The Western Cape is situated on the southwestern tip of the African continent. It is a region of majestic mountains, well-watered valleys, wide, sandy beaches and breathtaking scenery. The cold Atlantic Ocean along the west coast is a rich fishing area, while the warmer Indian Ocean skirts the province's southern beaches. Visitors to the Western Cape can disembark at Cape Town International Airport or at the Port of Cape Town in the shadow of Table Mountain. A network of roads also leads to Cape Town, the capital, also known as the Mother City. Other important towns in the province include Vredenburg-Saldanha, an important harbour for iron exports and the fishing industry; Worcester and Stellenbosch in the heart of the winelands; George, renowned for indigenous timber and vegetable produce; Oudtshoorn, known for its ostrich products and the world-famous Cango Caves; and Beaufort West on the dry, sheep-farming plains of the Great Karoo.
The Western Cape boasts one of the six accepted floral kingdoms of the world. Although the smallest of them all, the Western Cape floral kingdom, locally called fynbos, contains more plant species than the whole of Europe. These include the world-famous proteas and heathers. The Knysna-Tsitsikamma region has the country's biggest indigenous forests. This is a fairyland of age-old forest giants, ferns and colourful birdlife. Products of the forests include furniture made from the indigenous yellowwood, stinkwood and white pear, which are sought-after pieces. The tourism sector is perceived as the most important growth force in the Western Cape.

The people
More than four million people live in the Western Cape on 129 386 km² of land. The majority of them are Afrikaans-speaking, while the other main languages are English and isiXhosa. The Western Cape has the highest adult education level in the country, with only 6,7% of people aged 20 years or older having undergone no schooling. The province has a strong network of higher educational institutions.

Agriculture and marine fishery
The Western Cape is rich in agriculture and fisheries. The sheltered valleys between the mountains provide ideal conditions for the cultivation of top-grade fruits, such as apples, table grapes, olives, peaches and oranges. In the eastern part of the Western Cape region, a great variety of vegetables is cultivated.
The province can be divided into three climatic regions. The area around the Cape Peninsula and the Boland, further inland, is a winter-rainfall region with sunny, dry summers. Towards George, along the south coast, the climate gradually changes to year-round rainfall, while inland, towards the more arid Great Karoo, the climate changes to summer rainfall.
The Western Cape is known as one of the world s finest grape-growing regions. Many of its wines have received the highest accolades at international shows. The Klein Karoo region around Oudtshoorn, besides being famous for its Cango Caves, is the centre of the ostrich-farming industry in South Africa. Fine leatherware, ostrich feathers and meat are exported from here to destinations all over the world. The Swartland district around Malmesbury and the Overberg around Caledon form the bread basket of the country.
The inland Karoo region around Beaufort West and the Bredasdorp district produce wool and mutton, as well as pedigree merino breeding stock. Other animal products include broiler chickens, eggs, dairy products, beef and pork,while racehorse-breeding is another important industry.
The west coast of the province is washed by the cold Benguela Current. The plankton-rich Current is considered to be one of the world s richest fishing grounds. This resource is protected against over-fishing by foreign vessels by means of a 200-km commercial fishing zone and a strict quota system. It is for the exclusive utilisation of local inhabitants, and creates jobs for about 27 000 people who are directly dependent on the fishing industry. The province is well-known for its wide variety of sea-foods offered at restaurants dotted along the scenic coastline. Snoek, Cape lobster, abalone, calamari, octopus, oysters and mussels are among the most sought after piscatorial delights.

Industry
The Western Cape makes the third-highest contribution to the country's GDP. An exciting development for the province and South Africa is the emergence of the first information communication technology cluster. The head offices of all but one of South Africa's petroleum companies are located in Cape Town. The city also houses the head offices of many of South Africa's insurance giants and national retail chains. With over 170 000 people employed in the clothing and textile industry, it is the single most significant industrial source of employment in the Western Cape. The biggest segment of South Africa's printing and publishing industry is also situated in Cape Town. The official unemployment figure for the province, 18,4%, is substantially lower than that of most other parts of the country.
While Epping, Parow, Retreat and Montagu Gardens have been the core industrial areas in the past, new developments are arising in the Saldanha-Vredenburg area, as a spin-off from the vast Saldanha Steel project. The West Coast Investment Initiative, which forms part of the government s spatial development initiative (SDI) programme, was launched on 25 February 1998.

