Sun City, North West
Province
Sun City is a leisure and entertainment complex in the North West Province of South Africa. It is located about 150 kilometers northwest of the metropolitan areas of Johannesburg and Pretoria, surrounded by the High Veld and in the immediate vicinity of the Pilanesberg National Park. The resort is known for its casinos, shows, luxurious hotel complexes, artificial waterfalls, golf courses and sports facilities.
History
Sun City was designed as part of the Sun International hotel group by South African entrepreneur Sol Kerzner and officially opened on 7 December 1979. By the end of apartheid in 1994, the resort was part of the former Bophuthatswana homeland. Since gambling by the government Bophuthatswanas - unlike that of the "white" South Africa - was tolerated, this was the only place in the northern part of the country, was not forbidden to gambling. Sun City therefore was regarded as the Las Vegas of South Africa; in the vernacular, the resort is also known as Sin City ( dt sin city).
The initial facilities, which included the Sun City Hotel with its casino, a golf course and a theater were supplemented by other hotels, casinos, a theme park, sports facilities, restaurants, meeting rooms as well as shows and events over time. By the leisure facilities and the proximity to Johannesburg and the Pilanesberg National Park, Sun City has developed into a popular tourist destination in South Africa with annual increase in visitor numbers. The resort hosted under other Elton John, Frank Sinatra, Cher, Julio Iglesias, Rod Stewart, Tina Turner and Sarah Brightman. In 2010, the FIFA planning discussions for the Football World Cup 2010 held in Sun City.
Today at the resort include five three - to five- star hotels, a theme park, two golf courses and an entertainment center. The theme park is home to, among others, an artificial sunken city which commemorates defunct African cultures, with stone-carved figures and other attractions. The leisure park is also the Hotel Palace of the Lost City, which is one of the "Leading Hotels of the World" is located.
Criticism of Sun City
In the days of apartheid Sun City has been severely criticized. Although the resort was one of the few places where no segregation between blacks and whites took place, however, the leisure complex was a product of the apartheid regime. For the majority of the population, the ANC and the global anti - apartheid movement, Sun City symbolized the double standards of the racist regime.
In 1985 under the name Artists United Against Apartheid was an initiative by Steven Van Zandt Community project, in which more than fifty internationally renowned musicians were involved. The single Sun City achieved worldwide chart positions, the revenue from record sales benefited Africa fund, political prisoners and cultural institutions.
Today, up to 40,000 visitors come every day to Sun City.
Awards
- 2000 World Travel Awards in the African Category: Africa 's Leading Hotel Group - Sun International Africa 's Leading Resort - Sun City Resort
- 2001 Africa's Leading Conference Hotel Sun City Resort, North West Province
- Africa 's Leading Hotel Group Sun International
- Africa 's Leading Resort Sun City Resort, North West Province
- Africa 's Leading Hotel Group Sun International
- Africa 's Leading Resort Sun City Resort, North West Province
- 2004 Fedhasa - Imvelo Tourism Awards Best Social Involvement Programme - Winner
- 2007 Imvelo Award - Environmental Awards - Responsible Tourism