Pretoria

Pretoria is the administrative capital of South Africa, where the country's government operates and foreign embassies are located. The city sits near the Apies River and stretches into the foothills of the Magaliesberg mountains. It is well-known as a place for learning and discovery, home to several important universities and research centers.

Pretoria is an important city for diplomacy, hosting many foreign embassies. It is also part of the larger City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, which includes several nearby areas.

The city is named after Andries Pretorius, a leader of the Voortrekkers. Many people call Pretoria the "Jacaranda City" because of the beautiful jacaranda trees that line its streets and fill its parks with color.

History

See also: Timeline of Pretoria

Pretoria was founded in 1855 by Marthinus Pretorius, a leader of the Voortrekkers. He named the city after his father, Andries Pretorius, and chose a spot on the banks of the Apies rivier to be the new capital of the South African Republic.

The city became the capital of the South African Republic on 1 May 1860. Later, in 1910, Pretoria became the administrative capital of all of South Africa when the Union of South Africa was formed.

Boer Wars

Main article: Boer Wars

During the First Boer War, Pretoria was surrounded by Republican forces. The peace treaty that ended the war was signed in Pretoria in 1881.

The Second Boer War ended British control in South Africa. The city surrendered to British forces in 1900, and the conflict ended with the signing of the Peace of Vereeniging in 1902.

Union of South Africa

Main article: Union of South Africa

In 1910, the Boer Republics joined with other areas to form the Union of South Africa. Pretoria became the administrative capital, with Cape Town as the legislative capital and Bloemfontein as the judicial capital. Pretoria became an official city in 1931 and stayed the administrative capital when South Africa became a republic in 1961.

Geography

Pretoria is a city about 56 km north-northeast of Johannesburg in South Africa. It is at an altitude of around 1,339 meters above sea level in a valley surrounded by the hills of the Magaliesberg range.

Climate

Pretoria has a humid subtropical climate. Summers are hot and rainy, while winters are short and dry. Winters can be cold at night but are mild during the day. The city's average temperature is about 18.7 °C. Rain mostly falls in the summer. Winter can be dry and sometimes a bit frosty. Snow is very rare in Pretoria.

Demographics

Pretoria has a population between 700,000 and 2.95 million, depending on the area included. The main languages spoken there are Sepedi, Setswana, Xitsonga, Tshivenda, Afrikaans, and English. The city has the largest white population in Africa and has been important for Afrikaners since it began.

Pretoria has areas where white people are most of the population, but in places like Mamelodi, Soshanguve, and Atteridgeville, black people are the majority. The largest white group are the Afrikaners, and the largest black group are the Bapedi. Over time, more black families have moved into middle-class areas of the city.

Cityscape

Pretoria is called the "Jacaranda City" because of the many Jacarandas that grow along its streets. The city often uses the color purple, like in the A Re Yeng bus system and the Jacaranda FM radio station.

Pretoria has many different building styles, from old Dutch, German, and British designs to modern South African architecture. Important buildings include the Palace of Justice, Union Buildings, the Voortrekker Monument, and buildings at the University of Pretoria and the University of South Africa.

The city center is important for government and business, with tall buildings and historic places like the Pretoria City Hall and Church Square. There are also museums, gardens, and parks, such as the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa and the Pretoria National Botanical Garden.

Pretoria’s nickname comes from its many jacaranda trees, which bloom purple each October. These trees were first planted in 1888.

Transportation

Railway

Commuter rail services around Pretoria are run by Metrorail. The routes start from the city centre and go to places like Germiston, Johannesburg, Atteridgeville, Ga-Rankuwa, Soshanguve, and Mamelodi. You can also reach the port of Maputo in the east using the Pretoria–Maputo railway.

The Gautrain high-speed railway goes from Hatfield to Pretoria Station and then continues to places such as Centurion, Midrand, Marlboro, Sandton, Rhodesfield, OR Tambo International Airport, Rosebank, and Johannesburg.

Pretoria Station is where you can start a trip on the Blue Train luxury train. Rovos Rail operates from Capital Park's old-style station. The South African Friends of the Rail moved their old train trips to Hercules station.

Buses

There are many bus companies in Pretoria, with PUTCO being one of the oldest and best known. The Tshwane municipality also runs bus services.

