, desolate Great Karoo to the is nearly universal, with only 2,6% of children not lush forests of the Wild Coast and the Keiskamma attending primary school. Some 84% of adults are Valley; the fertile Langkloof, renowned for its rich functionally literate and 96% of youths are literate. apple harvests; and the mountainous southern The infant mortality rate has decreased consist- Drakensberg region at Elliot. ently from 4,2% in 2003/04 to 3,32% in 2006/07. The Eastern Cape’s main feature is its spectacu- According to the Labour Force Survey, released lar coastline lapped by the Indian Ocean. With its in March 2008, the official unemployment figure is long stretches of pristine sandy beaches, rocky 23,1%. coves, secluded lagoons and towering cliffs, the coastline provides the province with an unsur- Agriculture, fishing and forestry passed natural tourist attraction. The Eastern Cape has excellent agricultural and The graceful curve of Algoa Bay provides an forestry potential. The fertile Langkloof Valley in ideal setting for the port of Port Elizabeth. East the south-west has enormous deciduous fruit London offers equally favourable harbour facilities. orchards, while the Karoo interior is an important The province is serviced by three airports situated sheep-farming area. Angora wool is also produced in Port Elizabeth, East London and Mthatha. here. The architecture of many of its cities and towns Working closely with local municipalities, reflects the rich heritage of its people. communities and key stakeholders, the special-
SA YEARBOOK 2008/09 10 THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE purpose vehicle, AsgiSA (Eastern Cape) Pty ostrich-export establishment has a resident official Limited will play a facilitative role in unlocking veterinarian, which is a requirement for exporting investment opportunities estimated at more than ostrich products to the European Union. R4,2 billion through rural development zones. The game industry is enjoying unprecedented These programmes include forestry development demand in the international market due to health- and timber processing, intensive agriculture and conscious consumers increas ingly demanding lean agroprocessing. organic game meat. The development of alternative and local vegeta- ble marketing and processing facilities through an Industry agri-park concept ensures that excess household The Mzimvubu Project is key to turning around the production is appropriately channelled to benefit economy of the region to establish a modern agro- producers. industrial economy centred around Mthatha, in the The agri-park initiative has been developed in same way that the industrial development zones co-operation with the University of Fort Hare. The (IDZs) of Coega and East London are clustering first satellite agri-park is being initiated at Dutywa. industrial development in those areas. The Alexandria-Grahamstown area produces The Provincial Industrial Strategy, launched in pineapples, chicory and dairy products, while May 2008, outlines broad government efforts that coffee and tea are cultivated at Magwa. People in are necessary to transform the structure and distri- the former Transkei region are dependent on the bution of industrial activity in the Eastern Cape to farming of cattle, maize and sorghum. meet particular economic, social and political objec- An olive nursery has been developed in collab- tives. These objectives include job creation (and job oration with the University of Fort Hare to form a retention), increased and sustained growth, income nucleus of olive production in the Eastern Cape. distribution, spatial distribution of economic activ- Extensive exotic forestry plantations in the high ity, deracialising ownership of the economy and rainfall areas of Keiskammahoek provide employ- promoting social forms of ownership. ment for large numbers of the population. The The metropolitan economies of Port Elizabeth province is a summer-rainfall region with high and East London are based primarily on manufac- rainfall along the coast, becoming gradually drier turing, the most important industry being motor behind the mountain ranges into the Great Karoo. manufacturing. The province is the hub of South The Eastern Cape Provincial Government plans Africa’s automotive industry. to develop the province’s forestry and timber indus- Several of the world’s biggest motor manufac- try by creating up to 100 000 ha of plantations over turers, such as Volkswagen, Ford (Samcor), General the next 10 years. Motors (Delta) and DaimlerChrysler, have plants in The Eastern Cape has been selected the Eastern Cape. as the national pilot for the implementa- With two harbours and three airports offering tion of biofuels, through the mass planting of direct flights to the main centres, and an excel- canola. This project has the potential to create lent road and rail infrastructure, the province has 21 600 direct and indirect job opportunities. been earmarked as a key area for growth and The basis of the province’s fishing industry is economic development. Environmentally friendly squid, some recreational and commercial fishing projects include the Fish River Spatial Development for line fish, the collection of marine resources and Initiative (SDI), the Wild Coast SDI, and the West access to line-catches of hake. Bank (East London) and Coega IDZs. The latter, Ostrich exports are flourishing and the provin- 20 km east of the Port Elizabeth-Uitenhage cial Department of Agriculture has been hailed metropoles, was the first IDZ to be earmarked, and for the support it is giving this industry. Each is one of the biggest initiatives ever undertaken in South Africa. Plans for the development of the area Eastern Cape as an export-orientated zone include the building of the port of Ngqura. The railway from Mthatha to Capital: Bhisho East London was refurbished and the process of Principal languages: isiXhosa 83,4% finding an operator for the line initiated. Afrikaans 9,3% The Eastern Cape is becoming more accessible English 3,6% as the Provincial 2010 Public Transport Plan, which Population: 6 527 747 (Community Survey, 2007) links air, road, rail, maritime, taxi and bus opera- Area (km2): 169 580 tions, is being implemented.
11 In 2008/09, substantial resources were being Visitors to KwaZulu-Natal can either disem- invested in the road network. This included bark at Durban International Airport, which handles R1,5 billion for building new roads, rebuilding exist- more than 2,5 million passengers a year, or at ing roads and maintenance. Durban harbour. Alternatively, they can make use The extension of the N2 from Kei Mouth to Port of the extensive national road network. St Johns – the Wild Coast meander – will KwaZulu-Natal is one of the major tourist desti- unlock the tourism potential of the scenic coast- nations in South Africa. line. In addition, the 248-km road will also Durban is one of the fastest-growing urban facilitate agricultural and economic productivity, areas in the world. Its port is the busiest in and access to government services at schools, South Africa and one of the 10 largest in the clinics and police stations. world. The port of Richards Bay handles over Some R363 million has been allocated for 1 000 containers per month. Combined, these two Expanded Public Works Programme projects in ports handle about 78% of South Africa’s cargo road construction, providing job opportunities for tonnage. 6 000 people. KwaZulu-Natal is the only province with a monar- The R78-million upgrade of the Bhisho Airport chy specifically provided for in the Constitution. was completed in 2008 and Mthatha Airport is Richards Bay is an important coal-export being upgraded at a cost of R60 million. harbour. The province has several popular coastal holiday resorts, such as Port Shepstone, Umhlanga 2010 World Cup Rocks and Margate. In the interior, Newcastle is In King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality, the final well known for steel production and coal mining, design for a new 15 000-seater stadium had been Estcourt for meat processing, and Ladysmith and approved and R100 million has been allocated for Richmond for mixed agriculture. the construction of this facility. The KwaZulu-Natal coastal belt yields sugar In Buffalo City, two stadiums – Absa Stadium, cane, wood, oranges, bananas, mangoes and other which seats 10 000 and Bhisho Stadium with tropical fruit. 20 000 seats – are being refurbished. The city has The province is also well known for its active been identified as a basecamp city for training prior conservation activities. There are several reserves to and during the 2010 World Cup. in the province such as the Royal Natal National The provincial Department of Sports, Recreation, Park, Giant’s Castle and the Kamberg Nature Arts and Culture has partnered with the Educational Reserve. Institute for Service Studies in Port Alfred, to upscale Some of South Africa’s best-protected indig- the capacity of bed-and-breakfast owners. enous coastal forests are found along the Parallel to the football spectacular, there will be subtropical coastline of KwaZulu-Natal; for an arts and culture programme. A crafters’ database example, at Dukuduku and Kosi Bay. It is also along was being compiled, together with three additional this coast that the magnificent St Lucia Estuary and crafter-hubs in Dimbaza, Dispatch and Flagstaff. Kosi Bay lakes are located. In 1999, the Greater Fan parks – public viewing areas with large-screen St Lucia Wetlands Park was declared a world herit- TVs, entertainment and food and beverage stands age site. It has since been renamed iSimangaliso – will be established for the tournament. Wetland Park. Separating KwaZulu-Natal from Lesotho, the Drakensberg runs 200 km along the KwaZulu-Natal western boundary of the province. Aptly called South Africa’s “Garden Province”, The northern part of the province, south of KwaZulu-Natal is one of the country’s most popular the Swaziland border, is typical African savanna, holiday destinations. This verdant region includes providing a natural backdrop for its rich wildlife, South Africa’s lush subtropical east coast. Washed which is protected in several game parks. by the warm Indian Ocean, it stretches from Port Edward in the south, and northwards to the Mozam- The people bique boundary. KwaZulu-Natal has more than 10 million people In addition to the magnificent coastline, the living on 92 100 km2 of land (Community Survey, province also boasts sweeping savanna in the east, 2007). The principal language spoken is isiZulu, and the majestic Drakensberg mountain range in followed by English and Afrikaans. Remnants of the west. British colonialism, together with Zulu, Indian
