Lichtenburg (Afrikaans pronunciation: [ˈləχtənˌbœrəχ]) is a town situated in North West Province, South Africa.

Within an 80-kilometre (50 mi) radius of Lichtenburg there are four major cement producers, which creates opportunities for long-distance transport and related businesses.

[clarification needed] Lichtenburg is situated approximately 230 kilometres (140 mi) west of Johannesburg on the main route to Mmabatho.

The conflict occurred against the backdrop of the Pretoria government becoming increasingly ineffective at dealing with growing claims on South African land from rival interests within the country.

The British fought directly against the Transvaal and the Orange Free State, eventually defeating their forces through the use of the "Scorched Earth" policy.

[citation needed] Rudyard Kipling's poem "Lichtenberg" relates the story of one Australian combatant and his journey towards death in a foreign land.

Trooper Aberline's sacrifice influenced the Boers and his legacy went far beyond his rusting cross in the Lichtenburg cemetery which lies close to that of Edith Mathews.

[citation needed] In May 1900 the Siege of Mafeking ended and hostilities quickly engulfed the whole of the northern Cape and western Transvaal (this region has now been incorporated into the North-West Province).

In November 1900, a large British force under Col. Robert Baden-Powell was transferred to Lichtenburg and secured the town, and much of the territory with it.

[citation needed] Five months later, on 3 March 1901, 400 Boers under the co-joint commands of Generals De la Rey, Smuts, Celliers, Vermaas and Lemmer launched a mounted attack on the town.

Worked on music projects for artists such as NvybaHood, Priddy Flacko, TJ Flaws, Tshesko, and Seiso Tswakbaker among others.

The biggest diamond rush in history took place in March 1927 on the farm Grasfontein near Lichtenburg, when 25,000 runners took part to peg their claims.

It was the richest public diggings ever mined—it was the Lichtenburg Diamond Rush of February 1926 and a population of 150,000 souls appeared as if by magic.

Bigger than Cape Town at the time, the Lichtenburg district made many men rich but broke thousands of hearts.

Today a smattering of "bitter-einders" remain, optimists all, still digging through tonnes of gravel heaps in the never-ending search for the 'Big One'.

A modern public library and an art gallery which is one of the biggest in the country,[11] housing a valuable collection of paintings by well-known South African artists are situated in a wing of the Civic centre.

Paintings of Gregoire Boonzaier, Irmin Henkel, Irma Stern, Louis Steyn, Walter Battiss, Dirk Meerkotter, F. Claerhout, Bettie Cilliers-Barnard, Johannes Meintjes and the sculptor Hennie Potgieter form part of the collection.

The vlei which separates Lichtenburg from its biggest suburb, Kieserville, is unique in as much as the thick layers of peat (which is the product of millions of years of marsh vegetation and the forerunner of coal) had for decades been burning subterraneously, creating a great hazard for man and beast.

[citation needed] Two kilometres north-east of Lichtenburg is a unique game breeding centre, operated by the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa measuring 4,500 hectares (11,000 acres), where game such as addax, mhorr gazelle and the pygmy hippopotamus of West Africa are bred.

[citation needed] The area is also ideal for a day trip or a fascinating weekend's viewing and a pair of binoculars always comes in handy.

The Willie Marnewick Birdhide is one of the largest of its kind in the country and it enables enthusiastic birdwatchers to look more closely at the birdlife.

The incident sparked violent protests, looting and destruction of property and local businesses predominantly owned by whites.