Mier

MIER Local Municipality is situated adjacent to one of the world�s largest conservation areas, namely the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, and comprises a municipality bigger than the Free State province. Rietfontein, which is the main town, is situated approximately 280km north-west from the nearest big town of Upington. Mier Local Municipality borders with Namibia in the west, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in the north, and Botswana in the north-east. It forms part of the Siyanda District Municipality. Mier Local Municipality consists of nine small towns, namely Rietfontein, Philandersbron, Loubos, Klein Mier, Groot Mier, Welkom, Askham, Noenieput and the !Khomani San community within its jurisdiction. The name "Mier" is an Afrikaans word that originates from the word "mere" which means "lakes". When German missionaries visited the area a long time ago, they found the pans in the area full of water that they called them "mere". As language changed, the people later pronounced it as "mier". Area: 22�468km�read more »

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Kai !Garib

Kai !Garib Local Municipality is situated along the Orange River, and is bordered by //Khara Hais Local Municipality on the north-east and Namibia on the north-west. �It falls within the Siyanda District Municipality. �This area consists of three large towns: Kakamas, Keimoes and Kenhardt. Six former settlements can be found between these towns. �It is characterised by its unique landscape with the Kalahari Desert on the one side and the Orange River on the other. �The agricultural sector is the main economic sector with the largest potential for economic growth. (Source: www.localgovernment.co.za)

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//Khara Hais

//Khara Hais Local Municipality is a Category B municipality and is located in the Siyanda District Municipality, which is the second-largest district in the Northern Cape. It is the acknowledged commercial, educational, military, agricultural, medical, transport and tourist center of the area. The unusual spelling of the name of the local municipality, with the // glyph, is a result of the transcription of the click consonant used in the Kxoe language from which the name originates.

The municipality straddles the Orange River. The main towns in this area are Upington, Raaswater, Louisvale, Kalksloot, Leerkrans, Karos and Lambrechtsdrift. Upington is the central town situated 400km west of Kimberley. Upington has an airport and a landing strip. This town plays a very prominent role in the lives of the residents of this local municipality. Upington was established in the 1870s when the Reverend Christiaan Schroder was sent from Cape Town to establish a mission at the request of the Hottentots chieftain Klaas Lucas, who realized the importance of being able to read and write. Shortly after the establishment of the Mission, various pioneer settlers including Japie Lutz and the Reverend Schroder realized that the area was ideal for irrigation development and the first irrigation canals were hand-dug in 1880 - some of which are still in use today. Since then, Upington grew rapidly today, Upington is the Provincial Capital for the Northern Cape Province and as such has taken on a new and important role in the development of the whole region.

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!Kheis

!Kheis is a Khoi name meaning "a place where you live�, or �a home". The municipality is named in recognition of the Khoi people who were the first permanent dwellers of the area. The!Kheis Municipal Area was initially inhabited by the Khoi-San people, who are also the first permanent inhabitants of South Africa. The San, who lived a nomadic life, migrated through the area. The Korannas (Khoi group) arrived in the area during the 18th century. They were widely spread over the �Benede Oranje� area and consisted of various tribes, each with its own captain (leader). The groups who lived in the! Kheisarea, was under the leadership of Captain Willem Bostander and Klaas Springbok. Many of their descendants still live in the area today. Other Khoi-groups, such as the Griekwas, also migrated through the area and intermarried with the Korannas. Later coloured stock farmers, as well as white hunters and farmers arrived.read more »

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Tsantsabane

Tsantsabane Local Municipality is located within the north-eastern parts of the Northern Cape Province, and falls within the boundaries of the Siyanda District Municipality. Tsantsabane was the original name given to the town by the Batswana because of the presence of many shiny stones (e.g. the hematite). The nearest business centre is Kimberley, which is about 200km away. The municipality's main town is Postmasburg. Three main traffic routes provide access to other cities, namely Johannesburg via Kuruman and the Kalahari and Cape Town via Kimberley. The rest of the Tsantsabane Municipality area comprises of Boichoko, Postdene, New Town, Stasie, Groen Water, Skyfontein, Jean Heaven, the new established settlement brought about by the land redistribution called Marenane, and the well-known Lohatlha Army Battle SchoolCities/Towns: Beeshoek and Postmasburg. Area: 18,333km�.read more »

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