Giyani is a town in the Limpopo

Limpopo

Limpopo is the northernmost province of South Africa. The capital is Polokwane, formerly named Pietersburg. The province was formed from the northern region of Transvaal Province in 1994, and initially named Northern Transvaal...

 province in north eastern South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

, and former capital of the Gazankulu

Gazankulu

Gazankulu was a bantustan in South Africa, intended by the apartheid government to be a semi-independent homeland for the Tsonga people. It was carved out of the former Transvaal Province and given self-rule in 1971, with its capital at Giyani. When Apartheid was abolished in 1994, the population...

 bantustan. Giyani is located in the heart of Limpopo Bushveld, on the northern bank of the Klein (Little) Letaba River

Letaba River

The Letaba River is located in eastern Limpopo, South Africa. It starts at the confluence of the Great Letaba and Little Letaba Rivers, whence they continue their journey as the Letaba River, until it becomes a tributary of the Olifants River in the foothills of the Lebombo Mountains, near South...

 west of Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers and extends from north to south and from east to west.To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is...

. Situated in what was the northern portion of Gazankulu, Giyani was established in the 1960s as the administrative centre for the Tsonga people. Giyani is now the administrative capital of Mopani District Municipality

Mopani District Municipality

Mopani is one of the 6 districts of Limpopo province of South Africa. The seat of Mopani is Giyani. The majority of its 964 195 people speak Tsonga or Northern Sotho . The district code is DC33...

.

Distance from Johannesburg

Giyani is 478KM north east of Johannesburg and 200KM from the Phalaborwa Gate of the Kruger National Park.ask kulani for more information 0782847814

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 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.by kulani khaniele

Culture

Residents of Giyani speak Xitsonga as their first language. The Tsonga women perform the xibelani dance

Xibelani dance

The xibelani dance or shibelani dance is an indigenous dance of the Shangaan or Tsonga women of the Limpopo province in northern South Africa. The name of the dance comes from the native Xitsonga language.-Method:...

and the men enjoy mpuluto and makhwaya. The Tsonga people also engage in a custom dance called mchongolo. The xibelani is an African skirt. Xibelani 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 performed. The latest dances in Giyani are Xibebula and Tshetsha.
The staple diet in Giyani is maize meal (vuswa, or pap

Pap (food)

Pap , a traditional porridge made from mielie-meal , is a staple food of the Bantu inhabitants of South Africa...

 in Afrikaans) often eaten with meat and other vegetables(matsavu).

Sports

Giyani Stadium

Giyani Stadium

Giyani Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Giyani, South Africa. It is used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of Black Leopards of the Premier Soccer League. The stadium has a capacity of 20,000 people.-External links:*...

 is the home of National First Division

National First Division

The National First Division is the second-highest league of South African club football after the Premier Soccer League . Both the NFD and PSL are organised by the National Soccer League.-For seasons in 2007-11:...

 club Dynamos. Historically Giyani has been home to Giyani United and Giyani Classic. On the athletics front the 100 metre ace called Peter "Manero" Ngobeni stayed in Giyani during the 80,s.

It is also the home town of the professional boxer Cassius Baloyi.

Economy

Giyani's economy is predominately rural, mielies, peanuts, tomatoes, potatoes, Mangos, 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.

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. Several other chain stores such as Pick 'n Pay, Shoprite, Truworths, Markham, Wimpy, Romans and many others have also reached the shores of Giyani.

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.

Education

The people of Giyani value education, however, there are independent schools in the town, Khanyisa Education Centre, Nkwangulatilo Education centre. For higher education, the youth of Giyani typically attend the University of Limpopo, the University of Venda, the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and Potchefstroom University.

Road

The R81 is the major road that runs through Giyani. It links Giyani to Malamulele and also joins the R524 to Punda Maria gate of the Kruger National Park.

Tourism

Giyani's location in the African Bushveld attracts a fair number of local and international visitors. The Giyani Golf course keeps Zebras, Giraffe, bushbuck and other herbivores. Viewing of these animals has not yet been commercialized.
At the moment, there are a number of Bed and Breakfast and Guest House facilities for tourist to relax and eat, some are Riverside Guest House, Xisaka bed and breakfast and Mopani Guest House.
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 6 km east of Giyani.