SA YEARBOOK 2008/09 12 THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE and Afrikaans traditions, make for an interesting belt is also a large producer of subtropical fruit, cultural mix in the province. while the farmers in the hinterland concentrate on The province boasts several universities, univer- vegetable, dairy and stock farming. sities of technology and other educational institu- Another major source of income is forestry in the tions, including the University of KwaZulu-Natal areas around Vryheid, Eshowe, Richmond, Harding and the Durban Institute of Technology. and Ngome, which is also known for its tea plan- tations. Agriculture and industry The summer-rainfall coastal regions of this prov- KwaZulu-Natal ranks second as a major contribu- ince are hot and humid with a subtropical climate. tor to the economy, accounting for 16,7% of South The KwaZulu-Natal Midlands between the coastal Africa’s GDP. strip and the southern Drakensberg Escarpment The KwaZulu-Natal Government has embarked are drier, with extremely cold conditions in winter on a strategy to attract investors to the province. A and snow on the high-lying ground. In the north, project involving a developer from the United Arab the subtropical strip extends around Swaziland to Emirates comprises a multibillion-rand invest- the edge of the escarpment. ment on the northern side of uThukela River in the The KwaZulu-Natal Growth Fund provides Macambini area. The project will be implemented medium- to long-term funding for sustainable in phases and will create thousands of perma- infrastructure and related projects in the province. nent jobs. This will be the fifth project of its kind The fund’s Investment Committee has approved in the world based on the concept of a “city within projects with an estimated value of R414 million a city”. spread across key economic sectors such as The project will be a fully integrated tourist desti- manufacturing, transportation and logistics and nation located on about 7 500 ha. It will comprise a agriprocessing. variety of market-segmented residential communi- ties, entertainment attractions, hospitality, educa- 2010 World Cup tion, healthcare, leisure, retail and commercial On 25 November 2007, the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ offerings. Preliminary Draw took place in Durban, KwaZulu- Richards Bay is the centre of operations for Natal. South Africa’s aluminium industry. The Richards The province hosted representatives from 204 of Bay Coal Terminal is instrumental in securing the the 208 soccer-playing nations of the world as well country’s position as the second-largest exporter as a contingent of international media – the largest of steam coal in the world. Richards Bay Minerals FIFA representation ever. is the largest sand-mining and mineral-processing One of the distinctive features of the Moses operation in the world. Mabhida Stadium under construction in The motor vehicle-manufacturing industry has Durban, is the multimedia centre, which will tell created a considerable multiplier effect in compo- the story of the people of KwaZulu-Natal. This nent- and service-providers. In recent times, the multimedia centre will offer information province has undergone rapid industrialisation about KwaZulu-Natal’s economic and cultural owing to its abundant water supply and labour activities. resources. Industries are found at Newcastle, Lady- The 2007/08 financial year saw major develop- smith, Dundee, Richards Bay, Durban, Hammars- ment initiatives, beginning with the Dube Trade Port dale, Richmond, Pietermaritzburg and Mandeni. and King Shaka International Airport, an invest- The sugar-cane plantations along the Indian ment of R6,8 billion and the soccer stadium of Ocean coastal belt form the mainstay of the R2,6 billion. The plans for the multimedia economy and agriculture of the region. The coastal interpretation centre at uMgungundlovu, Palace of King Dingane, have been completed. KwaZulu-Natal The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government is upgrading stadiums and building multipurpose Capital: Pietermaritzburg sports facilities to allow some of its communities to Principal languages: isiZulu 80,9% host teams during the 2010 tournament. English 13,6% The selected municipalities for the projects Afrikaans 1,5% include uMgungundlovu, Amajuba, Ugu and Uthun- Population: 10 259 230 (Community Survey, 2007) gulu. Area (km2): 92 100
13 Northern Cape It is one of the largest nature-conservation areas The Northern Cape lies to the south of its most in southern Africa and one of the largest remain- important asset, the mighty Orange River, which ing protected natural ecosystems in the world. The provides the basis for a healthy agricultural park provides unfenced access to a variety of game industry. The landscape is characterised by vast between South Africa and Botswana. arid plains with outcroppings of haphazard rock The Ai-Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Conser- piles. The cold Atlantic Ocean forms the western vation Park spans some of the most spectacu- boundary. lar scenery of the arid and desert environments This region covers the largest area of all the in southern Africa. Bisected by the Orange River, provinces and has the smallest population. Its which forms the border between South Africa and major airports are situated at Kimberley, the Namibia, it comprises the Ai-Ais Hot Springs Game capital, and at Upington. The Northern Cape has Park in Namibia and the Richtersveld National Park an excellent road network, which makes its interior in South Africa. Some of the distinctive features easily accessible from South Africa’s major cities, in the area include the Fish River Canyon (often harbours and airports. likened to the Grand Canyon in the United States of Important towns are Upington, centre of the America) and the Ai-Ais hot springs. This arid zone karakul sheep and dried-fruit industries, and is further characterised by a unique and impressive the most northerly wine-making region of South variety of succulent plant species. Africa; Springbok, in the heart of the Namaqua- Nowhere is the Orange River more impressive land spring-flower country; Kuruman, founded than at the Augrabies Falls, which ranks among by the Scottish missionary Robert Moffat; and De the world’s greatest cataracts on a major river. The Aar, second most important junction of South Afri- Augrabies Falls National Park was established to ca’s railway network. Sutherland is host to the preserve this natural wonder. southern hemisphere’s largest astronomical observatory, the multinational-sponsored Southern The people African Large Telescope. The Northern Cape is sparsely populated South Africa has been shortlisted as one of two and houses more than one million people on countries to host the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), 361 830 km2 of land (Community Survey, 2007). a giant next-generation radio telescope being About 68% of the population speak Afrikaans. developed by scientists from 17 countries. The Other languages spoken are Setswana, isiXhosa proposed SKA will be located in the Northern Cape. and English. The official unemployment rate of Other important Northern Cape towns include the the Northern Cape is 25,7% (Labour Force sheep-farming towns of Carnarvon, Colesberg, Survey, March 2008). The last remaining true Kenhardt and Prieska, which are renowned for their San (Bushman) people live in the Kalahari area semi-precious stones and variety of succulents. of the Northern Cape. The area, especially along Apart from a narrow strip of winter-rainfall area the Orange and Vaal rivers, is rich in San rock along the coast, the Northern Cape is a semi-arid engravings. A good collection can be seen at the region with little rainfall in summer. The weather McGregor Museum in Kimberley. The province is conditions are extreme – cold and frosty in winter, also rich in fossils. According to the results of the with extremely high temperatures in summer. 2007 Community Survey conducted by Statistics The largest part of the province falls within the South Africa: Nama-Karoo Biome, with a vegetation of low shrub- s THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS HAVING ACCESS TO land and grass, and trees limited to water courses. piped water in the Northern Cape has increased The area is known for its spectacular display of to 94,8% spring flowers that attracts thousands of tourists s OF HOUSEHOLDS HAVE ACCESS TO ELECTRI every year. city This biome is home to many wonderful plant s OF HOUSEHOLDS HAVE ACCESS TO WATER species, such as the elephant’s trunk (halfmens), borne sanitation. tree aloe (kokerboom) and a variety of succulents. The province has several national parks and Agriculture and industry conservation areas. The Kalahari Gemsbok National The Northern Cape is enjoying tremendous growth Park, together with the Gemsbok National Park in value-added activities, including game farming. in Botswana, is Africa’s first transfrontier game Food production and processing for the local and park, known as the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. export market is also growing significantly.
