Springs, Gauteng

Province

Springs is a city in South Africa. It belongs to the province of Gauteng and is located in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, which was formerly known as the East Rand. 2011, it had 121 610 inhabitants.

Name

The city was named after a farm on which there are numerous sources (English: springs ) announced.

Geographical location

The city is situated 1618 meters above sea level. Springs is the easternmost city in the Witwatersrand. To the west of Brakpan Springs is located; further west, lying East to West Benoni, Boksburg, Germiston and Johannesburg.

History

The farm The Springs originally comprised of a 7 km ² large area. 1883, the land was surveyed. 1887 there was found coal. Three years later the first railway line was built in the Transvaal, to transport the coal from the East Rand in the economic area of the central Witwatersrands in Johannesburg.

The coal mines were gradually closed, as it was further east better coal deposits. Same was found in Springs gold. In 1904, the village Springs was founded; Started in 1908 the gold mining industry. 1912 Springs was community. In the late 1930s there were eight gold mines near Springs. Thus, it was the largest pure gold mining area in the world.

Population

The sharp in the days of apartheid racial segregation of residential areas by population group was softened by removals in all directions. Near the new industries, not planned by the authorities settlements have emerged.

Economy

Springs is one of the industrial centers of the Witwatersrand. After many mines were closed, including industrial enterprises in the fields of metals, chemicals, paper and food were opened.

Traffic

Springs is located on the N17 trunk road.

Education

In the Springs Springs campus of the Ekurhuleni East College is located.

Sons and daughters of the town

• Nadine Gordimer (* 1923), writer and Nobel Prize winner (as so far the only African )
• Frew McMillan ( b. 1942 ), tennis player
• Penelope Heyns ( born 1974 ), a double swimming champion at the Olympic Games in Atlanta; they overtook the first Olympic gold medals for South Africa after the end of apartheid
• Rowen Fernandez (born 1978 ), football player