Several theories exist about the origin of the city's name. According to one theory, it originates fromPotgieter +Chef +stroom. This refers toVoortrekker leader and town founderAndries Potgieter, with "chef" indicating the leader of the Voortrekkers and "stroom" referring to theMooi River.
Geoffrey Jenkins writes, "Others however, attribute the name as having come from the word 'Potscherf', meaning a shard of a broken pot, due to the cracks that appear in the soil of the Mooi River Valley during drought resembling a broken pot".[3][4] In a scholarly analysis, M. L. Fick suggests that Potchefstroom developed from the abbreviation of "Potgieterstroom" to "Potgerstroom", which then became "Potchefstroom".[5] However, this does not account for the appearance of "Potjestroom" on many documents and photographs.
TheAfrican National Congress decided to change the name of the municipality and some street names in 2006, proposing "Tlokwe" as the new name. In 2007, the name change from Potchefstroom Municipality to Tlokwe City Council was officially approved and gazetted.[6][7] However, the city itself continued to use the name Potchefstroom. In 2016, the Tlokwe Municipality merged with theVentersdorp Municipality to form the largerJB Marks Local Municipality.
Potchefstroom was officially proclaimed in December 1838 by the Voortrekkers, with physical settlement beginning around June 1839.[8] It is generally accepted as the oldest town founded by Voortrekkers north of the Vaal River.[4] The oldest European settlement isKlerksdorp, approximately 40 km (25 mi) to the west.
Until 1840, the towns of Potchefstroom andWinburg, along with their surrounding territories, formed aBoer Republic known as the Republic of Winburg-Potchefstroom. Voortrekker leaderAndries Hendrik Potgieter was elected chief commandant. In October 1840, following a meeting between Potgieter,Andries Pretorius, and G. R. van Rooyen, it was decided that Potchefstroom would unite with "Pieter Mouriets Burg" (Pietermaritzburg).
On 17 January 1852, theSand River Convention was signed by Commandant-General Andries Pretorius and a British delegation led by Major W. S. Hogge and C. M. Owen.[9] Under the convention, the British government granted independence to the immigrant farmers north of theVaal River, leading to the establishment of theTransvaal.[10] Article 17 of the republic's 1858 constitution declared Potchefstroom as the capital and Pretoria as the seat of government.[11] In May 1860, Potchefstroom became the "chief city" of the republic, while the capital moved toPretoria.
The first Jewish residents arrived in Potchefstroom in 1878, and a Jewish cemetery was established in 1892, reflecting the growth of the community in the late 19th century.[12]
On 16 December 1880, theFirst Boer War began when Boer forces laid siege to the old fort, occupied by British troops. The siege ended amicably on 23 March 1881. During theSecond Boer War, the British implemented a scorched-earth policy, and according to the Anglo-Boer War Museum, some 30,000 Boer farmhouses were destroyed.[13] As part of this campaign, the British established aconcentration camp in Potchefstroom forAfrikaner civilians. According to historian G.N. van den Bergh, this was "the first and largest concentration camp in the Transvaal."[14]
At the opening of the city hall in 1909, Colonial SecretaryJan Smuts was asked about the possibility of Potchefstroom becoming the capital of the Union of South Africa. He replied that the city stood no chance but should instead aim to be South Africa's largest educational centre.[15] This led to Potchefstroom's reputation as the "city of expertise," with numerous tertiary educational institutions. Since 1997, it has hosted the annual late-SeptemberAardklop Arts Festival, a predominantly Afrikaans arts festival.
The Potchefstroom Municipality, which includes several neighbouring settlements, had a population of 128,357 according to the 2007 community survey. Of these residents, 69.6 percent were White, 27.0 percent were Black, three percent wereColoureds, and 0.4 percent were Asian. The city proper and its surrounding suburbs have a population of 43,448, of which 69.9 percent are White, 25.4 percent are Black, 2.8 percent are Coloured, and 1.3 percent are Asian.[16]
Potchefstroom is home to five tertiary institutions, 30 other schools, and a number of research and training centres, including:
TheNorth-West University, formally established on 1 January 2004 through the merger of three institutions: the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education (founded 1869), the University of North-West (formerly the University of Bophuthatswana), and the Vaal Triangle Campus.[17] The seat of the merged institution is in Potchefstroom.[18] ThePotchefstroom Campus is the largest, and the university's head office is located there. After the merger, the North-West University became one of South Africa's larger universities, with approximately 32,000 full-time and distance-education students.
The Potchefstroom College of Education (originally the Normal College) was founded in 1919. Initially housed in galvanised-iron buildings on the same premises as thePotchefstroom High School for Boys, the college moved to its present location in 1923. It was incorporated by the university on 1 January 2001.
