History of Potchefstroom
Potchefstroom is one of the oldest towns in the interior of South Africa. It was established in 1838 by Voortrekkers led by Andries Hendrik Potgieter, and its name combines his surname with stroom, the Afrikaans word for a stream — a reference to the Mooi River on which the town sits.
An early Voortrekker capital
Potchefstroom is generally regarded as the first permanent Voortrekker town north of the Vaal River. In the decades that followed it served as an early administrative centre of the South African Republic (the Transvaal) before Pretoria took over that role.
The First Boer War
During the First Boer War (1880–1881) Potchefstroom was the scene of a siege, when British forces in the town’s fort were surrounded by Boer commandos. The conflict left a mark on the town’s identity and its historical sites.
A university and school town
In the twentieth century Potchefstroom became known for education. The institution that began as a theological school grew into the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education. In 2004 it merged with the University of the North-West to form the North-West University (NWU), whose Potchefstroom campus remains the town’s largest institution. See our guide to education in Potchefstroom.
Today
Since 2016 Potchefstroom has been the administrative seat of the JB Marks Local Municipality, which combines the former Tlokwe and Ventersdorp municipalities in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District of the North West province. The town combines tree-lined streets, historic buildings, a large student population and a growing business community — explore it through our business directory.