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PietersburgIt truly is a vibrant city with a great future - make this future yours! Proclaimed in 1886, Pietersburg has seen more than a century of enormous growth and prosperity. In 1884 the Zuid - Afrikaanse Republiek (ZAR) Volksraad purchased the eastern half of the farm Sterkloop from Rooi Barend Vorster and G L van Emmenis. The new town was proclaimed on 2 200 morgen and 150 erven were made available. The town was named after the well-known General Petrus Jacobus (Piet) Joubert and on 31 July 1886 landdrost Dietlof Siegfried Mare wrote his first official letter from the magistrate's office in Pietersburg. Today this date is celebrated as the founding date of Pietersburg. On 23 April 1992 Pietersburg received city status. Pietersburg / Polokwane is the capital of the Northern Province, mainly because of its strategic location. Right on the N1 highway, with rail and air links, the city is perfectly situated and readily accessible to all regional markets and is just three hours drive from the Gauteng conglomerates. The citie's healthy and invigorating climate enables outdoor living all year round and enhances sport and recreation, giving Pietersburgers a quality of life equal to the best in the world. This is the only true city in the northern province - all major financial institutions and large South African chain stores have branches in Pietersburg / Polokwane and its comprehensive sport amenities allow the city to serve as the regional headquarters for the sports unions. Pietersburg / Polokwane is also a city of art and culture. Art lovers revel in an art collection exceeding 700 pieces, and the city has more public sculptures per capita in its parks than anywhere else in South Arfica. Museums, a bird sanctuary, game reserve, hiking trails and beautiful braai areas complete the picture. As the medical capital of the province, Pietersburg / Polokwane boasts with a provincial training hospital, a modern private hospital with 187 beds, a number of municipal and government clinics as well as the provincial headquarters of the Institute for Medical Research. More than 250 general medical practitioners and specialists, representing just about every specialised discipline, cater to the needs of the entire Northern Province. The primary and high schools provide excellent tuitional facilities. There are also technical colleges and music centres, the University of the North and the provincial headquarters of the University of South Africa and technikon satellite campuses. Other social responcibilities are directed towards the physically and mentally handicapped and we have appropriate institutions for their care. The city is the financial, educational, commercial, industrial, health and distribution capital of the Northern Province. It is more open-minded, integrated and modern than any other town in the province and its infrastructure is of a high standard. Pietersburg is situated on the River Sterkloop, about 200km (125miles) from the borders with Botswana and Zimbabwe and about 300 km (186miles) north-east of Johannesburg. Established in 1884 as a magistrate's seat for the South African Republic, it is also on the Cape to Cairo (or "Big North") road. It is an important railway center for trade with Zimbabwe and its airport has scheduled connections with Johannesburg and other main cities in South Africa. The city is also the site of a major military base and the University of the North is based at Sovenga, to the east of Pietersburg. Zion City, headquarters of the Zion Christian Church, is at the nearby town of Moria, where more than 3 million people congregate for Easter services. South of Pietersburg is the Bakone Malapa Open-Air Museum, which is devoted to African culture. CLIMATE AND SPORT AMENITIES Situated on a plateau 1 312m above sea level, Pietersburg / Polokwane has probably the finest climate in South Africa. Normally, situation on the Tropic of Capricorn would result in high summer temperatures, however its elevation ensures enjoyable, mild weather day and night. An average highest of 27 degrees Celsius in summer and 20 degrees in winter enables outdoor living all year round. Summer rainfall varies between 400 - 600mm per year. The healthy and invigorative climate makes it not only ideal to live in, but also enhances sport and recreation. Extensive sport and social entertainment as well as recreational facilities are provided. Pietersburg / Polokwane is the headquarters for the provincial sports unions and all the various sports have modern and excellent amenities, including a sports stadium with an all weather track under floodlights, olympic standard swimming and diving pools and a tennis stadium with 13 all weather courts under floodlights. Other sports such as bowls, badminton, boxing, wrestling, squash, basketball, golf, soccer, karting, hockey and cricket have excellent facilities and are well-catered for. A modern indoor sports complex creates even more opportunities for sportsmen and women. SEASONS Summer: December to March Autumn: April to May Winter: June to August Spring: September to November For more info on Sport Clubs available in Pietersburg - Click Here INDUSTRIAL & COMMERCIAL NUCLEUS Pietersburg / Polokwane presently has more then 600 undertakings in industrial areas. One local factory, Silicon Smelters, is in fact the largest of its kind in the western world. S A Breweries have erected a brewery which is one of the largest and most modern in the country. The city has approximately 2 539 business, service and professional concerns. The average economic growth of businesses totals 2 % per annum (1999). Other Institutions:
Trade schools offer training to youths in various trades. The University of the North is 28 kilometres from Pietersburg / Polokwane and offers wide-ranging courses, excellent research and higher educational services. MEDICAL SERVICES A 600 bed provincial training hospital with 9 operating theatres and three separate casualty sections provide services, equal to the best, to the whole province. A municipal isolation hospital with 14 beds is an added medical advantage to the already extensive services offered. The Pietersburg Medi Clinic is the most modern north of Pretoria and offers the full range of medical services (186 beds). The Institute for Medical Research has its laboratories in Pietersurg / Polokwane and municipal as well as a number of government clinics provide free services. More than 250 general medical practitioners and specialists, representing just about every specialised discipline, provide in the needs of the entire province. Extending the medical services, a R2,8 million satellite service station has been erected for even more rapid response by the ambulance fleet and fire brigade. RECREATIONAL FACILITIES The city Council developed one of the largest municipal owned game reserves in South Africa adjacent to the city on 3 200ha of scenic semi-bushveld land. More than 21 species, from small buck to rhinos, draw thousands of visitors annually. Bordering the game reserve is a recreational and caravan park. 18 Fully equipped rondavels on site are available, sporting beautiful braai areas and are within convenient proximity to the city. Luxury country club facilities are also available. A little further afield in the vicinity of Magoebaskloof are the famous mountain lakes and trout waters. This area is renowned for its beauty where mountaineers, yachtsmen, motorboat enthusiasts and nature lovers can spend an enjoyable day or weekend. For art lovers, the city presents the finest art collection of more than 700 pieces outside the major centres in South Africa. The city also has more public sculptures per capita in its parks than any other town or city in SA. Apart from an exiting open-air Sotho museum, Pietersburg / Polokwane also offers various other art attractions such as a unique photographic glass negative museum and the Irish House Museum. TOURISM
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