Randburg is an area located in the

Gauteng province Gauteng ( , ; Sotho-Tswana for 'place of gold'; or ) is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. Situated on the Highveld, Gauteng is the smallest province by land area in South Africa. Although Gauteng accounts for only 1.5% of the coun ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

. Formerly a separate

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

, its administration devolved to the newly created

City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality The City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality () is a metropolitan municipality that manages the local governance of Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa. It is divided into several branches and departments in order to expedite se ...

, along with neighbouring

Sandton Sandton is a financial, commercial and residential area, located in the northern part of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality. Formerly an independent municipality, Sandton's name came from the combination of two of its suburbs, Sa ...

and

Roodepoort Roodepoort ( ) is a city in the Gauteng province of South Africa. Formerly an independent municipality, Roodepoort became part of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, Johannesburg municipality in the late 1990s, along with Randburg ...

, in the late 1990s. During the transitional period of 1996–2000, Randburg was part of the Northern Metropolitan Local Council (MLC).

History

Early History of Randburg The earliest known inhabitants of the area now called Randburg were indigenous tribes who roamed the open

veld Veld ( or , Afrikaans language, Afrikaans and Dutch language, Dutch: ''veld'', field), also spelled veldt, is a type of wide-open, rural landscape in Southern Africa. Particularly, it is a flat area covered in grass or low scrubland, scrub, ...

. Evidence of their Iron Age craftsmanship, including tools and pottery, can still be found on some of the local koppies (small hills). However, much about their culture and history remains undocumented and largely unknown. The

Boer Boers ( ; ; ) are the descendants of the proto Afrikaans-speaking Free Burghers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. From 1652 to 1795, the Dutch East India Company controlled the Dutch ...

Settlements Randburg's recorded history began in the mid-19th century when Boer pioneers settled four farms in the area: Klipfontein, Driefontein, Olievenhoutspoort, and Boskop. These farms were later subdivided among the sons of the original farmers, following the tradition of the time. Driefontein, one of the largest farms, originally stretched from the northern boundary of Bryanston to present-day Braamfontein, eventually being divided into nine plots. One of the plots was purchased by Charles Rocher, a Frenchman from

Bordeaux Bordeaux ( ; ; Gascon language, Gascon ; ) is a city on the river Garonne in the Gironde Departments of France, department, southwestern France. A port city, it is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the Prefectures in F ...

, who named his section after his hometown. Rocher was an early pioneer of

Cape A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment of any length that hangs loosely and connects either at the neck or shoulders. They usually cover the back, shoulders, and arms. They come in a variety of styles and have been used th ...

deciduous fruit farming in the Transvaal, and remnants of his orchards can still be found on some of the older plots in the area. Another portion of the Boskop farm was bought by Dale Lace, a well-known Rand entrepreneur, who converted a farmhouse into a country residence. This home, restored by Tom Kelly in 1929 and renamed "Hy-Many," is currently under consideration for designation as a National Monument. Hy Many House

Randburg and the Gold Rush The discovery of gold in the region brought significant attention to Randburg. Wealthy English investors, such as Abe Bailey, saw the area as a prime opportunity for investment. Streets like Carlton Road, Church Street, and Pritchard Street were established in what was once open veld. The abundance of wildlife, particularly antelopes and birds, also made Randburg a popular hunting destination during this period. The name "Hunters Hill" is a reminder of these times when game was plentiful in the area. The Great Depression and Development

The Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank an ...

of 1928-1934 and a severe drought that lasted four years led to a significant influx of platteland (rural) farmers into Randburg. Many of these new settlers preferred the rural environment and chose to build their homes in the area, often without any state assistance. Life in Randburg was simple and self-sufficient, with an abundance of food available locally. By 1950, Randburg's population had grown to fewer than 9,000 inhabitants. However, rapid development followed, and by 1960, the population had expanded, new townships were established, and the local newspaper "Noord-Nuus" began publication. As businesses flourished, the question of municipal status arose—whether Randburg should remain independent or be incorporated into Johannesburg. In 1959, following a public competition, the name "Randburg" was chosen, and the area was inaugurated as a municipality. Autonomy and the Establishment of Randburg The establishment of Randburg as an independent town was driven by a self-appointed committee led by Robert van Tonder, a dynamic leader and District Secretary of the National Party. In 1956, van Tonder founded the Dorpsraadaksiekomitee with the aim of creating a town with an Afrikaans character, distinct from the predominantly English Johannesburg, which he viewed as politically left-leaning. The committee's petition for independence was supported by the Lorentz Commission, which, after considering the evidence, recommended the establishment of Randburg as a separate town. Randburg officially came into being on July 1, 1959. Early photo of Randburg

