Heart of South Africa, Pretoria

The province of Gauteng may be the smallest of all the South African provinces but if you ask where the heart of the country lays, the answer by most of South Africans will be Gauteng. The province covers only 1.5 per cent of the landmass of the country but its economy constitutes 34 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product of South Africa. Johannesburg the provincial capital is the third largest metropolis of the continent and the administrative capital of Pretoria that lay just 50 km from its giant neighbour is the seat of power in South Africa. According to most estimates the way both the cities are spreading within the next 20 years they will combine to form a giant metropolis of more than 20 million residents.
Emirates Tax Updates to South Africa & Brazil
South African Airways Promotional Sale
South African Airways Seat Only Net Fares
The Eminent Hotels of South Africa
Johannesburg, Big Beating Heart of South Africa

But currently both the cities look a world apart from each other; Jo’burg is a bustling city with a huge population and a lifestyle that resembles the other large metropolises of the world while Pretoria on is a laidback and peaceful place where the life moves at a much slower pace. Most people arriving in Gauteng tend to prefer Jo’burg over Pretoria for their visit for the obvious reasons of the attractions it offers in form of its monuments, sights and nightclubs. But if one can find a couple of days to spare Pretoria can also offer a wonderful experience to its visitor.

The city may be young as compared to its huge and old neighbour but Pretoria has seen a lot of historic events unfold in it in this tender age. This was the capital of the country during the days of Apartheid South Africa and it is here that Nelson Mandela inaugurated his presidency as the first leader of the free state. Once considered as the symbol of white domination in the country as was made a white exclusive city, today it is the place from which the democratically elected black president of South Africa governs his country.

It has a small airport of its own but if you are arriving from abroad then the better option will be to take a cheap flight to Johannesburg and then making the rest of the journey by the local buses. There are not as many hotels in Pretoria as in Jo’burg but with a little effort, you can find one with good quality service and a competitive price. The first place to visit in Pretoria is the group of historical monuments and buildings on about 2 km walk from the city centre that is collectively called the Union Buildings. These also include the residence of the President which is of course off limits to the tourists but the statues of the previous prime ministers of the country and the memorials built to honour the WW2 veterans of South Africa are worth watching.

Other than being the administrative capital of South Africa Pretoria is also famous as the learning centre of the country with a lot of world-class universities and you will find quite a lot of the students of these institutes in the clubs and bars of the city making the nightlife of Pretoria one of the most vibrant in the country.