Background on the Free State region:

The Free State is a province of South Africa. The name is a popular contraction of the previous name the Orange Free State. Its capital is Bloemfontein which is also South Africa's judicial capital. On 9 June 1995 its name was changed from Orange Free State to Free State.

The current borders date from 1994 when the Bantustans were abolished and included into the provinces of South Africa. It is also the only Province of the former provinces of South Africa not to undergo border changes excluding the incorporation of Bantustans.

Sesotho is the dominant home language in most of the province. Afrikaans dominates in the south-west and in many major towns and is widely spoken in Bloemfontein. isiZulu is the major language in the eastern municipality of Phumelela. Setswana is the main language in Tokologo (west).

Free State Province is also very well known for the world famous school Grey College, it's also the known successful rugby and cricket franchises Vodacom Cheetahs & Gestetner Diamond Eagles.

The Free State is divided into five district municipalities. These are again subdivided into three to five local municipalities each, for a total of 20 local municipalities.

The five districts are:

Fezile Dabi in the north

Thabo Mofutsanyane in the east

Motheo in the south-east

Xhariep in the south

Lejweleputswa in the north-west

 

The major towns include the following:

Bloemfontein in Motheo

Bethlehem in Thabo Mofutsanyane

Sasolburg in Fezile Dabi

Kroonstad and Welkom in Lejweleputswa