Kaditshwene

Kaditshwene, located northeast of Zeerust in the North West province of South Africa, was a significant Iron Age settlement and cultural capital of the Bahurutshe people. Founded in the late 1400s on rich iron and copper ore deposits, it became a hub for manufacturing and trading in southern Africa. With a population exceeding 20,000 in 1820, it was a larger settlement than Cape Town at the time. The settlement's prosperity was disrupted during the Mfecane, a period of turmoil and migration; it was sacked by the Batlokwa under Queen Mantatisi in 1821 and subsequently attacked by Sebetwane and the Bafokeng tribe in 1823. Today, the remaining archaeological features include crumbling stone walls, foundations, ash middens, and metal working remnants, which highlight the site's historical significance in regional trade and metallurgy. In 2011, the site was declared a National Heritage Site.