SA YEARBOOK 2008/09 14 THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE Underpinning the growth and development plan potential to contribute significantly to the region’s of the province are the investment projects that GDP, hence the Provincial Government’s investment link up with the existing plans of the Namaqua of R18 million in 15 tourism information offices, Development Corridor, where the focus is on the upgrades and promotion projects. beneficiation and export of sea products. The economy of a large part of the Northern Cape, the Mining interior Karoo, depends on sheep farming, while the Kimberley, the capital of the Northern Cape, is often karakul-pelt industry is one of the most important in referred to as the “Diamond Capital of the World”. the Gordonia district of Upington. The province has The Northern Cape is rich in minerals. The fertile agricultural land. In the Orange River Valley, country’s chief diamond pipes are found in the especially at Upington, Kakamas and Keimoes, Kimberley district. In 1888, the diamond indus- grapes and fruit are cultivated intensively. Wheat, try was formally established with the creation of fruit, peanuts, maize and cotton are produced at De Beers Consolidated Mines. Alluvial diamonds the Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme near Warrenton. are also extracted from the beaches and the sea The Integrated Provincial SMME Strategy between Alexander Bay and Port Nolloth. The will allow the province to implement effective Sishen Mine near Kathu is the biggest source of second-economy interventions to address poverty, iron ore in South Africa, while the copper mine at underdevelopment and marginalisation. Small Okiep is one of the oldest mines in the country. Enterprise Development Agency offices have been Copper is also mined at Springbok and Aggeneys. established in all five districts to offer non-financial The province is rich in asbestos, manganese, fluor- support, business advice and business counselling spar, semi-precious stones and marble. to SMMEs. Between 2006 and 2008, 3 572 SMMEs Until recently, the majority of small- to medium- were assisted. scale alluvial operations were concentrated along or The Northern Cape has identified business near the Vaal River system. With the deposits avail- process outsourcing and offshoring as one of the able for mining declining rapidly, there has been a projects capable of providing a considerable number gradual shift towards the Orange River system. of job opportunities through the establishment of Two recent larger-scale investments also show call centres. The first-ever call centre in Ga-Segon- continued prospects in this sector. yana in the Northern Cape was launched in Febru- As part of the implementation of the economic ary 2008. The Finnish Government has committed development initiatives, the province established itself to assist the province with the development the Diamond, Gemstone and Jewellery Hub that of the Northern Cape Information Society Strategy will host the State Diamond Trader. and Development Plan through the Provincial Infor- The Gold Chain Technology Project, focusing mation Society Programme. on the production of gold and silver chains for the It seeks to create, use and share information and export market, was launched in 2008. The total knowledge to empower communities and individu- investment amounts to R82 million. als to achieve their full potential, promote sustain- The Provincial Government and private inves- able development and improving the quality of life. tors are to open a gold jewellery-manufacturing Since 2004, the Provincial Government has spent facility worth R100 million in Kimberley, in an effort in excess of R1,6 billion on infrastructure projects. to ensure that more value is added to precious Agriculture is still one of the mainstay sectors metals locally, with finished products destined for of the Northern Cape’s economy and is therefore export markets. critical in the overall economic planning. In this regard, agricultural development programmes like 2010 World Cup the Farmer Support and Development Programme As the 2010 World Cup aproaches, co-operation and the Comprehensive Agriculture Support between the public and private sectors as seen and Programme were expected to be strengthened by improved funding of R53 million in 2008. Northern Cape
Tourism Capital: Kimberley The province has tabled a Tourism Bill to Principal languages: Afrikaans 68% further strengthen the tourism industry and Setswana 20,8% prepare the province for the 2010 World Cup Population: 1 058 060 (Community Survey, 2007) and beyond. The tourism industry has the Area (km2): 361 830
15 demonstrated in some key infrastructure projects, Survey released in March 2008, the official unem- will ensure that the Northern Cape and its cities ployment rate is 24,3%. and towns are placed in a position to optimise the Many of the towns display a cultural mix that is benefits of this event. clearly evident in street names, public buildings, The province is developing the Northern Cape monuments and museums. Dressed-sandstone Sports Academy, with the multipurpose sports buildings abound on the Eastern Highlands, while complex to be constructed being a central element beautifully decorated Sotho houses dot the grass- of its strategy. lands. Some of South Africa’s most valued San rock art is found in the Free State. The districts of Beth- Free State lehem, Ficksburg, Ladybrand and Wepener have The Free State lies in the heart of South Africa, remarkable collections of this art form. with Lesotho nestling in the hollow of its bean- like shape. Between the Vaal River in the north and Agriculture the Orange River in the south, this immense rolling This summer-rainfall region can be extremely cold prairie stretches as far as the eye can see. during the winter months, especially towards the The capital, Bloemfontein, has a well-estab- eastern mountainous regions. The western and lished institutional, educational and administra- southern areas are semi-desert. tive infrastructure, and houses the Supreme Court Known as the “Granary of the Country”, the Free of Appeal. State has cultivated land covering 3,2 million ha, The city, also referred to as the “City of Roses”, while natural veld and grazing cover 8,7 million is home to some of the province’s many tertiary ha. Field crops yield almost two thirds of the gross educational institutions, including the University of agricultural income of the province. Animal prod- the Free State and the Central University of Tech- ucts contribute a further 30%, with the balance nology. generated by horticulture. Important towns include Welkom, the heart of Ninety percent of the country’s cherry crop is the goldfields and one of the few completely pre- produced in the Ficksburg district, while the two planned cities in the world; Odendaalsrus, another largest asparagus-canning factories are also situ- gold-mining town; Sasolburg, which owes its exist- ated in this district. ence to the petrol-from-coal installation estab- Soya, sorghum, sunflowers and wheat are culti- lished there; Kroonstad, an important agricultural, vated, especially in the eastern Free State, where administrative and educational centre; Parys, on farmers specialise in seed production. About 40% the banks of the Vaal River; Phuthaditjhaba, well of the country’s potato yield comes from the high- known for the beautiful handcrafted items produced lying areas of the Free State. by the local people; and Bethlehem, gateway to the The province produces about 100 000 t of Eastern Highlands of the Free State. vegetables and 40 000 t of fruit each year. Nestled in the rolling foothills of the Maluti moun- The main vegetable crop is asparagus, both tains in the north-eastern Free State, the Golden white and green varieties. The industry is expand- Gate Highlands National Park is the province’s ing and becoming increasingly export-orientated. prime tourist attraction. The park derives its name In terms of floriculture, the Free State has an from the brilliant shades of gold cast by the sun advantage due to the opposing seasons of the on the spectacular sandstone cliffs, especially the southern and northern hemispheres. The province imposing Brandwag rock, which keeps vigil over the exports some 1,2 million t of cut flowers per year. park. The N1, which is the artery between Gauteng The development of agriculture as a sustainable and the Western and Eastern Cape, passes through economic contributor, especially regarding emerg- the middle of the Free State. The annual Mangaung ing and small farmers, is one of the high-impact African Cultural Festival, popularly called Macufe, projects which are currently underway. is hosted in partnership with the Tourism Authority and the Performing Arts Centre of the Free State. Mining The mining industry is the major employer in The people the Free State. Investment opportunities are The Free State houses more than 2,7 million people substantial in productivity-improvement areas on about 129 480 km2 of land (Community Survey, for mining and related products and services. 2007). The main languages spoken are Sesotho South Africa is the world’s largest producer of and Afrikaans. According to the Labour Force gold. A gold reef of over 400 km long, known
