North West

North West Province sits atop the Bushveld Igneous Complex, one of Earth's richest mineral deposits, making mining the dominant economic activity. Platinum from the Rustenburg area supplies global automotive catalytic converter manufacturing, creating extreme commodity price sensitivity. The incorporated former Bantustan of Bophuthatswana—an apartheid-era 'independent homeland' that international community never recognized—contributes to contemporary governance challenges and rural poverty. Sun City, the casino resort built during apartheid to circumvent South African gambling restrictions, exemplifies how regulatory arbitrage shaped provincial development. Mahikeng (formerly Mafikeng) serves as provincial capital, but economic activity concentrates in mining towns and Gauteng-adjacent areas. The province experienced negative or minimal GDP growth in recent years, suffering from mining sector volatility, agricultural drought, and governance dysfunction. By 2026, North West's platinum dependency creates dual vulnerability: global vehicle electrification reduces catalytic converter demand while water scarcity threatens mining operations.