The Eastern Cape is the poorest province in South Africa in terms of average monthly expenditure, followed by Free State and Limpopo according to the Statistics South Africa report, Measuring Poverty in South Africa, released in September 2001. The wealthiest province was Gauteng, followed by the Western Cape.
The Eastern Cape, a land of undulating hills, endless sweeps of sandy beaches, majestic mountain ranges and emerald green forests, is in surface the second largest of the nine provinces. The region boasts a remarkable natural diversity, ranging from the dry desolate Great Karoo to the lush forests of the Wild Coast and the Keiskamma Valley, the fertile Langkloof, renowned for its rich apple harvests, and the mountainous southern Drakensberg region at Elliot.
The main feature of the Eastern Cape is its astonishing coastline lapped by the Indian Ocean. With its long stretches of undisturbed sandy beaches, rocky coves, secluded lagoons and towering cliffs, the coastline provides the province with a rich natural tourist attraction. The graceful curve of Algoa Bay provides an ideal setting for the Port of Port Elizabeth while there are also good harbour facilities at East London. The province is serviced by three airports situated at Port Elizabeth, East London and Umtata.
The architecture of many of the cities and towns reflects the rich heritage of the people. Other important towns in the province include Uitenhage, which has important motor vehicle-manufacturing and related industries; King William's Town, rich in early settler and military history; Grahamstown, also known as the City of Saints because of its more than 40 churches; Graaff-Reinet, with its interesting collection of historic buildings; Cradock, the hub of the Central Karoo; Stutterheim, the forestry centre of the province; Aliwal North, famous for its hot sulphur springs; and Port St Johns, the largest town on the Wild Coast.
In the Eastern Cape, various floral habitats meet. Along the coast, the northern tropical forests intermingle with the more temperate woods of the south. This makes for an interesting forest habitat of various species endemic to this region alone. Age-old forests occur at Keiskammahoek, Dwesa, Port St Johns and Bathurst; dune forests are found at Alexandria; and mangroves along the Wild Coast. Rolling grasslands dominate the eastern interior of the province, while the western central plateau is savanna bushveld. The northern inland is home to the aromatic succulent Karoo.

The people
With its seven million people, the Eastern Cape has the third-largest provincial population, living on about 169 600 km² of land. The language spoken by most is isiXhosa, followed by Afrikaans and English. The province has a number of tertiary institutions. Despite the high quality of educational facilities, 20,9% of those aged 20 years or older have never received any schooling, while 4,7% have completed some form of higher education.

Agriculture, fishing and forestry
The Eastern Cape has excellent agricultural and forestry potential. The fertile Langkloof valley in the south-west has enormous deciduous fruit orchards, while the Karoo interior is an important sheep-farming area. Angora wool is also produced. The Alexandria-Grahamstown area produces pineapples, chicory and dairy products, while coffee and tea are cultivated at Magwa. People in the former Transkei region are dependent on cattle, maize and sorghum farming. Extensive exotic forestry plantations in the high rainfall areas of Keiskammahoek provide employment for large numbers of the population.
The province is a summer-rainfall region with high rainfall along the coast, but becoming gradually drier behind the mountain ranges into the Great Karoo.
The Eastern Cape fishing industry generates about R200 million a year. The basis of the fishing industry is squid, some recreational and commercial fishing for line fish, some collecting of marine resources, and access to line-catches of hake.

Industry
The metropolitan economies of Port Elizabeth and East London are based primarily on manufacturing, the most important being motor manufacturing. The province is the hub of South Africa's automotive industry. The province contributes approximately R30 billion to national GDP and is widely regarded as having the potential to substantially increase this contribution as South Africa moves towards an export-led industrial strategy.
With two harbours and three airports offering direct flights to the main centres, and an excellent road and rail infrastructure, the province has been earmarked as a key area for growth and economic development. To facilitate integrated planning sensitive to the environment, the province is implementing a consultative process involving community participation. It includes the Fish River SDI, the Wild Coast SDI, and two industrial development zones (IDZs), namely the West Bank (East London) and the Coega IDZ. The latter, 20 km east of the Port Elizabeth-Uitenhage metropoles, was the first IDZ to be earmarked and is one of the biggest initiatives ever undertaken in South Africa. Plans for the development of the area as an export-orientated zone include the building of a deepwater port. The East London and Coega purpose-built ports will undoubtedly position the Eastern Cape as one of the key competitive areas in South Africa.

