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Cities/Towns: Allanridge, Boshof, Bothaville, Brandfort. Bultfontein, Dealesville, Hennenman, Hertzogville, Hoopstad, Odendaalsrus, Theunissen, Ventersburg, Virginia, Welkom, Wesselsbron, Winburg.

Situated in the heartland of South Africa's agricultural belt, mine shafts now guard the horizon where once antelope roamed - this is part of the north-western Free State or Goldfields region or Lejweleputswa District.

The history of gold prospecting and mining in the Free State goes back to the late 19th century when gold was discovered and mined near Vredefort, but it took a considerable time before any substantial gold deposits were found under the open, desolate plains of the north-western Free State. In April 1948, a borehole sunk in search for water on the farm St Helena struck lava, not subterranean water. Those who inhabited the farm remained thirsty, but the lava was that of a deep-flowing source of gold ore linked to the famous Witwatersrand.

It eventuated into the establishing of Welkom as one of the few cities in the world to have been planned to completion before so much as a brick was laid. The planning of Welkom was undertaken by Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, the then Anglo American Chairman, and has resulted in the residential, mining and industrial areas of the city being harmoniously blended to form what has become known as the 'Garden City.'

Mine shafts sprang up like strange flowers, their workforce establishing one of South Africa's most advanced infrastructures. A million people found their home on the Free State Goldfields, with Welkom being the principal city. Today the Free State Goldfields are rivalled only by those of the West Rand (Gauteng) in production and reserves. The region's attractions, like its economy, centre around the mining of gold and agriculture, although with the declining gold price in the nineties manufacturing industry is being promoted as a means to support the local economy.

In Welkom as well as in nearby Virginia and Theunissen one can take a mine tour of some of the deepest mines in the world. A highly notable feature lately added to the Goldfields scene, is the ultra-modern multi-million Phakisa Racetrack for motorcycles and racing cars situated between Welkom and Odendaalsrus, venue for many an international event and drawing considerable global media coverage.

The region forms part of the SA's maize triangle, stretching over three provinces.

Further north, Bothaville serves one of the richest agricultural communities in the country and is regarded as the centre of the Free State Maize Route. The world renowned NAMPO Harvest farm and Festival attracts more than 20 000 visitors each year and is the second largest private agricultural show centre in the world. Bothaville is also the host of the animal Food and Witblits Festival drawing visitors from all over South Africa.

Despite the rapid growth of many of the towns following the discovery of gold, most have maintained the picturesque beauty and splendour of the wild which existed there before them. Virginia - with the Sand River flowing through the centre of the town and a game farm on the outskirts - is known as the Goldfields' Nature Paradise and a must for lovers of the outdoors.

Must-sees in a nutshell:

• Aventura Aldam Holiday Resort and Willem Pretorius Game Reserve
• Historical borehole on farm Aandenk near Allanridge
• NAMPO Harvest Farm near Bothaville
• Golden Arts & Crafts Scramble at Hennenman and Virginia
• Aco tractor factory near Hoopstad
• Voortrekker Monument at Winburg
• Gold Museum in the Welkom Library
• Underground mine tours
• Phakisa Racetrack
• Folk Dancing Monument at Boshof

The Lejweleputswa District has 24.3% of the Free State population and contributes 20.6% of the GDP in the province.

A closer look at the Free State economy reveals that a decrease in its relative contribution towards the GDP of South Africa can, to a large extent, be attributed to a negative growth in mining at an average rate of -4% p.a. for the period 1980 to 1999. The mining sector used to be the mainstay of the provincial economy. It needs to be taken into account that the Free State is not surrounded by a prosperous economic environment of big businesses and industries, as are some other provinces with huge infrastructural and economic activities. However, over the past two years the economic growth rate has increased.

The key economic challenges for the Free State as well as for the Lejweleputswa District are to absorb the shock of the declining mining sector, maintain the existing contribution of agriculture, increase the global link, and address inherent inequities in the economy.


Tourism - the new jewel

Once generated by gold mining into a thriving economic region known as the Free State Goldfields, the declining gold mining industry over the past decade has led to the Lejweleputswa District of today relying also on other economic sectors for sustainability. One of these sectors is tourism, which, however, within the extensive and diverse geographical area of Lejweleputswa constitutes a multi-faceted industry.

