EXPLORE TSHWANE'S NATURAL HERITAGE
The City of Tshwane is renowned for its natural habitat that spirals through its suburbs and intertwines its various city regions to form an ecological hub where residents and visitors can enjoy open spaces and abundant wildlife.
Tshwane is the only city in the world with a Big Five game reserve within its boundaries. The Dinokeng Game Reserve was established as part of the Gauteng Provincial Government’s investment initiative and is located about 60 minutes' drive north-east of Johannesburg and 30 minutes from Pretoria.
The reserve is run by a non-profit company and combines about 270 property owners’ land in what will be a 90 000 ha reserve that offers Big Five game viewing, a wealth of archaeological sites that take visitors back to the Stone Age, and a unique cultural experience in the form of art and craft studios of local artisans.
There are various accommodation options on offer in the reserve, including catered accommodation for up to 268 people, and an adventure camp for school groups that provides environmental education and leadership development. There are two restaurants for day visitors and activities include game drives, horse riding, hiking, quad biking, balloon rides and live music, cultural activities, township tours and shebeen (tavern) routes in neighbouring communities.
White rhino was introduced to the reserve in 2008 and the grassland is home to zebra, hyena, giraffe and eland, as well as numerous bird species. The reserve currently has four of the Big Five, namely rhino, leopard, elephant and lion; buffalo will follow soon.
The 500 ha Groenkloof Nature Reserve is well known for its hiking trails and view of the Fountains Valley. The reserve is the first proclaimed game sanctuary on the African continent and has earned itself the name of "Valley of a thousand Trees". Various game, small predators, bird species, grasses and herbs can be found in the reserve.
The hiking trails cater for up to two days' hiking and offer overnight accommodation. This is also a popular mountain bike destination and mountain bikes can be hired on the premises. The sought-after 4x4 trail has drives for the advanced as well as the less experienced 4x4 driver.
The Rietvlei Nature Reserve is a unique retreat for city dwellers and is one of the world’s largest urban nature reserves offering residents and visitors to Tshwane many bird and animal species on its 3 800 ha of open grassland. The reserve owes its existence to the Rietvlei Water Scheme that came into being 82 years ago.
Rietvlei has many facilities and services for the public, such as an angling area, a camping site, a yacht club, the Rietvlei Coffee Shop, lion tours, a lapa, hiking trails, horse rides, night drives and day tours with open game vehicles, training facilities and environmental education programmes. Game species include rhinoceros, buffalo, hippopotamus, cheetah, eland, red hartebeest, black wildebeest, zebra, ostrich, blesbuck, springbuck, reedbuck, waterbuck, steenbok, duiker, oribi, black-backed jackal, brown hyena and enclosed lions. Altogether 272 species of birds and 530 species of plants have been identified.
The National Zoological Gardens of South Africa, better known as the Pretoria Zoo, is the largest zoo in South Africa and is rated as one of the top zoos in the world. Today, the zoo boasts 3 117 animals and the largest inland aquarium and reptile park in the country. The zoo also has the third largest collection of exotic trees. The world’s first white rhino born in a zoo was delivered here. It is also the only zoo that is home to a white tiger and offers an "adopt-an-animal scheme" that helps provide the adopted animals with food and care for a full year.
Tswaing is Gauteng’s best-kept astronomy secret. The Tswaing Meteorite Crater Museum, 40 km to the north of the city in Soshanguve, is the only ecotourism destination of its kind in Africa. Its 1 946 ha of conservation area is home to a meteorite impact crater and surrounding wetland, as well as the remains of an old salt factory.
Tswaing, which means “place of salt” in Setswana, is the site where a meteorite half a football field in size slammed into the earth 220 000 years ago, forming a crater 1,4 km in diameter and 200 m deep. This crater, formerly known as the Pretoria Saltpan (or Zoutpan), is one of about 170 impact craters in the world and one of four known impact craters in South Africa.
