Mafikeng

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Mafikeng Mafeking
Provincial Capital
Mahikeng
Mafikeng Show map of North West (South African province) Mafikeng Show map of South Africa Mafikeng Show map of Africa
Coordinates: 25°51′56″S 25°38′37″E / 25.86556°S 25.64361°E / -25.86556; 25.64361
Country	South Africa
Province	North West
District	Ngaka Modiri Molema
Municipality	Mahikeng
Established	1852[1]
Area [2]
• Total	24.57 km2 (9.49 sq mi)
Elevation	1,500.0 m (4,921.3 ft)
Population  (2011)[2]
• Total	291 527
Racial makeup (2011) [2]
• Black African	95.5%
• Coloured	2.3%
• Indian/Asian	0.8%
• White	1.3%
• Other	0.8%
First languages (2011) [2]
• Tswana	78.4%
• English	0.6%
• Afrikaans	1.1%
• Sesotho	3.0%
• Other	11.1%
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)	2745
PO box	2745
Website	www.mahikeng.gov.za

Mahikeng, formerly known as Mafikeng^[3] and alternatively known as Mafeking (/ˈmæfəkɪŋ/, US also /ˈmɑːf-/), is the capital city of the North West province of South Africa.

Close to South Africa's border with Botswana, Mafikeng is 1,400 km (870 mi) northeast of Cape Town and 260 km (160 mi) west of Johannesburg. In 2001 it had a population of 49,300. In 2007 Mafikeng was reported to have a population of 250,000, of which the CBD constituted between 69,000 and 75,000. It is built on the open veld at an elevation of 1,500 m (4,921 ft), by the banks of the Upper Molopo River. The Madibi goldfields are some 15 km (9.3 mi) south of the town.