Nelspruit
Nelspruit is the capital city of Mpumalanga province and the main town of the Mbombela Local Municipality within the Ehlanzeni District Municipality.

With a diverse manufacturing sector and as the headquarters for most financial institutions in the province, Nelspruit also lies in a strategic position along the Maputo Development Corridor (MDC). The MDC, along the national N4 highway, forms the link between the central Gauteng region and the Mozambican port of Maputo.

The 46 000-seater Mbombela Stadium hosted four games in the Soccer World Cup in 2010 and has since been the host of several Premier Soccer League matches. These have included matches featuring major Soweto giants such as Kaiser Chiefs. The first positive spin-off of the World Cup came in May 2011, when the city won the right to host the national final of the Nedbank Cup, South Africa’s premier knockout competition.

The stadium is used by the main professional soccer franchise, Mpumalanga Black Aces, and by the provincial rugby team, the Ford Pumas. Nelspruit has two airports. The older aerodrome south of the city is used by small planes while the more modern Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport is the gateway to many of the tourist highlights in the province, not least of which is the famous Kruger National Park. The city is also well served by rail links which connect to Swaziland, Mozambique and other South African provinces.

Manganese Metal Company is the largest producer of pure electrolytic manganese metal in the world. The products are created from highgrade manganese ore extracted by means of a hydrometallurgical process. The plant has an annual capacity of 27 000 metric tons. Other manufacturing enterprises in Nelspruit include paper and pulp producers and furniture factories.

If plans to build a regional tertiary hospital and to establish a university for the province come to fruition Nelspruit will be the likely venue. The R600-million I’Langa Mall opened in 2010, adding to the city’s choice of retail malls such as the recently expanded Riverside Mall and the Riverside Lifestyle Centre.

The fertile Crocodile River Valley ensures good fruit crops in a typically subtropical climate. Mangos, litchis and avocados are among the crops grown most profitably and the town is at the centre of the regional citrus sector. The Lowveld Botanical Gardens contain many rare species.

The Lowveld Show and the InniBos Arts Festival are major events that showcase Nelspruit’s diversity and importance as a regional hub.

Middelburg
Middelburg is sometimes known as the stainless steel capital of Africa.

Middelburg hosts the huge Columbus Stainless plant, makers of stainless steel flat products, Middelburg Ferrochrome and primary carbonsteel producer Ervaz Highveld.

The town has the Nkangala FET College and is home to the 4SAI military battalion. The Botshabelo Historical Village is a popular tourist stop, as is the traditional Ndebele Village. The Loskop Dam is north of the town on the N11 highway, where many types of game and rare cycads can be found in the Middelburg Nature Reserve.

Dullstroom
Trout and rare cranes are Dullstroom’s chief assets in the fauna department. The trout are for fishing and eating while the rare cranes that gather in one of the areas three nature reserves (Verloren Vallei, Dullstroom and Steenkampsberg) are strictly for observing and conserving. Whisky tasting is one of the specialities of one of the town’s bars and there is a brewery. Dullstroom is also known for its fields of lavender and for the Dullstroom Arts Festival (in December) and the Tonteldoos Country Festival in April. The Dullstroom Classic is a famous fly-fishing event.

Ermelo
Located almost in the middle of the province, Ermelo is on the N2 highway linking Johannesburg with the coast and on the east-west N17 which connects South Africa’s economic heartland with Swaziland.

Coal mining is a big industry in this area, but sheep rearing and wool production are also important. Subtropical fruits, sunflowers, maize, vegetables and nuts are cultivated.

The Agricultural Research Centre at Nooitgedacht is famous for having bred the first Nooitgedacht ponies. The Gert Sibande FET College has an Ermelo campus. The Castrol Rally of South Africa is held in the area every May. Chrissiesmeer Lake is South Africa’s biggest freshwater lake and a favourite spot for birders.