THE LIMPOPO PROVINCE GENERAL INFORMATION
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Limpopo is situated at the North Eastern corner
of the Republic of South Africa.
Districts of the Limpopo and their related
population densities location.
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Districts of the Limpopo Province
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Waterberg District
Municipality |
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Capricorn District Municipality |
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Vhembe District Municipality |
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Mopani District
Municipality |
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Sekhukhune District Municipality |
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Bohlabela District Municipality |
A unique feature of this
province is that it shares international borders with
three other countries: Botswana to the west and
north-west, Zimbabwe to the north, and Mozambique to the
east. Limpopo is the link between South Africa and
countries further afield in sub-Saharan Africa. On its
Southern flank, the province shares borders with
Gauteng, with its Johannesburg-Pretoria axis, the most
industrious metropol on the continent.
Thus the province is placed
at the centre of the vortex of developing markets,
regional, national and international.
These connections are very
well served by excellent road, rail and air links. The
N1 route from Johannesburg which goes through the length
of the province is the busiest overland route in Africa
in terms of cross border trade in raw materials and
beneficiated goods. The port of Durban, Africa�s
busiest, is served directly by the province, as are the
ports of Richard�s Bay and Maputo.
The other most significant
facility in the province as the heartland of an emerging
market, is the Gateway International Airport which is
situated in Polokwane the capital of the province.
Climate
Limpopo has a wide
climatic variations. Polokwane, reflective of the
province, offers a pleasant climate for most of the
year.
Blessed with year-round sunshine, it can get really hot
in the summer months (October-March), averaging 27
degrees Celsius. Winter is a sunny season of chilly
mornings, warm mid days, dry afternoons and cool to cold
nights. The Lowveld, i.e. the Phalaborwa area, can be as
hot as 45 degrees Celsius during summer.
3/.
Limpopo's Culture's
The population of
Limpopo consists of the following several ethnic groups
distinguished by culture, language and race:
- The Northern Sotho (Sepedi)
: Approximately 57 per cent.
- The Tsonga (Shangaan)
: Approximately 23 per cent
- The Venda :
Approximately 12 per cent.
- The Afrikaners :
Approximately 2.6 per cent
- The English :
Approximately half a per cent
Districts
Limpopo is divided
into six different districts:
- The Capricorn District
- The Waterberg District
- The Vhembe District
- The Mopani District
- The Sekhukhune
District
- The Bohlabela District
The Capricorn
District
Link:
http://www.limpopo.gov.za/about_limpopo/location for
District Map, and :
http://www.limpopo.gov.za/leadership/districts_munic
for District contact details.
The name "Capricorn" is
derived from the tropic of capricorn, the bottom of
which crosses Limpopo and the northern section of this
region. The region of Capricorn stretches from the
Ysterberg, all along the foothills of the lush Wolkberg,
to the tropic of Capricorn in the north.
The region's position makes
it a perfect stopover between Gauteng and the northern
areas of the province and between the country's
North-Western areas and the world-renowned Kruger
National Park. It is also in close proximity to the
neighbouring countries of Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique
and Swaziland.
The Waterberg
District
link:
www.limpopo.gov.za/about_limpopo/location for
District Map, and :
www.limpopo.gov.za/leadership/districts_munic ) for
District contact details.
Situated in the magnificent
Waterberg Mountain Range of Limpopo, the Waterberg
District is the ideal getaway where the weary traveller
can relax and revel in the great natural beauty of the
bushveld savannah and its rich wildlife heritage. The
Waterberg Mountains stretch along more than 5 000 km2 of
spectacular vistas and scenic valleys - the ideal
destination off the beaten tourism track. The area is
steeped in a history and some artifacts found here date
back to Stone Age times. The area is a mosaic of culture
and tradition as is reflected by the different rural
tribes such as the Bapedi, Tswana and Basotho, while the
Voortrekkers also left their distinctive mark on the
area.
Commercial agriculture is
an integral part of this province, and cattle ranching
and maize farming are regional institutions - the
water-rich valleys of the Limpopo River on the Botswana
border provide sweet bushveld grazing, while the plains
of the Springbok Flats near the towns of Bela-Bela and
Mokopane are covered with a colourful quilt of carefully
cultivated fields of maize and sunflowers. Otherwise,
the bushveld landscape, interspersed with sandstone
buttresses and baobab, marula and fever trees, supports
a number of towns that make up one of the country's
fastest-growing industrial and agricultural districts.
This is one of the most
mineralised regions in the world and numerous towns form
part of the Bushveld Igneous Complex - a 50,000km2
treasure trove yielding massive amounts of minerals such
as vanadium, platinum, nickel and chromium. The
Waterberg District offers the tourist a bit of both
worlds - an infrastructure of excellent facilities and
modern conveniences found in the many game reserves and
conservation areas, coupled with the opportunity to
experience the African wilderness in its pristine state.
The Vhembe
District
link:
www.limpopo.gov.za/about_limpopo/location for
District Map, and :
www.limpopo.gov.za/leadership/districts_munic for
District contact details.
