Potchefstroom
The city of Potchefstroom was founded in 1838, and served as the capital of the old Transvaal province until 1860. Situated on the banks of the Mooi River, the tranquil, tree lined city is often referred to as the Gateway top The North West, due to its convenient accessibility and excellent infrastructure.
Location
Located in the south eastern region of North West province, Potchefstroom is bisected by the N12 national highway, and lies approximately an hour away from Johannesburg and 90 minutes from OR Tambo International airport. Potchefstroom's well developed road and rail infrastructure links the city to the neighbouring provinces of Gauteng, Free State and the Northern Cape, and provides easy access to Namibia, Botswana and the Western Cape. Also located in Potchefstroom is a 1.5km long tarred airstrip, capable of accommodating both light and heavy aircraft traffic, as well as daily bus and train services carrying passengers to all major points within the city.
Economy
The area surrounding Potchefstroom is dominated by gold mining, however the city is an exception, serving as a major point for industrial growth in the north West and focusing largely on services, manufacturing and agriculture. Pothefstroom is home to South Africa's only chalk factory, as well as one of the biggest organ factories in the country.
The industrial economy of Potchefstroom relies mainly on activity in the steel, chemical and food industries, with other income also being generated by from the aviation, pharmaceutical and IT industries. Major agricultural activities in the area include sorghum, poultry and maize farming.
Potchefstrooms central business district is home to approximately 600 businesses include large chain stores such as Edgars, Pick n Pay and Woolworths. With the recent completion of the Mooi River Mall, opportunity for commercial expansion in the city has shown a significant increase, and Potchefstroom's positive growth has sparked much interest in foreign investors and developers.
Climate
Situated at 1343 meters above sea level, Potchefstroom experiences a typical highveld climate with mild to hot summers and temperatures averaging between 18 and 34 degrees Celsius. Winters in Potchefstroom are usually cold and dry, and frost is common. Winter temperatures range between 2 and 18 degrees.
Education
As a result of the large number of educational institutions within the city, Potchefstroom has earned itself the name of The City of Expertise. The academic city is home to four major tertiary institutions, thirty schools ranging from primary to high school, and a number of training centres and research bureaus.
Sports
Another popular draw-card for Potchefstroom are its excellent sporting facilities, earning it the title of Home of Sports in the North West. The city serves as the provincial headquarters for seventeen various sporting disciplines. The Potchefstroom country club is home to a challenging 18 hole golf course which has played host to two South African Opens, and also offers squash, tennis and a bowling green. Pothcefstrooms' facilities also include a newly laid astro turf hockey field, nationally acclaimed cricket stadium, a multi purpose soccer/rugby stadium capable of hosting international fixtures, and one of South Africa's highest rated athletics ovals.
The combination of a mild climate and excellent facilities has favored Potchefstroom as a popular summer training venue for foreign athletes from colder Northern Hemisphere countries.
Property
In recent years large numbers of commuters working in Johannesburg and Sandton have been purchasing property for sale in Potchefstroom, due to the lower volumes of traffic moving into the Gauteng business centre. Proposed upgrades to the road between Potchefstroom and Johannesburg, are thought to see an increase in this trend.
Local property prices in Potchefstroom start at around R700 000, with homes for sale in the region of R900 000 being in the greatest demand. More upmarket properties around the R2 million price range are showing a great demand from businessmen and professionals, and though relatively quiet, more expensive homes costing as much as R7 million are still attracting potential homeowners. Surburbs in potchefstroom Include the Pothefstroom Dam area, Grimbeek Park, Baillie Park, Van Der Hoff park, Kanoniers Park and Die Bult. Property for sale in Potchefstroom includes apartments, flats, houses, clusters and duplexes as well as farms.