Aptly called South Africa's garden province, this verdant region forms the east coast South Africa, stretching from Port Edward the south northwards to the Mozambique boundary. It is a province with a subtropical coastline, sweeping savanna in the east and the magnificent Drakensberg mountain range in the west. The warm Indian Ocean washing its beaches makes it one of the country's most popular holiday destinations.
Visitors to KwaZulu-Natal can either disembark at Durban International Airport or the Durban Harbour, or make use of the extensive national road network. Durban is one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the world. Its port is the busiest in South Africa and also one of the 10 largest in the world.
KwaZulu-Natal is the only province with monarchy specifically provided for in its Constitution. Pietermaritzburg and Ulundi are joint capitals of the province because of the coalition government in the provincial legislature. Other important towns include Richards Bay, an important coal export harbour, and many coastal holiday resorts, such as Port Shepstone, Umhlanga Rocks and Margate. In the interior, Newcastle is well-known for steel production and coal-mining, Estcourt for meat processing, and Ladysmith and Richmond for mixed agriculture. The KwaZulu-Natal coastal belt yields sugar cane, wood, oranges, bananas, mangoes and other tropical fruit.
Some of South Africa's best-protected indigenous coastal forests are found along the subtropical coastline of KwaZulu-Natal, for example, at Dukuduku and Kosi Bay. It is also along this coast that the magnificent St Lucia Estuary and Kosi Bay lakes are located. In 1999, the Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park was declared a World Heritage Site.
Separating KwaZulu-Natal from the mountain Kingdom of Lesotho, the Drakensberg runs 200 km along the western boundary of the province. The northern part of the province, south of the Swaziland border, is typical African savanna, providing a natural backdrop for its rich wildlife, protected in several game parks.

The people
KwaZulu-Natal has the largest population in the country with some nine million people living on 92 100 km² of land. The principal language spoken is isiZulu, followed by English and Afrikaans. Remnants of British colonialism together with Zulu, Indian and Afrikaans traditions make for an interesting cultural mix in the province. Among its assets, the province counts several universities, technikons and various other educational institutions. However, almost 23% of adults in the province have received no schooling. KwaZulu-Natal has a relatively poorly skilled labour force. The economy therefore experiences a shortage of skilled human resources. The official unemployment figure for the province is 25,9%.

Agriculture and industry
KwaZulu-Natal, with its key strength in trade and logistics infrastructure, is the second highest contributor to South Africa s GDP. The Port of Durban handles over 55 million tons of cargo per year. Despite the impressive volume of trade, improving the managerial capacity and efficiency of operations in the Port remains a challenge. This is reflected in the small number of containers handled per hour in the Port - 17 per hour - while Singapore, for example, handles 85 containers per hour. As this Port plays such a crucial role in the South African economy, it will be the first concession of a container terminal in the country.
Heavy minerals are mined at Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal. In recent times, the province has undergone rapid industrialisation owing to its abundant water supply and labour resources. Industries are found in Newcastle, Ladysmith, Dundee, Richards Bay, Durban, Hammarsdale, Richmond, Pietermaritzburg and Mandeni.
The sugar-cane plantations along the Indian Ocean coastal belt form the mainstay of the economy and agriculture of the region. The coastal belt is also a large producer of subtropical fruit, while the farmers in the hinterland concentrate on vegetable, dairy and stock-farming.
Another major source of income is forestry in the areas around Vryheid, Eshowe, Richmond, Harding and Ngome. (Ngome also has tea plantations.)
The summer-rainfall coastal regions of this province are hot and humid with a subtropical climate. The KwaZulu-Natal Midlands between the coastal strip and the southern Drakensberg Escarpment are drier with extremely cold conditions in winter and snow on the high-lying ground.
In the north, the subtropical strip extends further around the Kingdom of Swaziland, to the edge of the Escarpment. There is a huge gap between the urban and rural per capita income of people in KwaZulu- Natal. The province currently employs less than half of the potential labour force in the formal economy, resulting in a high level of migration to Gauteng.

The Northern Cape lies to the south of its most important asset, the mighty Orange River, which provides the basis for a healthy agriculture industry. The landscape is characterised by vast arid plains with outcroppings of haphazard rock piles. The cold Atlantic Ocean forms the western boundary. This region covers the largest area of all the provinces and has the smallest population. The major airports are situated at Kimberley, the capital, and Upington. The Northern Cape is serviced by an excellent road network, which makes its interior easily accessible from South Africa's major cities, harbours and airports.
Important towns are Upington, centre of the karakul sheep and dried fruit industries, and the most northerly wine-making region in South Africa; Springbok in the heart of the Namaqualand springflower country; Kuruman founded by the missionary Moffat; De Aar, hub of the South African railway network; Sutherland, the coldest town in the country; and the sheep-farming towns of Carnarvon, Colesberg, Kenhardt and Prieska.
Apart from a narrow strip of winter-rainfall area along the coast, the Northern Cape is a semi-arid region with little rainfall in summer. The weather conditions are extreme - cold and frosty in winter, and extremely high temperatures in summer.
The largest part of the province falls within the Nama-Karoo biome with a vegetation of low shrubland and grass, and trees limited to water courses. The area is known world-wide for its spectacular display of spring flowers which, for a short period every year, attracts thousands of tourists. This biome is home to many wonderful plant species, such as the elephant's trunk (halfmens), tree aloe ( kokerboom) and a variety of succulents. The province has several national parks and conservation areas. The Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, together with the Gemsbok National Park in Botswana, is Africa's first transfrontier game park, known as the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. It is one of the largest nature conservation areas in southern Africa and one of the largest remaining protected natural ecosystems in the world. The Park provides unfenced access to a variety of game between South Africa and Botswana and has a surface area of more than two million hectare (ha).
Nowhere is the Orange River more impressive than at the Augrabies Falls, which ranks among the world's greatest cataracts on a major river. The Augrabies Falls National Park was established to preserve this natural wonder.

