Giyani, Limpopo

Giyani is a town in the Limpopo province in north eastern South Africa, and former capital of the Gazankulu bantustan. Giyani is located in the heart of Limpopo Bushveld, on the northern bank of the Klein (Little) Letaba River west of Kruger National Park. Situated in what was the northern portion of Gazankulu, Giyani was established in the 1960s as the administrative centre for the Tsonga and Shangaan peoples. Giyani is now the administrative capital of Mopani District Municipality.

Distance from Johannesburg and Kruger National Park

Giyani is roughly 554KM north east of Johannesburg and 200KM from the Phalaborwa Gate of the Kruger National Park.muyexe

Climate

Giyani is situated within the Sub-tropical zone, it can be very hot in summer, reaching more than 36 degrees in summer and minimum of 22 degrees in winter. Summers are hot during the day and cooler during the nights, Winters are mild during the day and cold during the nights.Rainfall season is between September to March, while winter season starts from April to August.

Demography

The population around Giyani is estimated at 500,000 and 200 villages. The town's population are almost exclusively African, however there is a very small number of Whites, most of them Afrikaans speaking and they live in Kremetart. New arrival includes Indians, Arabs, Pakistans and Blacks from other African countries.

Culture

Residents of Giyani speak Xitsonga as their first language. The Tsonga women dance "Xibelani" and the men enjoy MPULUTO and"Makhwaya". The Tsonga people also engage in a custom dance called "Mchongolo". Xibelani is an African skirt. Xibelana is a skirt design to make your hips look bigger so the shaking can be apparent. The Tsonga people have their own distinct music where the Xibelani dance is extensively enjoyed and it became a custom for all Tsonga bands to have female Xibelana dancers. The latest dances in Giyani are "Xibebula" and "Tshetsha".The staple diet in Giyani is maize meal(vuswa) and it is enjoyed in many houses on a daily basis with meat and other vegetables. If there is one thing that is interesting about Giyani is that people are still respectful and they have embraced traditional ways of doing thing.

ports

Giyani Stadium is the home of Dynamos FC, the team is based in Giyani, and is in the Mvela Golden league; the owner of Dynamos FC is a local tycoon, Mr Pat Malabela.

Economy

Giyani's economy is predominately agricultural, mielies, peanuts, tomatoes, potatoes, Bananas and cattle ranching forms the backbone of the economy. With the country's economic boom, Giyani has now become a retail and entertainment centre for the local population. Modern Shopping centres and a mini mall has uplifted the local economy. These happened over the last few years with the emergence of property developer Masingita Mike Nkuna who, with the help larger business institutions pationately uplited the area. People of Giyani are very much ambitious and they are not afraid of taking new initiatives, especially in the business world.

One of the biggest Spar chain stores are also to be found in Giyani. It was started in 1993 and has grown to such an extent that a 2nd Spar was built to accommodate the influx of shoppers to the stores.

The 1st Black Pharmacist allowed to practice in South Africa in the Apartheids years can also be found in Giyani, he is used as a poster face for the Link group of pharmacies.

The oldest businesses in Giyani are FNB, Total, Makhoma butchery, Pep, the Giyani Hotel (now called Oasis Lodge), C H COETZEE ATTORNEYS, Mabunda butchery, Man'ombe butchery,City wholesalers, Giyani bakery, Nchangameli Dry cleaners, Shimati Garage(Engen), Giyani record studio(Chauke's) and GDC(Limdev).

Residential Areas

Giyani is less populated and the large part of the town's open land is not developed or settled. Giyani Section A, D1, D2, E, F and Kremetart are affluent residential areas in the town. Villages around giyani are Mhlava-Willem, siyandhani, dzingidzingi,homu, ngove, nkomo, thomo, makoxa,muyeshe, xikukwana, mavalani, mbatlo, n'wadzekudzeku, xivulani, bode, sikhunyani, Bambeni, Maphata, Mageva, N'wamankena,Shimange, Dingamazi, Bode, Nghalalume, Nkomo, Mageva, Mghonghoma, Loloka, Mbhedhle, Guwela, Kheyi, Muxiyani, Mayephu, Mzilela, Matsotsosela, Xitlakati, N'wamarhanga, Khashani, Gawula.phalaubeni,mbaula.makhuva,nsavulani,shawela,shikhumba,etc.

Education

The people of Giyani value education, however, there is only one independent school in the town, Khanyisa Education Centre. At the moment, Khanyisa is still a school for the privileged few, better off than all Government run schools. Khanyisa has the best sporting facilities, equipments, classes, and the best teachers by far in the province,apart from Khanyisa, Hanyani Thomo high school is the greatest centre for academic exellence to emerge from Giyani. There are three institution namely university of Limpopo, university of Venda and Potchefstroom university, to receive higher education, the youth of Giyani flock to Universities all over South Africa.

Western Influence

Like the rest of South Africa, the people of Giyani have been a victim of Westernisation and many of the tribal cultures are slowly diminishing.

Tourism

Giyani's location in the African Bushveld attracts a fair number of local and international visitors. The Giyani Golf course keeps Zebras, Girraffe, bushbuck and other herbivores. Viewing of these animals has not yet been commercialised, a living proof of the town's growth potential.At the moment, there are two Bed and Breakfast for tourist to relax and eat, they are Riverside Guest House and Xisaka bed and breakfast, both situated in a bushy suburban of Kremetart. Limpopo Lodge (formerly Giyani Hotel) is situated at the centre of the town, the hotel is run by the Oasis group, which also run several hotels in other African countries, such as Namibia and Botswana. Man'ombe Nature Reserve is located 4Km east of Giyani.