Tzaneen is a sub-tropical paradise where avocado pears, mangoes, bananas, litchis, etc grow in abundance. Very much known as a garden town, it is the second biggest town in the Mopani district of Limpopo, on the northern part of the Drakensberg. It is the proud home to the Tsonga and Pedi people, as well as a large proportion of Afrikaner people. It has been nicknamed “Land of Silver Mist” because of the frequent mist that occurs on the mountains above town.
Just below Magoebaskloof, the town is a great gateway to explore the area and, with its variety of scenery: lush vegetation, mountains, one of the biggest baobab trees in the world, this is a world within one region.
It produces 40% of South Africa’s avocados, 40% of the country’s mangoes and 20% of the bananas. It also produces 90% of South Africa’s tomatoes, making the country the world’s 40th largest tomato producer.
- Beautiful landscapes
- Tzaneen museum
- Rain Queen Modjadji
- Hiking
- Tea garden
There are many theories about where the name originated, one of which is that it is derived from a Sepedi word “Tsaneng” which means gathering place. It is the area from where the Shangaan and the Sotho people originated – see the Tzaneen Museum for more information on their lifestyles and culture. Tzaneen was established in 1919 and proclaimed a town in 1924 on the back of the discovery of minerals to the east.