Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Potchefstroom is a town in the North West province of South Africa. It lies on the Mooi River, about 72 miles (116 kilometers) southwest of Johannesburg. The town’s name is unusual. Some historians think “Potchefstroom” was put together by Afrikaans-speaking people from the name of the early settler Andries Potgieter (“Pot”); his status as a leader, or chief (“chef”); and the location on a river, or stream (“stroom”). The name is sometimes abbreviated as Potch.

Potchefstroom has many monuments and parks. One of the living monuments is an oak avenue nearly 4.5 miles (7 kilometers) in length. The oak trees have been growing on the avenue since 1910, and it is the longest oak avenue south of the Equator.

Many of Potchefstroom’s residents are young people, and the town is an important center of education. The largest school is the North-West University. It was established in 2004 when the historically white Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education merged with the historically black University of North-West. An arts festival called Aardklop takes place every year in Potchefstroom. More than 100,000 visitors attend its artistic and musical events and its Afrikaans-language theatrical productions.

Corn (maize), vegetables, and fruit are grown near Potchefstroom. There are also livestock and poultry farms in the region.

Potchefstroom was founded by the Voortrekker leader Andries Potgieter in 1838. The Voortrekkers, mostly descendants of Dutch immigrants, were moving inland to get away from British rule. Potchefstroom was one of the first Voortrekker towns north of the Vaal River. It was the capital of the Voortrekkers’ Transvaal republic until Pretoria replaced it. British troops held the town in the First Boer War (1880–81) and in the South African War (1899–1902).

In 2007 the name of the Potchefstroom Local Municipality was changed to Tlokwe Local Municipality. However, the town is still known by its original name. Population (2011 census), town, 43,448; municipality, 162,762.