Boksburg Area Profile

Boksburg at a glance

Boksburg is a city on the East Rand of Gauteng province of South Africa. Boksburg boasts a diversified industrial and mining centre. It has become one of the most important gold-producing towns on the Witwatersrand.

It is the business hub of Ekurhuleni, hosting the head offices of major companies such as: Macsteel, Fraser Alexander and EL Bateman. It is also home to factories for global consumers maufacturers Unilever and Colgate Palmolive. Africa's biggest consumer brand company Tiger Brands also have a factory in Boksburg. Boksburg is any shoppers delight. It boasts the East Rand Mall in the busy suburb of Jansen Park, which is one of the most popular and biggest malls in Gauteng. This makes Boksburg the ideal city for those seeking employment. A variety in developments and free standing houses from low cost to affordable and higher end makes Boksburg attractive to not only investors, but also blue collar individuals.

History

Originally, Boksburg was laid out in 1887 to serve the surrounding gold mines. Gold was discovered in Boksburg in 1887. The Main Reef Road linked Boksburg to all the other major mining towns on the Witwatersrand and the Angelo Hotel (1887) was used as a staging post. Boksburg is part of the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, that forms the local government of most of the East Rand.

The Mining Commissioner Montague White built a large dam which, empty for years, was dubbed White's Folly until a flashflood in 1889 silenced detractors. The 150,000 square metre dam is now the Boksburg Lake, and is surrounded by lawns, trees, and terraces.

After the discovery of gold in the late 1800s, people of all races flocked to Boksburg—some hoped to get rich, others just wanted employment. Most workers initially resided in the Boksburg North area but another area was later established for all mine workers dubbed, Julewe, the Zuluword for Place of Work.

The Government of the time declared that all coloured, Asian and black people should live in Julewe, which was situated between two wetlands and close to the mines (Cinderella and Hercules Mine Shafts).Julewe was divided in two by the main road, Church Road, running through it, with black mine workers on the one side, and coloureds, who moved to the Transvaal from the Eastern Cape, on the other. The Julewe community soon started schools and churches, and the Boksburg Coloured School, now known as Goedehoop Primary, is the oldest school in Boksburg, as it opened in 1905, with Mr G W Van Rooyen as the principal.

By 1911, the township was renamed Stirtonville, after the superintendent of the area. As a precaution, and to monitor the number of residents in the area, residents of Stirtonville each received a residential permit, while people who wanted to visit family or friends residing in the township, had to obtain a temporary day-pass, in order to enter the township, but even the strict control of the "Black Jack" officers who patrolled the township, failed to detect a few people creeping in and hiding away in the dense township. One of the people who did this, is one of the most iconic people in the world, the Nobel prize-winner and former President Nelson Mandela. It is rumoured that Mandela hid in Stirtonville, with authorities hot on his heels. Years later, Mandela returned to this area, where he was given the Freedom of the City. In 1962 the community decided to rename the suburb to Reiger Park.

Transportation

Boksburg is served with a well-developed transportation system. It has 3 national routes and 3 regional routes, the N3, N12, N17, R21, R29 and the R555.Through these routes. Boksburg is also served by the Metrorail line, the Springs-Johannesburg line and OR Tambo International Airport.

OR Tambo International Airport

Although situated in Kempton Park, not Boksburg, OR Tambo International Airport is only a 5 minute drive from Boksburg. OR Tambo International Airport is the hub for most international and domestic travel from and in South Africa and is able to cope with 28 million passengers per year. The OR Tambo Airport is also the centre for South African Airways which is South Africa’s largest domestic and international flight carrier as well as local airlines that fly domestically.

Attractions

Wild Waters

Wild Waters Boksburg offers the ultimate entertainment experience — combining the excitement of a water park with other family favorite activities. They have 7 thrilling water activities and your admission price covers unlimited use! Since 1984, they’ve provided a safe, fun-filled environment, with great food, and a lively atmosphere. Stop by and get ready to play! Located in Bardene, Boksburg.

The Bokkie Park

The Bokkie Park is a lovely, secured playground for the children. With bunnies and peacocks running around, just waiting to be fed. There are several petting areas with enclosed farmyard animals and pony and camel rides on the weekends. The park also has a dam with ducks and geese. It is open from 8am to 5pm. You can bring a picnic, use the braai facilities or buy snacks and drinks from the kiosk. Once a month the park hosts a market day with a variety of different vendors. It is the prefect family outing! Located in Parkdene, Boksburg.

The East Rand Flea Market

The East Rand Flea Market lies right next to the East Rand Mall, and as a result, is open just about all week, except for Mondays, to sell its wares to shoppers, who delight in the array of goods that range from African artwork, to any number of handcrafted goods, a budding home industry, and just about any type of plastic gadget known to man. Enjoy browsing your way through the stalls and stop at one of the numerous food vendors for a hot dog, boerewors roll or samoosa. The East Rand Flea Market is just 7 kilometres away from OR Tambo International Airport.

Amenities

Malls and Shopping Centres

Boksburg flexes its retail muscles with some 16 shopping centres, including East Rand Mall, East Point, Value Mall, Retail Park, Sunward Park Lifestyle Centre and Kingfisher Corner.

ERPM/ Boksburg Rugby Club

ERPM rugby club was established in 1903 by the ERPM mine. The club adopted the badge of the mine as its logo. The prominent part of the badge is the owl and the club nickname became Hooters. The mining rugby clubs, ERPM, Rand Leases, Simmer and Jack, Diggers and Pirates formed the core of the Transvaal Rugby Football Union. After the demise of the mine the name was changed to the Boksburg Rugby Club. The club presently form part of the Falcons Rugby Union.

ERPM Golf Club

Founded in 1903, ERPM Golf Course is rated 94 in Golf Digest 2016 top 100 Golf Courses of South Africa. ERPM Golf Course is located just outside the beautiful Boksburg suburb of Boksburg West . It boasts an immaculate 18 hole golf course. Full catering with an exceptional venue is available for all functions.

East Rand Mall

East Rand Mall is situated only 7 km from South Africa's busiest airport, OR Tambo International Airport. The centre's well-planned tenant combination includes all of South Africa's Major Chain Stores and a host of smaller specialised stores. East Rand Mall's extensive range of entertainment includes a massive kids trampoline arena called iJump, a colorful movie experience for the little ones with a separate section, a 7 cinema movie theatre, restaurants and coffee shops.

Schools

Boksburg has a number of excellent private and public primary and high schools to choose from. Some examples are:

Laerskool Concordia

Martin Primary School

Wit Deep Primary School

Summerfields Primary School

Hoerskool Dr E.G Jansen

Oosrand Secondary School

Boksburg High School

Woodlands International College

Hospitals and Clinics

Boksburg has hospitals and clinics available, notably:

Netcare Sunward Park Hospital

Tambo Memorial Hospital

Medicross Medical Centre

Boksburg North Clinic

Netcare Sunward Park Hospital

Located in Sunward Park, Boksburg, Netcare Sunward Park has been serving the East Rand community with a comprehensive range of healthcare services for more than 20 years.Their 214-bed facility is set in a tranquil environment yet is easily accessible from Midrand, Pretoria, Johannesburg and OR Tambo International Airport.

Residents of Boksburg form part of a bustling community that is home to large industry and commerce, great shopping experiences and varied entertainment. The opportunities in the region attract a huge diversity of people which is reflected by the vast array of properties to choose from that sit all along the spectrum from entry level to luxurious. Boksburg is well poised to continue on its current path of growth and the area is a solid investment opportunity.