The people
The Northern Cape is sparsely populated and houses some 873 000 people on 361 830 km² of land. About 69% of the people speak Afrikaans. Other languages spoken are Setswana, isiXhosa and English. The last remaining true San (Bushman) people live in the Kalahari area of the Northern Cape. The whole area, especially along the Orange and Vaal rivers, is rich in San rock engravings. A good collection can be seen at the McGregor Museum in Kimberley. The province is also rich in fossils.

Agriculture and industry
The Northern Cape is an important contributor to South Africa's primary production and has considerable potential for the beneficiation of these primary commodities. The province displays a tremendous growth in value-added activities including game farming. Food production and processing for the local and export market is growing significantly.
Underpinning the growth and development plan of the province are the investment projects that link up with the existing plans of the Namaqua Development Corridor. The focus is on the beneficiation and export of sea products. The economy of a large part of the Northern Cape, the interior Karoo, depends on sheep-farming, while the karakul pelt industry is one of the most important in the Gordonia district of Upington. The province has fertile agricultural land. In the Orange River Valley, especially at Upington, Kakamas and Keimoes, grapes and fruit are intensively cultivated. Wheat, fruit, peanuts, maize and cotton are produced at the Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme near Warrenton.

Mining
The Northern Cape is rich in minerals. The country's chief diamond pipes are found in the Kimberley district. In 1888, the diamond industry was formally established with the creation of De Beers Consolidated Mines. Alluvial diamonds are also extracted from the beaches and sea between Alexander Bay and Port Nolloth. The Sishen Mine near Kathu is the biggest source of iron ore in South Africa, and the copper mine at Okiep is one of the oldest mines in the country. Copper is also mined at Springbok and Aggenys. The province is also rich in asbestos, manganese, fluorspar, semiprecious stones and marble.

The Free State lies in the heart of South Africa, with the Kingdom of Lesotho nestling in the hollow of its bean-like shape. Between the Vaal River in the north and the Orange River in the south, this immense rolling prairie stretches as far as the eye can see. The capital, Bloemfontein, has a well-established institutional, educational and administrative infrastructure, and houses the Supreme Court of Appeal. The province has a well-known university and many other training institutions. Important towns include Welkom, the heart of the gold-fields and one of the few completely preplanned cities in the world; Odendaalsrus, another gold-mining town; Sasolburg, which owes its existence to the petrol-from-coal installation established there; Kroonstad, an important agricultural, administrative and educational centre; Parys on the banks of the Vaal River; Phuthaditjhaba, well known for the beautiful handcrafted items produced by the local people; and Bethlehem, gateway to the Eastern Highlands of the Free State. The road network density of the province is the third-highest in the country. The national road, which is the artery between Gauteng and the Western and Eastern Cape, passes through the middle of the Free State.

The people
The Free State is the third-largest province in South Africa, but it has the second-smallest population and the second-lowest population density. It houses some 2,8 million people on about 129 480 km² of land. The main languages spoken are Sesotho and Afrikaans. Some 16% of people aged 20 years or older have received no schooling. The official unemployment rate according to Statistics South Africa is 23,3%. Many of the towns display a mix of culture clearly evident in street names, public buildings, monuments and museums. Dressed sandstone buildings abound on the Eastern Highlands, while beautifully decorated Sotho houses dot the grasslands. Some of South Africa's most valued San rock art is found in the Free State. The districts of Bethlehem, Ficksburg, Ladybrand and Wepener have remarkable collections of this art form.

Agriculture
This summer-rainfall region can be extremely cold during the winter months, especially towards the eastern mountainous regions where temperatures can drop as low as 9,5 ºC. The western and southern areas are semidesert. Known as the granary of the country, the Free State has cultivated land covering 3,2 million ha, while natural veld and grazing cover 8,7 million ha. Field crops yield almost two-thirds of the gross agricultural income of the province. Animal products contribute a further 30%, with the balance coming from horticulture. Ninety percent of the country's cherry crop is produced in the Ficksburg district, while the two largest asparagus canning factories are also situated in this district. Soya, sorghum, sunflowers and wheat are cultivated, especially in the eastern Free State, where farmers specialise in seed production. About 40% of the country's potato yield comes from the high-lying areas of the Free State.

