Alberton, Gauteng
Encyclopedia
Alberton is a town situated on the East Rand
of the Gauteng
Province in South Africa
which celebrated its centenary year in 2005. it had a population of 202,202 inhabitants. It is known as a typical bedroom community, a community primarily residential in character, with most of its workers commuting to work in nearby suburbs or cities. The town has multiple access roads to all major freeways in Gauteng, most notably the R59, N3 and N12. Alberton is situated on the banks of the Natal Spruit close to the major urban centres of Johannesburg
(15 kilometres south east) and Pretoria
(76 kilometers).
At the age of 13 a boy by the name of Johannes Petrus Meyer bought 11 hectares of his father’s farm Elandsfontein. He later built a house next to the Alberton stream or Natalspruit, close to where the civic centre stands today, and married. After his wife died in 1870 at the birth of their fourth daughter, he decided to start a general store and built his farmhouse mansion in 1890. The house was miraculously left unharmed during the Anglo Boer War of 1899 – 1902 and can still be seen today from the bypassing N12 freeway.
Jan's brother, Johan Georg (Org) Meyer, took over the farm after Jan's death. General Hennie Alberts, a veteran of the war, purchased a part of the farm Elandsfontein from Org and he decided on the name Alberton.
The Afrikaans medium primary school Jan Meyer was named for the original owner of the farm, and the affluent suburb Meyersdal also refers to the family whose original farmhouse mansion still stands on the land behind the Meyersdal koppie. The primary school Generaal Alberts, and Hennie Alberts Avenue in the suburb of Brackenhurst, are named after the town founder.
The first official post office
was opened in 1926, and in 1938 building work started on a town hall. Street names in the Alberton North suburb were renamed after Voortrekkers
in 1938, to coincide with the 100 year commemoration of the Great Trek. The well-known Blou Meul was established in 1954 in Van Riebeeck Street, Alberton North, and is still trading today as a general store specializing in outdoor activity equipment.
The construction of the Alberton Boulevard was a major development started in the late 1980s with the aim of converting a section of Voortrekker Road that runs past the Alberton City Shopping Mall into a pedestrian-friendly zone.
The town's initial centre of development was in the area now known as Alberton North or ‘Old’ Alberton.
Alberton has an elevation of approximately 1570 m above sea level.
Alrode, which is Alberton's current industrial suburb, was established in 1943.
The original black settlement in Alberton was in the area of the Alberton Dam, but during the apartheid era inhabitants were removed to surrounding black townships, and a white suburb was established around the dam and named Verwoerdpark, after prime minister Hendrik Verwoerd. Some locals still refer to the dam as the Kaffir Dam, named after the donkey that was used to build the dam and not a racial slur. The name has fallen into disuse following the political and social changes of 1994.
There are sport
s facilities and clubs for tennis, rugby, boxing, wrestling, cricket, jukskei, netball, hockey, soccer, bowls, korfball and ring tennis in Alberton. It is also home to the Reading Country Club and Golf Course. Alberton was also home to the New Market Race Course while it existed.
influenced history and figures in 1938, the first new suburb to be developed outside the town centre was named New Redruth and the street names have a predominantly English character with names such as Penzance, St Michael and Gatwick Circle. The majority of streets in Brackenhurst are named after flowers and in the case of Mayberry Park, after trees.
Verwoerd stood as the National Party
's candidate for Alberton in the 1948 elections, the outcome of which saw the National Party ascend to power, and some years later, Hendrik Verwoerd was appointed as president of the party and ultimately Prime Minister of South Africa. Though a suburb is named for him, it is interesting to note that he lost out on the Alberton seat that year by 54 votes to the United Party
candidate, Marais Steyn.
East Rand, Gauteng
The East Rand is the name of the urban eastern part of the Witwatersrand that is functionally merged with the Johannesburg conurbation...
of the Gauteng
Gauteng
Gauteng is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. It was formed from part of the old Transvaal Province after South Africa's first all-race elections on 27 April 1994...
Province in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
which celebrated its centenary year in 2005. it had a population of 202,202 inhabitants. It is known as a typical bedroom community, a community primarily residential in character, with most of its workers commuting to work in nearby suburbs or cities. The town has multiple access roads to all major freeways in Gauteng, most notably the R59, N3 and N12. Alberton is situated on the banks of the Natal Spruit close to the major urban centres of Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
(15 kilometres south east) and Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
(76 kilometers).
Founding and history
Jan's brother, Johan Georg (Org) Meyer, took over the farm after Jan's death. General Hennie Alberts, a veteran of the war, purchased a part of the farm Elandsfontein from Org and he decided on the name Alberton.
The Afrikaans medium primary school Jan Meyer was named for the original owner of the farm, and the affluent suburb Meyersdal also refers to the family whose original farmhouse mansion still stands on the land behind the Meyersdal koppie. The primary school Generaal Alberts, and Hennie Alberts Avenue in the suburb of Brackenhurst, are named after the town founder.
