City Deep, Gauteng Explained

City Deep
Pushpin Map:South Africa Gauteng#South Africa
Coordinates:-26.2282°N 28.0812°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:South Africa
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:Gauteng
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Type3:Municipality
Subdivision Name3:City of Johannesburg
Subdivision Type4:Main Place
Subdivision Name4:Johannesburg
Established Title:Established
Leader Title:Councillor
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:8.77
Population Total:1338
Population As Of:2011
Population Density Km2:auto
Demographics Type1:Racial makeup (2011)
Demographics1 Title1:Black African
Demographics1 Info1:99.9%
Demographics1 Title2:Coloured
Demographics1 Title3:Indian/Asian
Demographics1 Info3:0.1%
Demographics1 Title4:White
Demographics1 Title5:Other
Demographics Type2:First languages (2011)
Demographics2 Title1:Xhosa
Demographics2 Info1:29.1%
Demographics2 Title2:Northern Sotho
Demographics2 Info2:27.1%
Demographics2 Title3:Zulu
Demographics2 Info3:16.2%
Demographics2 Title4:Venda
Demographics2 Info4:8.9%
Demographics2 Title5:Other
Demographics2 Info5:18.8%
Timezone1:SAST
Utc Offset1:+2
Postal Code Type:Postal code (street)
Postal Code:2197
Postal2 Code Type:PO box
Postal2 Code:2049
Area Code Type:Area code

City Deep is an industrial suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa. It is located in Region F of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality. Locally is a large container terminal of Transnet Freight Rail in operation, the most significant dry port of the country, and the Joburg Market (formerly named as Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market).

History

Container terminal

City Deep Terminal is the name of Africa's largest Dry Port and was officially opened by the South African Railways Services (SARS) in 1977.[2] The container terminal is connected to the Port of Durban, Port of Ngqurha, Port of Cape Town, as well as Southern Africa by road and rail.[2] At least forty percent of container export/imports run on the Natal Corridor (Natcor) which is directly linked by rail to City Deep. The Natal Corridor traverses through an estimated distance of 714km (444miles) by rail between Johannesburg and Durban.[2] The main equipment used for its operations include Rail Mounted Gantry Cranes [RMG], Reach Stackers, Empty Container Handlers and Terminal Tractors or Haulers. The Terminal covers a 117ha area and has just over 3,000 Terminal Ground Slots (TGS), of which less than 100 are for Refrigerated containers. The throughput capacity of the port is estimated at a minimum of 400,000 TEU per annum.[2]

Market

Joburg Market (formerly called the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market) is also situated at City Deep and was opened in September 1974.[3] It is a 65000abbr=offNaNabbr=off facility, the largest market supplier of fruit and vegetables in South Africa and Africa with 45,000 buyers visiting each day.[4]

The original markets, in its various forms, began at Market Square, Johannesburg in 1886 and moved to Newtown in 1913.[5] The Johannesburg Town Council took over full control in 1906 when they bought the Transvaal government's share.[5] In 1946, the City of Johannesburg began to investigate a new location.[5] In 1963, the city finalised the location at City Deep. Construction began on 15 January 1968 and was completed at a cost of R18 million, opening on 3 September 1974 by the minister of agriculture.[5]

At the time of its opening, the market consisted of eight 304m by 24m sale halls and one 457m by 30m sale hall.[5] Accommodation for market officials and users, 37 refrigeration and ripening rooms, banks, post office, restaurant and cafeterias.[5] Annual turnover at its opening in 1974 consisted of R42 million in sales, accounting for 26% of the country's fresh produce sales.[5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sub Place City Deep . Census 2011.
  2. Book: Dry Ports – A Global Perspective: Challenges and Developments in Serving Hinterlands . Routledge . Bergqvist, Rickard . 2016 . 284 . 9781317147664.
  3. Book: Critical Perspectives on African Politics: Liberal interventions, state-building and civil society . Routledge . Gabay, Clive . Death, Carl. 2014 . 196 . 9781317686125.
  4. Book: Johannesburg: The Bradt City Guide . Bradt Travel Guides . Williams, Lizzie . 2007 . 244 . 9781841621760.
  5. de Villiers . Hugo . July 1975 . Market Giant . South African Panorama . 20 . 7 . 26–29 . Internet Archive.