Limpopo
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| Limpopo | ||||
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| Capital | Polokwane | |||
| Largest city | Polokwane | |||
| Premier | Cassel Mathale | |||
| - Party | African National Congress | |||
| Area | Ranked 5th in SA | |||
| - Total | 123,900 km2 (47,800 sq mi) | |||
| Population | Ranked 4 in SA | |||
| - Total | 5,402,900 | |||
| - Density | 44 /km² (114 /sq mi) Ranked 3rd in SA |
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| Languages | ||||
| - Northern Sotho | 57% | |||
| - Tsonga | 23% | |||
| - Venda | 12% | |||
| - Afrikaans | 2.6% | |||
| Ethnic composition | ||||
| - Black | 97.3% | |||
| - White | 2.4% | |||
| - Coloured | 0.2% | |||
| - Asian | 0.1% | |||
| Website | www.limpopo.gov.za | |||
Limpopo (pronounced /lɪmˈpoʊpoʊ/) is the northernmost province of South Africa. The capital is Polokwane, formerly called Pietersburg. The province was formed from the northern region of the Transvaal province in 1994, and initially named Northern Transvaal. The following year, it was renamed Northern Province, which remained the name until 11 June 2003, when the name of the province was formally changed to the name of its most important river, on the border with Zimbabwe and Botswana, after deliberation by the provincial government. Another notable consideration for the name was Mapungubwe, the area where the most ancient gold-using civilisation of the province was discovered a few years earlier.
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[edit] Law and government
The current premier of Limpopo province is Cassel Mathale of the African National Congress.
[edit] Geography
Limpopo Province shares international borders with districts and provinces of three countries: Botswana's Central and Kgatleng districts to the west and north-west respectively, Zimbabwe's Matabeleland South and Masvingo provinces to the north and northeast respectively, and Mozambique's Gaza Province to the east. The province is the link between South Africa and countries further afield in sub-Saharan Africa. On its southern flank from east to west, the province shares borders with Mpumalanga, Gauteng, and North West. Its border with Gauteng includes that province's Johannesburg-Pretoria axis, the most industrious metropole on the continent. Thus the province is placed at the centre of regional, national, and international developing markets.
The province contains much of the Waterberg Biosphere, a UNESCO designated Biosphere Reserve. The Waterberg Biosphere, a massif of approximately 15,000 square kilometers, is the first region in the northern part of South Africa to be named as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. The massif was shaped by hundreds of millions of years of riverine erosion to yield diverse bluff and butte landform.[1] The Waterberg ecosystem can be characterised as a dry deciduous forest or Bushveld. Within the Waterberg there are archaeological finds dating to the Stone Age, and nearby are early evolutionary finds related to the origin of humans.
[edit] Municipalities
Limpopo Province is divided into five municipal districts, subdivided in 24 local municipalities:
[edit] Demographics
The population of Limpopo consists of several ethnic groups distinguished by culture, language and race. 97.3% of the population is Black, 2.4% is White, 0.2% is Coloured, and 0.1% is Indian/Asian.
The Northern Sotho (Sepedi) make up the largest number, being nearly 57%. The Tsonga (Shangaan) speakers comprise 23% while the Venda make up 12%. Afrikaans speakers make up 2.6% while English-speaking whites are less than half a per cent.
[edit] Economy
The province is a typical developing area, exporting primary products and importing manufactured goods and services.
[edit] Agriculture
The bushveld is cattle country, where extensive ranching operations are often supplemented by controlled hunting. About 80% of South Africa's hunting industry is found in Limpopo. Sunflowers, cotton, maize and peanuts are cultivated in the Bela-Bela and Modimolle areas. 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 Makhado areas. Tzaneen is also at the centre of extensive tea and coffee plantations.
[edit] Mining
Limpopo's rich mineral deposits include platinum group metals, iron ore, chromium high- and middle-grade cooking coal, diamonds, antimony, phosphate and copper, as well as mineral reserves like gold, emeralds, scheelite, magnetite, vermiculite, silicon and mica. Base commodities such as black granite, corundum and feldspar are also found. Mining contributes to over a fifth of the provincial economy.
[edit] Infrastructure and communications
The province has excellent road, rail, and air links. The N1 route from Johannesburg, which extends the length of the province, is the busiest overland route in Africa in terms of cross-border trade in raw materials and beneficiated goods. The port of Durban, Africa’s busiest, is served directly by the province, as are the ports of Richards Bay and Maputo. The Gateway International Airport is situated in Polokwane, the capital of the province.
[edit] Education
The branch is charged with the responsibility of effecting quality education and training for all. It was during this time that the branch had to shape up its direction and co-ordinate all professional developments and support. Policies, systems and procedures had to be developed. This was not easily achievable due to lack of person power to effect change.
Hereunder follows a brief description of the activities which the branch carried out.
[edit] Curriculum Development & Education Technology
The greater part of this was characterised by a series of workshop on awareness and training on Curriculum 2005. Learning programmes were developed up to the selection of the relevant learning materials for grade 1 for 1998. The new curriculum for Grade 1 was subjected to a trailing phase with few selected pilot schools. This was seen as a breakthrough in breaking with the past in terms of philosophy and methodology of approach to concepts and information.
In order for teaching and learning to be effective workshops were also conducted on Technology Enhanced Learning Initiative. This was seen as a marriage between theory and practice to improvise for the effectiveness of the learning experience. Pilot schools were selected for Technology 2005 which in spite of the lack of necessary equipment, was seen as a success.
[edit] Structural Affairs and Statistics
There was not much progress realised in this area due to the lack of person power and necessary equipments. There was almost total dependence on outsourcing which in a way crippled this department in terms of building capacity to the skeleton staff available. The department could not capture all the necessary data. In order to plan proper In order to plan properly one should have access to information and also develop management systems for the sake of control and monitoring. Although a number of a strategic planning unit is seen as a handicap towards development.
[edit] Early Childhood Development
Much progress was made in this area through the assistance of UNICEF which provided technical assistance towards the development of ECD policy document. All stakeholders participated to produce a policy document.
[edit] Projects and Funding
There was an advocacy campaign to educate the communities on the delivery of basic educational needs e.g. classroom provisioning.
The directorate drew proposals for Japan International Cooperation Agency and was instrumental in effecting the Interactive Tele-teaching Programme with funds from Limpopo Education Development Trust. Business plans for the RDP projects were developed and also funding proposal for the Presidential Education Initiative which involved foreign countries. Workshops on ABET were conducted focusing on the implementation of the new policy. Stakeholders were involved with the national department taking the lead towards the development of action plans.
[edit] Educational Institutions
- Universities
- University of Limpopo (Polokwane, Ga-Rankuwa)
- Comprehensive University of Venda (Thohoyandou)
- Other educational institutions
[edit] Sports
- Soccer
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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