The Tswaing Crater is covered in dense bush. The lake in the centre of the crater is 100 m in diameter, and is filled by rainwater and a spring. The lake once contained high concentrations of salt and soda ash, which were mined for 44 years until 1956. The remains of the factory still stand near the lake.
The Tswaing Crater site boasts one of only four meteorite crater museums in the world. Visitors are encouraged to take the 7,2 km Tswaing Crater trail, one of three trails that lead to and from the crater rim, and peruse the museum display. The site offers group dormitory accommodation for up to 64 people, as well as guided walks and education programmes.
The Ezemvelo Nature Reserve is a real surprise find. Only an hour’s drive from OR Tambo International Airport and less than 30 minutes from Tshwane, this reserve has spectacular cliffs and huge rock formations, the only ancient rock paintings open to the public in Gauteng, magnificent views over the Wilge River, 33 game species with over 2 400 game, 300 bird species, an explosion of flora as well as grasslands and wetlands.
Historical sites can be visited on foot, a mountain bike or horseback, or in a horse-drawn carriage or a six-wheel game drive vehicle with or without experienced guides.
The Bronkhorstspruit Nature Reserve is situated on the southern edge of a large dam known for its water birds. In fact, birders head out this way often for the over 200 species of birds and, in particular, the pink-billed lark, which avid birders rate as a luck sight should you manage to catch a glimpse.
The dam is also a major drawcard for anglers, especially for the bass that lurk in the thick grass that lines the banks of the dam. A couple of resorts on and around the dam provide those disinterested in fishing with swimming pools, restaurants and a place to camp, and the Transvaal Catamaran Club is a popular haunt for the few windsurfers.
The Roodeplaat Dam and Nature Reserve is about 22 km north-east of Pretoria and was originally called "Pienaarsrivierdam" when it was constructed in 1956 to supply the surrounding land owners with water. When visiting the reserve, visitors can expect to see a variety of wildlife including Burchell's zebra, kudu, waterbuck, warthog, impala, blue wildebeest, common duiker, steenbok and black-backed jackal. Over 170 species of birds have been recorded in the reserve, the most interesting of which are the grey loerie, woodland hoopoe, white-breasted cormorant, crested barbet and red bishop.
TSHWANE - EXPLORING ITS RICH CULTURAL HISTORY
The City of Tshwane is a friendly place with warm-hearted and hospitable residents. The diversity of its culture and rich heritage makes it a treasure trove for exploratory tourists with a taste for the unusual.
Tshwane is in many ways a country in one city. With its well-protected natural environment, monuments that bring back memories of a bygone era and various archaeological sites and scenic routes, the story of a nation and its capital unfold for the inquisitive visitor.
On entering the city, you can’t miss the two remarkable landmarks: Freedom Park and the Voortrekker Museum.
Freedom Park is a 52ha heritage precinct nestled on Salvokop, as you enter Pretoria from Johannesburg. It is a site of remembrance, giving South Africans a place to honour those who sacrificed their lives in the struggle for freedom.
In the spirit of the reconciliation South Africa embraced in 1994, Freedom Park does not only honour those who died in a specific conflict or in support of a particular political ideology but it also pays tribute to all deserving South Africans who played a meaningful role in shaping this nation. Past conflicts, such as the Anglo-Boer War, the two world wars, conflicts in Angola and Namibia and the anti-apartheid struggle for freedom, shaped South Africa into the vibrant country it is today.
Freedom Park seeks to honour those extraordinary individuals who were at the forefront of defending this country and steering it towards unity and prosperity. The memorial also provides a place where South Africans can find closure and move forward through nation-building.
Although no remains are buried at Freedom Park, there are some symbols that represent the heroes of South Africa’s past struggles. As a visitor, you may be drawn to the 697 m long Wall of Names, which is inscribed with the names of some of those who died in past conflicts. The wall has space for 136 000 names and more than 75 000 have been listed since the park opened in 2007. However, not all 136 000 spaces will be taken up by those who fell in past conflicts but space will be reserved for future generations to inscribe the names of those they feel are deserving of such an honour.