SA YEARBOOK 2008/09 16 THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE as Lejweleputswa (formerly known as the such as freight companies. The Provincial Govern- “Goldfields”), stretches across Gauteng and the Free ment has set aside R2 million for the initial stages State; the largest gold-mining complex being Free of the second phase. State Consolidated Goldfields, with a mining area of Some 14% of the province’s manufacturing is 32 918 ha. classified as being in high-technology industries, Some 82% of the region’s mineral production which is the highest percentage of all the provin- value is derived from this activity, primarily in the cial economies. goldfields region, which comprises the districts of An important manufacturing industry in the prov- Odendaalsrus, Virginia and Welkom. ince can be found in the northern Free State, which Twelve gold mines operate in the province. is one of the most important chemical hubs in the Roughly 30% of South Africa’s gold is obtained southern hemisphere. The province has competi- from this region, and the province lies in fifth posi- tive advantages in the production of certain fuels, tion as a global producer. waxes, chemicals and low-cost feedstock from Harmony Gold Refinery and Rand Refinery are coal. The growth in high-tech industries is signif- the only two gold refineries in South Africa. icant in the context of the changing contribution Gold mines in the Free State also supply a of the gold-mining industry to gross geographic substantial portion of the total silver produced product. The province’s development strategy in the country, while considerable concentra- centres on competitiveness, empow er ment, capac- tions of uranium occurring in the gold-bearing ity-building and bene fi ciation. conglomerates of the goldfields are extracted as a by-product. 2010 World Cup Bituminous coal is mined in the province Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein will host five and converted to petrochemicals at Sasolburg. first-round marches and one second-round match Diamonds from this region, extracted from kimber- during the World Cup. It has 48 000 seats. lite pipes and fissures, are of a high quality. The province was expected to embark on the The largest deposit of bentonite in the country following projects from 2007: occurs in the Koppies district. s DEVELOPING THE . 2OAD $EVELOPMENT The Free State Provincial Government has Corridor approved the establishment of two biofuel plants in s REHABILITATING AND REVIVING THE RAIL NETWORK FROM Bothaville and Hoopstad. Thaba Nchu to Bloemfontein s CONSTRUCTING AN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE Manufacturing and industry which will be linked to other 2010 initiatives Since 1989, the Free State economy has changed such as the revamping of the Bloemfontein from being dependent on the primary sector Airport, Macufe and the intermodal transport to being a manufacturing, export-orientated facility. economy. The Free State GDPR amounted to about By February 2008, all the major master plans R75 827 million in 2004, representing a 5,5% regarding transport, ICT, and safety and security contribution to the South African economy. had been finalised. Co-operation with Lesotho and By 2008, the province had completed the first the Northern Cape will extend the economic bene- phase of the Harrismith Logistics Hub, which when fits of the event far beyond the borders of the Free completed, will become the multinodal freight State. logistical base in the Free State. The second phase of the project will commence in 2009 and will entail North West the mobilisation of stakeholders and participants North West, also known as the “Platinum Province”, is centrally located on the subcontinent Free State with direct road and rail links to all southern African countries, and with its own airport near the capital Capital: Bloemfontein city, Mafikeng. The province borders Botswana and Principal languages: Sesotho 64,4% is fringed by the Kalahari Desert in the west and Afrikaans 11,9% the Witwatersrand area in the east. North West is isiXhosa 9,1% divided into the Central, Bophirima (towards the Population: 2 773 059 (Community Survey, 2007) west), Southern, Rustenburg and Eastern regions. Area (km2): 129 480
17 Most economic activity is concentrated in the beneficiate platinum into jewellery products. Southern Region (between Potchefstroom and A further agreement between the province and Klerksdorp), Rustenburg, and the Eastern Region, Canada will also be finalised to complete a where more than 83,3% of gross domestic product platinum theme park. The Business Incubation per region (GDPR) of the province is generated. Centre, which is located at Orbit College, is up The province offers several tourist attractions, and running. including the internationally renowned Sun City, the s 4HE 'RANITE 0ROJECT IS LOCATED IN "ETHANIE AND popular Pilanesberg National Park, the Madikwe was allocated R40 million in this Medium Term Game Reserve and the Rustenburg Nature Expenditure Framework period. Reserve. The GDP in constant 2000 prices grew from Manufacturing R58 billion in 1996 to more than R72 billion in Manufacturing contributes 7% to the province’s 2006. Since the launching of the Provincial Growth GDP and 9% of its employment opportunities. It and Development Strategy in 2004, the economic provides 2,6% of the South African manufacturing growth per year consistently outperformed the sector’s contribution to GDP. annual population growth of the province, register- Manufacturing is almost exclusively dependent ing growth rates of 3,6%, 4,9% and 4,3%, in 2004, on the performance of a few sectors in which the 2005 and 2006, respectively. province enjoys a competitive advantage. These are According to the Labour Force Survey released fabricated metals (51%), the food sector (18%) and in March 2008, the official unemployment rate in non-metallic metals (21%) (Provincial Economies, the province was 24%. 2003). Industrial activity is centred in the towns of Brits, Klerksdorp, Vryburg and Rustenburg. The people The Brits industries concentrate mostly on Of the 3,6 million people living in the North West, manufacturing and construction, while those at 65% live in the rural areas (Community Survey, Klerksdorp are geared towards the mining indus- 2007). The Community Survey indicates in terms try, and those at Vryburg and Rustenburg towards of access to basic services that: agriculture. s OF HOUSEHOLDS HAVE ACCESS TO PIPED WATER The Platinum SDI, situated on the Coast-to- s USE ELECTRICITY AS A SOURCE OF DOMESTIC Coast highway that links the port of Maputo in power Mozambique to Walvis Bay in Namibia is expected s OF PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO REFUSE to unlock further development. About 200 poten- removal tial project opportunities in tourism, manufacturing, s HAVE ACCESS TO SANITATION ABOVE agriculture and mining have been identified. Reconstruction and Development Programme standards. Agriculture Agriculture is of extreme importance to the North Mining West. It contributes about 2,6% to the total GDPR Diamonds are mined at Lichtenburg, Koster, Chris- and 19% to formal employment. tiana and Bloemhof, while Orkney and Klerksdorp Some 5,9% of the South African GDP in agri- have gold mines. The area surrounding Rusten- culture and 16,96% of total labour in agriculture burg and Brits boasts the largest single platinum- are based in the North West (Provincial Economies, production area in the world. Marble is also mined 2004). The province is an important food basket in here. Fluorspar is exploited at Zeerust. South Africa. Maize and sunflowers are the most Projects in the province include the following: important crops, and the North West is the major s /NE OF THE PROGRAMMES OF THE -AlKENG )NDUS- producer of white maize in the country. trial Development Initiative is the establishment of the Mining Supply and Industrial Park that North West will result in the creation of a mining goods- and -service warehouse and delivery park for Capital: Mafikeng the convenience and benefit of most mining Principal languages: Setswana 65,4% companies around Rustenburg. Afrikaans 7,5% s "Y EARLY THE 0LATINUM "ENElCIATION isiXhosa 5,8% Project was in its implementation stage. A trust Population: 3 271 948 (Community Survey, 2007) was established and a company registered to Area (km2): 116 320
