Pietersburg
town is the capital of the Northern province, South Africa. The
town originated on the farm Sterkloop (strong creek) in 1884 and the
magistracy of the Northern Transvaal moved here in 1886 when Pietersburg
became a town. One street is named Compensation after the people who lost
everything when neighbouring Schoemansdal was razed by the Bavenda tribe,
were granted residential stands in this street.
It
was the temporary capital in 1900 of both the Transvaal and the Orange
Free State during the South African War. The British occupied the town in
1901. For
the British forces the capture of Pietersburg was very important.
They immediately occupied all government buildings and the firearms
factory, and destroyed the local newspaper press. But as with the
fall of the other capitals, the war was far from
being over. Pietersburg
was a totally changed town from what it was before the War and the new
British administration used it as base from where they operated their
reconstruction program in the north.
During
this time a special order was issued for the printing of stamps.
These stamps were printed from 15 March to 7 April and only displayed the
date 1901. In addition, an acting Auditor-general was appointed in
Pietersburg, and
paper money was printed in April 1901.
Towards
the end of 1901 there were 3860 women and children from the north in the
camp at Pietersburg.
The city is now a centre of trade for the surrounding agricultural area, which produces potatoes, alfalfa (lucerne), garlic, corn (maize), sorghum, peanuts (groundnuts), and fruits.
