Roodepoort, Gauteng

Roodepoort is a city in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Johannesburg's most famous botanical garden, Witwatersrand National Botanical Gardens (now renamed Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden in honour of Walter Sisulu), is located in Roodepoort.

In 1884, brothers Fred and Harry Struben, having discovered gold on the farm Wilgespruit at the western end of the Witwatersrand, were granted concessions to mine the area. When George Harrison's find at Langlaagte came to light and gold fever took hold, the Strubens brothers were joined by a swarm of gold diggers. Though the Confidence Reef bore little gold and their mine was unprofitable, the ramshackle town that grew around it became the Roodepoort municipality in 1904. Incorporating the towns of Hamberg, Florida and Maraisburg, Roodepoort became a city in 1977.

Residential Areas in the new developing parts of Roodepoort are said to be expanding at a faster pace than anywhere else in South Africa. This growth is said to be fueled by various factors such as the fast growing Black middle class, the close proximity to other large Gauteng cities, an already established and advanced infrastructure and much more.

Roodepoort no longer has a separate municipal government, and the municipality is part of the City of Johannesburg.

City Life

Roodepoort has a growing student population due to the presence of Monash University South Africa and has seen large population growth due to Johannesburg urban sprawl. This is one of the gateways to Johannesburg from Northern areas of South Africa and Botswana and so it has economic and logistical importance. Areas of interest for entertainment include the highly popular "Stones" nightclub at "Featherbrooke Village" shopping centre which is one of the student hotspots.

For a taste of Roodepoort night life, "Town Square" (Hendrik Potgieter Road) with its "News Cafe" is an over 21s bar to experience. Right next door a taste of coffee delight at "Mugg & Bean" who specialize in out of this world desserts and designer coffees. Roodepoort is also home to a number of chain restaurants such as "Nando's", "Pizza Chicken Perfect", "Dros" and recently "Subway". The Ruimsig area of Roodepoort is home to the aforementioned "Featherbrooke Village" and "Ruimsig Boulevard" Shopping centres which are both on the junction of Hendrik Potgieter and Doreen Road. This constantly expanding area boasts a wealth of residential growth and already is home to a "Planet Fitness" gym, two grocery stores and up to a hundred residential complexes.