Boksburg
Boksburg is a city on the East Rand (Ekurhuleni) of Gauteng province of South Africa. Gold was discovered in Boksburg in 1887. Boksburg was named after the State Secretary of the South African Republic, W. Eduard Bok. The Main Reef Road linked Boksburg to all the other major mining towns on the Witwatersrand and the Angelo Hotel (1887) was used as a staging post.
Boksburg | |
|---|---|
City | |
From top, left to right: Old Post Office, St Michael and All Angels Church, Old Magistrates Office, Boksburg War Memorial, Boksburg High School | |
Boksburg Boksburg Boksburg | |
| Coordinates: 26°12′45″S 28°15′45″E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Gauteng |
| Municipality | Ekurhuleni |
| Established | 1887 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 162.35 km2 (62.68 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,694 m (5,558 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 260,321 |
| • Density | 1,600/km2 (4,200/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 56.7% |
| • Coloured | 11.6% |
| • Indian/Asian | 2.5% |
| • White | 28.4% |
| • Other | 0.8% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Afrikaans | 28.5% |
| • English | 18.6% |
| • Zulu | 14.8% |
| • Northern Sotho | 9.1% |
| • Other | 29.0% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal code (street) | 1459 |
| PO box | 1460 |
| Area code | 011 |
Boksburg has been part of the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality since 5 December 2000, which forms the local government of most of the East Rand.
The Mining Commissioner Montague White built a large dam which, empty for years, was dubbed White's Folly until a flash flood in 1889 silenced detractors. The 150,000 square metre dam is now the Boksburg Lake, and is surrounded by lawns, trees, and terraces.