Covering an area stretching from Ventersburg in the south, to Hoopstad in the north and Boshof in the west and including the traditional Goldfields of the Free State, the Lejweleputswa region offers a wide variety of tourism jewels - some already glittering and some waiting to be discovered.

The tourism sector forms part of the following five sector development strategy for the Lejweleputswa District:

• A distribution hub for South Africa, which would include a cargo airport, the upgrading of the R30 Welkom-Bloemfontein road and improved rail connections
• A gold jewellery hub to add value to gold, precious and semi-precious stones
• An unique brand of tourism applications, including events tourism, mining-orientated tourism, game farms, zoological gardens and tourism routes
• Alternative local agricultural products to be processed before being exported to world markets
• Development of training structures customized to meet local needs
• Bio-fuel processing plant planned for Bothaville

The main strengths of the diverse tourism sector of the Lejweleputswa District can be listed as follows:

• Aldam Estate on the Allemanskraal Dam near Ventersburg - a first class resort with a wide range of accommodation as well as conferencing options, plenty of water sports opportunities, a restaurant, shopping facilities, etc., the Willem Pretorius Game and Nature Reserve adjacent to Aldam Estate, with abundant game species, indigenous vegetation, etc. It also hosts annually a huge game auction with high turnover.
• Nampo Harvest Day near Bothaville, the largest private agricultural expo in Africa, having drawn this year more than 600 exhibitors and 64 000 visitors over a four day period.
• The innovative Mielie Hop shuttle service between Bothaville and Nampo Harvest Day involving busses and taxis and with a considerable BEE element.
• The Phakisa Freeway is an international standard, multi-purpose motor sport facility between Welkom and Odendaalsrus. The track boasts a 4,24km road course as well as a 1,5 mile banked oval track similar to the highly acclaimed Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Nevada. The asset has great investment potential also as regards becoming the centrifugal force for secondary tourism hub development around it, in particular sporting events.
• The annual Food & Witblits Festival highlighting Bothaville as the Maize Capital of South Africa and drawing visitors countrywide as well as internationally.
• Soetdoring Game & Nature Reserve between Bultfontein and Bloemfontein, hosting inter alia lion and other predators. It is also a sought-after angling venue.
• The annual Boshof Show and Game Auction - an event also renowned internationally.

These are but a few highlights at random - for others, space here allows merely the dotting down of the following:

• Tikwe Lodge Resort & Conference Centre at Virginia.
• The Goldfields Casino at Welkom.
• The Goldfields Tourism Route starting at Bothaville.
• The Anglo Boer War Cemeteries at Brandfort, including different sites of Boer, African and British graveyards.
• The Winburg Voortrekker Monument.
• The 1956 Women's Pass Resistance Site next to the old Magistrate Court in Winburg.
• The Winnie Mandela Museum Lodge at Brandfort.
• The Arts & Crafts Route and Tavern Tours in Thabong.
• High Chapparal Resort at Virginia.
• Other nature reserves, such as Sandveld, Rustfontein, Erfenis Dam, etc.
• The salt pans at Soutpan.
• Numerous exquisite B&B's, hotels, restaurants, etc. strewn throughout the region.
• Many private game farms and nature reserves, offering a host of additional outdoor activities.
• Miscellaneous events such as festivals, flea markets, etc.

Tourism developments in the offing include:

• A golf and sports estate planned on the banks of the Sand River at Virginia
• A fully-fledged tourism centre at Welkom
• Further developments around Phakisa Freeway
• Possible gold mine underground tours at Welkom, Virginia and St. Helena
• A community-run game project at Boshof
• Opportunities for investment and development in the accommodation, conferencing and tour operating sectors.
• Then the attributes of towns such as Bultfontein, Hertzogville, Dealesville, Ventersburg, etc., etc. has not even been touched upon - all places which serve as definite tourism sub-destinations of their own.
• This bird's eye-view serves only to prove the inherent strength and uniqueness of the tourism sector in Lejweleputswa - a potential that need to be harnessed increasingly and to be translated into economic growth and employment opportunities for the region as a whole.
• The Lejweleputswa District Municipality as the coordinating body for tourism development in the district wishes to extend a fresh hand of cooperation to all stakeholders and tourism product owners - both existing as well as prospective - to realize the potential of the district.