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History of Potchefstroom


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December 1880, the first shots of the First Boer War were fired when the Boers laid siege to the old fort. The siege ended amicably on 23 March 1881. The British built aconcentration camp here during the Second Boer War to house Boer women, children and elderly men.

At the opening of the City hall in 1909, General Jan Smuts, the then Colonial Secretary was asked about the possibility of Potchefstroom becoming the capital of the Union. He replied that the city stood no chance, but said that it should aim at being South Africa's biggest educational centre. This has led to the strong educational inclination of this, the 'city of expertise'.

Since 1997 the town has hosted to the annual Aardklop Arts Festival, a (mostly) Afrikaans arts festival held in late September each year
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