Brakpan

Province

Brakpan ( German as: " Shallow brackish lake " ) is a city in South Africa. It belongs to the province of Gauteng and is located in the Metropolitan Municipality Ekurhuleni, which was formerly known in a similar situation as the East Rand. 2011, the city had 73,080 inhabitants.

Name

Brakpan was founded on the site of a farm on which there was a container filled with brackish shallow lake.

Geographical location

The city is located about 1600 meters above sea level. Brakpan is situated in the East Rand, which includes the eastern part of the Witwatersrands. Just north is the city of Benoni, southeast of the city Springs.

History

1888 Before Brakpan was ( German as: " Very satisfied") on the grounds of the farm Weltevreden founded. 1888 coal deposits were discovered. Coal mining was named Brakpan Collieries. Likewise, a coal power plant was built. Brakpan subsequently received a station on the railway line Germiston Springs. 1905 established the Brakpan Mines Company, the first two gold mines in Brakpan. At that time, one of the mines with 120 meters height, the highest mine dump in the world.

By 1912, Brakpan was a suburb of Benoni, but then received city rights. 1922 white miners took part in a strike and a revolt against the government.

The proceeds of the gold mines decreased gradually. Other industrial enterprises settled in Brakpan, particularly in the fields of iron production and engineering. This Brakpan benefited from its central location in the eastern Witwatersrand.

2000 Brakpan was a part of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.

Economy

Industrial enterprises are the main source of income of Brakpan. In addition, the amusement park was the largest casino in South Africa, Carnival City, built, which is intended mainly for tourists.

Traffic

Brakpan is located on the N17 trunk road.