Brits

Description

Brits is a fertile, citrus-producing area in North-West Province which is irrigated by the waters of the Hartbeespoort Dam. It was founded in 1924 on the farm Roode Kopjes (Red Hills) and was named after the owner, Johannes Nicolaas Brits. The First Anglo-Boer War armistice treaty was signed in 1864 beneath a karee tree just to the south of Brits.

The town plays an important role in the South African mining industry: 94% of South Africa's platinum comes from the Rustenburg and Brits districts, which together produce more platinum than any other single area in the world. In addition, there is a large vanadium mine in the district.

While in Brits, the De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre in the nearby town of De Wildt is certainly worth a visit. The centre has had much success breeding and studying cheetah, brown hyena, wild dogs, and other South African mammals.