Lephalale, formerly known as Ellisras, is a coal mining town situated along the R510 Regional Route in the the Limpopo Province of South Africa, immediately east of the Waterberg Coalfield.
The town is part of the Lephalale Local Municipality under the Waterberg District Municipality of Limpopo Province.
Lephalale lies approximately 220 km north-west of Polokwane, 283 km north-west of Pretoria, and 512 km north-west of Mbombela (formerly Nelspruit).
The town was established as Ellisras in 1960. The name, Ellisras, is believed to have originated from the amalgamation of two of the town’s first farm owners: Patrick Ellis and Piet Erasmus.
In 2002, Ellisras was renamed Lephalale by the Limpopo Provincial Government, after the local Mokolo River, a tributary of the Limpopo River, which has been a life-giving resource to the inhabitants of the region since the beginning of time. The river brings the flow of life into Lephalale, which coincidentally is what “lephalale” means in English.
Although quite a young town, Lephalale has evolved into a South African eco-tourist destination of note. This Limpopo town is also a great destination for camping and game hunting enthusiasts.
Lephalale is fondly known as ‘The Heartbeat of the Bushveld’. It offers a wonderfully scenic area and biosphere rich in history and cultural artefacts. This unique area of the Waterberg region has beautiful vistas, crystal clear streams, mountain gorges and expansive bushveld.
Another noteworthy component to Lephalale is that it lies conveniently in a malaria-free zone. Visitors come to Lephalale to get away from the hustle and bustle of urban living in order to savour the magnificent sunsets and peaceful atmosphere.
With Lephalale’s close proximity to the Botswana border, it is often thought of as the gateway to Botswana as well as to other southern African countries.