Mining
The Free State contributes about 16,5% to South Africa s total mineral output. The mining industry is the biggest employer in the Free State and is responsible for some 22,6% of GGP of the province. Investment opportunities are substantial in productivity-improvement areas for mining and related products and services. South Africa is the world's largest producer of gold. A more than 400-km long gold reef, known as the Goldfields, stretches across Gauteng and the Free State, the largest goldmining complex being Free State Consolidated Goldfields with a mining area of 32 918 ha. Some 82% of the region's mineral production value is derived from this activity, primarily in the Goldfields region, which comprises the districts of Odendaalsrus, Virginia and Welkom. Roughly 30% of South Africa's gold is obtained from this region, and the province qualifies for fifth position as a global producer. The Harmony Gold Refinery situated in Virginia is allowed to sell one-third of its total annual gold production to jewellery manufacturers, and has the facilities to ensure that the correct quality is maintained at all times. Harmony Gold Refinery and Rand Refinery are the only two gold refineries in South Africa. Gold-mines in the Free State also supply a substantial portion of the total silver production of the country, while considerable concentrations of uranium occurring in the goldbearing conglomerates of the gold-fields are extracted as a by-product. Bituminous coal is mined in the province and converted to petrochemicals at Sasolburg. Diamonds from this region, extracted from kimberlite pipes and fissures, are of a high quality. The largest deposit of bentonite in the country occurs in the Koppies district.

Manufacturing
The Free State, best known for its maize production has, in the last decade, reduced its dependency on the primary sector, and has become a manufacturing economy. Some 14% of the province's manufacturing is classified as high-technology industries, which is the highest percentage of all the provincial economies. This growth in high-tech industries is significant in the context of the changing contribution of the gold-mining industry to the GGP.
The province's three-tier development strategy centres on competitiveness, empowerment, capacity-building and beneficiation. Manufacturing is the second-largest sector in the regional economy. Among the most important activities are the chemical products manufactured by Sasol and the further beneficiation of agricultural products. A wide variety of industries have developed around the production of basic chemicals from coal.

North West is centrally located in the subcontinent with direct road and rail links to all of the southern African countries and its own airport. The province borders on Botswana and is fringed by the Kalahari desert in the west and the Witwatersrand area in the east. The province is divided into five regions, namely the Central, Bophirima (towards the west), Southern, Rustenburg and Eastern regions.
Most economic activity is concentrated in the Southern Region (between Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp), Rustenburg and the Eastern Region, where more than 83,3% of GGP of the province is produced. The Klerksdorp and Rustenburg regions together produce about 67% of the province's GGP while covering 33% of the surface area. Forty-eight percent of the province's population reside here.

The people
Of the 3,6 million people in the North West, 65% live in the rural areas. In spite of its small population, it is estimated that 9% of all the poor people in the country live in the North West. The poverty rate is estimated at 57%. As far as educational attainment and skills availability are concerned, the North West lags behind the South African average. The literacy rate is in the region of 57%. As part of the Department of Education's proposed plans for higher education, the existing four higher learning institutions will be merged to form two.

Mining
Although the platinum province is the third slowest contributor to South Africa s GDP, it is the dominant province in mineral sales. Mining contributes 35,5% to the economy and 17,8% of total employment in the North West. It makes up 15,5% of the mining GDP in South Africa. The North West is also the dominant province in mineral sales with a contribution of 17,8% to the South African mining sector. Diamonds are mined at Lichtenburg, Koster, Christiana and Bloemhof, while Orkney and Klerksdorp have gold-mines. The area surrounding Rustenburg and Brits boasts the largest single platinum production area in the world. Marble is also mined here. Fluorspar is exploited at Zeerust.

Manufacturing
Manufacturing contributes 12,8% of the province s GDP and 9% of its employment opportunities. It provides 1,6% of the South African manufacturing sector s contribution to GDP. Industrial activity is centred around the towns of Brits, Klerksdorp, Vryburg and Rustenburg. The Brits industries concentrate mostly on manufacturing and construction, while those at Klerksdorp are geared towards the mining industry, and those at Vryburg and Rustenburg towards agriculture. Manufacturing is almost exclusively dependent on the performance of a few sectors in which the province enjoys a competitive advantage. These are fabricated metals (51%), the food sector (18%) and non-metallic metals (21%).
The Platinum SDI can unlock further development. It is situated on the Coast-to-Coast highway that links the Port of Maputo in Mozambique to Walvis Bay in Namibia. Approximately 200 potential project opportunities in tourism, manufacturing, agriculture and mining have been identified.

Agriculture
Agriculture in the North West is the second most important sector, contributing about 8,6% to provincial GDP and 16,7% to employment. Some 5,3% of the South African GDP in agriculture and 16,96% of total labour in agriculture are based in the North West. The province is an important food basket in South Africa. Maize and sunflowers are the most important crops. The North West is the biggest producer of white maize in the country. Some of the largest cattle herds in the world are found at Stellaland near Vryburg, which explains why this area is often referred to as the 'Texas of South Africa.' Marico is also cattle country. The areas around Rustenburg and Brits are fertile mixed-crop farming land.

Although the smallest of the nine provinces, Gauteng (Sotho word for the Place of Gold) is the powerhouse of South Africa and the heart of its commercial business and industrial sectors. It is the largest contributor to South Africa s GDP at 36,5%. The three most important sectors contributing to the GGP are financial and business services, logistics and communication and mining. The growth and development plans for the province are underpinned by the Blue IQ projects. These consist of 11 different mega projects in economic infrastructure development in the areas of technology, tourism, transport and high value-added manufacturing. The aim is to attract some R100 billion in direct investment in the next 10 years. In excess of R2 billion has already been allocated by the Gauteng Provincial Government to facilitate these investment projects. Gauteng's main cities are Johannesburg, the largest city in southern Africa and Pretoria, the administrative capital. The province blends cultures and colours and first and third-world traditions into a spirited mix that is flavoured by many foreign influences.
Gauteng's primary attraction is business opportunity, but there is more to this province. There is a wealth of culture to be found in the museums, galleries, art routes and historical battlefields. Most overseas visitors enter South Africa via Johannesburg International Airport. Johannesburg, also nicknamed Egoli (place of gold), is the capital of the province and is a city of contrasts. Mine dumps and headgear stand proudly as symbols of its rich past, while modern architecture rubs shoulders with examples of 19th century engineering prowess. Gleaming skyscrapers contrast with Indian bazaars and African muti (medicine) shops, where traditional healers dispense advice and traditional medicine.
The busy streets ring out with the call of fruit sellers and street vendors. An exciting blend of ethnic and western art and cultural activities is reflected in theatres and open-air arenas throughout the city.
South of Johannesburg is Soweto, a city developed as a township for black people under the apartheid system. Most of the struggle against apartheid was fought in and from Soweto. Soweto is estimated to be inhabited by over two million people with homes ranging from extravagant mansions to makeshift shacks. Soweto is a city of enterprise and cultural interaction. It is a popular tourist destination with sites such as Kliptown where the Freedom Charter was drawn up, the home of former President Nelson Mandela, the Hector Petersen Memorial site, restaurants and shopping malls. It boasts one of the largest hospitals on the continent.
Some 50 km north of Johannesburg lies Pretoria. As administrative capital of the Republic, the city is dominated by government services and the diplomatic corps of foreign representatives in South Africa. Pretoria is renowned for its colourful gardens, shrubs and trees, particularly beautiful in spring when the some 50 000 jacarandas envelop the avenues in mauve. The city developed at a more sedate pace than Johannesburg, and the town planners had the foresight to include an abundance of open spaces. Pretoria has more than 100 parks, including bird sanctuaries and nature reserves. An air of history pervades much of central Pretoria, especially Church Square, around which the city has grown. Many buildings of historical and architectural importance have been retained or restored to their former splendour. North of Pretoria is the industrial area of Rosslyn and the township of Soshanguve. To the east is Cullinan, known for its diamonds. Other important Gauteng towns include Krugersdorp and Roodepoort on the West Rand, and Germiston, Springs, Boksburg, Benoni, Brakpan and Kempton Park on the East Rand. The hominid sites at Swartkrans, Sterkfontein and Kromdraai (also known as the Cradle of Humankind) are a World Heritage Site. Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging in the south of the province are major industrial centres, while Heidelberg, Nigel and Bronkhorstspruit to the east are important agricultural areas.
Although the province is highly urbanised and industrialised, it contains wetlands of international importance, such as Blesbokspruit near Springs.

The people
Gauteng is the most densely populated province in South Africa. It houses more than seven million of the country's people. The level of urbanisation is 97%. Gauteng has the most important educational and health centres in the country. Pretoria boasts the largest residential university in South Africa, the University of Pretoria, and what is believed to be the largest correspondence university in the world, the University of South Africa (UNISA). Another attribute of Pretoria is the number of scientific institutes in and around the city, for example the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute and the South African Bureau of Standards.
Only some 9,5% of adults in the province have received no schooling. Johannesburg has two residential universities. There are several teacher training colleges, technical colleges and technikons in the province. Many of the existing technikons, satellite university campuses and universities will merge as part of the Department of Education's proposed plan for higher education. More than 60% of South Africa's research and development takes place in Gauteng.

Manufacturing
The manufacturing sector in Gauteng has over 9 300 firms, employing more than 600 000 people. Gross annual output exceeds R50 billion and is expected to grow significantly as international markets open up. Industries that have contributed significantly to this output are basic iron and steel; fabricated and metal products; food; machinery, electrical machinery, appliances and electrical supplies; vehicle parts and accessories, and chemical products.

