In the Central Region of the North West Province lies Lichtenburg – with its fertile landscape and willow-tree lined streets the town is somewhat of an oasis in the otherwise arid North West Province. The town was at the centre of a frantic diamond rush in 1926 and exhibits of these ‘heydays’ can be seen in the local museum. Tens of thousands of men and women recovered almost 7 million carats of diamonds before the rush fizzled out some ten years later.
The town square displays a statue of General De la Rey – one of the greatest Boer commanders during the Anglo-Boer war. De la Rey was killed in a shooting incident in 1914 and was buried in Lichtenburg. The Lichtenburg Game Breeding Centre outside of town is open to visitors and wide variety of birdlife, as well as other animals, can be seen.
