Polokwane (meaning "Sanctuary" in Northern Sotho), also known as Pietersburg (formerly its official name), is the capital city of the Limpopo Province in South Africa. It is the country's largest urban centre north of Gauteng.
Here is a detailed look at the history and cultural significance of this South African city.
Early History and Founding
In the 1840s, Voortrekkers under the leadership of Andries Hendrik Potgieter established Zoutpansbergdorp, a town 100 km (62 mi) to the north. This settlement had to be abandoned because of clashes with the local tribes (Lebelo, Langa & Ledwaba clans). In 1886, they founded a new town and named it "Pietersburg" in honour of Voortrekker leader Petrus Jacobus Joubert.
A small number of Indian/Asian and coloured people settled into the region before the end of the 19th century.
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Role in the Boer War
During the Second Boer War, Pietersburg served briefly as the capital of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State in 1900. The British occupied Pietersburg in 1901 and built a concentration camp to incarcerate almost 4,000 Boer women and children.
Map of the Second Boer War
Apartheid Era
Like many places in South Africa at the time of apartheid, racial segregation and inequality were fundamentally ingrained into the town. Following the end of the Second Boer War, together with the formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910, institutional laws were in place in terms of divided urban planning which were implemented continuously throughout this era.
The institutionalization of the notorious Group Areas Act in 1950 and its amendments in 1966 ensured that the spatial development of the Central Business District (CBD) was exclusively for whites and other regions of the CBD being exclusively for other races such as "Indian centre" for Indians/Asians, many regions were designated to only a specific race of people such as the suburbs of Nirvana and Westernburg at the northwest of the town only being occupied by Indian/Asian and Coloured groups respectively, while the suburb of Bendor being reserved for Whites. The townships of Seshego and Mankweng were occupied by the Black population.
Apartheid sign on Durban beach
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Post-Apartheid Era
The town officially became a city on 23 April 1992 and on 27 April 1994, it became the capital of the newly formed Northern Transvaal province (Later changed to "Northern province" and thereafter Limpopo) following the 1994 South African general elections. On 25 February 2005, the government declared the official name of the city as Polokwane, a name that was generally in use by the speakers of Northern Sotho (Sepedi).
The Polokwane Municipality is run by the African National Congress (ANC) with a 60% majority obtained in the latest 2021 Municipal Elections.
Demographics
The population in 2011 was about 130,000. Roughly 45.9% of people in the city are Sepedi (Northern Sotho) speakers. A large portion of the white population are Afrikaners, and roughly 10,000 residents (roughly 8%) are English-speaking whites who are primarily South Africans of British descent and White Zimbabweans, the latter of whom primarily moved to the area since 2000.
Climate and Geography
The city features a semiarid climate under the Köppen climate classification. The city has a dry climate with a summer rainy season and a pronounced dry spell during winter.
Transportation
The R37 provincial route connects the city with Mbombela. Running east, the R71 connects the city with Tzaneen, Phalaborwa, Bushbuckridge, and the Kruger National Park. To north-east, is the R81 connecting the city with Giyani and Malamulele. The R521 connects the city with Alldays and the R567 via Seshego connects Polokwane with the N11. The Nelson Mandela road traffic island is situated on the outskirts of Polokwane when approaching from the direction of Johannesburg.
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The city is served by two airports. The city is connected to Johannesburg and other major centres by rail.
Media
The first commercial radio station in Limpopo, CapricornFM, broadcasts from the city. Two additional radio stations are also situated in Polokwane. The city has a selection of locally distributed newspapers.
Tourism and Culture
The Sun International casino and hotel is in the city. The Bakone Malapa Northern Sotho Open-Air Museum - Depicts the traditional and modern-day lifestyle of the Bakone people. The museum is centred on a traditional village still occupied by members of the tribe, who sell various crafts to tourists. Background information can be obtained in the visitor centre.
The largest Christian gathering in South Africa happens twice a year at Zion City, Moria near Polokwane, at Easter and again for the September end of year festival. The Zion Christian Church's headquarters are at Zion City Moria, about 25 kilometres east of the city. ZCC is an entirely black denomination with about 16 million members formed in 1924 by Ignatius Lekganyane - an indigenous church, not established by evangelists from abroad. The Star of David is the symbol of the ZCC and the two congregations that make up the church are today led by the grandsons of its founder - Barnabas Lekganyane and Saint Engenas Lekganyane. The ZCC is characterised by the emphasis it places on faith healing, purification rites, dancing, night communion, river baptism, the holy spirit, taboos and prophesying. The church celebrated its 100th year of existence during their September pilgrimage in 2024 which was attended by provincial government leadership, kings, chiefs, congregates and other dignitaries.
ZCC pilgrims in Moria
Jewish Community
The first Jewish settlers in Pietersburg arrived between 1890 and 1900 from Lithuania, Russia, and Latvia, and the Pietersburg Hebrew Congregation was founded in 1897. A synagogue was built on Jorissen Street in 1921. The Jewish community grew rapidly in the 1930s and 1940s; a larger synagogue was built in 1953 and the old synagogue was then converted into a communal hall. The number of Jews in Pietersburg began to decline from the late 1950s.
Sports
The Pietersburg Golf Club along with the golf course was established in the late 1800s. The course comprises a full 18 holes. The Limpopo Baobabs represents the city as well as the province of Limpopo in the Telkom Netball League. The city has a number of swimming clubs. In 2017, Gift Ngoepe, born in Pietersburg, became the first African player in the Major League Baseball, playing shortstop and second base for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Ngoepe's mother Maureen managed the baseball clubhouse in Randburg, near Johannesburg.
Nature and Wildlife
The city 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. An extensive art collection is preserved in the city's art gallery, open to the public. The city has more public sculptures per capita in its parks than elsewhere in South Africa.
Heraldry
By 1931, the Pietersburg municipal council had assumed a pseudo-heraldic "coat of arms". The shield depicted a crossed pick and shovel, two crossed wheatsheaves, and the date 1904 surrounded by a ribbon and bearing the motto Labor omnia vincit. A proper coat of arms was designed in the 1960s. The arms were : Azure, on a fess Argent, between in chief a lion passant Argent, armed and langued Gules, and in base two chevrons humette, and a horseshoe Argent, placed 2 and 1, two cogwheels Gules.
The arms are: Vert, on a fess Argent, a woven grain basket, between two hoes with blades turned inward proper, their handles towards centre-base counterchanged Or and issuant from a voided cogwheel the inner ring cotised Argent, therein a sun Or; on a chief of the last a short-clawed Lark (Mirafra chuana) perched upon a leaf of the silky thorn tree (Acacia rehmanniana) proper, between two demi-peaks with points embattled Brunatre, issuant from the respective shield flanks. Above the shield is a brown rustic crown.
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