What is Pietersburg?
Polokwane, also known by its former name, Pietersburg, is a city and the capital of the Limpopo Province of South Africa. It is South Africa’s largest urban centre north of Gauteng. Polokwane was one of the host cities of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Where Is Pietersburg In South Africa
Polokwane, formerly (1886–2002) Pietersburg, city, capital of Limpopo province, South Africa. It is located about midway between Pretoria and the Zimbabwe border, at an elevation of 4,199 feet (1,280 metres). It was founded by Voortrekkers (Afrikaans: “Pioneers”) in 1886 on land purchased in 1884 from a local farmer and named Pietersburg in honour of Petrus (Piet) Joubert, a Boer general. It was the temporary capital in 1900 of both the Transvaal and the Orange Free State during the South African War (1899–1902), and the British occupied Pietersburg in 1901. In 2002 the city’s name was changed to Polokwane (Sotho: “Place of Safety”).
Polokwane is now a centre of trade for the surrounding agricultural area, which produces potatoes, alfalfa (lucerne), garlic, corn (maize), sorghum, peanuts (groundnuts), and fruits and includes some of the finest cattle ranches in South Africa. It is the largest urban area in Limpopo province and is an educational centre. The University of Limpopo (dating to 1959) has a campus at Turfloop, 14 miles (22.5 km) east of Polokwane.
Is Polokwane and Pietersburg the same?
Polokwane (UK: /ˌpɒləˈkwɑːnɪ/, meaning “Sanctuary” in Northern Sotho), also known by its former name, Pietersburg, is a city and the capital of the Limpopo Province of South Africa.
Why did Pietersburg change to Polokwane?
25 February, The city of Pietersburg becomes one of the first places in South Africa to change its name after the fall of apartheid to Polokwane, meaning ‘Place of Safety’ in Sesotho.