SA YEARBOOK 2008/09 18 THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE Some of the largest cattle herds in the world are 97,9%. Gauteng has the highest population in the found at Stellaland near Vryburg, which explains country, at 10 451 713 people. One in four house- why this area is often referred to as the “Texas of holds in the country stays in the province. South Africa”. Marico is also cattle country. The The three most important sectors contribut- areas around Rustenburg and Brits are fertile, ing to GDPR are finance, real estate and business mixed-crop farming land. services; manufacturing; and general government services. 2010 World Cup Sustained growth has led to a steady reduction Rustenburg is the official hosting city in the North in unemployment. According to the Labour Force West, with the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rusten- Survey, March 2008, unemployment in Gauteng burg being the official match venue. declined from 30,4% in September 2001 to 19,5% The stadium will also be used for the Confe- in September 2007. derations Cup in June 2009. By January 2009, all Gauteng is also the financial-services capital of major refurbishments to the stadium had been Africa. More than 70 foreign banks have their head completed. offices here, as do at least the same number of Preparations in the province include: South African banks, stockbrokers and insurance s ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL LINK 2USTENBURG AND giants. The province blends cultures, colours and its environs to the Royal Bafokeng Stadium first- and third-world traditions in a spirited mix s CAPACITY BUILDING IN RESPECT OF VOLUNTEERS AND that is flavoured by many foreign influences. other service-providers Most overseas visitors enter South Africa via s GREENING AND BEAUTIlCATION OF THE HOST CITY OR Tambo International Airport. s UPGRADING AND ENHANCING THE HOST CITYS HEALTH South of Johannesburg is Soweto, developed as facilities a township for black people under the apartheid s AN IMPROVED NETWORK OF TRANSPORT FACILITIES system. Most of the struggle against apartheid was s UPLIFTMENT OF THE ECONOMY THROUGH SKILLS DEVELOP- fought in and from Soweto, which is estimated to ment, the craft industry and the performing arts be inhabited by over two million people. Soweto is s ENHANCING THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES EMERGENCY a city of enterprise and cultural interaction. and disaster management services. It is also a popular tourist destination, with sites such as Kliptown, where the Freedom Charter was Gauteng drawn up; the home of former President Nelson Although it is the smallest of the nine provinces, Mandela; the Hector Petersen Memorial site; and Gauteng is the powerhouse of South Africa and restaurants and shopping malls. It boasts one of the the heart of its commercial business and industrial largest public hospitals on the continent, the Chris sectors. Hani-Baragwanath Hospital. Johannesburg, nicknamed “Egoli” (Place of The 65 000 m2 Maponya Mail attracts on Gold), is the capital of the province and a city of average 1,5 million people a month. Some 50 km contrasts. Mine-dumps and headgear stand proud north of Johannesburg lies Pretoria, dominated by as symbols of its rich past, while modern architec- government services and the diplomatic corps of ture rubs shoulders with examples of 19th-century foreign representatives in the country. engineering prowess. Pretoria is the administrative capital of Gleaming skyscrapers contrast with Indian South Africa and home to the Union Buildings. bazaars and African muti (medicine) shops, where Pretoria, also known as the “Jacaranda City”, is traditional healers dispense advice and traditional renowned for its colourful gardens, shrubs and medicine. trees, particularly beautiful in spring when some Gauteng continues to strengthen its position as 50 000 flowering jacaranda trees envelop the the economic engine of the country and the conti- avenues in mauve. nent. The city developed at a more sedate pace than The 2007 Community Survey, conducted by Johannesburg, and town planners had the foresight Statistics South Africa, shows that the percent- to include an abundance of open space. Pretoria age of informal settlements in the province has has more than 100 parks, including bird sanctuar- dropped to 22,6%. The percentage of house- ies and nature reserves. holds using electricity remains the highest An air of history pervades much of central Preto- in the country at 83,5%. The percentage ria, especially Church Square, around which the of households with piped water stands at city has grown. Many buildings of historical and
19 architectural importance have been retained or The Automotive Supplier Park in Tshwane will be restored to their former splendour. expanded to accommodate the growing demand The industrial area of Rosslyn and the town- from a range of new motor manufacturers. The ships of Soshanguve and GaRankuwa are situated logistics centre will be extended and the Gauteng north of Pretoria. Cullinan, known for its diamonds, Provincial Government will explore the creation of lies to the east. Other important Gauteng towns supplier parks related to the heavy vehicle industry include Krugersdorp and Roodepoort on the West for export purposes. Rand, and Germiston, Springs, Boksburg, Benoni, A total of 4 404 direct jobs were created in the Brakpan and Kempton Park on the East Rand. Automotive Supplier Park between 2002 and 2007, Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging in the south of with 70% of them being for people from histori- the province are major industrial centres, while cally disadvantaged backgrounds. A further 2 000 Heidelberg, Nigel and Bronkhorstspruit to the east employment opportunities were created in the are of agricultural importance. support functions to the component suppliers. Although the province is highly urbanised and Other initiatives undertaken to boost growth industrialised, it contains wetlands of international and job creation include the acceleration of work to importance, such as Blesbokspruit near Springs. establish a jewellery-manufacturing precinct at the OR Tambo International Airport and a plan to revive The people and increase the capacity of the Ekandustria Indus- Gauteng is the most densely populated province in trial Park in Metsweding. South Africa. It houses more than 10 million of the country’s people (Community Survey, 2007). The Technology level of urbanisation is 97%. A large number of institutions engaged in R&D and The province houses some of the most impor- innovation choose Gauteng as their preferred site tant educational and health centres in the country. of operation. In 2008, the Innovation Hub in Pretoria Pretoria boasts the largest residential university in was expected to be expanded to accommodate 40 South Africa, the University of Pretoria, and what is high-tech SMME companies. In 2008, there were believed to be the largest correspondence univer- 68 companies in the hub’s Incubation Programme, sity in the world, Unisa. employing a total of 850 people. In addition, Gauteng is home to leading research The collaboration between Gauteng and the institutions such as the Council for Scientific and Department of Science and Technology has resulted Industrial Research, the Agricultural Research in the province being included as part of the key Council, Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute and the programmes under the Co-operation Framework Human Sciences Research Council. More than 60% on Innovation Systems between Finland and South of South Africa’s research and development (R&D) Africa (Cofisa). The 30-month Cofisa programme takes place in Gauteng. will focus on the capacity development of key Johannesburg has two residential universities, stakeholders and knowledge transfer between the namely the University of the Witwatersrand and the first and second economies. University of Johannesburg. There are also several teacher-training colleges, technical colleges and Tourism universities of technology in the province. Tourist arrivals to the province continue to grow, creating jobs and other economic opportunities Manufacturing for the people. One in every two foreign visitors in The manufacturing sector in Gauteng includes more than 9 300 firms, employing more than 600 000 people. Industries that have contributed Gauteng significantly to this output are basic iron and steel; fabricated and metal products; food; machinery, Capital: Johannesburg Principal languages: isiZulu 21,5% electrical machinery, appliances and electrical Afrikaans 14,4% supplies; vehicle parts and accessories; and chem- Sesotho 13,1% ical products. English 12,5% In 2008, the Ford Motor Company announced a Population: 10 451 713 (Community Survey, 2007) R1,5-billion investment in South Africa. Part of the Area (km2): 17 010 investment will go towards the expansion of the production capacity of its motor assembly plant in Tshwane.
