The North West Province was part of the old Transvaal, and includes most of the parts of the old homeland, Bophuthatswana. There is a lot of platinum in the province, so that it is often called the Platinum Province. North West Province is an inland South African Province that borders Botswana.
Capital: Mafikeng (it means “The place of rocks”)
Principal languages: Setswana, isiXhosa, Sesotho
Premier: Thandi Modise
First premier (1994): Popo Molefe
North West's claim to fame:
Siege of Mafeking (today Mafikeng) in the Anglo-Boer War
During the Anglo-Boer War, a Boer force besieged the town of Mafikeng. The British soldiers in the Town were trapped for 7 months before they were rescued. In this time, Sol Plaatje worked for the British as an interpreter in Mafikeng. After the war he was one of the founders of the SANNC, a political party that later became the ANC.
Platinum
Platinum jewelry.
The world’s largest platinum mines are near Rustenburg in the North West Province. Most of the World’s platinum comes from the Merensky Reef in the North West Province. Platinum is more valuable than gold, and is very popular in jewelry.
Peglarae Trail (as seen in pic above)
Named after the rare Aloe Peglerae (plants that flower as a crimson colour between June and August), this is a great half-day adventure full of mountain vistas and wildflower splendour. The ascent rewards you with views over the reserve that’ll make you feel like you’re in a scene from The Lion King and rocky ridges rich in birdlife like zebra and sable antelope. Hikers have said to look for yellow trail markings (and get a map if you want to explore more).
Kalahari Primitive Trail
Trek deep into the heart of the Kalahari on the Kalahari Primitive Trail – a raw, off-grid wilderness immersion in the vast !Khamab Kalahari Reserve, where you’ll carry everything on your back, sleep under the stars and move entirely on foot. Led by professional Wilderness Trails Guides and limited to just 8 participants, this trail strips away all modern distractions – no tents, no tech, no trails – reconnecting you with silence, space and self.
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