| Springs | |
| Pushpin Map: | South Africa Gauteng#South Africa |
| Coordinates: | -26.2547°N 28.4428°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | South Africa |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Gauteng |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name3: | Ekurhuleni |
| Subdivision Type4: | Main Place |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Established Date: | 1904 |
| Leader Title: | Councillor |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 183.50 |
| Elevation M: | 1627 |
| Population Total: | 121610 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Racial makeup (2011) |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Black African |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 57.5% |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Coloured |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 1.4% |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Indian/Asian |
| Demographics1 Info3: | 4.4% |
| Demographics1 Title4: | White |
| Demographics1 Info4: | 36.2% |
| Demographics1 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics1 Info5: | 0.5% |
| Demographics Type2: | First languages (2011) |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Afrikaans |
| Demographics2 Info1: | 30.2% |
| Demographics2 Title2: | Zulu |
| Demographics2 Info2: | 20.6% |
| Demographics2 Title3: | English |
| Demographics2 Info3: | 15.7% |
| Demographics2 Title4: | Northern Sotho |
| Demographics2 Info4: | 8.0% |
| Demographics2 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics2 Info5: | 25.4% |
| Timezone1: | SAST |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code (street) |
| Postal Code: | 1559; 1576; 1578 |
| Postal2 Code Type: | PO box |
| Postal2 Code: | 1555 – 1559; 1560 – 1575; 1577 -1579 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Area Code: | 011 |
Springs is a former independent city that is now part of the City of Ekurhuleni, based in the east of Johannesburg (East Rand), in Gauteng Province, South Africa. It lies 50km (30miles) east of Johannesburg and 72km (45miles) southeast from Pretoria. Its name derives from the large number of springs in the area, and its estimated population is more than 121,610 in 2011. It is situated at 1628m (5,341feet) above sea level.[2]
During the apartheid-era, the city was racially segregated under the Group Areas Act. These consisted of middle and upper-income white suburbs around the city centre and the Indian area of Bakerton east of the CBD. A community of black Africans were living in a "black spot" of Springs known as Payneville. The Town Council ordered the creation of a new black township to relieve overcrowding in Payneville. In the 1950s the residents were forcibly removed and relocated to the newly created, KwaThema, southwest of the CBD.[3] [4]
Springs has a high concentration of Art Deco architecture. After Miami in Florida, it has the highest number of small-scale Art Deco buildings in the world.[5] [6]
Nadine Gordimer (1923 - 2014), the first South African Nobel Laureate in Literature (1991), was born and raised in Springs.[7]
The town of Springs, east of Johannesburg, is on the East Rand, or what is now known as the Metropolitan area of Ekurhuleni, in the Gauteng Province. It was founded as a coal and gold mining town in 1904, but its history can be traced back to the second half of the 19th century.
From about 1840 farmers moved into the area and declared farms for themselves, especially after the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (South African Republic, later Transvaal) became an independent republic with the signing of the Sand River Convention in 1852. These initial farms were large, but the measurements of the borders were inaccurate and later, when the correct borders of the farms had to be documented, there were several extra or odd pieces of land that did not belong to any farm. These odd pieces of land then became state property. Such an odd piece existed between three neighbouring farms on the Witwatersrand, namely Geduld (meaning 'patience'), De Rietfontein ('the reed fountain') and Brakpan (literally, 'small, brackish lake').
The 685 ha odd piece was given the name 'The Springs' by the land surveyor James Brooks, probably because of all the fountains on the land. Another story is that he wanted to name it after himself, but because his name (Brooks) resembled the Afrikaans word 'broek' (trousers) so closely, he feared that the Afrikaans farmers in the area would mock it.
On 16 September 1884 the official map of The Springs was registered in Pretoria, the Republic's capital. Initially, the land's value was equal to R200. But the discovery of coal and gold and its subsequent mining increased the value considerably.