SA YEARBOOK 2008/09 20 THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE South Africa visits Gauteng, making the province The opening and closing ceremonies as well as the country’s highest earner of tourism income. a number of group matches will be hosted in the province. Agriculture and industry Gauteng’s agricultural sector is geared to provide Mpumalanga the cities and towns of the province with daily fresh Mpumalanga means “Place where the Sun Rises”. produce, including dairy products, vegetables, fruit, Because of the province’s spectacular scenic meat, eggs and flowers. beauty and abundance of wildlife, it is one of South A large area of the province falls within the Africa’s major tourist destinations. so-called “Maize Triangle”. The districts of With a surface area of only 79 490 km2, the Bronkhorstspruit, Cullinan and Heidelberg hold second-smallest province after Gauteng, it has the important agricultural land, where groundnuts, fourth-largest economy in South Africa. sunflowers, cotton and sorghum are produced. Bordered by Mozambique and Swaziland in This summer-rainfall area has hot summers and the east and Gauteng in the west, it is situated cold winters with frost. Hail is common during the mainly on the high plateau grasslands of the summer thunderstorms. Middleveld, which roll eastwards for hundreds Gauteng is an integrated industrial complex of kilometres. In the north-east, it rises towards with major areas of economic activity in three sub- mountain peaks and terminates in an immense regional areas, namely the Vaal Triangle; the East, escarpment. In some places, this escarpment West and Central Rand; and Pretoria. plunges hundreds of metres down to the low-lying The Vaal Triangle has a strong manufacturing area known as the Lowveld. sector; the West Rand concentrates on primary The area has a network of excellent roads and mining; and the Central Witwatersrand is domi- railway connections, making it highly accessible. nated by the manufacturing and finance sectors, Because of its popularity as a tourist destination, with mining capital playing a major role. Mpumalanga is also served by a number of small All sectors rely heavily on the Vaal Dam (on the airports, such as the Kruger Mpumalanga Interna- Vaal River), from where water is piped across the tional Airport. province. Nelspruit is the capital of the province and the Most steel in South Africa is produced and administrative and business centre of the Lowveld. consumed in Gauteng. South Africa is also one Witbank is the centre of the local coal-mining of the top-10 primary producers of aluminium in industry; Standerton, in the south, is renowned the world. The value of this industry in Gauteng is for its large dairy industry; and Piet Retief in the worth about US$20 million. Johannesburg houses south-east is a production area for tropical fruit and the JSE Limited, the largest securities exchange in sugar. Africa. A large sugar industry is also found at Malelane in the east; Ermelo is the district in South Africa 2010 World Cup that produces the most wool; Barberton is one of Soccer City, near Soweto, Johannesburg, will host the oldest gold-mining towns in South Africa; and the final match of the 2010 World Cup. It will accom- Sabie is situated in the forestry heartland of the modate 94 700 soccer fans. Ellis Park in Johannes- country. burg, the venue of the 1995 Rugby World Cup final, The Maputo Corridor, which links the province will undergo a major renovation before the 2010 with Gauteng and Maputo in Mozambique, heralds World Cup. It will have 61 000 seats. a new era in terms of economic development and Loftus Versfeld Stadium (50 000 seats) in Preto- growth for the region. ria will also host 2010 World Cup games. Some R40 million was set aside in 2007/08 for the rehabili- Mpumalanga tation of the R21 highway to improve connectivity between Pretoria and the OR Tambo International Capital: Nelspruit Airport. Principal languages: siSwati 30,8% The province has won the right to host SoccerEx, isiZulu 26,4% the largest football business exhibition in the world, isiNdebele 12,1% over the next three years. It provides an interna- Population: 3 508 000 (Mid-Year Population Estimates, 2007) 2 tional platform to showcase the province’s readi- Area (km ): 79 490 ness to host the 2010 World Cup.
21 As the first international toll road in Africa, the Groblersdal is an important irrigation area, Maputo Corridor is attracting investment and which yields a wide variety of products such as releasing the local economic potential of the land- citrus fruit, cotton, tobacco, wheat and vegetables. locked parts of the country. The best-performing Carolina-Bethal-Ermelo is mainly a sheep-farming sectors in the province include mining, manufac- area, but potatoes, sunflowers, maize and peanuts turing and services. Tourism and agriprocessing are also produced in this region. are potential growth sectors in the province. To facilitate the growth of the agricultural Mpumalanga falls mainly within the Grassland sector, the province will increase the cultiva- Biome. The escarpment and the Lowveld form a tion and processing of soya beans into biofuels. transitional zone between this grassland area and During 2007, soil analysis was done to identify the Savanna Biome. suitable soil for soya-bean production. In addition, a Long stretches of undulating grasslands change farmer outreach programme was started and abruptly into thickly forested ravines and thunder- private-sector support for the programme was ing waterfalls of the escarpment, only to change secured. In 2008/09, R20 million was allocated again into the subtropical wildlife splendour of to initiate a pilot project on 8 000 hectares (ha) the Lowveld. Sabie and Graskop provide a large of land, with a view to expanding the scale in the part of the country’s total forestry products. These 2009/10 financial year. forestry plantations are an ideal backdrop for During 2007/08, the allocation of R30 million ecotourism opportunities, with a variety of popular for the Masibuyel’ Emasimini Project was used hiking trails, a myriad waterfalls, patches of indig- to provide 52 tractors, seeds and fertilisers to enous forest and many nature reserves. the rural poor to maximise food production in Lake Chrissie is the largest natural freshwater poor rural areas. A total 11 935 ha of land were lake in South Africa and is famous for its variety of ploughed and planted to benefit 5 913 people. In aquatic birds, especially flamingos. the 2008/09 financial year, R35 million was allo- cated to scale up support to deliver 83 tractors, The people plough and plant 15 000 ha of land, thereby reach- Even though it is one of the smaller provinces, ing 5 916 new beneficiaries. Mpumalanga has a population of more than 3,6 million people (Community Survey, 2007). Industry