Editing Mafikeng (section)

==Name==
The name '''Mahikeng''' means "'''the place of rocks'''" in the classic [[Setswana language]] of the people of the [[North West (South African province)|North West]] province of South Africa and the surrounding country of [[Botswana]]. However, the city is commonly pronounced as '''Mafikeng''', in the vernacular of the '''Batswana''' people of [[Mmabatho]]. Historically it was also known as '''Mafeking''', and is still referred to as such historiographically in the context of the [[Siege of Mafeking]] and [[Relief of Mafeking]] during the [[Boer War]].

In February 2010, [[Lulama Xingwana|Lulu Xingwana]], the [[Minister of Arts and Culture (South Africa)|Minister of Arts and Culture]], approved the town's name to be changed again to ''Mahikeng''.<ref name="mg.co.za"/><ref>[https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2012-09-12-mafikeng-municipality-reverts-to-its-original-name-mahikeng/ Mafikeng municipality reverts to its original name: Mahikeng] SowetanLIVE, 2012-09-12</ref> Despite this the town's ANC-run local government and most local residents still refer to the town as Mafikeng both informally and formally.<ref name="mafikeng.gov.za">{{Cite web |url=http://www.mahikeng.gov.za/about-mafikeng/ |title=About Mafikeng &#124; Mahikeng Local Municipality |access-date=2017-11-27 |archive-date=2020-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926214954/http://www.mahikeng.gov.za/about-mafikeng/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="http://mg.co.za/article/2011-08-09-old-south-africa-collides-with-new-in-city-names">{{Cite news|url=http://mg.co.za/article/2011-08-09-old-south-africa-collides-with-new-in-city-names|title=Old South Africa collides with new in city names|last=Liou|first=Jean|work=The M&G Online|access-date=2018-06-17|language=en}}</ref>

Mahikeng literally means “place among rocks”. It refers to volcanic rocks that provided temporary shelter for Stone Age humans in order to more easily hunt animals drinking water in the [[Molopo River]].<ref name=":0">[https://www.mahikeng.gov.za/history/ History of Mahikeng] Mahikeng Local Municipality, 2021-05-15</ref>