Welkom

Province

Welkom [ vɛlkɔm ] (" Welcome " in Afrikaans and Dutch) is a town in the municipality Matjhabeng, Lejweleputswa district in South Africa. 2011, it had 211 011 inhabitants. The city is 160 kilometers from the provincial capital of Bloemfontein away.

Welkom is one of the youngest and at times the fastest growing cities in South Africa. Their growth owes gold was discovered in 1946. According to its founding in 1947, Welkom became the center of the South African gold industry. 21 percent of the world's mined gold comes from Welkom. In addition to gold also uranium is mined and produced steel, timber and beef. Additional facilities there are, among others, two technical colleges, a small airport and connection to the railway line between Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Welkom was designed from the start as a model city for the workers in the gold mines. A special feature in this context is situated in a 45 acre park, horseshoe-shaped commercial and administrative center. In the city were planted over a million trees.

Welkom received municipal rights in 1961 first and 1968 the full city rights. Today Welkom seat of the municipal administration. Even after the end of apartheid in South Africa in the early 1990s most blacks live in Welkom in the nearby township Thabong.

Tourism

Worth seeing is the City Hall. In the modern City Hall Welkom an exhibition provides an overview of the city's history and the gold mining in the region. The publicity Clock Tower, a 60 meter high clock tower with 196 steps, you have a clear view over the city and region.

The Gold Museum is housed in the public library and represents the first discovery of gold and the subsequent degradation in this area dar. The city was founded as well as the local flora and fauna are presented. Through the six still active gold mines around tours are offered.

In the summer since the late 90s are held every weekend on the circuit Goldfield Course car racing.

For animal lovers there are west of the center of Welkom to visit the flamingo colony.

Sons and daughters of the city

• Yolandi du Toit ( born 1985 ), cyclist