Chas Everitt - Property in Pretoria Moot

Pretoria is an elegant, quiet city, which is a perfect contrast with Johannesburg, its more frantic neighbor, which is only half an hour away.

Pretoria is South Africa's administrative capital and offers real estate and property investors an assortment of real estate and properties to choose from. These properties range from flats, apartments, townhouses and homes in security villages and complexes to spacious homes and grand ambassadorial residences.

Pretoria is affectionately known as the Jacaranda City. This is because of all the purple blossom adorned Jacaranda trees. It became known as the 'city of roses' shortly after its establishment because its climate encouraged the growth of rambler roses. The roses covered hedges and gardens all around the city. J.D. Cilliers, an avid gardener and resident, imported Jacaranda trees in 1888 from Rio de Janeiro to plant in his Myrtle Grove garden. These trees flourished and as a result the city became known as the 'Jacaranda City', with about 50 000 Jacarandas lining its streets.

Two universities, namely the University of Pretoria and the University of South Africa, can be found in Pretoria. The University of Pretoria was established as an Afrikaans medium institution and also resulted in the South African School of Mines and Technology and the Transvaal University College. The University of South Africa is a non-residential institution which is also the largest institution offering tertiary education in Southern Africa. It offers instruction through correspondence, tutorials and winter schools and is situated just outside Pretoria.

The area referred to as Pretoria Moot is situated to the North East of Pretoria and covers the suburbs of Waverley, Kilnerpark, Queenswood, Villieria, Rietfontein, Moregloed, Wonderboom, South, Gezina, Riviera, Rietondale, Deernes, Colbyn, Montanapark, Montana, Doornpoort, Sinoville, Annlin, Wonderboom, Magalieskruin, Mountain View, Claremont, Capitalpark, Booysens, Eloffsdal, Les Marais and Mayville.

Places of interest include:

• The South African Mint - The South African Mint's new facility incorporates much modern technology making it one of the most advanced manufacturers of circulation coins, numismatic products in the world.
  
• Voortrekker monument - The site was chosen in such a way as to ensure the monument's visibility from almost all directions. The monument's foundations were laid on 16 December 1938 and the official opening took place on the morning of the 14th December 1949. The long delay in completion was due to many reasons such as the outbreak of the Second World War.
  
• Transvaal Museum - The Transvaal Museum is situated opposite the City Hall in Paul Kruger Street. The enormous structure was specifically erected to fullfill the function of a museum and, at the time, dwarfed its surroundings. It was completed in 1913 and represents the idealism of unification in 1910.
  
• The State Theater - The Theater is situated on the eastern side of what used to be Old Market Square. It was designed by the architects responsible for Strijdom Square, Hans and Roelf Botha. On its completion in 1981 it was the biggest structure of its kind in the southern hemisphere

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