The coal discovered in The Springs was of a good quality and in 1888 the first contract was signed to mine coal there. Initially mining was on a small scale, but rose when the Great Eastern mine was established. There were a number of corrugated iron houses around the mine and, although there was a few small hotels and general dealers, it was not a town yet. The settlement grew and in 1902 a health committee was appointed to look after the building and location of structures and also the hygiene in the growing township. In 1904 the Grootvlei Proprietary Mines were registered and shafts were sunk. This followed the discovery in 1899 of gold on the farm Geduld and the further discovery of the main reef in 1902.
In April 1904, The Springs was proclaimed a town, called Springs, the health committee replaced by a town council, and it flourished as a mining town. In 1962, Springs produced 10% of the country's gold and 9% of its uranium. However, by the end of the 1960s the last mine in town, the Daggafonteinmyn, (literally: Marijuana fountain mine) was emptied. The town did not die, but instead developed into an industrial centre.
The original 7 km2 farm on which the city of Springs was later to be built, The Springs, was surveyed in 1883. Coal was discovered in the area in 1887 and three years later in 1890–1891, the Transvaal Republic's first railway, the Randtram Line, was built by the Netherlands-South African Railway Company (NZASM) to carry coal from the East Rand coalfields to the gold mines of the Witwatersrand.
Gradually, especially after coal was discovered further east in South Africa in Witbank, the Springs collieries were closed. In the meanwhile, however, gold had also been discovered in the area. A village was laid out in 1904 and in 1908 the first gold mining began. Springs was granted municipal status in 1912. By the late 1930s, there were eight gold mines near Springs, making it the largest single gold-producing area in the world.[8]
Springs is currently one of the industrial centers of the Witwatersrand and also the Eastern Gateway of Gauteng towards Mpumalanga and Northern Kwazulu Natal. Mining has been replaced by manufacturing and engineering industries of economic importance; products of the region include processed metals, chemicals, paper and foodstuffs.
Although Springs is a highly industrial city, its suburbs are treelike with many parks and also giving some suburban character. The following are the main suburbs of Springs:
Springs is known for its high concentration of Art Deco architecture, as it is home to the second-highest number of small scale Art Deco buildings in the world, after Miami in Florida.[5] [6] These Art Deco buildings were mostly constructed in the CBD during interwar period Interwar period of the early twentieth century. This was also the greatest growth period in the city.[5] The style of architecture evoked sophistication and wealth, employed to "counteract the incipient provincialism associated with a colonial city."[6] In 1998, Micha Birch, then a member of the National Monuments Council, approached the municipality about arranging an exhibition of the city's Art Deco architecture.[6]
Art Deco examples include the Central Fire Station, built by the Mr Anifantakis architect 1938 and designed by a Mr Anifantakis.[5] A number are also known for their graphic artwork and letter work, notably seen in the Court Chambers, Renesta House, Palladium Cinema and Nureef House.[5]
In 2023, Barbara Adair published In the Shadow of the Springs I Saw, with photographs and stories of Art Deco buildings in Springs and their inhabitants.[9]
Other landmarks include several monuments to important figures in the city's development, like Paul Kruger, and the war cemetery where many Coloured soldiers are buried who died during the Second World War fighting in the Allied Forces. There is also the War Monument at the northern entrance of the Springs CBD, The Old Springs Fire Station, and the Dutch Windmill in the Pioneer Park, Springs. There is a small scale replica of the Voortrekker Monument in the Springs CBD near the library. Springs has an art gallery next to the Springs Library. At the entrance of the Springs Railway station there is an old orange tree planted by the Dutch people when Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands visited the old South African Republic accompanied by the then South African president Paul Kruger.
Many theatrical productions are performed at the Springs Civic Theater. The Springs Civic Centre and City Hall is also a unique building complex as it rested on hey logs with water underneath
The Springs Mall, which serves the town is opened from 6:00 am-20:00/22:00
The Springs Fire Station is also one of the Art Deco Buildings as seen from the Boksburg Road towards Downtown Springs.
