Mafikeng (previously Mafeking), was the former name of the capital of the North-West Province of South Africa. The capital is now officially called Mmabatho, which is an adjoining town. It is 1400 kilometres NE of Cape Town and 790 km SSW of Bulawayo by rail, and 260 km in a direct line W by N of Johannesburg. As of 2001, it had a population of 49,300. In 2007, Mafikeng is reported to have a population of 250,000 of which the CBD constitutes between 69,000 and 75,000. It is built on the open veld at an elevation of 1500 metres, by the banks of the Upper Molopo River, and is 15 miles S of the southern boundary of Botswana. The Madibi goldfields are some 15 km south of the town. Categories: South Africa stubs | North West Province | Provinces of South Africa ... Mmabatho (Mother of the People) was a town near Mafikeng, South Africa. ... km redirects here. ... City motto: Spes Bona (Latin: Good Hope) Location of the City of Cape Town in Western Cape Province Province Western Cape Mayor Helen Zille Area  - % water 2,499 km² N/A Population  - Total (2004)  - Density Not ranked 2,893,251 1,158/km² Established 1652 Time zone SAST (UTC+2... The City of Bulawayo is highlighted in this map of Zimbabwe. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and also: The International Year of the Volunteer The United Nations Year of Dialogue Among Civilizations Events January January 1 - A black monolith measuring approximately nine feet tall appears in Seattles Magnuson Park, placed by an anonymous... The term Veld, or Veldt, refers primarily (but not exclusively) to the wide open rural spaces of South Africa or southern Africa and in particular to certain flatter areas or districts covered in grass or low scrub. ... The metre (American English:meter) is a measure of length. ... The Molopo River is located in southern Africa. ...

Mafikeng was originally the headquarters of the Barolong tribe of Bechuana. The town was founded in the 1880s by British mercenaries who were granted land by a Barolong chief. The settlement was named Mafikeng, a local Tswana word meaning "place of stones". Later British settlers spelt the name as Mafeking. It was from Pitsani Pothlugo (or Potlogo), 24 miles north of Mafeking, that the Jameson Raid started, on December 29, 1895. Barolong is a clan name for the Batswana living in North West in South Africa. ... The Batswana (singular Motswana) in Southern Africa speak the Tswana language which is also known as Setswana. ... // Development and commercial production of electric lighting Development and commercial production of gasoline-powered automobile by Karl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler and Maybach First commercial production and sales of phonographs and phonograph recordings. ... Mercenary (disambiguation). ... Tswana (Motswana, plural Batswana) is the name of a Southern African people. ... The Jameson Raid (December 29, 1895 - January 2, 1896) was a raid on Paul Krugers Transvaal Republic carried out by Sir Leander Starr Jameson and his Rhodesian and Bechuanaland policemen over the New Year weekend of 1895-96. ... is the 363rd day of the year (364th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1895 (MDCCCXCV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

On the outbreak of the Second Boer War in 1899, the town was besieged. The famous Siege of Mafeking lasted for 217 days from October 1899 to May 1900, and turned Robert Baden-Powell into a national hero. In September 1904, Lord Roberts unveiled an obelisk at Mafeking bearing the names of those who fell in defence of the town. In all, 212 people were killed during the siege, with over 600 wounded. Boer losses were significantly higher. Combatants British Empire Orange Free State South African Republic Commanders Sir Redvers Buller Lord Kitchener Lord Roberts Paul Kruger Louis Botha Koos de la Rey Martinus Steyn Christiaan de Wet Casualties 6,000 - 7,000 (A further ~14,000 from disease) 6,000 - 8,000 (Unknown number from disease) Civilians... Year 1899 (MDCCCXCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday [1] of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Combatants United Kingdom Boers Commanders Robert Baden-Powell Colonel B T Mahon General Piet Cronje Strength 2,000 8,000 Casualties 212 dead 600 wounded Unknown but significantly higher than British The Siege of Mafeking was the most famous British action in the Second Boer War. ... Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, OM, GCMG, GCVO, KCB (February 22, 1857 - January 8, 1941) was a soldier, writer and founder of the world scouting movement. ... 1904 (MCMIV) was a leap year starting on a Friday (see link for calendar). ... Frederick Sleigh Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts of Kandahar, Pretoria and Waterford, VC, KG, KP, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, PC (September 30, 1832 - November 14, 1914) was a distinguished British soldier and one of the most successful commanders of the Victorian era. ...

Mafikeng served as the capital of the Bechuanaland protectorate (even though it was outside the protectorate's borders) from 1894, until 1965, when Gaborone was made the capital of what was to become Botswana. The Bechuanaland Protectorate (BP) was a protectorate established in 1885 by Britain in the area of what is now Botswana. ... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... Satellite image of Gaborone Location of Gaborone in Botswana Gaborone (pron. ...

Mafeking briefly served as capital of the pre-independent black homeland of Bophuthatswana in the 1970s before the adjoining town of Mmabatho was established as the capital. In 1980 the spelling Mafikeng was restored and following the end of apartheid in 1994, Mafikeng and Mmabatho were merged and made the capital of the newly created North-West Province. Map of the black homelands in South Africa as of 1986 Map of the black homelands in Namibia as of 1978 Bantustan is a territory designated as a tribal homeland for black South Africans and Namibians during the apartheid era. ... Bophuthatswana as of 1977 Flag of Bophuthatswana bantustan Bophuthatswana was a former Bantustan (homeland) in the north of South Africa. ... Mmabatho (Mother of the People) was a town near Mafikeng, South Africa. ... A segregated beach in South Africa, 1982. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar). ... Categories: South Africa stubs | North West Province | Provinces of South Africa ...

External links

• McGonagall on the Relief of Mafeking - William McGonagall's poem and a brief history of the siege.

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Coordinates: 25°51′S, 25°38′E William Topaz McGonagall (1825–September 29, 1902) was a weaver, actor, and poet. ... A map of the nine provinces of South Africa South Africa is currently divided into nine provinces. ... The following is a list of the capitals of the provinces of South Africa. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_South_Africa. ... City motto: Spes Bona (Latin: Good Hope) Location of the City of Cape Town in Western Cape Province Province Western Cape Mayor Helen Zille Area  - % water 2,499 km² N/A Population  - Total (2004)  - Density Not ranked 2,893,251 1,158/km² Established 1652 Time zone SAST (UTC+2... Kimberley is a town in South Africa, and the capital of the Northern Cape. ... Bisho is a town in South Africa, and the capital of the Eastern Cape Province. ... City motto: City of Choice Province KwaZulu-Natal Mayor Zanele Hlatshwayo Area   649km² Population  - Total (1991)   228,549 Population  - Total (2001)   521,805 Established 1838 Time zone SAST (UTC+2) Calling code 033 Pietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city of the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. ... Bloemfontein at night Bloemfontein (IPA: , Afrikaans and Dutch for fountain of Bloem (bloom) or flower fountain is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Panoramic view from the hilltops Nelspruit is a city of 221,474 people (2000) situated in northeastern South Africa. ... Polokwane (previously known as Pietersburg) is a city, municipality and the capital of the Limpopo province in South Africa. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...