Thabazimbi

Thabazimbi is a bushveld town in the Waterberg District of north-western Limpopo and the seat of Thabazimbi Local Municipality. It lies at the foot of the Ysterberg, ringed by the Witfonteinrand and Boshofberg with the Kransberg behind it, and includes the township of Regorogile. Long an iron-ore mining town, it now relies on platinum mining nearby, game farming, hunting and eco-tourism around Marakele National Park.

History

The name means 'mountain of iron', after the iron-ore reef discovered by J. H. Williams in 1919. The railway from Rustenburg arrived in the 1930s and large-scale mining followed; the town was proclaimed in 1953. Kumba Iron Ore's mine sent about two million tonnes of ore a year by rail to Mittal's steelworks until operations ended in 2015 after a major rock fall. In 2003 the town made headlines as the site of the Springboks' controversial 'Kamp Staaldraad' training camp.

Getting there

Roughly three hours' drive north-west of Johannesburg and Pretoria. The R510 runs south to Northam and Rustenburg and north to Lephalale, while the R516 links Thabazimbi east to Bela-Bela. Marakele National Park is about 20 km north-east of town.

Weather & climate

Hot, semi-arid bushveld climate with summer rainfall: hot summers with afternoon thunderstorms and dry, sunny winters with mild days and cold nights.

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