Merafong City Local Municipality
Encyclopedia
Merafong City Local Municipality is a local municipality
in West Rand District Municipality
, Gauteng
, South Africa
. Its boundaries enclose some of the richest gold mines in the world. It is situated about 65km from Johannesburg and is serviced by a number of major roads, including the N12 from Johannesburg to Cape Town and the N14 (the main road between Gauteng and Mafikeng
via Ventersdorp).
Formerly a cross-border municipality, the entire municipality was transferred to the North West province following the abolition of cross-border municipalites by an amendment to the South African Constitution in 2005. The municipality was part of the North West Province from 2005 to 2009, when it was reincorporated into the Gauteng
Province by another amendment to the Constitution, following often violent protests in the township of Khutsong
.
Merafong's historical development is closely knit with the discovery of rich gold deposits in the early 1930s.
Fochville is the oldest town in the region, and was declared a town in 1951.
The town Carletonville was named after Guy Carleton Jones, an engineer from the Gold Fields Ltd mining company, who played a prominent role in the discovery of the West Wits gold field, of which Carletonville forms a part. The mining company decided in November 1946 to establish the town. Carletonville was proclaimed in 1948 and attained Town Council Status on 1 July 1959.
Wedela is situated between Western Deep Levels and Elandsrand mine. The town's name is derived from the prefixes of the two mines: the "Wed-" from Western Deep Levels and the "-ela" from Elandsrand. Wedela was established as a mining village in December 1978 by Harry Oppenheimer, and municipal status was granted to the town on 1 January 1990.
Attached to Fochville and Carletonville are the towns of Khutsong
, Kokosi, Greenspark, Welverdiend, and Blybank.
Local municipality (South Africa)
In South Africa, a local municipality or Category B municipality is a type of municipality that serves as the third, and most local, tier of local government...
in West Rand District Municipality
West Rand District Municipality
The West Rand District Municipality is one of the districts of Gauteng province of South Africa, that covers the West Rand area, with the exception of Roodepoort. The seat of the district municipality is Randfontein. The most spoken language of its 744 168 people is Setswana...
, 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...
, 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...
. Its boundaries enclose some of the richest gold mines in the world. It is situated about 65km from Johannesburg and is serviced by a number of major roads, including the N12 from Johannesburg to Cape Town and the N14 (the main road between Gauteng and Mafikeng
Mafikeng
Mahikeng – formerly legally, but still commonly known as Mafikeng – is the capital city of the North-West Province of South Africa. It is best known internationally for the Siege of Mafeking, the most famous engagement of the Second Boer War.Located on South Africa's border with Botswana, it is ...
via Ventersdorp).
Formerly a cross-border municipality, the entire municipality was transferred to the North West province following the abolition of cross-border municipalites by an amendment to the South African Constitution in 2005. The municipality was part of the North West Province from 2005 to 2009, when it was reincorporated into 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 by another amendment to the Constitution, following often violent protests in the township of Khutsong
Khutsong
Khutsong is a township on the West Rand of South Africa, and scene of widespread unrest since February 2006. It is situated close to the town of Carletonville , in the Merafong City Local Municipality of the Gauteng province.-Riots:...
.
Merafong's historical development is closely knit with the discovery of rich gold deposits in the early 1930s.
Fochville is the oldest town in the region, and was declared a town in 1951.
The town Carletonville was named after Guy Carleton Jones, an engineer from the Gold Fields Ltd mining company, who played a prominent role in the discovery of the West Wits gold field, of which Carletonville forms a part. The mining company decided in November 1946 to establish the town. Carletonville was proclaimed in 1948 and attained Town Council Status on 1 July 1959.
Wedela is situated between Western Deep Levels and Elandsrand mine. The town's name is derived from the prefixes of the two mines: the "Wed-" from Western Deep Levels and the "-ela" from Elandsrand. Wedela was established as a mining village in December 1978 by Harry Oppenheimer, and municipal status was granted to the town on 1 January 1990.
Attached to Fochville and Carletonville are the towns of Khutsong
Khutsong
Khutsong is a township on the West Rand of South Africa, and scene of widespread unrest since February 2006. It is situated close to the town of Carletonville , in the Merafong City Local Municipality of the Gauteng province.-Riots:...
, Kokosi, Greenspark, Welverdiend, and Blybank.