Mabopane, Gauteng

Mabopane was proclaimed in 1959 as a black-only residential settlement by the then Transvaal administration. Before its proclamation, the area was under the administration of Transvaal government little more than grazing lands with small communities in Boukenhoutfontein (which later became Block A), Winterveldt and Hebron. The initial residents of Boukenhoutfontein were victims of forced removals from Wallmansthal, Lady Selborne, Boukenhoutkloof and other farm areas around Pretoria. Other residents of Mabopane were Mapulana people who were evicted from the farms near Premier Mine and settled in a non-developed area commonly called Mapulaneng, which is between Block A, Lebanon and Block U. With the financing coming from the South African government the first blockhouses were constructed similarly to those found in Soweto, beginning with Block A which had two-roomed houses, Block B, Block C, Block D and Block E. The areas within Mabopane were planned according to the class of its citizens; for example Block D (with many mansions which housed the politically connected) in comparison to Block E (blockhouses).

Mabopane was incorporated into the bantustan of Bophuthatswana from 1977 to 1994. Parts of Mabopane, Blocks F, G and H became Soshanguve to house the Non-Tswana residents of Mabopane during the Bantustan rule. Many institutions and projects were undertaken under the Presidency of Lucas Manyane Mangope of Bophutatswana this included a training college - the ODI Manpower Learning Centre, ODI hospital, housing projects in areas today known as Beirut and Lebanon, ODI prison in Block U, new high schools in Dr. Moreosele High School in Block U and the new Ngaka Maseko High School was moved from Block C to Lebanon, the ODI stadium near what used to be Sun International's Morula Casino and a highway between Mabopane and Garankuwa. These are some of the public works service delivery projects Mangope instituted to improve the lives of the people of Mabopane, the quality of service delivery unsurpassed since the dawn of the new South Africa. The residents of Soshanguve who were not Tswana speaking refused to be incorporated into Bophuthatswana and fought to remain under Pretoria. They identified with the struggles of those living in Atteridgeville and Mamelodi. The railway line that ran from Mabopane train station across the township served as a dividing line between Soshanguve and Mabopane and later became a borderline between Pretoria and Bophuthatswana. The 1990s saw the beginning of the decline of Mabopane. In an effort to restructure the municipalities to be inclusive the new government also sidelined those institutions they believed symbolized Mangope's complicity with the Apartheid government, with divestment from the ODI Stadium which was now nicknamed "Stadium sa Mangope" (meaning the stadium that belongs to Lucas Mangope) denoting negative sentiment towards the structure. The schools were no longer properly maintained as calls for resources to be equally disbursed amongst the rest of the poorly resourced schools.

In the Apartheid days Mabopane was an active base for PAC and ANC members who mobilized workers against the government and playing the South African government against the Bophuthatswana Administration. The times were tough particularly in the mid 1980s as the local authority was holding on to power. Mabopane Square used to be the gathering ground for activists and communists protesting against the government. School riots were plentiful in the 1976 student uprising. Several township administration halls were burnt and the bus depot was vandalized.

In as much as Mabopane was not highly noticed during the apartheid era, the churches in Boekenhoud served a great purpose in ensuring that people had safe spaces to hold their meetings without raising suspicions to the police.

With democracy on its way in the early 1990s the face of Mabopane started to change. The old authorities were replaced with new leaders in what was then the Town of Mabopane. Hon. Lehobye was the first mayor along with Hon. Molema deputy mayor who was elected to administer the town. In the advent of the new millennium, Mabopane has seen new growth and repairs and maintenance of its infrastructure.

Soshangaan primary School the best school in Mabopane, Mabopane High School, Selelo Primary ,kopa dilalelo primary School, Marula Primary School, ,Ikeleng Primary School, Ditshaba Primary, Ngaka Maseko High School, Pelotona High School, DA Mokoma High School, Reinotswe Special School, Nong Primary School, Rekopantswe Primary School, Botsalo Primary School,Morula View Primary School, Dr AT Moreosele High School Retlelepele primary School,Letlotlo high School, Edwin molausi primary School sun velly primary School and many more schools

Higher Education in Mabopane is Soshangaan primary School seriously under pressure as more students prefer to attend lecture outside the district. There is only one community college, Tshwane South College previously known as MANPOWER. It offers a medium variety of courses, mainly rudimentary and basic and technical skills subjects. There is no option to receive any degree but a national certificate accredited by Umalusi. There is a large failure rate at this campus in comparison to other colleges.

There are about two F.E.T. (Further Education Training) institutions in Mabopane offering transferring of skills mainly to unemployed residents, the elderly and women.