The name Lejweleputswa, meaning ‘grey rock’, describes the area in the Free State with a history rich in gold prospecting and mining. The Lejweleputswa district is rich in gold deposits and lies at the heart of the province’s goldfields. But Lejweleputswa’s golden qualities extend above ground as well; it’s a major maize and sunflower producer. The Lejweleputswa District Municipality area is situated in the north western part of the Free State and borders North West to the north; Fezile Dabi and Thabo Mofutsanyane to the north east and east respectively; Motheo and Xhariep to the south; and the Northern Cape to the west.
Lejweleputswa District Municipality Contact Details
Physical Address:
Cnr Tempest & Jan Hofmeyer Road,
Welkom, 9460
Postal Address:
P.O. Box 2169
Welkom, 9460
Tel: +27 (57) 353 3094/5/8/9
Lejweleputswa District Tourism
- Aventura Aldam Holiday Resort and Willem Pretorius Game Reserve
- NAMPO Harvest Farm near Bothaville
- Golden Arts & Crafts Scramble at Hennenman and Virginia
- Aco tractor factory near Hoopstad
- Voortrekker Monument at Winburg
- Gold Museum in the Welkom Library
- Underground mine tours
- Phakisa Racetrack
- Folk Dancing Monument at Boshof
The proud history and heritage of the region will take you on a journey to a variety of landscapes, richly endowed with diverse cultures and people. Situated in the heartland of South Africa’s agricultural belt, mine shafts now guard the horizon.
The district is predominantly known for the Free State Goldfields. The first gold was discovered by accident in the early 1940s. The goldfields sprang up after a borehole sunk for water found gold ore lava instead. The Goldfields tourism route takes visitors on an intriguing trail of gold prospecting, gold discovery and the resulting Lejweleputswa’s Free State gold rush. Follow the route from Bothaville and explore its many mines, including some of the deepest in the world at Welkom.