There is also the Mudhook Hall opposite the Springs Civic Center. That Hall is being built in honor of the M.O.T.H., which stands for the Members of the Order of the Tin Hat Soldiers who fought during world war two. It is also an Art Deco building and overlooking the Down Town Springs from the Western Side
Springs has a typical sub-tropical climate with four distinct seasons. The summers are hot with afternoon thunder showers in early summers and drier during January and February which are the two hottest months. The winters are very cold with severe frost and very occasional snow, the coldest months being July and August although June is also very cold. August is usually a very windy month continuing into early spring of September with sandstorms and strong winds. Spring is warm to hot with some afternoon showers. Spring usually starts to show during the latter half of August although it is officially springtime from September. The autumns are generally cooler, starting with late rains in the beginning of autumn and getting colder towards winter with the first frost in late autumn. At times the first signs of autumn can be seen in late February. The average highs during the summers are 32°C although it can go as high as 37°C. A record high of 40°C has been recorded. Average winter temperatures are around 10°C and the average lows during the summer months are 15°C and – 5°C during the winter months. Temperatures can drop to – 10°C and a record low of -15°C has been recorded. The average rainfall in Springs is 450mm per annum.
Springs has a Highveld grassland vegetation, which is the general vegetation type of the Highveld which consists of the southern half of Gauteng, Western Mpumalanga, South Eastern parts of the Limpopo province, most of the Freestate, Northern Eastern Cape and South Eastern parts of Northwest and Eastern Northern Cape.
Springs is mostly grassland with short grass with some smaller succulent plants such as the aloe. The plough-breaker which is unique on the Highveld with most part of the plant in the soil can also be found. The wetland areas in Springs has an area of 17km2 fed by the Blesbokspruit and Lesser Blesbokspruit, with concomitant water plants and trees growing nearby.
The Blesbokspruit Wetland Region in Springs draws over 300 species of birds, including the great flamingo, Egyptian Goose, barn owl, blue crane, guineafowl, secretary-bird and the ostrich. Water mammals such as the otter and lesser otter have been observed in less populated areas. The blesbok, mongoose, reed buck, read jackal, black wildebeest, springbok, mountain zebra, the porcupine and other mammals are to be found, but usually within reserve areas.
Various species of reptiles such as the rinkhals, puffadder brown house snake, aurora house snake and various lizards, including the giant girdled lizard, and the African bullfrog are also to be found in wetland areas of Springs.
The town's first synagogue, Springs Gates of Hope Synagogue, was consecrated on 3 May 1908. The building was extended in 1933 but by 1949 it became apparent that a new building was needed to accommodate the growing membership. The original synagogue was demolished and the new synagogue, known as the Springs Shul opened in September 1951.[10]
In the 1940s, a Reform synagogue, Temple Emeth (later Temple Emet) was designed by the architect, Harold Le Roith. The synagogue closed in the 1990s.[11]
The Nobel Prize-winning Jewish writer, Nadine Gordimer was raised in Springs. Her father was a member of a local synagogue and attended Yom Kippur services.[12]
There is also a Jewish cemetery in Springs, with over 600 graves. The graves and cemetery are well-maintained and a surrounding wall has been built.[13]
Up until the late 1990s Springs had a vibrant Jewish community. There were two synagogues, with a total of 300 families. Today (2015) most of the community has left for Johannesburg, Cape Town, or further afield like Israel, Australia, the US and the UK. The community's last rabbi was the Manchester-born Rabbi Yossi Liberow.[14] The synagogue building, Springs Shul, still stands, but now operates as an Acts Church.
Springs as a city is an economic hub in Ekurhuleni with a diverse economy, ranging from manufacturing, commerce, service, hospitality, mining and service providing companies.
