Bethlehem, South Africa

Bethlehem is a city in the eastern Free State province of South Africa that is situated on the Liebenbergs river (also called Liebenbergs Vlei) along a fertile valley just north of the Rooiberg Mountains on the N5 road. It is the fastest growing city in the Free state province, with its target of being the third largest city after Bloemfontein and Welkom.

It is a wheat growing area and named after the biblical Bethlehem, from בֵּית לֶחֶם ("Beit Lechem"), meaning "house of bread".

The city lies at an altitude of 1700 m and this contributes to its cool climate with frosty winters and mild summers. The average annual temperature is around 14 C.

Bethlehem is situated approximately 240 km north-east of Bloemfontein, 140 km east of Kroonstad and 90 km north-west of Harrismith. The city is strategically situated in the heart of the picturesque north-eastern Free State and originally developed as a service centre.

Bethlehem is the seat of the Dihlabeng Local Municipality (this municipality is situated within the boundaries of the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality in the Eastern Free State).

The township associated with Bethlehem is called Bohlokong in Sesotho by Basotho. It named after the hloko/bohloko grass found in the area Diheteropogon filifolius.

History
Town founders - Today we look at the founders of Bethlehem, in alphabetical order, Malan, Muller, and Naude. The founding of the church and town happened almost simultaneously. In the museum, the history and artifacts of the founders are displayed, including beautiful large framed photos of each one:

Daniel Jacobus Johannes Malan (1821-1892) Johannes Christoffel Muller (1822-1900) Francois Paulus Naude (1800-1881)

Their families were all Voortrekkers, who experienced the joys and sorrows of Natal, but they settled and established themselves in the Bethlehem area. This trio purchased the Pretoriuskloof farm from J.C. Pretorius and established a church and town on it. After approval from the Free State government, 44 plots were immediately sold in 1864.

The founders were farmers, and their farms are still in family possession. Malan farmed at the well-known Malanspos, on the road between Bethlehem and Lindley. A house and outbuildings were built, and he and his wife were buried on the Sterkfontein farm. Their third son was the well-known Senator D.J.J. Malan.

Muller's farm, Mullersrust, is located on the Blijdschap/Brighton/Kleingraansentrumpad, next to the Liebenbergsvleirivier. Here was his dwelling, and he built a mill in the river that was destroyed by the British during the Anglo-Boer War. He is buried in the family cemetery on the farm.

Naude's farm, Middelvlei, is located along the Bethlehem/Clarens road, next to the As River. (As from n wa, English - axle, not Ash as it is written on road signs today. An axle from a wagon from the Retief Trek broke in the river.) His first silk house, built of suet, is well preserved by his descendants and can still be seen near the later dwelling. The family graves are also visible near the dwelling."

Museums, provincial heritage sites and memorials
A number of heritage sites are located in Bethlehem:
 * 14 President Burgers Street
 * A B Baartman Wagon House
 * Loch Athlone Dam Wall
 * Main Building of the Bethlehem Technical College
 * Nederduitse Gereformeerde Mother Church
 * Old Magistrates Court
 * Old Nederduitse Gereformeerde Mission Church parsonage
 * Old Nederduitse Gereformeerde Mission Church
 * St Andrews Presbyterian Church
 * St Augustine Anglican Church
 * Strapps Shop
 * The Seminary
 * Town Hall
 * Wooden Spoon Restaurant

Schools

 * Villiers Combined High School
 * Tiisetsang High School
 * Ntsu Secondary School
 * Thabo-Thokoza Secondary School
 * L.K Ntlabathi Secondary School
 * Jordania Primary School
 * Truida Kestell Primary School
 * Graanveld Primary School
 * Bethlehem Comprehensive School
 * Bodikela intermediate School
 * Bethlehem Voortrekker High School
 * Bohlokong Primary School
 * Nthute Primary School
 * Motshepuwa Primary School
 * Rehopotswe Primary School
 * New Horizon College
 * Impumelelo Primary School
 * Impucuko Primary School
 * Khanyeng Intermediate School
 * Witteberg High School
 * Bethlehem Combined School

