The Northern Cape is South Africa’s largest province, covering 30% of the country’s landmass on the western side bordering the Atlantic Ocean, Namibia and Botswana. Mining and agriculture currently comprise the province’s most important sectors, but the region has magnifi cent natural assets that are increasingly gaining the attention of the tourist market. The starkly beautiful landscape of the Northern Cape is home to six parks and fi ve provincial parks and nature reserves. The Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape is a World Heritage Site while the fl owers that appear in Namaqualand in spring are one of the wonders of the world.

Events such as the Maloof Money Cup, a high-prolife international skateboarding competition (to be held in Kimberley in September 2011), an international Wildlife Ranching Symposium and the hosting of the Bloodhound Project (an attempt to drive a car at 1 600kph near Upington in 2012) are helping to achieve the province’s goal of building awareness of its enormous potential as a tourism destination.

Mining contributes 27.6% to the gross regional domestic product (GRDP). Iron-ore mining in the north-eastern corner of the province has been expanding despite the global recession, driven in large part by a demand for steel from China. Sishen is the biggest iron-ore mine in the country and its owner, Kumba Iron Ore, is engaging in a massive new project at Kolomela (previously known as South Sishen). New manganese projects are also under way, all of which are forcing consideration of even bigger loads to be carried on the Sishen- Saldanha railway freight line. At the moment the line is dedicated to carrying iron ore but increasing manganese mining volumes may cause it to become a dual carrier.

Diamond mining, in contrast, has seen volumes fall with concomitant job losses. Diamond mining is increasingly moving away from the older mines to alluvial mining along the Orange River and its tributaries and in the Atlantic Ocean. A feature of activity within the diamond sector in the last few years has been the sale by De Beers of a number of its assets, most notably to Petra Diamonds.

The Northern Cape also has copper, asbestos, fluorspar, semi-precious stones and marble. The province is home to important scientific facilities such as the Southern Africa Large Telescope (SALT) located near Sutherland. The possibility that another huge international facility will be sited nearby has the potential to boost the province’s economy: a decision will be taken on this in 2012.

Most of the province falls into the category of semi-arid (apart from the coastal strip) and it receives relatively little rainfall. Summers are hot and winters are cold. The western parts of the province are famous for spectacular displays of flowers in spring.

The Orange River is the most important geographical feature of the province, providing irrigation to support a thriving grape, sultana and wine industry. Other crops such as lucerne, cotton, wheat, peanuts and maize are grown in the Orange River Valley and in other irrigation scheme areas such as the Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme.

Approximately one million people live in the Northern Cape where the principal languages are Afrikaans (68%) and Setswana (21%). The San people live in the arid regions of the north. The province is well served with respect to transport and communications, despite its vast size (361 830 square kilometres). Airports at Kimberley and Upington are quite substantial and many smaller towns, mines and game reserves have landing strips. Although the province has many roads, maintaining them is proving to be a difficult and expensive task.

The Northern Cape does not have a major port although Port Nolloth serves as an adequate fishing harbour. The creation of a major port is being investigated, in line with provincial government’s plans to increase the amount of produce manufactured within the province’s borders before being exported. Investments in projects along the Namaqua Development Corridor are intended to see these plans come to fruition.

Plans are under way to revitalise the province’s rail network, more specifically in De Aar, which already serves as a most important national rail junction. In addition, rail tourism is being investigated.

The amount of sunshine received in the Northern Cape has raised hopes that the province could become the place where solar-energy generating plants will be built. This topic is the subject of a special feature in this publication.

The Northern Cape is divided into five district municipalities:

Frances Baard District Municipality
Towns: Kimberley, Barkly West, Warrenton, Hartswater, Jan Kempdorp.
The district is the smallest, but with a population of approximately 325 500 it is the most densely populated. Although Kimberley is historically renowned for diamond mining, its economy is now driven by its role as the administrative head of the province, and by community services, finance, transport and trade.

While the district is driven mainly by tertiarysector activities in the Kimberley area, primary activities in mining and agriculture are more prominent in rural municipalities. Agriculture in the region comprises crop cultivation and stock and game farming. The Vaalharts Water Scheme is the largest irrigation project of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality
Towns: Kuruman, Kathu, Hotazel.
Kuruman is the headquarters of local government in this region. The local spring produces 20 million litres of water every day. The African National Congress recognised the district councillors with the ZK Matthews Award for the best performing district councillors in January 2011.

Most of the district is situated on the Ghaap Plateau, over 1 000 metres above sea level, and can experience extreme temperatures. Most agricultural activity is limited to grazing although game hunting is growing. Kathu has a well-developed CBD. The Sishen ironore mine outside Kathu is a vast undertaking, providing employment for thousands of people. Samancor’s Mamatwan and Wessels manages mines and plants that are situated at Hotazel. Almost half of the Kgalagadi District’s population live in rural villages.

Namakwa District Municipality
Towns: Springbok, Calvinia, Niewoudtville, Garies, Williston, Fraserburg, Sutherland, Pofadder, Okiep, Port Nolloth, Alexander Bay.
The Namakwa District is situated in the north-western corner of the province, and the country, bordering on Namibia and the Atlantic Ocean. The district is sparsely populated, and predominantly rural. The mining and agricultural sectors provide most employment, while tourism and small-scale manufacturing are also present. The region’s economy gets a great boost every spring when tourists flock to see the veld in bloom.

The climate and soil support certain niche crops, and the sites and sights are unique to the region, offering opportunities in agriculture and tourism. The |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, the Namakwa National Park and the Tankwa Karoo National Park (still being developed) have the potential to grow as travel destinations, as does the western coastline.

Pixley Ka Seme District Municipality
Towns: De Aar, Hanover, Carnarvon, Douglas, Marydale, Prieska, Hopetown, Richmond, Noupoort, Norvalspont, Colesberg.
The district covers 102 000 square kilometres in the central Karoo and has four national roads passing through it. De Aar, the site of the municipal headquarters, has national significance as a railway junction.

The district is home to three of South Africa’s major dams. Agricultural production includes wheat, maize, peanuts, grapes, beans, potatoes, nuts, cotton and sheep farming. Pixley Ka Seme is the largest wool-producing district in South Africa but most of what is produced is processed in the Eastern Cape. As a consequence, opportunities exist for the establishment of a cotton mill, a tannery and a facility to add value to semiprecious stones. Horse breeding is a valuable contributor to the regional economy.

Siyanda District Municipality
Towns: Upington, Kakamas, Kenhardt, Groblershoop, Postmasburg.
The Orange River supports a thriving agricultural sector and a growing tourism sector. The investment climate is ripe for tourism along the Orange River and around unique physical attractions such as the Augrabies Falls. Mining activities take place in Kgatelopele, where diamonds and lime are found. Together with sheep and cattle farming, mining provides most of the employment to be found in Siyanda. The diamond mine at Finsch is one of De Beers Consolidated Mines (DBCM) largest facilities.

Most of the population of the //Khara Hais Local Municipality lives in Upington. The town is one of the economic hubs of the Northern Cape: it has an airport and good infrastructure. Agriculture is a prominent feature of the local economy, as well as wholesale and retail services in and around the town. The processing of dried fruit and wine represents one of the biggest manufacturing activities in the province.