The Technical College Potchefstroom, founded in 1939 when the Union Education Department began "continuation classes."[citation needed]
The Agricultural Centre, previously known as the Experimental Farm (1902) and Agricultural College (1939), is the largest agricultural facility in one location insouthern Africa. The centre houses the headquarters of the Highveld Region of the Department of Agriculture, the Agricultural Research Council's Grain Crops Institute (ARC-GCI), and the Agricultural College.[19] ThePotchefstroom Koekoek chicken breed was developed there.
Potchefstroom Akademie, founded in 1981 by Tina Schöltz, offers tertiary education insomatology, health and skincare therapy, holistic health therapies, and interior design and decorating.
Potchefstroom High School for Girls: Originally known as the Central School, it was established in 1874. Girls High was founded in 1905 when the Central School was divided into separate high schools for boys and girls.
Public primary and high schools in Potchefstroom's townships include Boitirelo Primary School, Lesego Primary School, Boitshoko High School, Tlokwe High School and Hoerskool Ferdinand Postma.
Potchefstroom, known as the North West Province's "Home of Sport," is the provincial headquarters for 17 major sports.[citation needed] The city council focuses on the establishment, maintenance, and upgrading of its sports facilities to meet the sporting and recreational needs of its youth. TheMooi River and various trails provide additional recreational opportunities for residents and tourists.
Potchefstroom has hosted two World Cup-winning teams (incricket andfootball) and serves as a home away from home for many international athletes and teams. At an altitude of 1,400 metres (4,600 ft), it offers a good balance between elevation and quality training conditions. The city's good air quality, due to the absence of large factories, is also beneficial for training. Athletes and professional teams often train at the North-West University's High Performance Institute of Sport.
Potchefstroom resident and police officerKen McArthur won the gold medal in the marathon at the1912 Stockholm Olympics on 14 July 1912.[20] He was known in his home village of North Antrim for his training routine, which consisted of racing a narrow-gauge train.[21]
TheAbsa Puk Oval is located on the North-West University campus. The university's sports grounds are known as the Fanie du Toit Sports Complex.[22] The main rugby field has hosted several Leopards games and thePotchefstroom Campus'Varsity Cup matches.
The visit of theSpain national football team during the2010 FIFA World Cup brought a new level of sporting attention to Potchefstroom. Spain, who won their inauguralFIFA World Cup title, chose Potchefstroom as their base camp. A new sports complex was built at North-West University for the team.
Oak Avenue, one of many oak-lined streets near the university
Since the Heritage Resources Act of 1999, monuments are classified as Grade I (national), Grade II (provincial), or Grade III (local). Many former national monuments have been reclassified as Grade II sites.
An earthwork quadrilateral located west of the Potchefstroom–Klerksdorp rail line and south of the main Potchefstroom–Klerksdorp road. British soldiers built the fort during the Anglo-Boer War in 1880 and were besieged by the Boers for 95 days. A number of soldiers and civilians who died during the siege are buried in the adjoining cemetery. It was declared a monument[24] in 1937 (Item 27046 in theSouth African Heritage Resources Agency registry).
South African National Artillery Memorial
The national memorial site, located on Ventersdorp Road in Kanonierspark, for all artillery soldiers who died in combat during World War II.
Willem Daniel Pretorius, the great-grandnephew of President M. W. Pretorius, obtained this house and its outbuildings (on a farm adjacent to the town) in 1888. He immediately began extending and altering the house, inscribing his initials and the year (WDP 1888) on the new facade's front door. A small school, the forerunner of M. L. Fick Primary School, was housed in one of the buildings. The Mooi Rivier Dutch Reformed Church was founded there in 1917. The site, on the corner of Walter Sisulu Avenue and Smit Street, was declared a heritage site in 1987 (Item 27354 in SAHRA database).
Goetz-Fleishack House, c. 1857
This is the only surviving example of an early townhouse (dorpshuis) built around the Nieuwe Market Square, demonstrating the lifestyle of the first wealthy civilians of theSouth African Republic. The site was the residence of magistrate A. M. Goetz during the First War of Independence (1880–1881). His son-in-law, Albert Reinholdt Fleishack, later lived in the home. The house and outbuildings, at the intersection of Nelson Mandela and Sol Plaatjie Avenues, have been restored as ahistoric house museum. It was declared a national monument[26] in 1985 (Item 27820 on the SAHRA register).
Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk (Church), c. 1859
The original cruciform church, which had an earth floor and a thatched roof, later received a tin roof with decorative cast-iron horsemen and a spire. An 1892 renovation provided a plank floor, galleries, pews, a ceiling, and lamps. An organ gallery was later built, and a pipe organ was imported from London and transported by train and oxcart. The building's cornerstone was laid on 26 December 1859, and it was consecrated on 25 February 1866. Construction was interrupted in 1863–64 by theTransvaal Civil War. The church is on Walter Sisulu Avenue, opposite the Town Hall.
M. W. Pretorius House, c. 1868
The President Pretorius house is in the traditional Cape style, with white plaster and a thatched roof. It consists of a 1,323-hectare (5.11 sq mi) property with the original residence, a wagon house, stables, and asmithy. The site, with large oak trees planted by Pretorius, was declared[27] a monument in 1979 (Item 27047 in the SAHRA register) and is now a house museum.
Berlin Missionary Complex, c. 1875
This building looked identical to the Berlin Mission Church in Pretoria: a small hall with "fortified" colonial Gothic elements. It initially had a thatched roof and a dirt floor. The roof was replaced with tin in 1956, and a parquet floor and gallery were added. Minor changes have been made since 1938, when the new Evangelical Lutheran congregation began using the Mission Church. The Gereformeerde Church Mooi Rivier now owns the building, at the corner of Sol Plaatjie and Du Plooy Streets.
St. Mary's Anglican Church, c. 1890
Credited to John William Gaisford, the first known architect in Potchefstroom, the church on Auto Street originally had a steeply-pitched thatched roof, alancet window, and a dirt floor.
Dutch Reformed Mother Church Potchefstroom, c. 1895
The church, featuring Gothic elements, was designed by a master builder named Wocke. President Paul Kruger laid its foundation stone on 13 February 1894, and it served as a temporary hospital during theAnglo-Boer War.Beyers Naudé was a minister at the church before he became an anti-apartheid activist. It was nearly destroyed by a fire on 13 March 2007 but was restored by 2009; a new organ was dedicated in September 2011. The church is on the corner of Beyers Naude and Nelson Mandela Drives.
Old Powder Magazine, c. 1898
One of Potchefstroom's oldest existing buildings, its permit was granted in 1854, and the magazine was almost certainly in use by 1857. It played a prominent role in the 1881 siege of Potchefstroom, when the British demolished part of it to use the materials for cover. It was demolished in 1883, and the current magazine (half the size of the original) was built in its place by 1898. It was declared[28] a monument in 1973 (Item 27357 in the SAHRA database).
Old Fourth Prison, c. 1898
The Fourth Prison was built on the current site before the outbreak of the Anglo-Boer War (1899–1903). It was used as a prison and was the headquarters of the Potchefstroom Commando until 1998. The building, on Auto Avenue, now houses the Tlokwe Youth Centre.
Old Post Office building (Landdrost Post en Telegraafgebou), c. 1897
The building, on Greyling Street, was declared[29] a heritage site in 1991 (Items 27142 and 27144 in the SAHRA register).
Theological School Complex, c. 1905
The Theological School Complex, on Molen Street, is a symbol of the Reformed Church (Gereformeerde Kerk) training and Afrikaans instruction at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.
Totius House, c. 1905
The site, like the Theological School Building, came into use in 1905. It is a near-replica of a professor's residence in Burgersdorp, from where the Reformed Church seminary moved. The house's first resident was Jan Lion Cachet. He was succeeded in 1911 by Jacob Daniel Du Toit (Totius) as a professor at the Theological School. Totius and his family lived in the house until 1924, and he wrote at least four of his poetry volumes there. He also began his Afrikaans translation of the Bible, which he continued on a farm in Krugerskraal. The house, on Molen Street, is now a museum.
Town Hall, c. 1909
An Edwardian Classical building dedicated on 10 March 1909 by Colonial SecretaryJan Smuts. It and theKrugersdorp City Hall are the oldest existing city halls north of the Vaal River in South Africa. Its western façade is symmetrical, with a 26 m (85 ft)-high ornamental domed tower as the central axis. The clock and bell, which feature Westminster chimes, were manufactured in the Netherlands. The building cost£12,000 at the time. It was declared[30] a heritage site in 1993 (Item 27143 in the SAHRA register).
Selbourne Hall, c. 1909
The building, on the Agricultural College campus, is in disrepair.
Oak Avenue, c. 1910
The Potchefstroom town council decided to plant an oak lane in 1910.[31] The 6.84-kilometre (4.25 mi) lane stretches from the Agricultural Centre to the Lakeside Resort.[5] The streets include Chris Hani Drive, Kock Street, Dr. Wolmarans Street, Beyers Naudé Avenue, Retief Street, and Peter Mokaba, Steve Biko, and Calderbank Avenues. The site was declared a monument in 1977[5][32] (Item 27304 in the SAHRA registry), and a stone beacon with a bronze plaque was erected at the corner of Lombard and Kruger Streets.
