27-06-2025
Unearthing the past: dinosaur interpretation centre launched in Free State
In a celebration of South Africa's ancient past and cultural heritage, tourism minister Patricia de Lille has unveiled the Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretation Centre in the Free State, a facility combining science, culture and immersive learning.
Launched under the theme 'A Nation That Works for All: Unearthing Our Past, Building Our Future', the centre offers a blend of paleontology, archaeology, geology and history.
Set against the majestic backdrop of the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, the centre derives its name Kgodumodumo from Sesotho, meaning "great giant', which is a reference to a legendary creature said to have once devoured an entire village.
In a nod to the mythology and the area's rich fossil record, the centre features several life-sized dinosaur sculptures, including a recreation of the Ledumahadi mafube, a 12-ton, 12m-long sauropodomorph dinosaur that roamed the region more than 200-million years ago.
Ledumahadi mafube, which means 'The Giant Thunderclap' in Sesotho, is one of South Africa's best-known dinosaurs. First discovered in 1989 by renowned paleontologist James Kitching, it holds the distinction of being the heaviest dinosaur discovered in the Golden Gate Highlands and one of the first to be given an indigenous African name.