The Path to Autonomy During the process of establishing Randburg's autonomy, local elections were held in the North-Western Johannesburg Local Area Committee (LAC). The enthusiasm for independence was high in Randburg, contrasting with the apathy in other areas of Northern and North-Eastern Johannesburg. The success of Randburg's residents in securing independence inspired other areas north of Johannesburg to push for greater autonomy. Conflict with the Provincial Authorities In the 1950s, tensions arose between the Provincial Administration and the Peri-Urban Areas Health Board (PUAHB), which had jurisdiction over Randburg. The Board, responsible for providing services and maintaining sanitary conditions, was reluctant to relinquish control over Randburg, fearing that it would become a financially insecure and poorly managed town. Despite the Board's opposition, the Province supported the move towards local autonomy, leading to Randburg's eventual independence. The Lorentz Commission's findings and the Province's determination to promote autonomy marked a turning point in the development of Randburg, paving the way for its growth into a thriving, self-governing municipality. By 1972, the Randburg Town Council had established guidelines for the development of residential areas, the central business district (CBD), and industrial zones, setting the stage for the area's future growth and prosperity.Van Tonder, Robert, Hoe Randburg onstaan het. Randburg: Postma Publikasies, 1984. , url=https://www.bookdealers.co.za/products/hoe-randburg-ontstaan-het-afrikaans-robert-van-tonder Although economically linked to Johannesburg, residents chose to create their own town council. The name ''Randburg'' was chosen in a competition, and is derived from the

South African Rand The South African rand, or simply the rand, (currency sign, sign: R; ISO 4217, code: ZAR) is the official currency of South Africa. It is subdivided into 100 Cent (currency), cents (sign: "c"), and a comma separates the rand and cents. The Sou ...

currency, which was introduced at around the same time that the new municipality was established in 1959. Like other affluent northern suburbs of Johannesburg, the area was regarded as relatively liberal and elected Democratic Party members of parliament. As Apartheid ended, it became more supportive of

F. W. de Klerk Frederik Willem de Klerk ( , ; 18 March 1936 – 11 November 2021) was a South African politician who served as the seventh and final state president of South Africa from 1989 to 1994 and as Deputy President of South Africa, deputy president a ...

's reform-minded National Party. In 1962, it became a municipality. The resident demographic of Randburg tends to be more affluent than most of Johannesburg. The area was declared as a white area during the

Apartheid Apartheid ( , especially South African English: , ; , ) was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. It was characterised by an ...

era, but post-apartheid has attracted a varied population. In 2001, it was still predominantly occupied by white English and

Afrikaans Afrikaans is a West Germanic languages, West Germanic language spoken in South Africa, Namibia and to a lesser extent Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and also Argentina where there is a group in Sarmiento, Chubut, Sarmiento that speaks the Pat ...

suburbanites.

Geography

Randburg is located 18 km north-west of

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...

Central Business District A central business district (CBD) is the Commerce, commercial and business center of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides wit ...

(CBD) on the northwestern rural-urban fringe of the Greater Johannesburg

metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural area for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big city b ...

and is flanked by

to the south,

to the east,

to the west and the rural areas of

Chartwell Chartwell is a English country house, country house near Westerham, Kent, in South East England. For over forty years, it was the home of Sir Winston Churchill. He bought the property in September 1922 and lived there until shortly before his ...

and Farmall to the north.

Climate

The area experiences a

subtropical highland climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring c ...

or temperate oceanic climate with distinct seasonal variations, characterized by dry winters and warm summers. Climate Characteristics: Temperature: The coldest month has an average temperature above 0 °C (32 °F).Throughout the year, all months have average temperatures below 22 °C (71.6 °F). At least four months in the year have average temperatures above 10 °C (50 °F). Precipitation: The region experiences a marked contrast between wet and dry seasons. The wettest month of summer typically receives at least ten times the rainfall of the driest month of winter. Alternatively, over 70% of the average annual precipitation occurs during the warmest six months of the year. Minerals: The region is noted for the presence of various minerals, including: * Quartz * Amethyst * Citrine * Smoky Quartz

Suburbs

Randburg contains numerous

suburbs A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area. They are oftentimes where most of a metropolitan areas jobs are located with some being predominantly residential. They can either be denser or less densely populated ...

; many of these are residential. The following is a list of all suburbs that fell under the municipal area of Randburg: * Aldara Park * Bellairs Park * Beverley Gardens * Bloubosrand * Blairgowrie (most of the suburb) *

* Boskruin * Bromhof * Bryanbrink * Cedar Lakes *

Cresta Cresta may refer to: * Cresta, Gauteng Cresta is a suburb of Randburg, Gauteng, Randburg, South Africa, situated near the border of Johannesburg. Although it is mostly a residential area, in the middle is Cresta Shopping Centre, for which the ...