The first official post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
was opened in 1926, and in 1938 building work started on a town hall. Street names in the Alberton North suburb were renamed after Voortrekkers
Voortrekkers
The Voortrekkers were emigrants during the 1830s and 1840s who left the Cape Colony moving into the interior of what is now South Africa...
in 1938, to coincide with the 100 year commemoration of the Great Trek. The well-known Blou Meul was established in 1954 in Van Riebeeck Street, Alberton North, and is still trading today as a general store specializing in outdoor activity equipment.
Town planning and geography
The only reason for Alberton's location is its proximity to the major population centre. It has large industrial areas, and has become a part of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, together with other towns such as Germiston, Bedfordview and Edenvale. There are several shopping centres, libraries, clinics, hospitals and entertainment facilities.The construction of the Alberton Boulevard was a major development started in the late 1980s with the aim of converting a section of Voortrekker Road that runs past the Alberton City Shopping Mall into a pedestrian-friendly zone.
The town's initial centre of development was in the area now known as Alberton North or ‘Old’ Alberton.
Alberton has an elevation of approximately 1570 m above sea level.
Suburbs
Over the years development sprawled out into adjacent areas, and today Alberton is made up of 18 suburbs: Alberante, Albermarle, Albertsdal, Alberton North, Alrode, Brackendowns, Brackenhurst, Eden Park, Florentia, Mayberry Park, Meyersdal, New Redruth, Palm Ridge, Randhart, Raceview, South Crest, Thokoza, and Verwoerdpark.Alrode, which is Alberton's current industrial suburb, was established in 1943.
The original black settlement in Alberton was in the area of the Alberton Dam, but during the apartheid era inhabitants were removed to surrounding black townships, and a white suburb was established around the dam and named Verwoerdpark, after prime minister Hendrik Verwoerd. Some locals still refer to the dam as the Kaffir Dam, named after the donkey that was used to build the dam and not a racial slur. The name has fallen into disuse following the political and social changes of 1994.
Facilities and recreation
Healthcare facilities include numerous government clinics as well the privately run Union Hospital and Clinton Clinic.There are sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
s facilities and clubs for tennis, rugby, boxing, wrestling, cricket, jukskei, netball, hockey, soccer, bowls, korfball and ring tennis in Alberton. It is also home to the Reading Country Club and Golf Course. Alberton was also home to the New Market Race Course while it existed.
Climate
Alberton enjoys a dry, sunny climate, with the exception of occasional late afternoon downpours in the summer months of October to April. Temperatures in greater Johannesburg are usually fairly mild thanks to the city's high altitude, with the average maximum daytime temperature in January of 26 ℃ (79 ℉), dropping to an average maximum of around 16 ℃ (61 ℉) in June. Winter is the sunniest time of the year, with cool days and cold nights. The temperature occasionally drops to below freezing at night, causing frost. Snow is a rare occurrence, with snowfall having been experienced in May 1956, August 1962, June 1964, September 1981 and August 2006 (light). Snow fell again on 27 June 2007, but was just ice rain.[10] accumulating up to 10 centimeters (3.9 in) in the southern suburbs. Regular cold fronts pass over in winter bringing very cold southerly winds but usually clear skies. The annual average rainfall is 713 millimetres (28.1 in), mostly in the summer months. There are infrequent showers in winter.Trivia
Following the re-naming of street names in Alberton to honor predominantly AfrikanerAfrikaner
Afrikaners are an ethnic group in Southern Africa descended from almost equal numbers of Dutch, French and German settlers whose native tongue is Afrikaans: a Germanic language which derives primarily from 17th century Dutch, and a variety of other languages.-Related ethno-linguistic groups:The...
influenced history and figures in 1938, the first new suburb to be developed outside the town centre was named New Redruth and the street names have a predominantly English character with names such as Penzance, St Michael and Gatwick Circle. The majority of streets in Brackenhurst are named after flowers and in the case of Mayberry Park, after trees.
Verwoerd stood as the National Party
National Party (South Africa)
The National Party is a former political party in South Africa. Founded in 1914, it was the governing party of the country from 4 June 1948 until 9 May 1994. Members of the National Party were sometimes known as Nationalists or Nats. Its policies included apartheid, the establishment of a...
's candidate for Alberton in the 1948 elections, the outcome of which saw the National Party ascend to power, and some years later, Hendrik Verwoerd was appointed as president of the party and ultimately Prime Minister of South Africa. Though a suburb is named for him, it is interesting to note that he lost out on the Alberton seat that year by 54 votes to the United Party
United Party
United Party is a term used various political parties:* United Party of Canada* United Party * United States United Party* United Party of National Development, Zambia* United Party * United Party * United Party...
candidate, Marais Steyn.
Notable Residents (Past & Present)
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(Actor) - Carl NiehausCarl NiehausCarl Niehaus is the former spokesman for South African ruling party the African National Congress, former spokesman for Nelson Mandela, and was a political prisoner after being convicted of treason against the apartheid state...
(Politician) - Andrew HallAndrew HallAndrew James Hall is a South African cricketer and a former member of the South African cricket team . He is an all-rounder who bowls fast-medium pace, and has been used as both an opening batsman and in the lower order. Prior to making it on the South African first class cricket scene he played...
(Protea Cricketer)