Jump to content

Gauteng

Coordinates: 26°S 28°E / 26°S 28°E / -26; 28
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Geography of Gauteng)

Gauteng
Province
Coat of arms of Gauteng
Coat of arms
Nickname: 
Maboneng (Sotho: Place of Lights)
Motto: 
Unity in Diversity
Map showing the location of Gauteng in the north-central part of South Africa
Location of Gauteng in South Africa
Coordinates: 26°27′08″S 28°11′23″E / 26.45222°S 28.18972°E / -26.45222; 28.18972
Province South Africa
Established28 April 1994
CapitalJohannesburg
Municipalities
List
Government
 • TypeParliamentary system
 • PremierPanyaza Lesufi (ANC)
 • LegislatureGauteng Provincial Legislature
Area
[1]
 • Total
18,176 km2 (7,018 sq mi)
 • Rank9th in South Africa
Highest elevation
1,913 m (6,276 ft)
Population
 (2022)[2]
 • Total
15,099,422
 • Rank1st in South Africa
 • Density831/km2 (2,150/sq mi)
  • Rank1st in South Africa
Population groups (2022)
[1]
 • Black84.6%
 • White10.0%
 • Coloured2.9%
 • Indian or Asian2.2%
Languages (2022)
[3]
 • Zulu23.1%
 • Southern Sotho13.1%
 • Sepedi12.6%
 • Tswana10.4%
 • English9.2%
 • Afrikaans9.1%
 • Xhosa6.5%
 • Tsonga6.1%
 • Other languages9.7%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
ISO 3166 codeZA-GP
GDPUS$134.7 billion [4]
HDI (2021)0.736[5]
high · 2nd of 9
Websitewww.gauteng.gov.za
Gauteng
ZulueGoli
XhosaiRhawuti
AfrikaansGauteng
SepediGauteng
SwaziGauteng
SesothoGauteng
SetswanaGauteng
XitsongaeXilungwini
VendaMakhuwani
Southern NdebeleiRhawuteng

Gauteng (/xaʊˈtɛŋ/ khow-TENG,[6] Sotho: [xɑ́.úˈtʼèŋ̀]; Sotho-Tswana for 'place of gold'; Zulu: eGoli or iGoli [îːˈɡóːlì]) is one of the nine provinces of South Africa.

Situated on the Highveld, Gauteng is the smallest province by land area in South Africa. Although Gauteng accounts for only 1.5% of the country's land area, it is the most populous province in South Africa, with more than a quarter (26%) of the national population;[7] the provincial population was approximately 16.1 million, according to mid-year 2022 estimates.[8] Highly urbanised, the province contains the country's largest city, Johannesburg. Gauteng is the wealthiest province in South Africa and is considered the financial hub of South Africa; the financial activity is mostly concentrated in Johannesburg. It also contains the administrative capital, Pretoria, and other large areas such as Midrand, Vanderbijlpark, Ekurhuleni and the affluent Sandton. The largest township, Soweto, is also found in this province. Politically, it is the closest contested province between the ANC and the DA in South Africa.[9]

Etymology

[edit]

The name Gauteng is derived from Sotho-Tswana gauta, meaning 'gold'.[10] There was a thriving gold industry in the province following the 1886 discovery of gold in Johannesburg.[11] In Sesotho, Setswana and Sepedi the name Gauteng was used for Johannesburg and surrounding areas long before it was adopted in 1994 as the official name of the province.

History

[edit]
A snippet of text showing the Sesotho word "Gaudeng" (modern Gauteng) in Jacottet's A practical method to learn Sesuto: with exercises and a short vocabulary, published in 1906

Gauteng was formed from part of the old Transvaal Province after South Africa's first multiracial elections on 27 April 1994. It was initially called Pretoria–Witwatersrand–Vereeniging (PWV) and was renamed "Gauteng" on the 28th of June 1995, the same day two other provinces were renamed.[10] The term "PWV" describing the region existed long before the establishment of a province by that name,[12] with the "V" sometimes standing for "Vaal Triangle" rather than Vereeniging.[13][14]

At the Sterkfontein caves, some of the oldest fossils of hominids have been discovered, such as Mrs. Ples and Little Foot.[15]

Events in this area were not written down until the 19th century;[15] information from before that time is lost or difficult to confirm.[15] The first records are from the early 19th century, when settlers originating from the Cape Colony defeated chief Mzilikazi and started establishing villages in the area.[15]

The city of Pretoria, established in 1855 as the capital of the South African Republic, witnessed rapid growth until the discovery of gold in the Witswatersrand area in 1886, which led to the founding of Johannesburg.[12][15] Despite slower development compared to Johannesburg, Pretoria maintained significance, notably due to its pivotal role in the Second Boer War. [15] The nearby town of Cullinan gained international acclaim in 1905 when the largest diamond ever discovered, the Cullinan Diamond, was mined there.[12]

