When assessing the economic engines of South Africa, the coastal giants of Cape Town and Durban, along with the extensive financial hub of Gauteng, typically dominate the conversation. However, in between these economic centres lies a region that functions as the heart and core of the country. We call it Central South Africa.

Encompassing the Free State, parts of the Northern Cape, and the North West and Vaal, this region forms a crucial economic spine.

Far from being mere "transit territory," Central South Africa possesses a unique, highly diversified economic ecosystem. By serving as the nation’s breadbasket, a massive mining powerhouse, and a vital logistical crossroads, the region exerts an outsized influence on the country's macroeconomic stability and industrial supply chains.

Central South Africa is the cornerstone of the country's food security. The region's geography is characterised by rolling plains and rich, arable soil, making it ideally suited for large-scale commercial farming.

The Free State alone produces over 30% of South Africa's total maize harvest, split between white maize (a critical national dietary staple) and yellow maize (primarily used for animal feed). Beyond maize, Central South Africa accounts for the majority of the country’s sorghum, sunflower seeds, and soybeans.

The vast grasslands of the Free State and the Northern Cape support extensive cattle and sheep farming, fuelling the meat processing and dairy sector that supplies urban markets nationwide.

This agricultural expertise extends far beyond primary farming. A sophisticated agro-processing network has developed across central towns like Bloemfontein, Bethlehem, and Kroonstad. Milling companies, dairy packaging plants, and food manufacturing facilities convert raw agricultural products into high-value consumer goods, creating a highly resilient rural economy that acts as a buffer during broader industrial downturns.

If agriculture forms the surface identity of Central South Africa, its underground mineral wealth provides its raw economic muscle. The central provinces sit atop some of the richest geological formations on earth, manganese and iron ore, gold and diamonds and the clean energy transition.

The Northern Cape contains roughly 80% of the world’s known manganese reserves. Manganese is an irreplaceable component in the production of steel and, increasingly, next-generation electric vehicle batteries. Combined with massive iron ore operations in towns like Kathu, this region is a vital foreign exchange earner for South Africa, driving billions of Rands in export revenue through the Sishen-Saldanha railway line.

The Free State Goldfields, centred around Welkom, has historically been one of the world's most prolific gold-producing regions. While deep-level gold mining has matured, the extraction of diamonds along the Orange and Vaal rivers, along with historic operations in Kimberley, remains a highly lucrative sector that anchors local municipal economies.

As global markets transition toward cleaner energy, Central South Africa's mining sector is pivoting toward critical minerals. The abundance of copper, zinc, and lithium deposits in the region ensures that it will remain highly relevant to global technology and energy supply chains well into the future.

Geography is Central South Africa’s greatest economic asset. Positioned directly in the middle of the country, the region serves as the bridge connecting the manufacturing core of Gauteng with the export ports of the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal.

The N1 Highway, the ultimate transport artery of South Africa, cuts directly through the centre of the Free State. This is complemented by the N8 Corridor, which establishes an east-west trade route linking Lesotho through Bloemfontein all the way to the Northern Cape and Namibia.

Because thousands of freight trucks pass through the central interior daily, cities like Bloemfontein have transformed into strategic inland logistics hubs. Massive warehousing complexes, distribution centres, and truck-stop economies have emerged.

In recent years, Central South Africa has rapidly emerged as the forerunner of the country's green energy transition. The Northern Cape and western Free State boast some of the highest solar plants in the world, alongside highly consistent wind patterns.

The region has attracted billions of Rands in private and public investment through the Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (IPPPP). Vast fields of solar panels and towering wind turbines now dot landscapes that were once exclusively reserved for sheep farming. This booming clean energy sector does more than just feed desperately needed electricity into the national grid, it actively drives infrastructure development, technical skill transfer, and specialized engineering jobs to historically under-serviced rural communities.

Central South Africa is far more than a scenic backdrop for travellers driving between the country's coastal cities. It is an indispensable economic powerhouse. Its fields feed the nation, its mines anchor global heavy industry, its highways carry the lifeblood of domestic trade, and its sun-drenched plains are illuminating the future of clean energy.

Central South Africa, is South Africa’s Heart.

Who is OFM?

In the heartland of South Africa, there’s a medium that moves people to action. OFM crafts the soundtrack to living in the Free State, Northern Cape, North West and the Vaal.

This region is rich in minerals and renewable energy, but its greatest treasure is its people. For decades, ‘ordinary’ individuals from Central South Africa have achieved the extraordinary – from the birth of a liberation movement in Bloemfontein, to Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s beginnings in Klerksdorp, to Africa’s first astronaut, Mark Shuttleworth from Welkom.

Here, resilience fuels remarkable moments: a University of the Free State medical student crowned Miss World, the Griquas lifting the Currie Cup after 55 years. And every day, countless unsung heroes continue that legacy. We meet them where they are – as fans greet OFM’s cheerful yellow fleet criss-crossing the region for activations and outside broadcasts.

In a place where community defines quality of life, ‘stronger together’ isn’t just a saying – it’s a way of being. When need arises, Central South Africa shows up. In October, our listeners helped raise R1.2 million for CANSA. A one-day radiothon generated R300 000 to give the elderly and children a warmer winter in July.

We celebrate the lighter side too. Milk-tart mania swept through the region during our “melktert meesters” fun – leaving shelves bare, and on Heritage Day, our audience settled the braaibroodjie debate – traditional wins. And, OFM CLOSET, home of the famous “bakkie arm,” brings playfulness to life with punchy slogan merchandise.

As the leading commercial station in Central South Africa, OFM delivers not only entertainment but essential information to guide daily life and business.

Agriculture is the backbone of this region. Its world-class produce – lamb, beef, grapes, citrus, cherries, nuts and more – is enjoyed across the globe. OFM’s heart beats agri. We know when the rains delay, when disease impacts value chains, and when farmers need us to stand with them. We even helped one farmer “go for gold in the green” with a new John Deere tractor.

OFM is the sound of NAMPO Harvest Day, the largest agricultural expo in the southern hemisphere, attracting 800 exhibitors and 100 000 visitors over four days.

We don’t just broadcast to Central South Africa – we serve and we celebrate it.

Four provinces. Three hundred thousand listeners. On air and online another three hundred thousand streamed connections, with 250 000 social media followers.

One heartbeat that connects it all.

OFM – the sound of your life.