Mpumalanga’s official unemployment rate is Mpumalanga is very rich in coal reserves. The 22,9% (Labour Force Survey, March 2008). country’s major power stations, three of which In Mpumalanga, 82% of households have are the biggest in the southern hemisphere, access to electricity for lighting, 77% of house- are situated here. Unfortunately, these cause the holds live in formal dwellings, 66% of households highest levels of air pollution in the country. have access to a refrigerator, 78% of households Secunda, where South Africa’s second petro- have access to a cellphone and 41% of house- leum-from-coal installation is situated, is also holds have access to sanitary facilities. located in this province. One of the country’s largest paper mills is Agriculture and forestry situated at Ngodwana, close to its timber source. The province is a summer-rainfall area divided by Middelburg produces steel and vanadium, while the escarpment into the Highveld region with cold Witbank is the biggest coal producer in Africa. frosty winters, and the Lowveld region with mild The province’s flagship programmes include winters and a subtropical climate. the Maputo Development Corridor; the Moloto The escarpment area sometimes experiences Rail Development Corridor; the Water for All, the snow on high ground. Thick mist is common during Heritage, Greening Mpumalanga; and tourism the hot, humid summers. An abundance of citrus programmes. fruit and many other subtropical fruits – mangoes, In September 2007, the unemployment rate in avocados, litchis, bananas, pawpaws, granadillas, Mpumalanga stood at 22,9%. guavas – as well as nuts and a variety of vegeta- bles are produced here. Nelspruit is the second- 2010 World Cup largest citrus-producing area in South Africa and A provincial “one-stop” 2010 office has been is responsible for one third of the country’s export established, which will act as a central point of in oranges. The Institute for Tropical and Subtropi- co-ordination of the 2010 World Cup programmes cal Crops is situated here. and activities, incorporating the Department
SA YEARBOOK 2008/09 22 THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE of Culture, Sport and Recreation, the host city The Great North Road running through the centre Mbombela and the 2010 Directorate in the Premier’s of the province strings together a series of interest- Office. The Mbombela Stadium, with a capacity of ing towns. Bela-Bela, with its popular mineral spa, 46 000 seats, will host the first four matches in is near the southern border of the province. Nelspruit. Further north lie Modimolle with its table-grape industry and beautiful Waterberg mountain range; Tourism Mokopane; Polokwane; Makhado at the foot of the Mpumalanga is an ancient land, with evidence of Soutpansberg mountain range; and Musina, with its human habitation stretching back 100 000 years, thick-set baobab trees. The crossing into Zimbabwe and the first major kingdoms and mining empires is at Beit Bridge, where the South African section of beginning 46 000 years ago. The region’s pre-colo- this important route north into Africa ends. nial history is, however, still largely unexplored. Other important Limpopo towns include Bordering on Swaziland, and encompassing the major mining centres of Phalaborwa and huge areas of the world-renowned Kruger National Thabazimbi; and Tzaneen, producer of tea, forestry Park as well as private game reserves, Mpuma- products and tropical fruits. This province is in the langa offers untold opportunities to view a unique Savanna Biome, an area of mixed grassland and concentration of wildlife – either on camping safari trees, which is generally known as bushveld. A trip or in the air-conditioned luxury of a five-star game through this summer-rainfall area shows that this lodge. is tree country. Rich in natural beauty, culture and wildlife, Limpopo Limpopo is an ideal breakaway destination for tour- Limpopo, South Africa’s northernmost province, ists. The province’s natural resources include more lies within the great elbow of the Limpopo River. than 50 provincial reserves, as well as several It is a province of dramatic contrasts – from true private game reserves. The largest section of the bushveld country to majestic mountains, primeval Kruger National Park is situated along the eastern indigenous forests, latter-day plantations, unspoilt boundary of Limpopo with Mozambique. wilderness areas and a patchwork of farming land. Limpopo has a strong rural basis. Its growth strat- The people egy centres on addressing infrastructure backlogs, In Limpopo, more than 5,2 million people live on the alleviation of poverty, and social development. about 123 910 km2 of land (Community Survey, Limpopo is the gateway to the rest of Africa. It is 2007). Several museums and national monu- favourably situated for economic co-operation with ments bear testimony to ancient peoples and fear- other parts of southern Africa, as it shares borders less pioneers who braved the unknown. Living with Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. museums include the Bakone Malapa Museum The province is linked to the Maputo Develop- near Polokwane, where Bapedi tribespeople prac- ment Corridor through the Phalaborwa SDI, which tise age-old skills for the benefit of visitors; and the is a network of rail and road corridors connecting Tsonga Open-Air Museum near Tzaneen. Mapun- to the major seaports, which will open up Limpopo gubwe (“Place of The Jackal”) Hill, some 75 km for trade and investment. This is complemented by from Musina, used to be a natural fortress for its the presence of smaller airports in centres such as inhabitants from about AD 950 to 1200. It was Phalaborwa and Musina, as well as the Gateway declared a world heritage site in 2003. Valuable International Airport in Polokwane. The airport archaeological artefacts, including many golden carries about 38 000 passengers a year. objects, have been discovered in this area, as well Statistics South Africa’s figures show that as in the northern part of the Kruger National Park. Limpopo’s economy grew from 4,1% in 2005 to 4,6% in 2006. Limpopo has been experiencing Agriculture an average economic growth of 4,2% in the last The bushveld is cattle country, where controlled four years. Limpopo is also beginning to observe hunting is often combined with ranching. About a gradual decline in the unemployment rate. The 80% of South Africa’s hunting takes place in this unemployment rate decreased from 35,6% in province. As the largest producers of various crops March 2006 to 27,6% in September 2007. in the agricultural market, Limpopo is exploit- Polokwane is the capital city and lies strategi- ing this capacity as a resource for agritourism. cally in the centre of the province. For instance, the Modimolle Grape Festival is cele- brated in January.