Flowing across from the
northwest and framing the northern border of this
province lies the Vhembe area - a fertile region where
baobabs guard the varied countryside and where rock art
and caves entice the visitor to uncover its romantic and
historical past. One of the main geographical features
of this region is the Limpopo, the country's third most
important river, which forms South Africa's northern
border. This life-giving river provides sustenance to
the predominantly hot, dry lands through which it
meanders and its many tributaries support several small,
thriving farming villages in the region's northern
areas.
In this region tourists
will find the former independent homelands of Lebowa and
Venda where traditional African cultures thrive. In
fact, this fertile valley has been home to cultures
dating back to the Iron Age. The western section of the
region is framed by the rocky spine of the awe-inspiring
Soutpansberg (salt pan mountain) range. The range, with
a width in some parts over 30km, features a fertile,
well-watered plateau receiving high rainfall and
supporting a wide range of crops and cultivated lands.
The area also boasts many historical sites, from the
relics of the Stone Age San and their inimitable rock
artwork, to the marks left by the ancestors of the Venda
to the tracks of the Voortrekker wagons which carried
European migrants into an unknown land and housed their
cultures. The visitor to this region will not help but
notice, with splendid scenery, an abundance of nature
reserves and a thriving people, the prevalence of an
untouched nature.
Mopani District
link:
www.limpopo.gov.za/about_limpopo/location for
District Map, and :
www.limpopo.gov.za/leadership/districts_munic for
District contact details.
Driving from Limpopo River
across Vhembe District towards East-western side, one
comes to the beautiful district of Mopani. Its
strategical positioning, makes it easily accessible by
people from all sides of the province. On the West it
borders Sekhukhune while like an Island; Bohlabela
spreads through the Eastern side. On the West is
Capricorn District. The beautiful towns of Tzaneen,
Modjadji�skloof, Ba-Phalaborwa and Giyani are key to the
economy of Mopani. The district is consisted by the
following local municipalities: Greater Letaba, Greater
Giyani, Greater Tzaneen and Ba-Phalaborwa.
Sekhukhune
District
link:
www.limpopo.gov.za/about_limpopo/location for
District Map, and :
www.limpopo.gov.za/leadership/districts_munic for
District contact details.
Sekhukhune District
Municipality is a cross-boarder municipality between
Limpopo and Mpumalanga Province. The district shares
borders with Waterburg, Bohlabela and Capricorn
districts in Limpopo ; Nkangala, Highveld District
Council, Lowveld Escarpment district in Mpumalanga
Province. During the transition period some portions of
the Municipality was formerly administered by the
Northern District Council, Bosveld District Council,
Lowveld Escarpment District Council and Highveld
District Council, The Municipality was established as
per section 12 of the municipal structures Act 117 of
1998 as a cross boarder District Municipality. It
comprises of five municipalities namely: Fetakgomo
Municipality, Makhuduthamaga Municipality, Grater Marble
Hall Municipality, Greater Groblersdal Municipality and
Greater Tubatse Municipality.
The Bohlabela
District
link:
www.limpopo.gov.za/about_limpopo/location for
District Map, and :
www.limpopo.gov.za/leadership/districts_munic for
District contact details.
Traveling east visitors
will discover the rich natural heritage of the Lowveld
with its claim to fame - the world-famous Kruger
National Park. This region differs markedly from the
rest of Limpopo and is loved for its scenic valleys,
mountains and lush vegetation.
As its name suggests, this
region falls in the valley of the great Olifants River
that meanders through the Kruger National Park, forming
the southern border of the province. The valley forms
part of the northernmost section of the Drakensberg, and
the lowveld vegetation do not end in Mpumalanga, but
stretches further north and surrounds many towns in
Limpopo.
The rest camps in the
northern part of Kruger are part of the province, while
a series of exclusive private game reserves adjacent to
the Park guarantee a luxurious wildlife experience to
even the most discerning traveler.
The Olifants Valley is
teeming with a variety of wildlife. It is known for its
spectacular scenery, mountains, rivers, dams, history
and cultural and ethnic attractions. Apart from its
natural beauty, it also has a flourishing industrial
sector. The town of Tzaneen, for example, is thriving in
the subtropical conditions and boasts extensive tea
estates, orange farms and tropical fruit and nut
plantations.
Limpopo consists of a
variety of habitats - semi-desert, grassland savannah,
bushveld and subtropical lowveld vegetation. The Valley
of the Olifants contrasts sharply with the other
regions.
The Provincial
Economy
The Provincial Growth and
Development Strategy (PGDS) represents both development
opportunities and provincial challenges. These are
parameters for formulation of detailed operational plans
and the identification of specific instruments for
delivery and transformation.
It further identifies a
5-year multi-sectoral growth and development strategic
plan of the Provincial Government. The strategy is
supported by the following policies/strategies:
- An elaborate
provincial economic development strategy.
- A spatial framework
for co-ordinated public and private sector
infrastructure investment.
- An integrated public
transport policy.
- Land Development
Objectives of the Limpopo Urban and Rural
transitional councils.
- National Crime
Prevention Strategy.
- Taking Limpopo into
the New Millennium.
