Gopane

Introduction

Gopane House

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Nuzzled up against the hills leading to Botswana, Gopane is one of the northern-most towns in North West Province, not far (as the Kga-kga bird flies) from Gaborone. This sleepy village at the end of the combi route is relatively large, an amalgamation of several villages, with neighborhoods named after their totem animals. Lack of planning and property lines lends Gopane a sprawling design, with dirt paths and a few paved roads connecting the far-flung neighborhoods in this picturesque valley.

With around 80% unemployment, low levels of education and motivation, and very little support or encouragement from the outside world--with the exception of the occasional Peace Corps Volunteer--this area of South Africa might strike a traveler as depressed. Yet many beautiful elements of Tswana culture flourish, bringing light and hope to the otherwise dismal landscape. Traditional dance and handicrafts, and the mesmerizing vocal skill of the Tswana will surely charm visitors.

Reminders of South Africa's fascinating history live on in Gopane, and if you're lucky, perhaps you'll even get to see the site of the male initiation ceremonies.

Sights and Activities

• Apartheid-era ANC hideout in the hills on the border with Botswana
• Livingston's church
• Give-A-Hand-And-Hope AIDs NGO provides shelter for HIV-positive children and adults with no where else to go. The organization also makes traditional handcrafts to sell and raise money, and supports girls' clubs and a celebrated Tswana dance troupe!

Events and Festivals

The main event in Gopane is the Pensioner's Day Market. The date is set on a lunar calendar, and marks the day when the chief distributes money to residents. Vendors selling vegetables and grains gather near the chief's kral for the residents to spend their checks on food for the month.

Getting There

By Combi

You can catch a combi from Zeerust, and Gopane is the last stop.

Getting Around

By Bike

Make sure you have a sturty mountain bike and wear a helmet.

Eat

Pack your own grub unless you want to dine on mealie pap and sour milk.

Drink

• The Shabeens (bars) at the crossroads have plenty of booze. Not recommended for women.

Christmas' True Legacy

© All Rights Reserved Lerato

Keep Connected

Internet

The only way to use internet in Gopane is through your mobile phone, and even that's iffy.

Phone

There's a public phone near the P.O. boxes outside the Post Office.

Post

The SAPO (South African Post Office) is the nation's postal service. Post offices are open from 8:30am to 4:30pm from Monday to Friday, and 8:00am to noon on Saturdays. Domestic and international deliveries are reliable but can sometimes take up to several weeks. If you want to send something oversees of any value, try using one of the private mail services, like Postnet.
There's a post office near the chief's kral with a fastidious (anal retentive) postal employee. So if you're submitting a form or something to send, make sure everything is printed neatly!