Road

The N1 is a major freeway running through Pretoria. It comes in from the south as the Ben Schoeman Freeway and changes into the N14 at Brakfontein Interchange in Centurion. The N1 continues as another freeway going north-east, passing through eastern suburbs and connecting Johannesburg to Polokwane and the north. The N1 is a toll road north of Pretoria. The R101 is the older road that used to be the N1, running through the city centre instead of the eastern suburbs.

The N4 is another freeway that goes through Pretoria. It enters from eMalahleni in the east and meets the N1 near the city centre. It starts again north of the city, heading west as the Platinum Highway and going toward Rustenburg. The N4 connects Maputo to Gaborone and is also a toll road.

There is also the R104, an older east-west road that goes from eMalahleni through Pretoria to Hartbeespoort and Rustenburg. Different parts of this road have new names like Stanza Bopape Street and Helen Joseph Street.

The N14 starts from the R101 south of Pretoria and heads south as the Ben Schoeman Freeway. At Brakfontein interchange in Centurion, it becomes the N1 towards Johannesburg, and the N14 continues west towards Krugersdorp. The R114 follows the N14 from Centurion to Muldersdrift.

The R21 is another north-south highway on the east side. It starts south of the city centre and goes through Monument Park, crossing the N1 and heading towards Ekurhuleni, including Kempton Park and Boksburg. It also connects Pretoria to OR Tambo International Airport.

The R80 highway, also called the Mabopane Highway, is in the north-west of the city. It starts in Soshanguve and ends north of the city centre in Roseville.

Pretoria has many regional roads too. The R55 starts at the R80 and goes north-south from Pretoria West to Sandton. The R50 begins near the N1 and heads south-east towards Bapsfontein and Delmas. The R511 goes north-south from Sandton towards Brits but mostly passes west of Pretoria. The R514 starts north of the city centre and ends at the R511 in Hartbeespoort. The R513 goes across Pretoria's northern suburbs, linking Cullinan and Bronkhorstspruit to Hartbeespoort. The R566 connects Pretoria to Brits, and the R573, also called Moloto Road, heads north-east to KwaMhlanga and Siyabuswa.

Pretoria also has its own metropolitan routes for local travel.

Airports

Pretoria uses Johannesburg's airports for regular flights: OR Tambo International, about 45 km south of Pretoria, and Lanseria International, about 35 km south-west. Wonderboom Airport, north of Pretoria, mainly handles small planes and private flights. Since August 2015, SA Airlink has offered flights from Wonderboom Airport to Cape Town International Airport. There are also two military air bases south of the city, Swartkop and Waterkloof.

Culture

Media

Pretoria is part of the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, so its radio, television, and newspapers are shared with the rest of the area.

Radio

Pretoria has many radio stations. Some well-known ones include:

• Jacaranda FM, which broadcasts in English and Afrikaans and covers several areas.
• Tuks FM, the radio station of the University of Pretoria, known for contemporary music.
• Radio Pretoria, a community station for Afrikaners, broadcasting in stereo.
• Impact Radio, a Christian community station in the Tshwane area.

Television

The city receives television services from eTV, SABC, MNET, and SuperSport.

Paper

Newspapers include:

• Pretoria News, a daily English newspaper established in 1898.
• Beeld, an Afrikaans-language daily newspaper launched in 1974.

Pretoria Creole

Pretoria Sotho, also called Sepitori, is a local urban language mixing Tswana and Northern Sotho, with influences from other languages. It developed during the Apartheid years.

Museums

Pretoria has many museums, including:

• Ditsong National Museum of Cultural History
• Ditsong National Museum of Natural History
• Freedom Park
• Kruger House (home of Paul Kruger)
• Mapungubwe Museum
• Melrose House (where the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed)
• National Library of South Africa
• Pretoria Art Museum
• Van Wouw Museum
• Voortrekker Monument

Music

Pretoria has produced many famous musicians, including Seether and JR. The city has a rich music scene with various genres.

Hip-Hop

Pretoria's hip-hop scene uses Spitori, a mix of several languages, and has produced artists like Focalistic and A-Reece.

Bacardi

Bacardi music started in Pretoria in the 2000s with artists like DJ Mujava. It features strong beats and rhythms, popular at parties and gatherings.

