Phokeng, Rustenburg Accommodation

Phokeng is a town situated in the North West Province of South Africa. It lies near Rustenburg and is the capital of the Royal Bafokeng Nation. It is the heartland of the Bafokeng people. The Bafokeng people have lived there since the early 18th century. The name Phokeng got its name from the Setswana word, Phoka which means dew. That is why it is known as "place of dew".

The Tswana people who had been living there for hundreds of years were scattered among Boer farms and worked for white farmers by the mid 19th century. Several of the chiefs managed to gain help from the German missionaries and were able to buy land. Chief Mokhatle and the missionary, Reverend Penzhorn organised the purchases of the land. They began to re-establish villages and chiefdoms. Phokeng was the largest of the villages in which was known as the Western Transvaal. Some of the other villages which were scattered through the Transvaal includes: Bakwena Ba Magopa villages of Bethanie, Kgabalastsane and Ga-Rankuwa and the Bakgatla village of Saulspoort north of the Pilanesberg mountains.

Due to the villagers owning land, when platinum was discovered, the chiefdom earned revenue and the Bakwena Bafokeng of Phokeng were described as one of the wealthiest tribes in South Africa. The "reserve" that Phokeng was part of, was transformed into the "homeland" of Bophutatswana during the apartheid era.

Attractions:
One of the nearby attractions is the Kgaswane Mountain Reserve. It is situated on the slopes of Magaliesberg. There is a large variety of wildlife and it is popular amongst locals and visitors from all over. The reserve offers a great getaway with lots to do and see. There are a number of hiking trails to choose from of varying lengths and degrees of difficulty. Two of the trails run over 2 days.
The Royal Bafonkeng Stadium is another attraction in the area. It is a football, rugby and athletics stadium. It is home for Premier Soccer League Club Platinum Stars. The Leopards also host many of their matches at this stadium during the Currie Cup. The stadium also hosted matches of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.

Climate:
Phokeng offers warm to hot summer months with most rainfall during these months. The hottest months are between December and February. The coolest months are between June and August with temperatures dropping considerably in the evenings.