The towns of Maluti-a-Phofung

Phuthaditjhaba

Location

Phuthaditjhaba is situated in the foothills of the Maluti Mountains near the border of the neighbouring Lesotho Kingdom. This village is in close proximity to the renowned Golden Gate National Park as well as the bordering Qwa-Qwa national park.

History 

Phuthaditjhaba is a Sotho name and means Meeting Place of the Nations.  The flat-topped sandstone mountain in the area was first named QwaQwa, meaning Whiter Than White, by the San people. This either refers to the white snow in winter, or to the droppings of vultures which leave snow white markings on the sandstone. During Zulu disturbances around 1840, a section of the Kgolokwe tribe under Chief Whetse fled here. The area was then named after him: Witsieshoek (i.e. Whetse’s Glen). Another tribe, the Tlokwa under leadership of Chief KoosMota settled here in 1873.

Economy

Phuthaditjhaba is the urban centre of Qwaqwa and serves as the administrative head office of Maluti-A-Phofung municipality. Surrounding Phuthaditjhaba are rural villages of Qwaqwa established on tribal land administered by Department of Land Affairs.

Harrismith 

Location 

The commercial and industrial centre of Harrismith is situated at the important junction of the N3 and N5 Highways of the Free State Province. Situated on the slopes of the famed Platberg Mountain, the town and surrounds falls within one of the 8 principle wool producing districts in Southern Africa. Harrismith is surrounded by Tshiame located 12 km to the west and Intabazwe, which is located 1, 5 km to the north.

History

The town was founded in 1849 and laid out on a farm beside the Halle water stream. This settlement was named after the British Governor, Sir Harry Smith. It was declared a municipality in 1874. This settlement became a busy staging post on the transport route between Natal, the diamond fields in Kimberley and the gold fields in the Witwatersrand. Harrismith was declared a British Army base during the Anglo-Boer War. The small hamlet of Swinburne was named after Sir Johan Swinburne, a gold prospector.

Economy

Harrismith is a service center for the surrounding rural areas and a trading belt serving the passing N3 which links the Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces. The town is an economic hub for people living in Tshiame, Intabazwe and Qwaqwa.

Kestell 

Location 

Kestell is situated along the N5 road that links Harrismith with Bethlehem..

History

The town was founded in 1905 on the farms Mooifontein and Driekuil and was named after the Rev JD Kestell. The town has about thirty historical sandstone buildings. Close by is the battle site of Groenkloof where General de Wet destroyed a British column on Christmas day of 1901. An old Oak tree planted by Voortrekker leader Piet Retief in 1837 can still be seen in the town next to one of the sandstone houses. There are a number of rock paintings and archeological sites near the town.

Economy

Kestell is a service center for the surrounding agricultural oriented rural area with Tlholong as the township.