Historically, Springs was known as a mining centre for two major types of minerals (gold and coal). Springs is still one of the gold mining centers in South Africa, which includes Gold One, Modder East Operation, the Geduld Mine and East Geduld Mine and also the Daggafontein and East Daggafontein mines. Besides gold, new coal mines towards the east of the city are being developed.
Springs is one of the industrial centres in Gauteng served by four industrial suburbs, which are New Era, Nuffield, Enstra and Fulcrum with smaller industrial areas at Dersley, suburb of Springs, Daggafontein, Selection Park, Selcourt and Strubenvale. There are a couple of manufacturing companies in Springs. The only Kelloggs factory in South Africa is situated in Springs. Springs is also home to Impala Platinum's precious and base metal refineries as well as PFG Building Glass Building Glass, the only producer of float glass on the continent.
Zincor, the only zinc producer in Africa, was also located here; its refinery used to produce all South Africa's requirement of this metal and ceased its production operations in 2011 due to various economic reasons. Springs is home to Sappi Enstra Mill, the only paper mill plant of Southern Africa, only paper mill plant in the world that is not next to a river, Element Six Ultra High, an industry in industrial diamonds and beverage cans, manufacturing of cans and Kimberly-Clark in Enstra manufacturing toilet paper, tissues, serviettes and other products. Afrox Healthcare has a plant in Enstra, Springs specializing in health care products. Then there is also Liebherr Group Africa specialising in heavy construction vehicles, McCain Foods packaging plant in Nuffield, Corobrik Plant near Selcourt specialising in bricks and Kreepy Krauly swimming pool equipment and regulator system manufacturing plant in Nuffield Springs. Mondi Group also have the cartonboard plant and recycling plant in New Era and Sony Ericson phone manufacturing plant also in New Era. There is also the Cobra Water Tap in New Era.
There is also the Angelo Kater Motor Trimmers Conversion plant in Nuffield Springs specialising in vehicle conversions for Taxis, ambulances, police vehicles and other emergency vehicles in Nuffield, Springs. Springs is home to Jachris pty limited, a hose and coupling manufacturer that supplies most of Southern Africas mining houses. Various scrap metal recyclers like GSMP - Golden Scrap Metal Processors and Jimmy Scrap Metals also find their homes in Springs.
Springs is also a transporting centre with many transporting companies. Some of the more known companies include Van Heerden's Trucking company in Largo, an eastern suburb of Springs and Penta Trucking focusing on cargo transporting from Nuffield, Springs. Welthagen Transport in New Era specialises in bulk and container shipping and the Amalgamating Bulk carrier company from Welgedag, Springs concentrates on bulk transporting.
Springs has a well developed CBD with a couple of highrise office buildings such as the 18-story Checktown building housing the regional office of Telkom for Gauteng and head office for the trading section and Marketing of Telkom, the 12-story Standard Bank building which has been standing empty for a number of years, the 14-story Nongai building that is undergoing restoration and the 13-story Seedfam Towers and also a 14-story Everest Apartment complex.
There are two major shopping malls in the Springs Downtown serving Springs, The Avenues and Palm Springs, as well as Veranda Shopping Centre and the Third Street Arcade, Seedfam Tower Arcade, Standard Band Arcade and a newer arcade in Third Street too and the Second Street Mall near the Springs Railway Station. There are a number of shopping centres in the suburbs of Springs such as the Selcourt Shopping Center, Strubenvale Shopping Centre, New State Era Shopping Centre, Bakerton Square and also the newer shopping centres like Springsgate and Selcourt Towers and many more shopping centers in Springs and the suburbs. A new regional mall, Springs Mall has opened recently on Wit Road at the N17 onramp. It gives the area 50000 m2 of premium retail shopping.
At Presidents Park there are many horse jumping tournaments that take place. Springs has two golf courses, the Springs Country Club in Selection Park, and the Pollock Park Country Club.
