Kimberley
www.solplaatje.org.za
Kimberley is the capital and the economic hub of the Northern Cape Province. The city is administered by the Sol Plaatje local municipality, which falls under the Frances Baard District Municipality. The headquarters of each of these political entities is located within the city of Kimberley, which also hosts the regional Supreme Court and the bishoprics of the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of the Province of South Africa.

The local airport has been upgraded and the town is located on the N8 (to Bloemfontein) and the major north-south highway, the N12. The city was founded in response to the discovery of diamonds in the area. The Big Hole indicates the site of the original diggings and is now a popular tourism site. The city has a casino and conference facilities and is close to a number of attractive natural features: black and white rhino roam the Mokala National Park 80km to the south, and some 30 000 flamingos visit Kamfers Dam just 2km north of the city limits. Strategically located with good infrastructure, Kimberley is the leading centre in the province for retail, financial services, commerce and light industry.

Calvinia
www.namakwa-dm.gov.za
The sheep farmers of the Calvinia district produce more wool than any other part of the Northern Cape. In 2009/10, 656 280kg of wool came out of Calvinia, and lots of mutton and lamb meat too. In August of every year, thousands of meat-lovers descend on the main town of the Hantam to eat and celebrate sheep meat at the Meat Festival. Sheep-counting and sheep-shearing are just two of the other activities that liven up the town during that period.

The Akkerendam Nature Reserve is close to the town, and with the Hantam National Botanical Garden, the Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve and the Tankwa Karoo National Park located fairly nearby, Calvinia is a great starting point for flower lovers in the first months of spring. Nieuwoudtville, just west of Calvinia, is known as the bulb capital of the world, such is the profusion of succulents in the pretty village. Calvinia has two good museums, one of which is housed in the old synagogue.

Upington
www.siyanda-dm.co.za
Upington is at the centre of the Green Kalahari, with its location on the banks of the Orange River being a major factor in shaping the town’s economy. The cultivation of grapes and wine and the production of sultanas are among the principal activities of the town. Upington has some light industry.

The production facilities of the South African Dried Fruit Cooperative and Orange River Wine Cellars are among the largest of their types in the world. The Skaapland Meat Emporium is one of the biggest butcheries in South Africa. With a floor area of 1 950 square metres, the company sells 15 tons of beef every week. Irrigation along the banks of the river allows for the cultivation of cotton (processed by the Siyanda Cotton Ginnery in Upington), pecan nuts and lentils among other products.

Upington Airport has one of the longest runways in the world, a legacy of a time when South African aeroplanes were not allowed to fly over Africa. The airport is serviced by Airlink and has considerable potential as a cargo hub and as a site for mothballing aircrafts.

The area to the north of Upington is dry and is home to one of the largest conservation areas in the world, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. The town of Upington is a good launching pad for visits to this amazing park and to the spectacular Augrabies Falls National Park to the west. A patch of flat land north of the town (at Hakskeenpan) will be the site (in 2012) of an attempt by a British team to break the world land-speed record.

Colesberg
www.colesberginfo.co.za
www.pixleykasemedm.co.za
Colesberg is in the middle of the Karoo and is a major sheep-farming and horse-breeding centre. It is located on the intersection of the N1 and N9 highways, effectively serving as a gateway to the Eastern Cape (Middelburg and beyond) from the north. The town is conveniently sited as an overnight stopover for holiday makers travelling between Cape Town and Johannesburg. Cape Town is 858km away and Johannesburg is 685km.

There are about 2 500 beds in and around Colesberg, which is also developing its own tourism attractions to try to keep visitors in the area. The Doornkloof Nature Reserve on the banks of the Vanderkloof Dam is a popular destination, as is the Gariep Dam, both of which are located fairly close by.

The primary economic activity in the area is commercial merino sheep farming. The merino is a prized breed, both for its mutton and for its wool. An individual sheep can produce up to 5kg of fleece each year.

The cold air of the Karoo evenings is good for keeping parasites away from the valuable horses which have been bred in the area for generations. Among the several excellent horse-stud farms in the area are Platberg, Stormfontein and the Gary Player Stud Farm.