Potchefstroom
| Potchefstroom | |||
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| Coordinates | 26 ° 43 ′ S , 27 ° 6 ′ E | ||
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| Basic data | |||
| Country | South Africa | ||
| northwest | |||
| District | Dr Kenneth Kaunda | ||
| ISO 3166-2 | ZA-NW | ||
| local community | JB Marks | ||
| Residents | 43,448 (2011) | ||
| founding | December 22, 1838 | ||
 Town Hall on Potgieter Street
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Potchefstroom [ pɔtʃɛfstrʊəm ] (formerly Mooiriviersburg ) is a city in South Africa's northwestern province . It is located in the historic Transvaal province , about 120 kilometers southwest of Johannesburg on the Mooirivier River. The city has 43,448 inhabitants (as of 2011).
traffic
The city is well connected to the national rail and road network. A railway line coming from the Johannesburg region connects Potchefstroom via subsequent branches with the industrial region around Vereeniging and Sasolburg , with the mining region of and around Welkom , with the diamond region of Kimberley and with the agricultural region around Lichtenburg .
The national road N12 runs through Potchefstroom . This leads to Gauteng and Mpumalanga in the northeast as well as to the Western Cape Province to the southwest. The regional road R53 comes from Parys in the south and runs north via Potchefstroom to the towns of Ventersdorp and Swartruggens , where it joins the N4 . The northern branch of the R501 leads to Carletonville on the western edge of Gauteng Province. To the south you can reach the Viljoenskroon region .
The nearest regional airport for domestic air traffic is in Parys.
history
The city was founded as Mooiriviersburg on December 22nd, 1838 by Andries Hendrik Potgieter , the leader of the Voortrekkers , and is considered the oldest European settlement in the Transvaal area. At the same time, it was the capital of the Boer republic of Potchefstroom, which together with the town of Winburg and the surrounding areas formed the Boer republic of Winburg-Potchefstroom from 1844 to 1848, and Andries Hendrik Potgieter was elected president. It later went on in the South African Republic (CAR) and the Orange Free State . Potchefstroom was the first capital of the CAR until 1860 .
The so-called First Boer War , an uprising of the Boers in which they were able to fight for the renewed independence of the Czar from Great Britain , broke out on December 16, 1880 in Potchefstroom with the siege of the old fort . The siege ended peacefully on March 23, 1881.
During the Second Boer War , one of the first concentration camps for the Boer civilian population was established in Potchefstroom .
Education and culture
The main campus of North-West University , formerly Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, is located in Potchefstroom. It is attended by almost 27,000 students.
The city hosts the Aardklop arts festival , which takes place at the end of September each year and attracts many artists, musicians and tourists.
Attractions
The Potchefstroom Museum has several locations. The Main Museum , located on Gouws Street , consists of three art halls. The Totius House Museum is built in the style of the Edwardian period. The poet and Bible translator Totius lived here. This museum is located on the corner of Molen Street and Esselen Street . The President Pretorius Museum is located in Van der Hoff Way and provides an insight into the life of the first President of the CAR.
economy
Potchefstroom has an industrial site for products for domestic and foreign ammunition requirements (formerly Naschem ), which formerly belonged to the state armaments company Denel and has been producing the majority under the Rheinmetall Group division Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) based in South Africa since 2008 . The historic location was established in 1896 as the Lenz Factory and was an interim storage facility for explosives for use in gold mining. During the Second World War , ammunition was manufactured here for the military use of South Africa alongside the Allies as part of the North African Campaign . In 1978 the company Naschem (locality Boskop site ) was formed from the local factories , which was taken over by Denel in 1992.
Sports
The African Continental Cycling Center (ACCC) is located in Potchefstroom , where cyclists from all African countries are trained. The facility is managed by former cyclist Jean-Pierre van Zyl , who himself comes from Potchefstroom.
sons and daughters of the town
- Jackie Pretorius (1934–2009), racing car driver
- Jean-Pierre van Zyl (* 1975), track cyclist
- Brad Binder (born 1995), motorcycle racer
literature
- Geoffrey Jenkins: A Century of History. The Story of Potchefstroom. Potchefstroom Herald, Potchefstroom 1939.
Individual evidence
- ↑ 2011 census , accessed November 21, 2013
- ^ Rheinmetall Denel Munition: History . at www.somchemreload.com (English)
- ^ Rheinmetall AG: Rheinmetall Denel Munition (Pty) Ltd | History . at www.rheinmetall-defence.com (English)
- ↑ www.wccafrica.com/