SPECIAL FEATURE while one of the major road links between Gauteng and the Kruger National Park also passes through the area, providing excellent logistical links for tourism and business. www.greatertzaneen.gov.za
Polokwane The centrally situated city of Polokwane is the capital of Limpopo Province. Located on the Great North Road (N1 highway) and almost equidistant from the highdensity population of greater Johannesburg and the neighbouring countries of Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, Polokwane’s upgraded international airport plays an increasingly important regional role. Polokwane is the province’s main centre for industry, commerce, education and medical services. The city is close to big concentrations of mineral deposits and to fertile agricultural lands. Its industries reflect this diversity. Large industrial concerns such as Silicon Smelters (one of the biggest of its kind in the world) and a big brewery run alongside at least 600 industrial enterprises of a smaller scale. The range is broad: soft drink and fruit juice manufacture, confectionery, bricks, clothing, meatprocessing, packaging and jewellery. Polokwane has excellent hotel and conferencing facilities. It is a good starting point for tourism trips into the province and beyond. Unusually, the city has its own game reserve on 3 200 hectares of semi-bushveld land. Several annual festivals are held in Polokwane, including the Mapungubwe Arts Festival. Nearby Moria attracts up to a million people every year, when the Zion Christian Church celebrates Easter. www.polokwane.gov.za
Phalaborwa Known as the Gateway to the Kruger National Park, Phalaborwa is situated in such a moderate climatic belt that it is also sometimes known as the town of Two Summers, so similar are the summer and winter temperatures. Phalaborwa has a good airport and the town’s proximity to the Kruger National Park makes it a tourism hub. The town has several attractions of its own. Cruises on the Olifants River are popular and the highly regarded Hans Merensky Country Club golf course hosts national tournaments. The prospect of meeting wildlife on the fairway adds spice to the golf experience. Palaborwa Mining Company (PMC) is the major economic driving force in the area. Copper has been mined in the region for many centuries, with evidence from as far back as 400AD having been found. The popular Marula Festival is held in Phalaborwa in February every year. This not only promotes the iconic fruit (and its associated foods and beverages) but is a celebration of local arts and crafts and music. Sports events such as golf and soccer tournaments and half-marathons are held to coincide with the festival. www.phalaborwa.org.za
Tzaneen A subtropical climate and fertile soils combine to make greater Tzaneen one of South Africa’s most productive areas in fruit and vegetables. Steep valleys and gently sloping mountains provide ample opportunities for tourism of all sorts. The Letaba Valley produces a large proportion of South Africa’s mangoes, avocadoes and tomatoes. Citrus fruits also thrive, as do macadamia nuts, litchis, paw-paws and bananas. Forty sawmills operate in the area, drawing on the heavily forested hills around the city. Tzaneen is the economic hub of the region, with a population of 80 000. The Phalaborwa Spatial Development Initiative passes through the Greater Tzaneen Municipal Area,
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LIMPOPO BUSINESS 2019/20
