Tshwane South Africans are marching to a new tune in Pretoria    By   Davin A. Hutchins

In the history of South Africa, few cities can compare to Tshwane. Since 1838, it has been an epicenter of seismic political events that have shaped South Africa into the country it is today. The city has housed countless governments and is dotted with monuments to great battles of national identity. Chances are, however, you’ve never heard of Tshwane. It is better known by its former name - Pretoria.

Named after Andries Pretorius, leader of the Boer forces during the 19th century, Pretoria is the embodiment of old South Africa. But the emphasis nowadays is on the ‘New South Africa,’ and this city, still fraught with reminders of white supremacy, is focusing on an image makeover.

courtesy of South African Tourism Tshwane is looking toward the future with jubilation.

The name Tshwane is more than just a re-branding in the Xhosa language. It refers to the 14 combined municipalities surrounding greater Pretoria. From impressive monuments to beautiful countryside to game parks, Tshwane is making a big push to attract more visitors from abroad. The goal: to rediscover its roots and to put the city’s checkered history into context.

South Africa attracted 6.5 million visitors in 2004 - a 1.2 percent increase over the previous year. But visitors from the Middle East are actually in decline. In an effort to entice Arab tourists to visit this jewel of Africa, Qatar Airways has started a direct flight from Qatar to Johannesburg. The flight, which continues onto Cape Town, leaves the Gulf three times per week. Another flight runs from Cairo to Johannesburg.

courtesy of South African Tourism Tshwane’s European past is seen in government buildings like City Hall.

From the Johannesburg International Airport, Tshwane is just a quick, 50-kilometer jaunt northeast up the Ben Schoeman Highway. To save on cab fare, travelers with a little time to spare can hop on the Pretoria Shuttle which runs directly to the tourist office in Sammy Marks Square every two hours.

Sammy Marks Square is a great base to begin a journey through Pretoria’s streets. By traveling westward two blocks down Church Street you will find the heart of the city - Church Square. From the loiterers lounging in the square’s grassy lawn to the busy professionals in designer suits racing to their high-powered government and business positions, Pretoria’s modern hustle and bustle is framed in a very traditional architecture - classic stone buildings which give a sense of history and fortitude.

courtesy of South African Tourism Rhinoceros and other wildlife are easy to spot at Rietvlei Nature Reserve.

The century-old Palace of Justice is the seat of the Gauteng Supreme Court, notable for, among other things, sentencing Nelson Mandela to 27 years in prison. Of course, the ‘New South Africa’ notes that he also occupied the presidential seat a few kilometers away in 1994.

The Ou Raasdal Building continues in the same architectural tradition as the Palace of Justice, with mahogany wood and brass in the interior and new-Renaissance columns outside. Once home to the Transvaal Provincial Council, it now houses the offices of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, the headquarters of the city’s ambitious re-branding project.

courtesy of South African Tourism Once president of the Dutch government in South Africa, Paul Kruger now oversees Church Square.

Not far from Church Square is the Sheraton Pretoria, a great place for refreshments between your explorations. From the gourmet fare available at the 643 Grill to the cocktails served on the open air terrace, the Sheraton Pretoria offers both culinary and aesthetic satisfaction.

The Sheraton sits across from one of Tshwane’s real treasures - the National Botanical Gardens. Built in the mid-1940s, this 76-hectare estate houses nearly every indigenous tree across South Africa’s savannahs. It is a tremendous place to practice your horticulture skills or stroll in the evening hours to gather your thoughts.

courtesy of South African Tourism The Voorstrekker monument

With chin held high to gaze off to the horizon, the Paul Kruger statue in Church Square emanates a certain indifference to the Pretorians around his pedestal. Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger was a key leader against British imperialism during the 1880-1881 Transvaal War, and was eventually elected president of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek, a post he held until his death in 1904.

To get a better sense of the man, it is worth visiting the Kruger Museum. Home to the Kruger family in the 19th century, today the building houses many of the personal effects of the Kruger household. The most notable room is the ZAR hall, which shows Kruger’s possessions during his presidency, including his State coach, ox wagon, memoirs and documents of his term in office through the Anglo Boer War from 1899 to 1902.

A more formidable testament to South Africa’s former self is the Voorstrekker Monument, a disturbing reminder of the Boers’ belief that they were the predestined “white tribe of Africa.” This 14-meter-tall stone obelisk, reminiscent of a Nordic castle perched on a hill, commemorates the Great Trek, in which thousands of Afrikaaners sought to escape British rule. Builders began executing architect Gerard Moerdijk’s design in 1937, and construction continued for twelve years until the obelisk was complete.

Inside the structure is a marble frieze, the largest of its kind in the world. Several murals depict the epic, albeit one-sided, account of the journey which began in 1835 from Cape Colony. The Dutch pioneers, or voorstrekkers, braved the elements and native Africans to find their promised land. The dioramas show how Voorstrekker leaders like Hendrik Potgieter led men to slaughter the Ndebele and Zulu peoples in their quest for independence.

The story reaches a crescendo at the Battle of Blood River where Andries Pretorius led about 530 Voorstrekkers to defeat 12,000 Zulu. Eventually, the British encroached on the land of Natal, which the Boers had taken from the native Africans. In 1852, the British recognized the independence of the Transvaal, until all Dutch and British colonies united under the crown in 1910.

From the terraces surrounding the Voorsktrekker monument, you can see the rolling green hills of Tshwane’s countryside and outlying municipalities.

The city of Soshanguve is relying upon tourists to fill its void - literally. Soshanguve is the home of the Tswaing Meteorite Crater, a unique ecotourism site. Scientists estimate the crater was formed 220,000 years ago when a meteorite slammed against the earth’s surface. Today, it is a petri dish of biodiversity as the floor has become a wetland marsh. Those with a little extra cash can charter a Cessna plane for an aerial tour of Tshwane. In addition to providing the best view of the crater, tourists can fly over other notable features of greater Tshwane including the University of Pretoria, the Botanical Gardens and the Voorstrekker monument. Simply contact the Wonderboom Airport for a list of available charter companies.

Aviation enthusiasts who feel they didn’t earn their wings flying over greater Tshwane may want to swing by the Swartkop Air Station. The South African Air Force was largely created by the British Government after World War I but didn’t get much use until the outbreak of World War II, when it aided in support and transport of allied forces. Today, the museum houses skeletons of many propeller and jet designs from early airplanes, predating Wilbur and Orville Wright up through to the modern jet.

Even as it wrestles with its identity in a post-apartheid era, Tshwane is mindful of the real original inhabitants of the Gauteng province - the animals. South Africa has dozens of game parks, but the Rietvlei Nature Reserve is unique in that it offers a glimpse of Africa’s major game species with amazing accessibility.

Travelers who aren’t prepared to be tossed to and fro across the rocky, rubble roads of a typical African game reserve shouldn’t fret. Rietvlei offers comfortable open trams which traverse paved roads, allowing up close and personal views of the wildlife.

Common game like zebras and wildebeests and the occasional African white rhinoceros can be found frolicking a few meters from the tram, offering stunning photo opportunities for people who want to boast about their African bush experience without venturing too far outside of town.

Through heritage and wildlife, the people of Tshwane hope that they can imbue their visitors with the same sense of self discovery they themselves have embraced and leave them with a sense of appreciation of what New South Africa has to offer.  tt