Gauteng: The Sotho word, Gauteng, meaning "Place of Gold", is the name of the Pretoria - Witwatersrand - Vaal Triangle, one of the largest industrial regions in the southern hemisphere. A more fitting label would be hard to find. Vibrant, exciting Johannesburg, the provincial capital of Gauteng offers visitors a large selection of recreational, cultural and historical attractions. Situated some 50 km north of Johannesburg, Pretoria is renowned for its colourful gardens, shrubs and trees, particularly beautiful in spring when jacarandas envelop the avenues in mauve.

In 1886, on a patch of windswept veld, an unemployed miner stumbled upon a stone bearing traces of gold. This seemingly insignificant event had colossal repercussions and led to the discovery of the world's richest natural treasure house. Speculators, prospectors, fortune-seekers and adventurers arrived in the area from the ends of the earth, and the pastoral landscape changed almost overnight.

Gold rush shantytowns sprang up and were rapidly transformed into modern concrete cities, Johannesburg became "The Gold Capital of the World", and the entire country was catapulted into an economic boom. The revenue generated from gold, most valuable of South Africa's exports, has enabled the country to develop its impressive industrial, commercial and financial strength. Today, in a great, still growing concrete sprawl, Gauteng comprises the commercial heart of South Africa. But much of the region has escaped industrial development. In dozens of quiet retreats and leisure resorts, city-dwellers find relaxation and a welcome respite from day-to-day routine.