Springs has about 120 parks, the most well-known being Presidents Park, where there is horse jumping, and Murray Park, which has a caravan site next to the Alexander Dam. There is also Frikkie Deysel Park in Petersfield, Butler Park in Geduld, George Sutter Park in Selection Park, and the Park of Dersley in Dersley Park. In Northeastern Springs, the Blesbokspruit Wetland Reserve has a great diversity of birds and plants. Springs also has a Game Reserve near the CBD and the unique Pioneer Park with Dutch characteristics next to the Springs CBD.
There are several schools, ranging from pre-primary to secondary schools, and a tertiary college in Springs.[15]
Combined schools offer primary and secondary, and sometimes pre-primary reception.
Springs is served very well by the media. There are local newspapers that operate from Springs. The Springs Advertiser covers the whole of the greater Springs area, including KwaThema. Then there is also the African Reporter that covers KwaThema, Tsakane in Brakpan and Duduza. Springs is also served by a local radio station, the East Rand Stereo on a frequency of 93.9 FM Stereo, covering the whole of Ekurhuleni Metro, eastern parts of Johannesburg, Heidelberg, Delmas, Secunda in Mpumalanga, Leandra, and Devon in Eastern Gauteng, with over 300,000 listeners. East Rand Stereo operates from the headquarters in Springs, following some satellite studios that had been opened in Brakpan, Benoni and Boksburg. The video production company Black Light Productions was launched in Dersley, a tranquil suburb of Springs. They are specialists and experts in corporate video and video marketing. Since, Black Light Productions has moved in Sandton.
Springs is served by a very good transportation system, by both road and rail and is also close to the OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park via the N12 and R21.
Springs is served by two national highways. The N12 is an east/west freeway, connecting Springs with Witbank to the east and with Johannesburg in the west. The N17 is also an east/west freeway, but connects Springs with Ermelo in the east and Johannesburg in the west. Springs is also served by four regional routes, the R29, R51, R554 and the R555. The R29 is an east/west regional route which connects Springs with Benoni northwest of Springs and with Leandra in the east. The north–south R51 which connects Springs with Pretoria in the north and with Nigel, Balfour and Villiers in the south. The R554 with its terminal at the R51 route near the Springs CBD which connects Springs with Alberton and the southern suburbs of Johannesburg and the R555 with its terminal at the R29 at the War Monument at the northern entrance of Downtown Springs to the northeast that connects Springs with Delmas, Witbank and Middelburg. Springs is also connected with Brakpan through the M46 and Heidelberg via the R42 that runs into the R51 is connected to Springs too.
Springs is also a major railway hub. Springs is a subhub for the Metrorail Gauteng with the Springs-Johannesburg trains serving Springs, Brakpan, Benoni, Boksburg, Germiston and Johannesburg. Springs also have the Springs Nigel Line serving Springs and Nigel. Springs is also a major hub for Transnet Freight Rail with goods and cargo carriers trains from the Springs, Welgedag and Daggafontein stations connecting Springs with Johannesburg, Ermelo, Witbank, Nelspruit, Pretoria, Vereeniging, Klerksdorp, Richards Bay, Durban, Bloemfontein, Pietersburg, Lesotho and Rustenburg. Coal and wood is transported with petroleum and ammonia and cement. Springs is also served by the container services through rail and road,
Springs is served by the Far East Rand provincial Hospital and three private hospitals, the N17 Hospital, the St Mary Women's Hospital and the Parkland Hospital closer to the Springs CBD. Springs has many clinics, including the White City and KwaThema clinics in KwaThema, Painville clinic and the newly built Springs clinic operated under the Springs Service Delivery as a municipal clinic under Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Council. Then there are many private clinics, some of them under Medi Clinic and physiotherapist clinics, occupational therapist clinics and also specialist doctors consultancy offices in Springs and the Medical laboratory at the Parklands Hospital, Springs.
Important and well-known people who were born or lived in Springs include Nobel laureate in Literature Nadine Gordimer and Olympic swimming gold medallist Penny Heyns.Other famous people who are associated with Springs include: