Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa, is in Gauteng.
This city is a World Cup 2010 host with games to be played at
Loftus Versfeld stadium.
Understand
HistoryThe area known today as Tshwane, with Pretoria at its center, was occupied by the Sotho people for many centuries. During the 15th century the Ndebele people also migrated into the area and settled along the banks of what is today called the Apies River. Around 1820 the Matabele under the leadership of Mzilikaza also entered the region, leading to local conflicts between the Matabele newcomers and the already established Sotho and Ndebele tribes as well as the European
Voortrekkers who were steadily moving northward through the country. These conflicts came to an end when the Matabele were defeated by the
Voortrekkers in 1837 at Mosega.
Pretoria was founded in 1855 as the capital of the Transvaal Republic. The city was named after Andries Pretorius, the
boer leader at the Battle of Blood River where the
Voortrekkers defeated the Zulus under King Dingaan. In 1856 the area today know as Arcadia was acquired in exchange for a pony and added to the town.
In 1899, during the Second Boer War, Winston Churchill was captured and held as a POW in Pretoria until his eventual escape to Mozambique. British forces captured Pretoria in 1900 and held control over the city until the signing of the Peace of Vereeniging treaty in 1902.
When the Union of South Africa was established in 1910, Pretoria was elected the capital and is still the administrative capital of the Republic of South Africa today.
ClimatePretoria is located in a summer rainfall area with hot days regularly followed by short and intense afternoon thunderstorms. The thunderstorms are often accompanied by lightning and occasionally result in hail. Summer temperatures range between 16°C at night to 30°C during the day. Winters are mild and dry with temperatures averaging between a minimum of 5°C and a maximum of 20°C.
Get in
By carFive highways join in the Gauteng region, making it accessible from all cities in the country. This would include the N1, N3, N4, N12 and N14 national highways.
By airThe closest international airport is OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. The
R21 highway leads from there to Pretoria.
By busMajor bus companies like Greyhound, Translux, Intercape Mainliner and the BazBus offer connections to all big cities in South Africa.
By trainThe train station is on the corner of Andries and Railway streets, just south of the city centre.
There are frequent commuter trains to Johannesburg, other outlying towns and many suburbs of Pretoria. The railway system is unreliable and notoriously unsafe, and is best avoided.
There are inter-city trains to Johannesburg (south), Polokwane, Musina (north), Witbank, Nelspruit and the Mozambique border (east).
A
high-speed rail link is being constructed between Pretoria, Johannesburg and OR Tambo International Airport, east of Johannesburg. It should be at least partially complete by 2010.
Get around
Either use a taxi, rent a car, use the municipal bus service or, if you really must, use the minibus...
