Information Polokwane - Conference Venues Centres Polokwane, South Africa

Information on Polokwane, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Conference Venues South Africa brings you information on Polokwane situated in the Limpopo Province of South Africa including information on Facilities and Recreation, Climate, Founding, History Suburbs, Town Planning and Geography.

Polokwane,meaning "Place of Safety",is a city in the Polokwane Local Municipality and the capital of the Limpopo province, South Africa. It is also often referred to by its former name, Pietersburg. Polokwane is a major urban centre, the biggest and most important north of Gauteng. The population of the municipality exceeds 500,000 (2001). Polokwane is one of the host cities of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Polokwane provides access to various nature and wildlife viewing opportunities for ecotourists. The Polokwane Bird and Reptile Park is home to over 280 species of birds. The Polokwane Game Reserve houses various South African species of wildlife, birdlife, and plants in an unspoiled bushveld environment. The Moletzie Bird Sanctuary protects rare birds like the Cape Vulture. The Modjardji Rainforest holds the largest concentration of indigenous cycads in the world, and Cheune Crocodile Farm provides a place to learn about the life of crocodiles.. The city is considered the premier hunting destination in South Africa.

Hunting - Pietersburg is considered the premier hunting destination in South Africa.

Eersteling Monuments - The site of the country's first gold crushing site and its first gold power plant are marked by monuments.

Open-Air Museum - This museum depicts the traditional and modern-day culture and lifestyle of the Bakone people

Other attractions include:

The Bakone Malapa Northern Sotho Open-Air Museum, which depicts the traditional and modern-day lifestyle of this people.
The Pietersburg Game Reserve, which has more than 21 species and offers scenic walks.
The Savannah Centre, a modern shopping centre.

Peter Mokaba Stadium will be used for matches for the 2010 World Cup

Polokwane History

In the 1840s, Voortrekkers under the leadership of Andries Potgieter established Zoutpansbergdorp, a town 100 km to the north west. This settlement had to be abandoned because of clashes with the local tribes. They founded a new town in 1886 and named it Pietersburg in honour of Voortrekker leader Petrus Jacobus Joubert. The British built a concentration camp at Pietersburg during the Boer War to house almost 4,000 Boer women and children. The town officially became a city on April 23, 1992; on February 25, 2005, the government declared the official English name of the city to be the Northern Sotho one, Polokwane. The city was the site of the ANC national conference which saw Jacob Zuma take over as head of the party.

Towns and Suburbs of the Gauteng province of South Africa