Also of interest is a spiritually symbolic site called Isivivane. The site represents the burial place of all fallen heroes. The Gallery of Leaders, which honours local and international leaders who made contributions to the South African cause, is another popular attraction.
Elements of the park are still being put in place. In future, visitors interested in learning more about the struggle for freedom will find the Pan African Archives a useful resource. The archives will house research material in audio, visual and text formats. An interactive exhibition space, //hapo, will present the history of Southern Africa over the past 3,6 billion years in narrative and visual form and Vhuawelo, a garden and walkway, will offer visitors a quiet place for meditation and reflection.
Not far from Freedom Park is the impressive structure of the Voortrekker Monument. The Monument, which receives more than 200 000 visitors per year, was built to commemorate the centenary of the Great Trek. In March this year, it received its new status as a Grade 1 National Heritage Site.
The building was designed to commemorate the bravery and persistence of Afrikaner pioneers who embarked north on the Great Trek between 1835 and 1854, from the British-controlled Cape Colony.
The 40 m tall granite monument houses the Hall of Heroes, retracing the journey of the Voortrekkers from the time they left the Cape Colony in their columns of ox-wagons and it also depicts the tribulations they endured.
Inside, a bronze sculpture of an Afrikaner woman and her two children is a tribute to the female Voortrekkers who made the eventual settlement of the Afrikaner community possible.
On the eastern corner of the monument lies the foundation stone laid on 16 December 1938 by three descendants of the Voortrekker leaders.
Each year Afrikaners flood the museum on December 16 to commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of Blood River, where the Afrikaners defeated the Zulus. The Voortrekker Monument was built to commemorate the importance of that historic day for the Afrikaans community so that a ray of sunshine falls on the inscription “Ons vir jou, Zuid Afrika” (We for you, South Africa) on the Shrine of Honour in the Hall of Heroes, throughout that day.
The Monument also serves as an ideal venue for classical music and choral performances. With its fantastic acoustics, the Hall of Heroes can accommodate up to 600 people and is equipped with a digital Allen organ.
The second level in the Monument, known as Cenotaph Hall, can house up to 900 people and is well suited for art exhibitions. With its architecture and acoustics, the Monument can also be used as a distinctive venue wedding ceremonies.
Facilities on the site include horse rides, a picnic site, and conference and function venues.
TSHWANE - A CAPITAL CITY OF EXCELLENCE
Tshwane is the single largest metropolitan municipality in South Africa, covering an area of 6 368 km². It has 105 wards, 210 councillors and about 2,5 million residents, and is divided into 7 regions. Tshwane is the third largest city in the world in terms of land mass, after New York and Tokyo/Yokohama.
Tshwane is a progressive city which harmoniously blends its African roots with European traditions. An interesting blend of neoclassic, Victorian-colonial, modern and African architectural design features gives Tshwane a cosmopolitan character. The city is indeed a meeting place of many cultures. Many historic buildings, monuments and museums tell the story of a colourful and often turbulent past.
Tshwane is named after Chief Tshwane who settled here with his followers in the mid-1700s. Early African inhabitants of the area also referred to the area as Tshwane.
Tshwane has a diverse and rich natural, historical and cultural heritage. It’s warm and pleasant climate makes it an ideal tourist destination all year round. It is also a leader in the fields of manufacturing, technology, electronics, defence design and construction.
As the capital of South Africa, Tshwane provides accommodation to more than 100 embassies, trade delegations, consulates and non-government organisations and host most foreign representatives in one city, after Washington DC. This gives it a cosmopolitan flavour.
Besides being regarded as the knowledge centre of South Africa due to its impressive concentration of academic, research, technology and scientific institutions, the city is developing into a sports mecca owing to its extensive sports infrastructure and moderate climate.
