Roodepoort

Roodepoort is a town in the Gauteng province of South Africa. Formerly an independent municipality, Roodepoort became part of the Johannesburg municipality in the late 1990s, along with Randburg and Sandton. Johannesburg's most famous botanical garden, Witwatersrand National Botanical Gardens (now renamed Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden), is located in Roodepoort.

Roodepoort
Bastion Hoërskool in Roodepoort
Roodepoort
Roodepoort
Coordinates: 26°9′45″S 27°52′21″E
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceGauteng
MunicipalityCity of Johannesburg
Area
 • Total161.50 km2 (62.36 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total326,416
 • Density2,000/km2 (5,200/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
 • Black African51.4%
 • Coloured8.2%
 • Indian/Asian4.0%
 • White35.4%
 • Other0.9%
First languages (2011)
 • English29.8%
 • Afrikaans24.0%
 • Zulu9.0%
 • Tswana8.8%
 • Other28.4%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
1724
PO box
1725
Area code011
Main Reef Road is an important east–west road linking up many suburbs of the City.

History

In 1884, brothers Fred and Harry Struben, having discovered gold on the farm Wilgespruit at the western end of the Witwatersrand, were granted concessions to mine the area. When George Harrison's find at Langlaagte came to light and gold fever took hold, the Strubens brothers were joined by a swarm of gold diggers. Other areas such as Maraisburg were prospected and mined by A.P. Marais and at Florida, the owners were van der Hoven, Bantjies and Lys.[2]:286 Though the Struben brothers' Confidence Reef bore little gold and their mine was unprofitable, the ramshackle town that grew around it became the Roodepoort Municipality in 1904.[2]:286 Incorporating the towns of Hamburg, Florida and Maraisburg, Roodepoort became a city in 1977, and has since developed as one of Johannesburg's most prominently-Afrikaans-speaking districts.[2]:286

Geography

Communities

Residential areas in the new developing parts of Roodepoort are expanding at a faster pace than anywhere else in South Africa. This growth is said to be fueled by various factors such as the fast-growing Black middle class, the close proximity to other large Gauteng cities and established and advanced infrastructure.

Ethnicity

Traditionally, Roodeport was an Afrikaaans-speaking area, but after apartheid, the area has attracted different ethnic groups and the dominant language is now English. The rapid expansion of middle-class housing in the area has caused an influx of all ethnic groups but mostly of the middle class.

Economy

Retail
Westgate Mall is situated in West Roodepoort and is one of the 'Four Gates' to Johannesburg.

Roodepoort has seen large population growth due to Johannesburg urban sprawl. There are three major malls in the area - Clearwater Mall, the most upscale in Roodepoort, Cradelstone Mall, built in 2015 and Westgate Mall the largest and oldest. Areas of interest for entertainment include the Featherbrooke Village centre which is close to Monash University and is a student hotspots. Roodepoort has a wide variety of restaurants and shopping centres. The CBD of the city has shifted from its historical center (now dominated by crime and grime) to a location close to the 14th Avenue off ramp. Regional headquarters of banks, a large hospital, various office parks and two large hotels are found in the new CBD. Roodepoort still has a large industrial sector along Main Reef road. A number of logistical firms work from the area as well as other light industry.

Sport

The city has a large golf course called Ruimsig Country Club in the suburb Ruimsig. Another smaller golf course is the Jackel Creek Golf Estate. In between the two there is a links golf course Eagle Canyon. Further south in Roodepoort there's a golf course called CMR Golf Club. Roodepoort Athletics Stadium is also found within the city. It has three mega private gym facilities owned by Virgin Active and Planet Fitness.

Parks and greenspace

The Roodepoort area has numerous parks and green areas. Walter Sisulu Botanical Garden, formerly known as the Witwatersrand National Botanical Garden, is a 300 hectares (3.0 km2) botanical reserve with grass parks, natural cliff face and waterfall. Another large greenspace is the Kloofendal Nature Reserve, a 128ha park with trails, amphitheatre, dam and small wild mammals. Further to the south is Florida Lake with its bird life and related aquatic activities.

Law and government

Government

Although Roodepoort has traditionally been regarded as being part of the West Rand, it was not made part of the West Rand District Municipality, instead being integrated into the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, following the post-apartheid reorganisation of local government in the late 1990s.

Education

Schools

Roodepoort is home to several private and state schools, including Maragon, Trinity House, Charter College, West Ridge High School, Horizon View Primary, Hoërskool Roodepoort and Ruimsig Academy.

University

In 2001 Monash University Australia opened a campus in Roodepoort called Monash South Africa (MSA). The University pulled out of South Africa in 2018 but sold the University to the Independent Institute of Education. Monash South Africa is now the IIE MSA offering the same qualifications as the old Monash University.

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References
  1. "Main Place Roodepoort". Census 2011.
  2. Conolly, Denis (1975). The Tourist in South Africa. Travel-Guide (PTY) LTD. ASIN B0000E7XZN.
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