Commanding Officer's House / Witrand Hospital Superintendent's House, c. 1913
Formerly the residence of the commanding officer of the British garrison in Potchefstroom, it is also known as the General's House. Colonel S. H. C. Monro was the garrison's first commanding officer and the first resident of the house. It later served as the residence of the Witrand Care and Rehabilitation Centre superintendent. Declared a heritage site in 1982 (Item 27665 in the SAHRA database), it is on the Witrand grounds on Ventersdorp Road.
Carnegie Library, c. 1914
The building was named afterAndrew Carnegie, who funded this library and others worldwide. Its portico and gable are derived from the adjacent town hall, giving the buildings a similar appearance. It serves as a liaison office for the town council and Potchefstroom Tourism. Located on the corner of Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu Avenues, it was declared[33] a monument in 1993 (Item 27140 in the SAHRA database).
This two-storey hostel in the Neo-Cape Dutch style, designed byGerard Moerdijk, was the first permanent building on the university campus. It was decided that it would be calledOns Huis (Our Home). When students occupied it, however, it was called theKlimop (Creeper). The students eventually named itHeimat, a name that remained after it was re-allocated for academic purposes in 1980. Declared a heritage site in 1984 (item 27194 in the SAHRA register), the building on the Potchefstroom campus of North-West University houses the university's Department of Culture.
The Roets House, c. 1926
The house was built by Jan van der Walt so his son, Peter, could remain at home while studying at the university. Hennie Roets, principal of the Mooi River Laerskool, later occupied the house. Located at 61 Steve Biko Avenue, it was declared a heritage site in 1984.
Main Building, University, c. 1930
The building was designed by architect Henri Louw of Bloemfontein, and its seven arches were meant to echo the seven candelabra in the university's logo. Dedicated on 13 April 1931,[35] the two-storey building originally housed lecture halls, offices, and the library. Declared a monument in 1984, Building F5 now houses the Faculty of Law.
Rector's Residence, 1 Calderbank Avenue
This Tudor-style building was declared[36] a heritage site in 1999 (Item 27680 in the SAHRA database).
72, 74 and 76 James Maroka Avenue
These three houses were declared heritage sites in 1991.
Although Potchefstroom has no officially designated local heritage sites, the following sites have been placed on the municipality's provisional list:[37]
Snowflake Silo building, Wolmarans Street (c. 1921)
Boyd House, corner of Walter Sisulu Avenue and Ayers Street (c. 1909)
Piet Malan House, 57 Steve Biko Avenue (c. 1890)
Kohinoor Cinema, Walter Sisulu Avenue (c. 1950): The cinema, in Makweteng (now Mieder Park), was built in the early 1950s and operated through the 1970s. It was also used for dancing competitions (particularly ballroom dancing) and weddings before the forced removals from 1958 to 1963. It hosted jazz concerts with performers like the Twist Rovers, Spokes Mashiane, and other groups from Johannesburg.
Potchefstroom Dam and Lakeside Resort, Calderbank Avenue (c. 1908)
Calderbank Building, Walter Sisulu Avenue (c. 1930)
A. M. E. Church, Ikageng (c. 1961)
House of the Editor-Bate, James Maroka Avenue (c. 1902)
Triomf (Knock) Fertilizer (c. 1968)
Potchefstroom Station building (c. 1919) and steam locomotive[38] on its forecourt, from 1902
Potchefstroom Synagogue, James Maroka Avenue (c. 1920): The building now houses the Potchefstroom Academy.
Devil's Corner, Ikageng (c. 1960): An open space used by the Ikageng community. During the 1960s, it was used for fashion parades and is now a celebration venue for the Kaizer Chiefs Football Club. It was also used as a hiding place by local criminals and as a meeting place for local activists and organisations.
Tlokwe Memorial Park, entrance to Ikageng (c. 2009): A memorial park under construction for local activists who died during the liberation struggle.
Cachet Park, Die Bult (c. 1900): Used for the annualAardklop National Arts Festival.
Dome Bergland Nature Park, the site of ameteorite impact which created the Vredefort Dome.
The Trim Park, located in the Green Belt area adjacent to the Mooi River.
