Focus on Cheetah Route

The Cheetah Route runs along Mangaung, Botshabela, Thaba-Nchu and Ladybrand. The first three towns form the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality. Mangaung is the capital city of the province and it has resulted in the route being famous for business, medical and educational tourism. The Cheetah will forever be at the apex of history as it was the birthplace of the ANC and other political parties, which make this route rich in history and heritage of the country. The seat of the provincial Legislature and capital of judiciary as the Supreme Court of Appeal is situated in the famous historical and architectural President Brand Street. The city also pride itself of being the home to top flight sporting teams from football (Bloemfontein Celtics), cricket (VKB Knights) to rugby (Toyota Cheetahs).

HISTORY AND HERITAGE

The route pride itself of being the birth place ANC and other existing and defunct political parties. One of the Presidents of the ANC, Dr JS Moroka was born and resided in Thaba–Nchu – he was the President of the ANC from 1949 – 1952. The President Brand Street, is famous for its architectural building which are today used for seat of legislature, museums and seat of Appeal Court. Lekgalo la Mantsopa, where the legendary Basotho Prophet Mme Anna Makhetha Mantsopa resided in Ladybrand is today one of the major tourist attraction along the route. There are quite a few museums found in Mangaung that provide the history and heritage of the area.

Bloemfontein

    • Maphikela House
    • Dikgareteneng Houses
    • Old Presidency
    • Bram Fischer House
    • City Hall
    • Appeal Court
    • Supreme Court Building:
    • First Raadsaal (Council Chamber)
    • Fourth “Raadsaal” (Council Chamber)
    • Jubileum Building
    • Klein Magasa hall
    • Lebohang Building
    • Grave of Martha Moipone Motlhakwane
    • Free State Agricultural Museum
    • Wagon Museum
    • Oliewenhuis Art Museum
    • Special Service Battalion Museum:
    • Freshford House Museum

Thaba-Nchu

    • Moroka House
    • Sannaspos Battlefield
    • Chief Moroka Grave

Ladybrand

    • Lekgalong la Mantsopa

BUSINESS TOURISM

The centrality of Mangaung and the ability to host conferences ranging from small to large gathering has made the route one of the ideal business tourism destination. The fact that Mangaung is accessible by road, air and railway make it also an ideal area for business tourism destination.

MEDICAL TOURISM

Major medical institutions are found in this route and the University of the Free State Academic Hospital has made a number of ground breaking medical discoveries.

EDUCATIONAL TOURISM

Mangaung, boasts itself about the very first digital planetarium in Sub-Saharan Africa. The planetarium was officially opened in November 2013. The Naval Hill Planetarium was established by the University of the Free State with the support of the Department of Science and Technology, DESTEA and Mangaung Metro Municipality. The Central University of Technology has also brought first technological techniques that predicts drought patterns using the indigenous knowledge and IT techniques. The university also developed a solar mobile phone charger that is utilised by students at the campus.

EVENTS

    • Thaba-nchu Easter Festival March
    • OR Tambo Marathon April
    • Bloem Show April
    • Vryfees Arts Festival July
    • Duathlon July
    • Women of Note August
    • Colour Festival October
    • Spring Festival October
    • MACUFE October
    • Rose Festival October

DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THE FREE STATE?

• The Maphikela House in Bloemfontein was home to Thomas Maphikela one of the founding members of the African National Congress and the house is still excite?
• That the African National Congress (ANC) was historically founded at the Wesleyan Church in 1912, the Church also hosted the ANC’s centenary celebrations in 2012?
• Franklin Game Reserve at Naval Hill in Bloemfontein is one of the only two Nature Reserves in the world that is situated in the middle of the city?
• Bloemfontein can claim the honour of being the first city in Sub-Saharan Africa to have a digital planetarium?
• R.R. Tolkien, the famous writer of the movie Lord of the Rings was born in Bloemfontein in 1892?
• That Phakisa Freeway is the only motor racing track with a speed way track outside the United States of America and is regarded as among the fastest motorcycle tracks in the world?
• The world’s smallest Church that seats only eight (8) people is found in Harrismith?
• Petrified tree, which is estimated to be 250 million years is found near the City Hall in Harrismith?
• The oldest fossilised Dinosaur eggs about 200 million years in age were discovered in Golden Gate National Park near Clarens?
• The Jagersfontein diamond mine is the largest man excavated mine in the world?
• Fauresmith is the only town in South Africa and one of the only three in the world where the railway rail runs down the centre of the main road?
• That Emmaus, a farm 20km outside Petrusburg is the center point of South Africa?
• Gariep Dam is the largest dam in South Africa and is constructed on the Orange River?
• Vredefort Dome, near Vredefort is the biggest meteorite impact that geologists have yet found on earth and is nearly twice as big as the impact that killed the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. It is also the oldest impact crater that has been found on earth. It is the seventh World Heritage Site?
• The NAMPO Agriculture Show is the second largest private agricultural show in the world – it attracts almost 70 000 visitors and nearly 700 exhibitors?
• Ben Nevis Farm near Clocolan was the first, and still the only registered cellar in South Africa producing its unique range of products made from cherries?
• The name “Memel” means ‘surrounded by water’ in the Old Prussian language, the wetland in Memel is the largest on the southern African Highveld. The wetland harbours a rich species diversity of waterfowl and other birds associated with water?
• The Holhoek Hiking Trail near Paul Roux is amongst the rare hiking trails in South Africa as it features a 4,3km wheelchair friendly route for paraplegics?
• The Clarens Brewery is the first and only microbrewery in the Free State and host of the annual Beer Festival in February?
• Tandjiesberg in Ladyband is one of the (12) twelve Rock Art National Heritage sites in South Africa?

For more information, please contact Nthabiseng Methola @ cheetah@freestatetourism.org