Bethlehem is a large town in the eastern Free State province of South Africa that is situated on the Liebenbergs river along a fertile valley just north of the Rooiberg Mountains on the N5 road. It is the fastest growing town in the Free state province, with its target of being the Fourth largest city after Kroonstad in balance. It is a wheat growing area and named after the biblical Bethlehem. The town lies at an altitude of and this contributes to its cool climate with frosty winters and mild summers. The average annual temperature is around. Bethlehem is situated approximately north-east of Bloemfontein, east of Kroonstad and west of Harrismith. The town 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. The township associated with Bethlehem is called Bohlokong, named after the hloko/bohloko grass Diheteropogon filifolius.
History
Bethlehem was founded by four local residents, Leon Roos, Jean Gouws, Christiaan Gouws and Pieter Nel, who jointly bought the farm Pretorius Kloof. The first stands were sold in 1860 and a justice of peace was appointed in 1864.
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:
Bethlehem mall
Dihlabeng mall
Maluti square.
Others are:
Village square
Metropolitan life centre
Shoprite centre.
With the shopping in this town also characterised by typical high street shopping with majority of shops situated along the Muller, Cambridge, Louw, Church, High and other surrounding streets.
Sport
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 brothers, Jannie and Bismarck du Plessis. 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 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.
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 with chartered daily flights to Bloemfontein and Johannesburg.
Coats of arms
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. The crest was three golden ears of wheat with blue stalks and leaves, tied together with a red band; the motto was Conjuncti prosperamus.