Investment
For more information click
the link below;
link:
www.til.co.za
Limpopo is the natural
resource treasure chest of South Africa, if not the
whole of southern Africa. It boasts some of the greatest
reserves of agriculture, mineral and tourism resources
many of which remain hugely under-exploited. The
province is also linked to the Maputo Development
Corridor through Phalaborwa Spatial Development
Initiative, a network of road and rail corridors
connecting to the major seaports will open up Limpopo
and surrounding regions for trade and investment. This
is complimented by the presence of airports in major
centres of the province including Ellisras, Makhado,
Musina, Phalaborwa, Mokopane, Thabazimbi, Tzaneen,
Thohoyandou and Bela-Bela as well as the Gateway
International airport in Polokwane.
In terms of Agriculture
Limpopo could be described as the garden of South Africa
and or the whole continent, given its rich fruit and
vegetable production. The province produces 75% of the
country�s mangoes, 65% of its papaya, 36% of its tea,
25% of its citrus, bananas, and litchis, 60% of its
avocados, two thirds of its tomatoes, 285,000 tons of
potatoes. Other products include coffee, nuts, guavas,
sisal, cotton and tobacco, timber with more than 170
plantations. Apart from all these, there is cotton,
sunflower, maize, wheat cultivation as well as grape.
Most of the higher lying areas are devoted to cattle and
game ranching, earning a reputation for quality biltong,
a popular South African delicacy of salted, dried meat.
Limpopo is also endowed
with the abundance of its mineral resources, locating
mining as the critical sector of the economy in the
Province, which contributes 22% of the GGP. The platinum
group include platinum itself, chromium, nickel, cobalt,
vanadium, tin, limestone and uranium clay. Other
reserves include antinomy, phosphates, fluorspar, gold,
diamonds, copper, emeralds, scheelites, magnetite,
vermiculite, silicon, mica, black granite, corundum,
feldspar and salt.
Already the Chinese
company, Rockfield Pty., has set up a granite mining
venture here with the raw material being processed into
mosaic tiles.
As if all this is not
enough there are financial incentives through a package
put down by the National Government. A wide range of
incentives to investors include, a tax holiday for up to
six years. As a result of this potential the Provincial
government has established TIL (Trade Investment
Limpopo). It offers a wide range of services to
entrepreneurs and investors interested in setting up
business in the Limpopo. It specialises in helping to
attract inward investment companies to find the best
opportunities for acquisitions or green field
investments in the Limpopo. This includes setting up
joint ventures with local partners, cross holdings of
equity between an overseas and local partner or
collaborative agreements in the field such as research
and development, transfer of technology or sales and
distribution.
Tourism
Limpopo is a tourist
attraction destination.
Limpopo is renowned as the
Province of peace. It is endowed with bountiful natural
resources, including 54 provincial reserves and many
private game reserves. A few hours from Gauteng, the
Province boasts the Waterburg mountain range, supporting
the thriving farming and game ranching, nature reserves
and resorts.
- Heading further north
into the Province there is Polokwane - the capital
of the Province, with an excellent growing
infrastructure, a modern international airport and
offering a wealth of diverse cultural experiences.
- East of the city the
R71 takes you to the subtropical part of the Valley
of the Olifants, the verdant Magoebaskloof Valley.
- Further eastwards
takes you into the heart of the 'big five' parks of
the country and some of the prime game farms in
Africa, including the Kruger National Park -
majestic in extent and abundant in wild life.
The hot climate makes
Limpopo a pleasant year-round holiday destination.
During summer - that is in the months October to March -
it is hot with brief afternoon showers, providing a
cooling effect for evenings. In winter - from May to
September - the mornings are crisp, the days are dry and
sunny and the evenings cold and clear.
Fauna and Flora
All creatures large and
small, from the massive hippopotamus to the diminutive
mongoose are found in their unspoilt natural habitat.
The spectrum of game species include large populations
of giraffe, kudus, gemsbok, nyala, water buck, klip
springer, impala, a blue wildebeest and zebra, white
lions that are truly white lions not albinos.
For instance, in Timbavati
Private nature reserve, elephants, buffalo, rhinoceros,
leopards, cheetahs, red duiker, samango, monkeys,
bushbuck, bushpigs and a countless others. There also
more than 300 species of birds including the endangered
species like vultures at Moletjie Nature Reserve 20
kilometres north west of Polokwane.
The magnificent cycad
forest near Tzaneen, the Modjadji Cycad (Encephalartos
transvernosus) of the Rain Queen is one of the largest
cycads in the world and it is a protected species.
The Baobab tree, which is
found only in Limpopo in the country, is an awe
inspiration to the visitor. They are hundreds of years
old and mostly found on the Northern part of the
province. They are well preserved in the Baboab Tree
Reserve in the Mussina Nature Reserve.
Related Links:
Provincial
Government System
- Provincial Legislature
- Provincial Executive
Council (Premier and MEC's)
Related link(s):
http://www.limpopo.gov.za/leaderhip/exec_council/overview
Other Organs of
State
Related link(s):http://www.limpopo.gov.za/about_limpopo/stateinst
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