TheNorth-West University Botanical Garden, adjacent to the Potchefstroom campus, covers an area of almost 3 hectares (7.4 acres). Most of its plants are indigenous, with a few exotic plants of botanical or medicinal interest. A section around a man-made ridge is a natural field garden, while the rest is more intensively managed. A variety of mammals, birds, amphibians, and fish have made the garden their home in recent years.
The town is home to the country's oldest Reformed Churches and its oldest stone-built Hervormde Church. St Mary's Anglican Church, built in 1891, is notable for its stained-glass windows. The N. G. Moedergemeente building, which burnt down in July 2007, has since been restored.
The Witrand Mental Institute, the second government institution for psychiatric patients in South Africa, opened in 1923. The first wasValkenberg Hospital, which opened in Maitland in the Cape.
Potchefstroom Museum
Reformed Church Museum
MooiRivier Mall, a shopping mall that opened in early 2008 with over 100 stores, as well as food and entertainment facilities overlooking the Mooi River. The mall serves as a shopping destination for surrounding towns such asCarletonville, Ventersdorp, Parys, and Fochville.
Potchefstroom is an industrial, service, and agricultural growth point for the North West province. Its industries include steel, food, and chemical processing. The chicken industry is particularly important, with companies such as Chubby Chick, Serfontein Poultry, Haagner's Poultry, Crown Chicken, and Highveld Egg Cooperative operating in and around the city.
Potchefstroom is a major centre for theSouth African National Defence Force (SANDF), hosting significant training and operational units. The city is the location of Army Support Base (ASB) Potchefstroom, which serves as a key logistical and support hub for the SANDF in the region and houses the Defence Reserves Provincial Office for the North West.[39][40] The base is home to several key units, including the4 Artillery Regiment and the Artillery Mobile Regiment.
The city's military infrastructure includes the General de la Rey Training Area. According to a 2024 study in the academic journalScientia Militaria, this area covers 235 square kilometres, making it one of the five largest military training and live-firing ranges in South Africa.[41][42] The base hosts major national events, such as the annual DOD Youth Celebration Week.[43]
Potchefstroom has a long history as a military town. The School of Artillery, originally established in 1934, relocated to Potchefstroom in 1939 and was granted the Freedom of the City on 10 March 1978.[44] The city was also home to the3 South African Infantry Battalion from 1968 until its relocation in 1988; it was a major basic training unit and received the Freedom of the City on 27 May 1988.[45]
The city formerly hosted Air Force Base Potchefstroom. As part of a "peace dividend" and budget rationalisation following the end of apartheid, the base was closed, as documented by the South African Air Force Museum and other historical military records.[46][47] The base had been operationally significant, with units such as 103 Squadron being established at the airfield on 24 September 1963.[48]
The city's strong military ties are reflected in its regular parades and ceremonies. Potchefstroom has hosted Armed Forces Day celebrations, national military skills competitions, and regular medal parades.[49][50][51] Military units frequently hold Freedom of the City parades through the town.[52][53] Potchefstroom is also the site of the National Gunners' Memorial, where annual memorial services are held to commemorate fallen artillery soldiers.[54][55]
^"Provincial Gazette No. 6375, Official Notice No. 2 of 2007"(PDF). North West Provincial Government. 14 August 2007. Retrieved18 October 2024.H Yawa on Potchefstroom City Council name change to Tlokwe: 'Howard Yawa has approved the application of the Potchefstroom City Council for the name change of the municipality to Tlokwe City Council.'
^van den Bergh, G.N. (1989)."Potchefstroom se stigting: 1838 én 1839".New Contree.26.doi:10.4102/nc.v26i0.671.hdl:10394/6382. Retrieved18 October 2024.Potchefstroom had already been proclaimed in December 1838. This date can therefore be regarded as its official date of establishment. As in the case of other Voortrekker towns, occupation was thus preceded by proclamation.
^"Appendix E - The Sand River Convention".A Century of Wrong. AngloBoerWar.com. Retrieved18 October 2024.Convention signed 17 January 1852, by Commandant-General Andries Pretorius and others, on behalf of the new country, and Major William Samuel Hogge and Charles Mostyn Owen
^"ARC-Grain Crops". Agricultural Research Council. Retrieved18 October 2024.
^"The First Sporting Hub of Potchefstroom". Lennie Gouws. Retrieved18 October 2024.When the marathon athlete, Kennedy Kane McArthur, won the Olympic marathon on 14 July 1912 in Stockholm, Sweden, he created a record that has never been broken.
^"Youth Week Celebration - Department of Defence". South African National Defence Force. June 2023. Retrieved19 October 2024.The DOD will host the 2023 DOD Youth Celebration Week (YCW) that will take place on 18–23 June 2023 at Army Support Base (ASB) North West, Potchefstroom.
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