Technology
The economy of the province is being realigned to move away from traditional heavy industry markets and low value-added production towards sophisticated high value-added production, particularly in information technology, telecommunications and other high-tech industries. The burgeoning hightech corridor in Midrand (halfway between Pretoria and Johannesburg) is the most rapidly developing area in the country.

Agriculture and industry
Gauteng's agricultural sector is geared to provide the cities and towns of the province with daily fresh produce, including dairy products, vegetables, fruit, meat, eggs and flowers. A large area of the province falls within the so-called maize triangle. The districts of Bronkhorstspruit, Cullinan and Heidelberg hold important agricultural land, where ground-nuts, sunflowers, cotton and sorghum are produced.
This summer-rainfall area has hot summers and cold winters with frost. Hail is common during the summer thunderstorms.
Gauteng is an integrated industrial complex with major areas of economic activity in five subregional areas, namely the Vaal Triangle, the East, West and Central Rand, and Pretoria. The Vaal Triangle has a strong manufacturing sector; the West Rand concentrates on primary mining, and the Central Witwatersrand is dominated by the manufacturing and finance sectors, with mining capital playing a major role. All sectors rely heavily on the Vaal Dam on the Vaal River, from where water is piped across the province. Gauteng has a greater proportion of its labour force in professional, technical, managerial and executive positions than any other province. Johannesburg houses the JSE Securities Exchange, the largest in Africa. The province's economic magnetism draws a large inflow of migrant labour from poorer regions in the country. It is the province with the highest per capita income.

Mpumalanga means 'place where the sun rises.' It is bordered by Mozambique and Swaziland in the east, and Gauteng in the west. It is situated mainly on the high plateau grasslands of the Middleveld, which roll eastwards for hundreds of kilometres. In the north-east, it rises towards mountain peaks and then terminates in an immense Escarpment. In some places, this Escarpment plunges hundreds of metres down to the lowlying area known as the Lowveld. The area has a network of excellent roads and railway connections, making it highly accessible. Because of its popularity as a tourist destination, Mpumalanga is also served by a number of small airports. The province also boasts the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport that was opened in October 2002. Scheduled flights that had gone to the airports at Nelspruit or Skukuza now land at the new Airport. Nelspruit is the capital of the province and the administrative and business centre of the Lowveld. Witbank is the centre of the local coal-mining industry; Standerton, in the south, is renowned for its large dairy industry; Piet Retief in the south-east is a production area for tropical fruit and sugar, while a large sugar industry is also found at Malelane in the east; Ermelo is the district in South Africa that produces the most wool; Barberton is one of the oldest gold-mining towns in South Africa; and Sabie is situated in the forestry heartland of the country.
The Maputo Corridor, which links the province with Gauteng and Maputo in Mozambique, heralds a new era in terms of economic development and growth for the region. As the first international toll road in Africa, the Corridor aims to attract investment, unlock local economic potential of the landlocked parts of the country and thus generate sustainable economic growth that will lead to sustainable high-quality jobs. The best performing sectors in the province include mining, manufacturing and services. Tourism and agro-processing are potential growth sectors in this province.
The province falls mainly within the grassland biome. The Escarpment and the Lowveld form a transitional zone between this grassland area and the savanna biome. Long sweeps of undulating grasslands abruptly change to the thickly forested ravines and thundering waterfalls of the Escarpment, only to change again to present the subtropical wildlife splendour of the Lowveld. Sabie and Graskop provide a large part of the country's total requirement for forestry products. These forestry plantations are an ideal backdrop for ecotourism opportunities, with a variety of popular hiking trails, a myriad of waterfalls, patches of indigenous forest, and a variety of nature reserves. Lake Chrissie is the largest natural freshwater lake in South Africa, and is famous for its variety of aquatic birds, especially flamingos.

The people
Even though it is one of the smaller provinces (some 79 490 km² in surface area), Mpumalanga has a population of about three million people. Some 29% of those aged 20 years or older have not undergone any schooling, while the population growth rate is higher than the national average. The main languages spoken are siSwati, isiZulu and isiNdebele.

Agriculture and forestry
This is a summer-rainfall area divided by the Escarpment into the Highveld region with cold frosty winters, and the Lowveld region with mild winters and a subtropical climate. The Escarpment area sometimes experiences snow on high ground. Thick mist is common during the hot humid summers. An abundance of citrus fruit and many other subtropical fruits - mangoes, avocados, litchis, bananas, pawpaws, granadillas, guavas - as well as nuts and a variety of vegetables are produced here.
Nelspruit is the second-largest citrus-producing area in South Africa. It is responsible for one-third of the country's export in oranges. The Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Crops is situated here. The natural forests of the area could not supply enough timber for the burgeoning mining industry in the early days of goldmining. Plantations of exotic trees, mainly pine, gum and Australian wattles, were established to supply wood for the mine props. These trees did so well that the Sabie area became the biggest single region of forestry plantations in South Africa. Groblersdal is an important irrigation area which yields a wide variety of products such as citrus fruit, cotton, tobacco, wheat and vegetables. Carolina-Bethal-Ermelo is sheep area. Potatoes, sunflower seeds, maize and peanuts are also produced in this region.

