The 'invasion' of the Pedi territory by Europeans led to hopeless conflict and resulted in bloody battles. The history of the Limpopo Province is filled with events of settlement and conflict, war and peace. The statue of the well known Long Tom cannon that can be seen in Haenertsberg is a silent symbolic representation of the battles fought on and for this land, specifically the Anglo-Boer War.
With the European settlers came the missionaries, inspired by the courage of the Christian faith, they brought Western houses of education and beliefs to the indigenous people of the land.
Those pioneers who propelled further to the north discovered the highly tillable soil and scorching temperate climate accommodated their agricultural, and later industrial, lifestyle. Their culture has birthed a rich foreign magnitude to the African plains already hosting fascinating blends of African cultures from as far as Central Africa.