Many events crucial to the anti-apartheid struggle happened in present-day Gauteng, such as the Freedom Charter of 1955, Women's March of 1956, Sharpeville massacre of 1960, the Rivonia Trial of 1963 and 1964, the little Rivonia Trial of 1964, the Soweto Uprising of 1976 and Sharpeville Six of 1984.[12] The Apartheid Museum documents this era.[12]

Law and government

[edit]
Main article: Government of Gauteng
The Johannesburg City Hall, home of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature

Gauteng is governed by the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, a 73-person unicameral legislature elected by party-list proportional representation. The legislature elects one of its members as Premier of Gauteng to lead the executive, and the Premier appoints an Executive Council of up to 10 members of the legislature to serve as heads of the various government departments. The provincial government is responsible for the topics allocated to it in the national constitution, including such fields as basic education, health, housing, social services, agriculture and environmental protection.

The most recent election of the provincial legislature was held on 8 May 2019, and the African National Congress (ANC) won 50.19% of the vote and a 37-seat majority in the legislature. The official opposition is the Democratic Alliance, which won 27.45% of the vote and 20 seats. Other parties represented are the Economic Freedom Fighters with eleven seats and the Freedom Front Plus with three seats. The Inkatha Freedom Party and African Christian Democratic Party hold one seat each.[16] Premier David Makhura of the ANC was re-elected as premier on 22 May 2019, at the first meeting of the legislature after the general election.[17] Makhura resigned from the position on 6 October 2022 and Panyaza Lesufi of the ANC was elected to replace him. In the 2024 South African general election, held on 29 May, the ANC received 34% of the vote, while the DA received 28%.[9]

The Gauteng Division of the High Court of South Africa, which has seats in Pretoria and Johannesburg, is a superior court with general jurisdiction over the province. Johannesburg is also home to the Constitutional Court, South Africa's highest court, and to a branch of the Labour Court and Labour Appeal Court.

Geography

[edit]
The undulating hills that form part of the rural areas in the province just north of Johannesburg. Although Gauteng is a heavily urbanised province, much of its area is extensively cultivated for agriculture.

Gauteng's southern border is the Vaal River, which separates it from the Free State.[10] It also borders on North West[10] to the west, Limpopo[10] to the north, and Mpumalanga[10] to the east. Gauteng is the only landlocked province of South Africa without a foreign border.[10] Most of Gauteng is on the Highveld, a high-altitude grassland (circa 1,500 m or 4,921 ft above sea level). Between Johannesburg and Pretoria, there are low parallel ridges and undulating hills, some part of the Magaliesberg Mountains and the Witwatersrand. The north of the province is more subtropical, due to its lower altitude and is mostly dry savanna habitat.

Witwatersrand area

[edit]
Further information: Witwatersrand

In the southern half of Gauteng, the Witwatersrand area is an older term describing a 120 km wide oblong-shaped conurbation from Randfontein in the West to Nigel in the East, named after the Witwatersrand, a geologically and economically important series of low ridges and their associated plateau that greater Johannesburg developed on. This area is also often referred to simply as "Witwatersrand", "the Rand" or "the Reef" (archaic, after the gold reefs that precipitated the development of the area), and was the "W" in PWV, the initial name for Gauteng. It has traditionally been divided into the three areas of East Rand (governed by the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality), Central Rand (approximately today's Johannesburg Municipality) and West Rand.[18][19]

Climate

[edit]

The climate is mostly influenced by altitude. Even though the province is at a subtropical latitude, the climate is comparatively cooler, especially in Johannesburg, at 1,700 m (5,577 ft) above sea level (Pretoria is at 1,330 m or 4,364 ft). Most precipitation occurs as brief afternoon thunderstorms; however, relative humidity never becomes uncomfortable. Winters are crisp and dry with frost occurring often in the southern areas. Snow is rare, but it has occurred on some occasions in the Johannesburg metropolitan area.[20][21]

