North West Parks & Tourism Board

🦉 THE STORY OF HARTBEESPOORT DAM The story of Hartbeespoort Dam began with Boer General Hendrik Jacobus Schoeman, who believed a dam across the Crocodile River could turn the area into productive farmland. Around 1898, Schoeman built the first dam, naming it Sophia Dam after his wife, Sophia Catharina Schoeman. The dam was later destroyed by floods. His son, Johan Schoeman, continued his father’s vision by developing irrigation systems and pushing for a larger, permanent dam. The project faced years of delays caused by land disputes, financial problems, World War I and floods. Construction eventually resumed under engineer F.W. Scott, and Hartbeespoort Dam was completed in 1923. It later became an important source of irrigation and a popular tourism destination for fishing and boating. But the dam has also faced serious pollution and water-quality problems, including excessive algae caused by high nutrient levels. Today, the dam is facing another major challenge water hyacinth. The invasive plant has spread across large areas of the dam, affecting the ecosystem and making fishing and boating difficult. In February 2025, the Department of Water and Sanitation reported that water hyacinth covered about 33.84% of the dam’s surface. More than 100 years after its construction, Hartbeespoort Dam remains an important part of Bokone Bophirima's tourism industry but its future depends on urgent action to protect and restore it. #ShapaDraai #ShapaDraaiMoNW #NorthWestTourism #NORTHWESTIMES #PEOPLEMUSTKNOW

ATTENTION PEOPLE OF KAGISANO-MOLOPO 🚨 MOLOPO GAME RESERVE IS OPEN FOR PARK MAHALA WEEK🦛🦌🦒 Looking for a place to escape into nature without spending money on entrance fees? Molopo Game Reserve is open to visitors during Park Mahala Week, running from 20 to 27 September 2026.🔌 Located in the western parts of the North West Province near the Botswana border, the reserve covers about 24,000 hectares and offers visitors a quiet and authentic Kalahari wildlife experience. Molopo Game Reserve is about 250 kilometres from Vryburg and approximately 180 kilometres from Ganyesa. During Park Mahala Week, entrance to the reserve is free. Visitors only need to bring their ID to gain entry. The reserve is home to wildlife including gemsbok, eland, wildebeest, red hartebeest, kudu and zebra. Visitors may also encounter predators such as cheetahs, brown hyenas, caracals, honey badgers and black-backed jackals. The landscape features striking red Kalahari dunes, open grasslands, trees and the ancient fossilised Phepane River bed. Molopo is also a destination for bird lovers, with more than 120 bird species recorded in the area, including impressive birds of prey. Visitors can explore the reserve on a self-drive safari, with a 4x4 vehicle recommended because some of the roads can be sandy and challenging. For those wanting to spend more time in the bush, Phiri Camp offers a basic camping experience inside the reserve, allowing visitors to experience the quietness of the Kalahari. With free entrance from 20 to 27 September, Park Mahala Week provides an opportunity for families, nature lovers and tourists to discover one of the North West's hidden wildlife destinations. So, pack your essentials, bring your ID, get on the road and discover Molopo Game Reserve. The Kalahari is waiting.🌴 #WeDoTourism #TourismMonth #ParkMahalaWeek #NORTHWESTIMES #PEOPLEMUSTKNOW

THE RARE MOROKWENG CRATER One of the world’s most remarkable asteroid impact sites is right here in the North West,in Morokweng village,but how much do we know about it? About 145 million years ago, a massive asteroid struck what is today the Morokweng area, creating the Morokweng Impact Structure, estimated at more than 70km across. The crater is buried beneath the Kalahari and was discovered in 1994 through geological, magnetic and gravity surveys. In 2006, scientists drilling about 766 metres underground discovered a remarkable 25cm fragment of the actual asteroid that caused the impact, together with smaller fragments. The discovery was considered extremely unusual because scientists had expected such a large asteroid to be largely destroyed during impact. The discovery involved scientists from South Africa, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. Fragments were displayed at the Science Museum in London, meaning people thousands of kilometres away have had the opportunity to see pieces of an asteroid that struck the North West millions of years ago. But imagine what Morokweng could become if this story was developed properly. A Morokweng Meteorite and Science Centre could tell the story of the impact, display replicas and, where possible, loaned original material, provide guided geological tours, create educational programmes for schools and become a destination for science and heritage tourism. Local people could benefit through tour guides, accommodation, restaurants, transport, crafts, cultural experiences, security, maintenance and small businesses. Villages around Morokweng could also form part of a wider tourism route, allowing visitors to spend more time and money in the local communities. South Africa has already shown that an impact site can become a tourism and education attraction. At Tswaing, a meteorite crater supports museum displays, guided tours, education programmes, accommodation and opportunities for local communities. This ancient asteroid came from space and landed here millions of years ago. The world came to study it. Perhaps now it is time for Morokweng and its neighbouring communities to benefit from it. #NorthWestTourism #DiscoverNorthWest #WeDoTourism #NORTHWESTIMES #PEOPLEMUSTKNOW