23 The province developed the Limpopo Agricul- platinum-group metals, iron ore, chromium, high- tural Development Strategy, whose priority lies in and middle-grading coking coal, diamonds, anti- the development of agricultural hubs – a concept mony, phosphate and copper, as well as mineral adapted to suit areas with the greatest potential to reserves like gold, emeralds, scheelite, magnetite, increase land availability for agricultural produc- vermiculite, silicon and mica. Base commodities tion while enhancing the broader economy of such such as black granite, corundum and feldspar are areas. Two of the five hubs identified are Nandoni also found in the province. in the Vhembe District and Nebo Plateau in the The province is a typical developing area, export- Sekhukhune District. ing primary products and importing manufac- Sunflowers, cotton, maize and peanuts are culti- tured goods and services. It has high potential and vated in the Bela-Bela-Modimolle area. Tropical capacity with appropriate economic develop- fruit, such as bananas, litchis, pineapples, mangoes ment, and is an attractive location for investors. and pawpaws, as well as a variety of nuts, are Resources such as tourism, rain-fed agriculture, grown in the Tzaneen and Makhado areas. Exten- minerals and an abundant labour force offer excel- sive tea and coffee plantations also create many lent investment opportunities. employment opportunities in the Tzaneen area. The climatic conditions in this province allow Tourism for double harvesting seasons, which ultimately The dropping of fences between state-owned translates into Limpopo becoming the national nature reserves and private game farms is opening food basket. It produces about 60% of the coun- up a new chapter in public-private partnerships try’s tomatoes; 75% mangoes; 65% papaya; 33% within the conservation field. oranges; 36% tea; 25% citrus, bananas and litchis; Limpopo has defended its market share of inter- and 60% of its avocados. It has initiated a process national arrivals by maintaining its presence in the to open market access for exporting some of its market and by designing new tourism products. fresh produce to the People’s Republic of China. It has developed through partnership with Open More than 45% of the R2-billion annual turnover Africa and the European Union three new routes, of the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market comes namely ‘‘Seraki”, ‘‘Land of Legends” and “Bush to from Limpopo. The largest tomato farm in South Beach”. Africa lies between Tzaneen and Makhado. Exten- The opening of the “Bush to Beach” route, which sive forestry plantations are also found here. links Limpopo through the Giriyondo border post to Plantations of hard wood for furniture manufac- Mozambique has opened up opportunities for 4x4 turing have also been established and many of the tourism packages. The Limpopo Tourism and Parks rural people practise subsistence farming. has developed a stronger marketing drive to popu- The northern and eastern parts of this summer- larise these routes for domestic and international rainfall region are subtropical with hot, humid travellers. summers and mist in the mountainous parts. Winter throughout the province is mild and mostly frost- 2010 World Cup free. The Agribusiness Academy at Tompi Seleka The Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane and Madzivhandila was officially launched in 2007 will host some of the 2010 World Cup matches. It in collaboration with the Flemish government. This will have a capacity of 46 000 seats. By mid-2008, academy mentors and trains small-scale farmers, the development, upgrading and construction of including providing refresher courses for extension the terminal of Polokwane International Airport was officers. The Agribusiness Academy is also support- nearing completion. The objective is to develop it ing an agritourism initiative at Ha-Makuya in the into a regional commercial and cargo hub. Vhembe District in partnership with the University of the Witwatersrand. The revitilisation of the Tshivhase Tea Estate in Limpopo the Vhembe District has reached a stage where rural people of Limpopo can proudly produce their Capital: Polokwane own tea. Principal languages: Sesotho sa Leboa 52,1% Xitsonga 22,4% Industry Tshivenda 15,9% Mining is a significant economic activity in the prov- Population: 2 238 286 (Community Survey, 2007) ince. Limpopo is rich in mineral deposits, including Area (km2): 123 910
SA YEARBOOK 2008/09 24 THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE Acknowledgements Original text by Theuns and Heila van Rensburg www.cesa.org.za Pan South African Language Board www.cr/commission.org.za Bulletin of Statistics (March 2004), published by www.fs.gov.za Statistics South Africa www.geda.co.za Labour Force Survey (March 2008), published by www.gov.za Statistics South Africa www.limpopo.gov.za Provincial Economies (May 2003), published by www.pansalb.org.za the Department of Trade and Industry www.places.co.za Community Survey 2007, published by Statistics www.southafrica.info South Africa www.mpumalangainfotourism.info Statistics South Africa
Suggested reading Bowie, B. East London: Heart of Buffalo City. East London: Lucky Bean Publishers, 2005. Brown, GW. et al. Cape Town Uncovered: A People’s City. Cape Town: Double Storey, 2005. Balson, S. Children of the Mist: The Lost Tribe of South Africa. Queensland, Australia: Interactive Press, 2007. Brown, D. To Speak of this Land: Identity and Belonging in South Africa and Beyond. Pietermaritzburg: University of KwaZulu-Natal Press, 2007. Chipkin, I. Do South Africans Exist: Nationalism, Democracy and the Identity of the People. Johannesburg: Wits University Press, 2007. Contemporary South Africa. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004. City of Johannesburg: A World-Class African City! Johannesburg: Chris van Rensburg Publications, 2004. Distiller, N and Steyn, M. Under Construction: Race and Identity in South Africa Today. Sandton, Heinemann, 2004. Delius, P ed. Mpumalanga: History and Heritage. Pietermaritzburg: University of KwaZulu-Natal Press, 2007. Desai, A and Goolam V. Inside Indenture: A South African Story 1860 – 1914. Durban: Madiba Publishers, 2007. Earle, J. Sasol First Guide to Weather in Southern Africa. Cape Town: Struik, 2004. Field, S. et al. eds. Imagining the City: Memories and Cultures of Cape Town. Cape Town: Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) Press, 2007. Goldblatt, D, Krog, A and Powell, I. Some Afrikaners Revisited. Cape Town: 2007. Hendriks, HJ. Studying Congregations in Africa. Wellington (Cape): Lux Verbi, 2004. Hollman, J. ed. Customs and Beliefs of the !Xam Bushmen. Johannesburg: Wits University Press, Philadelphia: Ringing Rocks Press, 2004. Huffman, TN. Mapungubwe: Ancient African Civilisation on the Limpopo. Johannesburg: Wits University Press, 2004. Hollman, JC, ed. Customs and Beliefs of the /Xam Bushmen. Johannesburg: Wits University Press, 2007. Jenkins, E. Falling into Place: The Story of Modern South African Place Names. Cape Town: David Philips, 2007. Jeppie, S. Language, Identity, Modernity: The Arabic Study Circle of Durban. Cape Town: HSRC Press, 2007. Joburg! The Passion Behind a City. Johannesburg: Affinity Publishing, 2006. Joubert, L. Scorched: South Africa’s Changing Climate. Johannesburg: Witwatersrand University Press, 2006. Kok, P. et al. eds. Migration in South Africa and Southern Africa: Dynamics and Determinants. Cape Town: HSRC, 2005. L’Ange, G. White Africans: From Colonisation to Liberation. Cape Town: Jonathan Ball, 2005. Lee, P. Compromise and Courage: Anglicans in Johannesburg 1864 – 1999. Pietermaritzburg: Cluster Publications, 2005.
25 Meckel, D and Ole, K. Straight Talk: Voices from the New South Africa. Cape Town: Struik, 2004. Mitchley, C. ed. South African Heritage: A Guide to Our Land, Our People, History and Culture. Caledon: Mill Street Publications, 2005. Mohammed, A. Not White Enough, Not Black Enough: Racial Identity in the South African Coloured Community. Cape Town: Double Storey, 2005. Oduyoye, M and Kanyoro, M. The Will to Arise: Women, Tradition and the Church in Africa. Pietermaritzburg: Cluster Publications, 2006. Odendaal, F, Suich, H and Rojas V. Richtersveld: The Land and its People. Cape Town: Struik, 2007. Pietermaritzburg: Cluster, 2006. Oduyoye, M A and Musimbi, K R K, eds. The Will to Rise: Women, Tradition and the Church in Africa. Reimold, W and Roger G. Meteorite Impact! The Danger from Space and South Africa’s Mega-Impact: The Vredefort Structure. Johannesburg: Chris van Rensburg Publications, 2005. Robbins, D. On the Bridge of Goodbye: The Story of South Africa’s Discarded San People. Cape Town: Jonathan Ball, 2007. Schoeman, K. The Early Mission in South Africa/Die Vroeë Sending in Suid-Afrika 1799 – 1819. Pretoria: Protea Book House, 2005. Schadeberg, J. Tales from Jozi: Photographs by J Schadeberg, edited by S Fraser. Pretoria: Protea Book House, 2007. Tyson, PD and Preston-Whyte, RA. Weather and Climate of Southern Africa; 2nd ed. Cape Town: Oxford University Press Southern Africa, 2004. Westby-Nunn, T. Hout Bay: An IIlustrated Historical Profile. Cape Town: Westby-Nunn Publishers, 2005. Weinberg, P. Moving Spirit: Spirituality in Southern Africa. Cape Town: Double Storey, 2006. Wittenberg, G. Resistance Theology in the Old Testament: Collected Essays. Pietermaritzburg: Cluster Publications, 2007.
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