Rustenburg was one of the host cities selected to host football games in the 2010 FIFA World Cup (earlier in 2010). The Royal Bafokeng stadium was the venue for matches in the tournament. This city is situated about 100km from Pretoria at the foot of the Magaliesberg mountain range in the North West Province.
Here are 10 things you did not know about Rustenburg:
- The city was established in 1851. Its main purpose at that stage was to serve as an administrative center for a nearby fertile farming area producing citrus fruit, tobacco, peanuts, sunflower seeds, maize, wheat and cattle.
- Rustenburg was the 3rd oldest town in the former Transvaal province in South Africa.
- The German community (Kroondal) near Rustenburg settled in the area in 1857.
- Paul Kruger (former South African Republic president) bought a farm outside the town in 1863. The homestead on his farm called ‘Boekenhoutfontein” is now known as the Paul Kruger Country Museum.
- The area where the city now is used to be a battlefield in the Anglo Boer War (between 1899 and 1902).
- Rustenburg is one of the fastest growing cities in South Africa. The city’s current population is estimated to be +/- 400,000.
- The city is home to 2 of the largest platinum mines in the world and the world’s largest platinum refinery (Precious Metal Refiners or PMR). Combined these installations processes around 70% of the world’s platinum.
- The city is also home to Olympia Park multi-purpose stadium. This venue hosted matches during the 1995 IRB Rugby World Cup in South Africa.
- Some of the first residents of the city were settlers of Indian origin. The Bhyat family were one of those family. Their contribution to the Rustenburg’s history has been honoured by the renaming of one the major streets to “Fatima Bhayat Street”. This lady & her husband arrived in the city in 1877.
- Johan Botha (South African opera singer), Pik Botha (former South African minister of foreign affairs), Koos du Plessis (Afrikaans singer-songwriter), Frik du Preez (former Springbok rugby player), Esta Terblanche (South African soap opera actress) and Andre Stander (notorious bank robber) were all born in Rustenburg.
If we’ve left out something important about this city, please comment on this post and inform us about it. Also feel free to check out the following interesting posts on the Junk Mail blog:
- 10 Things You Did Not Know About Durban
- Young Talent: Faeron Wheeler
- 10 Things You Did Not Know About Pretoria
- 50 Facts about South Africa You Might not Know
- 10 Things You Did Not Know About Johannesburg
- Another Collection of Funny Signs
- 10 Things You Did Not Know About Cape Town
- Young Talent: Cobus Potgieter
- 10 Things You Did Not Know About Port Elizabeth
- 7 Interesting African Holiday Destinations
- 10 Things You Did Not Know About East London
