Apr
2014
Randfontein is located on the West Rand.
The history of Randfontein is locked in the mining of gold. It was a farm which a mining financier, J R Robinson bought at the peak of the gold rush in the Witwatersrand in 1889.
Robinson registered the, Randfontein Estates Gold Mining Company and in 1890 the town was established to house the mining community. The Randfontein municipality was proclaimed in 1929.
In the 1960’s the town came to a virtual standstill as the gold reserves were depleted. JCI discovered a rich deposit at the Cooke Section south of the town. Cooke section produced gold and uranium and the uranium was used at the Koeberg Power Plant in Cape Town.
Paul Kruger, it is reputed, along with J R Robinson buried gold coins which were minted for the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek, on Robinson’s Homestead. The idea was to hide the gold coins from the British, during the Anglo-Boer War. The coins were never recovered.
Randfontein is mostly a rural, farm and small holding community which has seen very little growth over the years.
Aranda Blankets, a well know brand with South Africa has a large factory located in Randfontein.
Aranda Textile Mill (Pty) Ltd is a family owned business which is currently run by the fourth generation of Italian Immigrants that settled in the area in 1951. Their blankets are used in most of South Africa’s leading hotels.
With mining being the dominant source of income in Randfontein there has been a need for a maintenance industry which has seen light engineering being taken up and this spin off has led to the need for more residential property.
Suburbs of Randfontein are;
· Hectorton
· Homelake
· Kocksoord
· Toekomsrus
· Randgate
Attractions around Randfontein are;
· The Cradle Of Mankind
· Sterkfontein Caves
· Hector Petersen Memorial Museum
Take a tour of the MyRoof website; there are properties listed in all the popular suburbs across South Africa.
