Johannesburg is South Africa’s largest city (population 5 million). It was founded in 1886 as a gold mining town. Today it is the centre of the country’s industry and trade.  Near it you can still see the yellow mounds of the gold mines that brought wealth and prosperity to southern Africa.

Cape Town is South Africa’s oldest and second largest city (population 4.6 million). Founded as a Dutch trading station it was the biggest town until gold was found. Cape Town is the tourism and cultural capital of South Africa, known for Table Mountain and other famous landmarks. 

Durban (population 4 million) , on the east coast, is South Africa’s main port and  a major industrial centre. Most of the country’s Asian people live here. 


Cape Tpwn from the water front

Image: "Cape Town - Table Mountain from Waterfront"
by www.hickey-fry.com is licensed under CC BY 2.0.



Government

South Africa has three capital cities, each of them hosting a different branch of government. Laws are made in Cape Town where Parliament gets together .  The President and the government are situated in Pretoria and the country’s highest court is in Bloemfontein. 


Union building in Pretoria

Union Building in Pretoria , seat of South Africa's government
Image:Davinci77, CC BY-SA 3.0,
via Wikimedia Commons 



Words

  • branch = part
  • capital city = an important city where the main government of a country is
  • court = place where a trial is held ;  a judge and a jury decide if someone is guilty or not
  • found - founded = create, start something new
  • government = the people who rule a country
  • host = here : to have as their home; where they meet
  • landmark = famous sight
  • law = the system of rules that a country has
  • mining = the work or industry of digging holes and getting minerals and metals out of the earth
  • mound = pile of earth
  • port = harbour ; where ships load and unload products
  • prosperity = when people have money and everything that is needed for a good life
  • situated = located; can be found
  • trade = to buy and sell goods
  • trading station = place where people got together to buy and sell things
  • wealth = being rich