* Daniel Brink Park *

Darrenwood Darrenwood is a suburb in Randburg, Gauteng, Randburg, South Africa. It lies against the boundary of Johannesburg. Neighbouring suburbs include Linden, Gauteng, Linden, Cresta, Gauteng, Cresta (and the Cresta Shopping Centre), Aldara Park, Gauten ...

* Ferndale *

Fontainebleau Fontainebleau ( , , ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Functional area (France), metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the Kilometre zero#France, centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a Subprefectures in Franc ...

Hoogland Hoogland () is a village and former free-standing municipality in the province of Utrecht in the Netherlands. It is located north of the Amersfoort city centre. The village population is 10,587 people (2006). Since 1974, Hoogland has been a p ...

* Hunters Hill A. H. SP * Inadan AH * Jacanlee * Johannesburg North * Jukskei Park * Kelland * Kensington B * Kya Sand SP * Malanshof * Maroeladal * Moret * Needwood * Noordhang *

Northriding Northriding is a suburb of Randburg, Gauteng, Randburg, in Region C - formerly Region 5 (Johannesburg), Johannesburg Region 5, South Africa, and borders fourways and other surrounding suburbs in the north of Johannesburg. The suburb was named a ...

* Northgate * Northwold * Northworld AH * Oerder Park * Olivedale * President Ridge * Randpark * Randpark Ridge * Riverbend AH * Robin Acres * Robin Hills * Robindale * Ruiterhof * Sharonlea * Sonneglans * Strijdompark * Sundowner * Sundowner Ext * Vandia Grove * Windsor * Windsor East * Windsor Glen * Windsor West Bonner, Philip and Nieftagodien, Noor, Alexandra: A history. Johannesburg: Wits UniversityPress, 2001. Carruthers, E.J., ‘The growth of local self-government in the peri-urban areas north of Johannesburg, 1939-1969’. Unpublished MA dissertation, UNISA, 1980. Maud, John P.R., City government: The Johannesburg experiment. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1938. Republic of South Africa, Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (Act 117 of 1998).

Economy

Multichoice MultiChoice is a South Africa, South African company that operates DStv, a major satellite television service in Sub-Saharan Africa. The company also operates GOtv Africa, GOtv, a minor satellite TV service operating in 9 countries, and Showmax, ...

and its associated companies,

M-Net M-Net (an abbreviation of Electronic Media Network) is a South African pay television channel established by Naspers in 1986. The channel broadcasts both local and international programming, including general entertainment, children's series, ...

and

SuperSport (South African broadcaster) SuperSport is a South African-based group of television channels carried on the DStv & Canal+ satellite platforms alongside the GOtv terrestrial platform and Showmax Pro for live sports programming. It provides sports content in South Africa ...

, have their head offices in Randburg. The central business district of Randburg had fallen into decay starting in the 1990s, and plans were made to revive the CBD by the Johannesburg municipality. Strijdom Park is a well developed commercial/light industrial area in Randburg, wedged between the N1 Western Bypass and Malibongwe Drive. Strijdom park has a substantial auto sales and repair industry and has several other small industries that service the whole of northern Johannesburg. Randburg has faced competition from Sandton which is normally the preferred location for businesses but offers lower rentals and property prices whilst providing easy transportation to the west and central Johannesburg. There are future plans to connect Randburg onto the Gautrain routes. Cresta Shopping Centre is located in Randburg.

Education

Randburg has many schools within its borders and in the nearby areas.

Colleges

* CTI Randburg (Robin Acres) * Boston City Campus and Business College * College Campus * AAA School of Advertising * Vega School of Brand Leadership (Bordeaux) * Technisa - South West Gauteng College (Bordeaux) * Global Prospectus Development Institute *

Lyceum College Lyceum College is a college in South Africa. It is a wholly owned division of The Education Investment Corporation Limited, (Educor). It is a wholly owned division of The Education Investment Corporation Limited, (EDUCOR). ICESA Education Services ...

High schools

* Excelsior Learning Centre * Aurora Private School * King's School (also primary level) * Ferndale High School * Hoërskool Randburg (Fontainebleau) * Hoërskool Linden * Radley Private High School (Ferndale, also primary level) * Trinity House School, Johannesburg (also primary level) * Randpark High School, Randpark Ridge * Amazing Grace Private School (also primary level) * SPARK Randburg High

Primary schools

* Bordeaux Primary School * Blairgowrie Primary School * I.R. Griffith Primary School ( Blairgowrie) * Laerskool Fontainebleau * Laerskool Louw Geldenhuys * Laerskool Unika * North West Christian School * Rand Park Primary School * Risidale Primary School * Spark schools Blairgowrie and Ferndale * St Stithians College (Preparatory school)

Transport

Air Transport

The Lanseria International Airport, located just outside Randburg is conveniently situated within the greater vicinity of the town, located about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) north-west of the suburb of

. Lanseria mainly handles general aviation traffic however FlySafair currently offers scheduled domestic services to

Cape Town Cape Town is the legislature, legislative capital city, capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's List of municipalities in South Africa, second-largest ...

and

Durban Durban ( ; , from meaning "bay, lagoon") is the third-most populous city in South Africa, after Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the largest city in the Provinces of South Africa, province of KwaZulu-Natal. Situated on the east coast of South ...