Amapiano

Amapiano music also has roots in Pretoria, blending different styles. Key artists include Kabza de Small and Vigro Deep.

Performing arts and galleries

Pretoria has many public art pieces and venues like the South African State Theatre. The Pretoria Art Museum holds many local artworks.

Sport

Rugby is very popular in Pretoria, with Loftus Versfeld home to the Blue Bulls and the Bulls teams. The city also hosted matches during the 1995 Rugby World Cup and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Football (soccer) is also popular, with teams like Mamelodi Sundowns and Supersport United playing in the top league.

Cricket is played in nearby Centurion, which has hosted international matches.

The city has many golf courses, including the historic Pretoria Golf Club and Pretoria Country Club.

Education

Pretoria is a great place for learning. It has many schools for children, including primary and secondary schools. Some well-known schools are Pretoria Boys High School, Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool, Pretoria High School for Girls, and St. Alban's College.

The city is also home to important universities. The University of South Africa, known as Unisa, is the largest university in Africa and teaches students all over the world. The University of Pretoria is known for its research and has a school for animal doctors. The Tshwane University of Technology, or TUT, is the largest university where students live on campus. There is also the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, which helps with important scientific studies.

Military

Pretoria is an important city for South Africa's military. Many key military offices are there, including the headquarters for the South African National Defence Force.

The city has several military areas and bases. One big area is Thaba Tshwane, where many army units and schools are located, like the Military Police School and 1 Military Hospital. Nearby bases such as Air Force Base Swartkop and Air Force Base Waterkloof help with air transport and defense for the city.

Proposed change of name

In 2005, some people in South Africa thought the city of Pretoria should be called Tshwane. This name is already used for the area around Pretoria. But the leader in charge did not agree and wanted more research.

If the leader ever agrees, the new name would be shared for comments. Then it would go to a group for more review before a final vote. Some people said they would fight this change in court. Because of all these steps, changing the name seems unlikely.

Even though the change was suggested, the city is still called Pretoria in 2026. Some ads used the name Tshwane, which caused some problems. But the city is still Pretoria today.

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in South Africa

Pretoria has friendly relationships with many cities around the world. Some of these cities are:

• Amman, Jordan
• Baku, Azerbaijan
• Bucharest, Romania
• Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
• Kumasi, Ghana
• Kyiv, Ukraine
• Port Louis, Mauritius
• Taipei, Taiwan
• Tehran, Iran
• Washington, D.C., United States

Notable people

Pretoria has been home to many famous people. Some well-known names include Anel Alexander, an actress, and Sharlto Copley, an actor. There are also athletes like Rassie van der Dussen, a cricketer, and Branden Grace, a golfer. The city has produced singers and musicians such as Steve Hofmeyr and Vusi Mahlasela.

Other famous people include Damon Galgut, who won a Booker Prize for his writing, and Elon Musk, a well-known entrepreneur. Many artists, writers, and leaders have also lived in Pretoria.

Places of interest

Pretoria has many interesting places to visit. You can explore the Pretoria National Botanical Garden, which has many plants from South Africa. The The National Zoological Gardens of South Africa is a top zoo in the country. Church Square is where the government of the South African Republic used to meet. Union Buildings is where the South African government works today. Mahlamba Ndlopfu is the home of the President of South Africa.

Other places include Marabastad, a historic shopping area, Menlyn Maine, a green area, and Menlyn Park, a large shopping place. The Voortrekker Monument tells the story of the Great Trek. Hatfield Square is where students like to relax. Pretoria railway station is an old train station where you can catch metrorail and Gautrain trains. Freedom Park remembers the end of Apartheid and soldiers who served after 1994. Pretoria Forts are old buildings made to protect the city, with a museum about the Boer Wars. The State Theatre, South Africa is a main place for performances. Government House, Pretoria is another important building.

Nature reserves

Pretoria also has beautiful nature areas like Chamberlain Bird Sanctuary, Faerie Glen Nature Reserve, Groenkloof Nature Reserve, Moreletaspruit Nature Reserve, Rietvlei Nature Reserve, Roodeplaat Dam Provincial Nature Reserve, and Wonderboom Nature Reserve.