Shopping
Bethlehem has many shopping centres like any other town in the Free State. Bethlehem is the main center of the eastern Free State where people from other towns do their shopping, the main shopping malls are: With the shopping in this town also characterized by typical high street shopping with majority of shops situated along the Muller, Cambridge, Louw, Church, High and other surrounding streets.
 * Dihlabeng mall
 * Sechaba Mall (Previously Metropolitan life Centre prior to November 2018)

Sport
Premier Soccer League and National First Division clubs Free State Stars and Super Eagles F.C are based in Bethlehem and plays its home games at Goble Park. Bethlehem is also the birthplace of notable rugby union players including Jannie and Bismarck du Plessis and Frans Steyn. One of the greatest rugby players in history, Tom van Vollenhoven who played rugby union for South Africa and rugby league for St Helens in England was born in Bethlehem. 2019 Japan and 2023 France Rugby World Cup winning team player of Springboks, Bongi Mbonambi was born in Bohlokong.

Economy
Bethlehem is a retail, medical, and educational hub for the Eastern Free State. It has three private hospitals and four star Frontier hotel, Casino and Entertainment Centre located near the beautiful Dihlabeng Mall and Bethlehem Aerodrome.

Industry
Bethlehem hosts several industries including Coca-Cola, South African Breweries and Nestlé, as well as petroleum and engineering companies.

Health

 * Huisarts en Kie (Private)
 * Dihlabeng Regional Hospital (public)
 * Phekolong Hospital (Public)
 * Hoogland Medi-Clinic (Private)
 * Bethlehem Medical Centre (Semi-Private)
 * Nurture Corona Hospital (Semi-private)
 * Bethlehem Diere Hospital (Private)
 * Du Pisani Biokineticists (Private)
 * Several government clinics also in the townships of Bohlokong, Thorisong, Vuka, Phumlamqasha, Old Location, Giyani and Bakenpark.

Newspapers

 * EFS Issue
 * Ystervark Newspaper

Radio

 * Maluti FM
 * Dihlabeng FM

Road
Bethlehem is located on the N5 to the provincial capital Bloemfontein via Senekal and Winburg to the N1. Other roads in the town are R76 to Kroonstad (north-west) and the R26 to Reitz and Fouriesburg (north-east and south) respectively, and just outside the town, the R712 and R714 to Clarens (south) and Warden (east) respectively.

Rail
Bethlehem is located on the main railway line between Bloemfontein and Durban. This railway line transports passengers and freight.

Air
Bethlehem is served by a small airport (Bethlehem Airport) with chartered daily flights to Bloemfontein and Johannesburg.

Municipal (1)
By 1931, the municipal council had assumed a coat of arms. The arms were registered with the Orange Free State Provincial Administration in October 1958.

The arms were: Party per chevron Azure and Gules, a chevron Or, in chief between two springboks couped at the neck respecting each other, proper, a mullet of the third, and in base three maize cobs, the outer ones pilewise, all proper. In layman's terms, the shield depicted a golden chevron between a gold star and two springboks' head on a blue background, and three maize cobs on a red background.

Municipal (2)
A new coat of arms was designed in the 1980s. It was registered at the Bureau of Heraldry in June 1989.

The arms were: Per chevron, Azure and Gules, a chevron Or between in chief a mullet and in base two bars wavy, Argent (i.e. a golden chevron between a silver star on a blue background and two wavy silver stripes on a red background).

The crest was three golden ears of wheat with blue stalks and leaves, tied together with a red band; the motto was Conjuncti prosperamus.

Notable people

 * Faan Fourie (born 1982), cricketer
 * Bongi Mbonambi (born 1991), South African professional rugby union player
 * Teboho Mokoena (born 1997), soccer player. Plays for Mamelodi Sundowns and South Africa national football team.
 * Sipho Mbule (born 1998), soccer player. Plays for Mamelodi Sundowns and South African national football team.