. Alternatively, the O.R. Tambo International Airport situated approximately 32 kilometres (19.9 mi) east of Randburg on the

East Rand The East Rand is a major urban area located in the Gauteng province of South Africa. It is the urban eastern part of Witwatersrand that is functionally merged with the Johannesburg conurbation. The region extends from Alberton in the west to ...

has a wider variety of scheduled flights to other domestic destinations in South Africa, regional destinations in

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

and intercontinental destinations in

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

and

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...

Road Transport

The N1 national route ( Western Bypass) is the sole

freeway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway, and expressway. Other similar terms ...

providing access to Randburg and connects the town with

and

Bloemfontein Bloemfontein ( ; ), also known as Bloem, is the capital and the largest city of the Free State (province), Free State province in South Africa. It is often, and has been traditionally, referred to as the country's "judicial capital", alongsi ...

to the south and

Midrand Midrand is a town in central Gauteng, South Africa. It is situated in-between Centurion, Gauteng, Centurion and Sandton. Formerly an independent municipality, Midrand now forms part of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality. History ...

and

Pretoria Pretoria ( ; ) is the Capital of South Africa, administrative capital of South Africa, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to the country. Pretoria strad ...

to the north. Randburg is connected to the N1 by the M5 (Beyers Naude Drive) and R512 (Malibongwe Drive). Two regional routes intersect Randburg including the northwesterly R512 ( Malibongwe Drive) connecting to the Lanseria International Airport and Hartbeespoort and the northerly R564 (Northumberland Avenue; Witkoppen Road) to

and

. There are also a number of metropolitan routes within the Greater Johannesburg metropolitan region that serve Randburg including the M5 ( Beyers Naudé Drive) to

and Muldersdrift, M6 (John Vorster Road; Ysterhout Drive; Hans Schoeman Street; Hill Street) to

, M20 (Republic Road) to Johannesburg and Sandton and the M71 (Bram Fischer Drive) which runs as the main street of the CBD to

Sport

* Randburg Astroturf is a field hockey stadium.

Notable residents

*Pastor Ray McCauley (born 1 October 1949) is the founder of the Rhema Family Church, one of the largest and most influential charismatic churches in South Africa. He established the church in Randburg, where it has grown into a major religious institution with a large congregation and significant impact on the South African Christian community. Pastor McCauley is also known for his involvement in various social and political initiatives, advocating for moral and spiritual values in the public sphere. * Gift Ngoepe: Mpho Gift Ngoepe is a South African baseball player who became the first African-born player to compete in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB) in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. He has played for the

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...

and

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...

. * Michael Morton: A professional

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...

, Morton played as a

midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...

for several top clubs in the Premiership, including Orlando Pirates and

AmaZulu Zulu people (; ) are a native people of Southern Africa of the Nguni people, Nguni. The Zulu people are the largest Ethnic groups in South Africa, ethnic group and nation in South Africa, living mainly in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. They o ...

. * Mariella Venter: An accomplished

swimmer Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...

, Mariella Venter has represented South Africa in various international competitions. She specializes in

backstroke Backstroke or back crawl is one of the four Swimming (sport), swimming styles used in competitive events regulated by FINA, and the only one of these styles swum on the back. This swimming style has the advantage of easy breathing, but the disa ...

events and has been a strong competitor in the African Games and

Commonwealth Games The Commonwealth Games is a quadrennial international multi-sport event among athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations, which consists mostly, but not exclusively, of territories of the former British Empire. The event was first held in 1930 ...

. * Charles Elwes: A distinguished British rower who achieved national prominence as a schoolboy by competing in junior world championships. He won silver in the junior coxed four in 2014 and repeated the feat in the coxless four in 2015. Transitioning to the under-23 level, Elwes secured silver in 2017 and 2018 and gold in 2019. His senior career highlights include a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, gold at the

European Rowing Championships The European Rowing Championships is an international rowing regatta organised by World Rowing (named FISA until 2020) for European rowing nations, plus Israel, which, though not a member of the European federation, is treated as a European n ...

, and victories at the World Rowing Cups. Elwes also won gold at the 2022 World Rowing Championships and followed with another gold in 2023. He further cemented his legacy by winning gold at the

2024 Summer Olympics The 2024 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad () and branded as Paris 2024, were an international multi-sport event held in France from 26 July to 11 August 2024, with several events started from 24 July. P ...

References

{{Authority control Johannesburg Region B