Industry
Mpumalanga is very rich in coal reserves. The country's biggest power stations, three of which are the biggest in the southern hemisphere, are situated here. Unfortunately, these cause the highest levels of air pollution in the country. Secunda, where the country's second petroleum-from-coal installation is situated, is also located in this province. One of the country's largest paper mills is situated at Ngodwana, close to its timber source. Middelburg produces steel and vanadium, while Witbank is the biggest coal producer in Africa.

Limpopo lies within the great elbow of the Limpopo River and is a province of dramatic contrasts from true Bushveld country to majestic mountains, primeval indigenous forests, latter-day plantations, unspoilt wilderness areas and a patchwork of farming land. Limpopo has a strong rural basis. Its growth strategy centres on addressing infrastructure backlogs, alleviation of poverty and social development. Underpinning the growth and development strategies in the province are the Phalaborwa SDI and the N1 Corridor, which encompasses agro-processing and mining beneficiation activities. Regional economic integration takes the form of the 'Golden Horse Shoe', which aims to create a single reserve that will arch from the Kruger National Park in the east round to Botswana in the west. The culturally and historically significant Mapungubwe site will be included in this development initiative.
Limpopo is the gateway to the rest of Africa. It is favourably situated for economic cooperation with other parts of southern Africa as it shares borders with Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Polokwane (formerly Pietersburg) is the capital city and lies strategically in the centre of the province. The Great North Road through the centre of the province strings together a series of interesting towns. Bela-Bela (formerly Warmbaths), with its popular mineral spa, is near the southern border of the province. Then, going north, follow Modimolle (formerly Nylstroom) with its table-grape industry and beautiful Waterberg range; Mokopane (formerly Potgietersrus); Polokwane; Louis Trichardt at the foot of the Soutpansberg mountain range; and Musina (formerly Messina), with its thick-set baobab trees. The crossing into Zimbabwe is at Beit Bridge, where the South African section of this important route north into Africa ends. Other important Limpopo towns include the major mining centres of Phalaborwa and Thabazimbi, and Tzaneen, producer of tea, forestry products and tropical fruits. The Maputo Corridor will link the province directly with Maputo Port, creating development and trade opportunities, particularly in the south-eastern part of the province.
This province is in the savanna biome, an area of mixed grassland and trees, which is generally known as Bushveld. A trip through this summer-rainfall area soon convinces one that this is tree country. The biggest section of the Kruger National Park is situated along the eastern boundary of Limpopo with Mozambique.

The people
In Limpopo some 5,5 million people live on about 123 910 km² of land. The main languages spoken are Sepedi, Xitsonga, Tshivenda and Afrikaans. Several museums and national monuments bear testimony to ancient peoples and fearless pioneers who braved the unknown in days of yore. Living museums include the Bakone Malapa Museum near Polokwane, where Bapedi tribesmen practise age-old skills for the benefit of visitors, and the Tsonga Open-air Museum near Tzaneen. Mapungubwe Hill (Place of the Jackal), some 75 km from Musina, used to be a natural fortress for the people who inhabited it from about AD 950 to 1200. Valuable archaeological discoveries, including many golden artefacts, have been made in this area, and also in the northern part of the Kruger National Park.

Agriculture
The Bushveld is cattle country. Controlled hunting is often combined with ranching.
Sunflowers, cotton, maize and peanuts are cultivated in the Bela-Bela-Modimolle area. Modimolle is also known for its table-grape crops. Tropical fruit, such as bananas, litchis, pineapples, mangoes and pawpaws, as well as a variety of nuts, are grown in the Tzaneen and Louis Trichardt areas. Extensive tea and coffee plantations create many employment opportunities in the Tzaneen area. Zebediela, one of the largest citrus estates in the country, is situated south of Polokwane. The largest tomato farm in South Africa lies between Tzaneen and Louis Trichardt. Extensive forestry plantations are found in the Louis Trichardt and Tzaneen districts. Plantations of hard woods for furniture manufacturing have also been established. Many of the rural people practise subsistence farming.
The northern and eastern parts of this summer- rainfall region are subtropical with hot humid summers and mist in the mountainous parts. Winter throughout the province is mild and mostly frost-free.

Industry
Limpopo is rich in minerals, including copper, asbestos, coal, iron ore, platinum, chrome, diamonds, phosphates and gold. The province is a typical developing area, exporting primary products and importing manufactured goods and services. It has a high potential and capacity with the right kind of economic development, and is an attractive location for investors. Resources such as tourism, rain-fed agriculture, minerals and the abundant labour force available in the province offer excellent investment opportunities.