Climate data for Pretoria (1961–1990 with extremes 1951–1990)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 36.2
(97.2) 		36.3
(97.3) 		35.0
(95.0) 		32.5
(90.5) 		30.3
(86.5) 		26.0
(78.8) 		26.0
(78.8) 		30.0
(86.0) 		34.0
(93.2) 		36.0
(96.8) 		35.7
(96.3) 		36.0
(96.8) 		36.3
(97.3)
Mean maximum °C (°F) 33.2
(91.8) 		32.1
(89.8) 		31.2
(88.2) 		28.7
(83.7) 		25.9
(78.6) 		23.2
(73.8) 		23.5
(74.3) 		27.1
(80.8) 		31.1
(88.0) 		32.2
(90.0) 		32.6
(90.7) 		32.7
(90.9) 		34.3
(93.7)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 28.5
(83.3) 		28.0
(82.4) 		26.9
(80.4) 		24.1
(75.4) 		21.8
(71.2) 		18.9
(66.0) 		19.5
(67.1) 		22.1
(71.8) 		25.5
(77.9) 		26.6
(79.9) 		27.0
(80.6) 		28.0
(82.4) 		24.7
(76.5)
Daily mean °C (°F) 22.6
(72.7) 		22.1
(71.8) 		21.0
(69.8) 		17.9
(64.2) 		14.7
(58.5) 		11.5
(52.7) 		11.9
(53.4) 		14.7
(58.5) 		18.6
(65.5) 		20.1
(68.2) 		21.0
(69.8) 		21.9
(71.4) 		18.2
(64.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 17.8
(64.0) 		17.3
(63.1) 		16.1
(61.0) 		12.6
(54.7) 		8.2
(46.8) 		4.8
(40.6) 		4.8
(40.6) 		7.6
(45.7) 		11.9
(53.4) 		14.4
(57.9) 		15.8
(60.4) 		16.8
(62.2) 		12.3
(54.1)
Mean minimum °C (°F) 14.1
(57.4) 		13.7
(56.7) 		11.8
(53.2) 		7.6
(45.7) 		3.7
(38.7) 		0.7
(33.3) 		0.9
(33.6) 		2.7
(36.9) 		5.8
(42.4) 		8.9
(48.0) 		10.9
(51.6) 		12.9
(55.2) 		0.1
(32.2)
Record low °C (°F) 7.5
(45.5) 		10.4
(50.7) 		5.5
(41.9) 		3.3
(37.9) 		−1.5
(29.3) 		−4.5
(23.9) 		−4.5
(23.9) 		−4.0
(24.8) 		−0.5
(31.1) 		3.0
(37.4) 		6.6
(43.9) 		6.5
(43.7) 		−4.5
(23.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 135
(5.3) 		76
(3.0) 		79
(3.1) 		54
(2.1) 		13
(0.5) 		7
(0.3) 		3
(0.1) 		5
(0.2) 		20
(0.8) 		73
(2.9) 		100
(3.9) 		108
(4.3) 		673
(26.5)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 10.9 7.8 7.6 5.2 1.8 0.6 0.7 1.4 2.0 6.0 9.5 10.8 64.3
Average relative humidity (%) 62 63 63 63 56 54 50 45 44 52 59 61 56
Mean monthly sunshine hours 260.8 235.3 253.9 245.8 282.6 270.8 289.1 295.5 284.3 275.2 253.6 271.9 3,218.8
Source 1: NOAA,[22] Deutscher Wetterdienst (extremes)[23]
Source 2: South African Weather Service[24]
Climate data for Johannesburg (Averages: 1961–1990 – extremes: 1951–1990)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 41.4
(106.5) 		33.5
(92.3) 		31.9
(89.4) 		29.3
(84.7) 		26.4
(79.5) 		23.1
(73.6) 		24.4
(75.9) 		26.2
(79.2) 		30.0
(86.0) 		32.2
(90.0) 		38.5
(101.3) 		39.4
(102.9) 		41.4
(106.5)
Mean maximum °C (°F) 30.2
(86.4) 		29.1
(84.4) 		28.0
(82.4) 		25.5
(77.9) 		23.0
(73.4) 		20.4
(68.7) 		21.1
(70.0) 		24.4
(75.9) 		28.4
(83.1) 		29.4
(84.9) 		29.5
(85.1) 		29.8
(85.6) 		31.4
(88.5)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 25.6
(78.1) 		25.1
(77.2) 		24.0
(75.2) 		21.1
(70.0) 		18.9
(66.0) 		16.0
(60.8) 		16.7
(62.1) 		19.4
(66.9) 		22.8
(73.0) 		23.8
(74.8) 		24.2
(75.6) 		25.2
(77.4) 		21.9
(71.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) 19.5
(67.1) 		19.0
(66.2) 		18.0
(64.4) 		15.3
(59.5) 		12.6
(54.7) 		9.6
(49.3) 		10.0
(50.0) 		12.5
(54.5) 		15.9
(60.6) 		17.1
(62.8) 		17.9
(64.2) 		19.0
(66.2) 		15.5
(59.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 14.7
(58.5) 		14.1
(57.4) 		13.1
(55.6) 		10.3
(50.5) 		7.2
(45.0) 		4.1
(39.4) 		4.1
(39.4) 		6.2
(43.2) 		9.3
(48.7) 		11.2
(52.2) 		12.7
(54.9) 		13.9
(57.0) 		10.1
(50.2)
Mean minimum °C (°F) 11.0
(51.8) 		10.3
(50.5) 		8.5
(47.3) 		4.7
(40.5) 		1.6
(34.9) 		−1.9
(28.6) 		−1.9
(28.6) 		−0.6
(30.9) 		1.8
(35.2) 		4.7
(40.5) 		7.3
(45.1) 		9.5
(49.1) 		−3.1
(26.4)
Record low °C (°F) 7.2
(45.0) 		6.0
(42.8) 		2.1
(35.8) 		0.5
(32.9) 		−2.5
(27.5) 		−8.2
(17.2) 		−5.1
(22.8) 		−5.0
(23.0) 		−3.3
(26.1) 		0.2
(32.4) 		1.5
(34.7) 		3.5
(38.3) 		−8.2
(17.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 125
(4.9) 		90
(3.5) 		91
(3.6) 		54
(2.1) 		13
(0.5) 		9
(0.4) 		4
(0.2) 		6
(0.2) 		27
(1.1) 		72
(2.8) 		117
(4.6) 		105
(4.1) 		713
(28.1)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 15.9 11.2 11.9 8.6 2.9 2.0 1.0 2.1 3.8 9.8 15.2 14.9 99.3
Average relative humidity (%) 69 70 68 65 56 53 49 46 47 56 65 66 59
Mean monthly sunshine hours 250.1 224.8 238.8 236.9 276.0 266.9 283.9 284.1 280.8 269.5 248.7 263.9 3,124.4
Mean daily daylight hours 13.6 13.0 12.2 11.5 10.8 10.5 10.7 11.2 12.0 12.7 13.4 13.8 12.1
Average ultraviolet index 14 14 12 9 6 5 5 7 9 12 14 14 10
Source 1: World Meteorological Organization,[25] NOAA[26]
Source 2: South African Weather Service[27] Weather Atlas[28]

