Letsitele is a small town situated along the R529 Regional Route in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The town is in a farming district of primarily citrus, tobacco, beef cattle, and other fruits.
Letsitele is part of the Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality within the Mopani District Municipality of Limpopo Province.
The Letsitele area is rich in its cultural history and has many attractions for the tourist to observe while passing through.
At Letsitele, you will cross the Letaba River which provides water to one of the largest citrus areas in South Africa.
The town of Letsitele is named after the Letsitele River. The word ‘Letsitele’ is derived from a Northern Sotho word meaning ‘valley of the dead’, which was relevant in the days when malaria was a deadly threat in the valley. Today, malaria is no longer a problem due to Dr Siegfried Annecke’s major campaign to bring an end to this dreadful disease.
The name of the Letaba River was derived from the African word ‘Lehlaba’, which means Sandy River. The Letsitele Valley lies along the Letsitele River, a tributary of the Letaba River, towards the mountains near New Agatha, in the northern Limpopo province.
The valley is about 30 km south of Tzaneen towards Gravelotte, and regarded as one of the main agricultural areas in the lowveld.