Mokopane, Limpopo, South Africa

🇿🇦 Mokopane, formerly known as Potgietersrus, is a town in the Limpopo province of South Africa.

The town name was changed to Mokopane in 2003 in honour of a local Ma Nrebele leader, King Mghombane Gheghana, who ruled the area before being conquered by the Voortrekkers. Mokopane is the Northern Sotho form of the king's name and is hence erroneous, even though the majority language in the area is Northern Sotho. Five kingdoms in the vicinity of the town are Kekana (Moshate), Langa (Mapela), Lebelo (Garasvlei), and Langa (Bakenburg). It is still referred to as Potgietersrus or "Potties".

Two hours from Gauteng by road, the town acts as a getaway destination and as a stop-over for travelers "en route" to Botswana, Zimbabwe and Kruger National Park. The area is typical bushveld with many Vachellia and Senegalia trees (formerly part of the acacia genus) as well as aloes, which blooms in June and July. The Zebediela Citrus Estate, 55 km to the south-east, is one of the largest citrus farms in the southern hemisphere.

History In 1852, Mokopane was called Vredenburg, which means "the town of peace" thus named by the Voortrekkers, a pioneering group of Boers who had trekked north-eastward from the Cape Colony in the 19th century into South Africa's interior. Later, in 1858, the Voortrekker legacy continued when the town was renamed "'Pietpotgietersrust'" (Potgieter's last resting place), in honour of Piet Potgieter, who had been fatally wounded in the Makapan Cave attack that took place four years prior. He was the eldest son of the Voortrekker leader Andries Potgieter. The memorialised town name was later shortened to Potgietersrus.

As the years progressed, many factors, such as malaria and hostility between the Voortrekkers and the Ndebele people, caused the trekkers to abandon the Potgieterus settlement in 1870. Later, the site was re-occupied from 1890 onward.

The historic and archaeologically significant Makapansgat caves are 15 km north of the town. Recovery of "Homo habilis" habitation has been made at these caves.

The remains of "Australopithecus africanus" have also been found in the caves. The Arend Dieperink Museum portrays the history of the town, from the ape-man at Makapansgat, Bushmen paintings and early activities in the area up to the South African War and more recent times.

Culture The stunning bushveld environment and influences from North Sotho, Ndebele, Tsonga, Afrikaans, and English cultures give Mokopane a unique character. There are also ancient caves, the "Big Five", San rock paintings, curios, bushveld food and drinks such as biltong (dried meat) and mampoer (a potent alcoholic drink), tropical gardens and traditional dancing. In the adjacent township of Mahwelereng, traditional lifestyles, set against the spectacular Waterberg, can be observed. Mokopane also offers outdoor activities ranging from hiking, camping, and 4 × 4 trails to birding, angling, and game viewing.

Mokopane is home to the Arend Dieperink Museum, which once served as a school and now houses a cultural-historical collection of Voortrekker and African (Pedi and Ndebele) items. From the so called 'ape-men' in Makapan's Cave to the Anglo-Boer War and more modern times, the museum depicts the history of the town and its environs.

Economy The economy of Mokopane was primarily based on agriculture until the opening of Anglo American's platinum mine. Currently, the mine is the biggest contributor to the local economy. Recently, interest has been displayed by other mining companies to start up, but community resistance around mining remains the main reason for the slow growth in mining. The Mokopane area is one of South Africa's richest agricultural areas, producing wheat, tobacco, cotton, beef, maize, peanuts and citrus. The area around Mokopane is rich in minerals with the mining of platinum, diamond, and granite.

Transport: Road The N11 national route connects Mokopane with the Grobler's Bridge border with Botswana in the north-north-west and with Marble Hall, Groblersdal and Middelburg in the south-south-east. The R518 road connects Mokopane with Lephalale to the west and with Zebediela to the east.

The R101 road and the N1 toll highway both connect Mokopane with Polokwane to the north-east and with Modimolle, Bela-Bela and Pretoria to the south-west.