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Quiz about South African Towns and Cities

South African Towns and Cities Quiz

South Africa is a beautiful and interesting country. Perhaps this quiz will rouse your curiosity and inspire you to discover it for yourself.

A multiple-choice quiz by Noleen. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
Noleen

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
280,194

Updated
Oct 21 23

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
2313

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. In which city did the young journalist, Winston Churchill, escape from prison during the Anglo-Boer War? Hint

Bloemfontein

Johannesburg

Pretoria

Cape Town

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. Home to Nelson Mandela as well as the Apartheid Museum, this city is bordered by Soweto to the west and O.R. Tambo International Airport to the east. Hint

Kimberley

Johannesburg

Cape Town

Durban

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. The birth place of J.R.R. Tolkien, this city's Sesotho name is Mangaung, which means "place of cheetahs". Hint

Kimberley

Bloemfontein

Grahamstown

Pietermaritzburg

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. The previous name of this "Friendly City" in Algoa Bay, Gqeberha, was after the deceased wife of Sir Rufane Donkin. Hint

Cape Town

Port Elizabeth

East London

Durban

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. Table Mountain overlooks South Africa's "Mother City", where the Castle of Good Hope was built between 1666 and 1679. Which city is this? Hint

Pretoria

Stellenbosch

Johannesburg

Cape Town

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. Known as the "City of Saints", this small Eastern Cape city is home to Rhodes University and the annual National Arts Festival. Hint

East London

Stellenbosch

Grahamstown

Alice

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. Believed by many to have originally been called Port Rex, this city lies on the Indian Ocean coast between the Buffalo and Nahoon Rivers. Hint

Durban

Port Elizabeth

East London

Port Alfred

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. The Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama, landed here on Christmas Day in 1497 and named the place Port Natal. Hint

Richards Bay

Durban

East London

Port Elizabeth

9. This beautiful town at the heart of South Africa's wine industry is nick-named "Eikestad" (Oak Town) because of the abundance of these trees, some of which have been proclaimed national monuments.
Hint

Paarl

Franschhoek

Cape Town

Stellenbosch

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. The centre of the great South African diamond rush in the 1870s, this town developed around an open mine, known today as "The Big Hole". Hint

Bloemfontein

Kimberley

De Aar

Upington

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In which city did the young journalist, Winston Churchill, escape from prison during the Anglo-Boer War?

Answer: Pretoria

The beautiful Union Buildings were designed by Sir Herbert Baker and are home to the Office of the President of the Republic of South Africa. A good time to visit Pretoria is in October when the jacaranda trees are in bloom - a stunning sight!

2. Home to Nelson Mandela as well as the Apartheid Museum, this city is bordered by Soweto to the west and O.R. Tambo International Airport to the east.

Answer: Johannesburg

Johannesburg is an urban forest that has six million trees. From the air, the northern suburbs in particular look like a rain forest canopy. Jozi (as it is fondly referred to by its residents) is a sister city of New York (USA), Birmingham (UK), Sao Paolo (Brazil) and Xi'an (China).

3. The birth place of J.R.R. Tolkien, this city's Sesotho name is Mangaung, which means "place of cheetahs".

Answer: Bloemfontein

The literal translation of Bloemfontein into English would be Flower Fountain, which is quite appropriate as the city is renowned for its roses. However, some people believe that it was named after the Griqua leader, Jan Bloem. It is South Africa's judicial capital and is home to South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal.

4. The previous name of this "Friendly City" in Algoa Bay, Gqeberha, was after the deceased wife of Sir Rufane Donkin.

Answer: Port Elizabeth

PE (as the locals call it) is the commercial capital of the Eastern Cape. It has great beaches and is popular with surfers and windsurfers as well as yachting and hobby enthusiasts. The Addo Elephant park is just 72km to the north. For steam train enthusiasts, the narrow gauge "Apple Express" is a must-do.

The name was changed in 2021.

5. Table Mountain overlooks South Africa's "Mother City", where the Castle of Good Hope was built between 1666 and 1679. Which city is this?

Answer: Cape Town

Cape Town is home to the South African Houses of Parliament as well as the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. In March, the city also hosts the annual Cape Argus Pick-n-Pay Cycle Tour which is the world's largest timed one-day cycling event.

6. Known as the "City of Saints", this small Eastern Cape city is home to Rhodes University and the annual National Arts Festival.

Answer: Grahamstown

Grahamstown is the centre of Frontier Country, an area where thousands of hectares are devoted to nature conservation. There are several private reserves where one can view a variety of game, including the Big Five, in this malaria-free region.

7. Believed by many to have originally been called Port Rex, this city lies on the Indian Ocean coast between the Buffalo and Nahoon Rivers.

Answer: East London

It was in East London that Dr Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer identified the first modern coelacanth in 1938. This fish is still on display in the East London Museum. The Hollywood film "Cry Freedom" tells the story of Donald Woods, who was the editor of East London's newspaper which broke the Steve Biko story.

8. The Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama, landed here on Christmas Day in 1497 and named the place Port Natal.

Answer: Durban

With its sub-tropical climate, Durban is South Africa's seaside playground with stunning beaches and great surfing. One of the most popular tourist attractions is uShaka Marine World - Africa's largest marine theme park. The annual Comrades Marathon is run between Durban and Pietermaritzburg - a distance of about 90km.

Answer: Stellenbosch

Situated 50km from Cape Town, the town was founded in 1679 by Governor Simon van der Stel. The "Stellenbosch Wine of Origin" area has over 100 cellars, most of which are open to the public. Make sure you have a designated driver!

10. The centre of the great South African diamond rush in the 1870s, this town developed around an open mine, known today as "The Big Hole".

Answer: Kimberley

Kimberley is a city of "firsts". Amongst many other things, it was home to South Africa's first Stock Exchange, first flying school and first school of mines. It was also the first city in the southern hemisphere to have electric street lights (1882).

Source: Author Noleen

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Exit10 before going online.
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