Cities and towns

[edit]
See also: List of cities and towns in Gauteng

Administrative divisions

[edit]
Gauteng municipalities
Main article: List of municipalities in Gauteng

The Gauteng Province (as of May 2011) is divided into three metropolitan municipalities and two district municipalities. The district municipalities are in turn divided into six local municipalities:

District municipalities

[edit]

Metropolitan municipalities

[edit]

The former Metsweding district consisting of Nokeng Tsa Taemane and Kungwini in the North of the province was incorporated into Tshwane in 2011.[10]

Demographics

[edit]
Population density in Gauteng
  •   <1 /km²
  •   1–3 /km²
  •   3–10 /km²
  •   10–30 /km²
  •   30–100 /km²
  •   100–300 /km²
  •   300–1000 /km²
  •   1000–3000 /km²
  •   >3000 /km²
Dominant home languages in Gauteng

As of the 2022 census, Gauteng had a population of 15,099,422, an increase of 23.0% from the last census in 2011. Despite being the smallest province by area, it has the highest population of any South African province, with 24.3% of the total South African population.[29]

As of 2022, there are 5,318,665 households in Gauteng. The population density is 831/km2. The density of households is 155.86/km2.

About 22.1% of all households are made up of individuals. The average household size fell slightly between the 2011 census and 2022 census, from 3.1 to 2.8 persons.[30]

The province's age distribution was 23.6% under the age of 15, 19.6% from 15 to 24, 37.9% from 25 to 44, 15.0% from 45 to 64, and 4.0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 27 years. For every 100 females there are 101.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 102.3 males.

Languages

[edit]

According to the 2022 census, in Gauteng, the most spoken languages at home were:[30]

Religion

[edit]

86.1% of residents are Christian, 4.3% have no religion, 1.6% are Muslim, 0.1% are Jewish, and 0.7% are Hindu. 6.0% stated Traditional African religions as their faith.[31]

Educational Attainment

[edit]

8.4% of residents aged 20 and over have received no schooling, 11.2% have had some primary, 5.5% have completed only primary school, 34.3% have had some high education, 28.0% have finished only high school, and 12.6% have an education higher than the high school level. Overall, 40.6% of residents have completed high school.

Economic Status

[edit]

56.1% of housing units have a telephone and/or mobile phone in the dwelling, 41.5% have access to a phone nearby, and 2.3% have access that is not nearby or no access. 82.8% of households have a flush or chemical toilet. 84.2% have refuse removed by the municipality at least once a week and 2.6% have no rubbish disposal. 47.2% have running water inside their dwelling, 83.6% have running water on their property, and 97.5% have access to running water. 73.2% of households use electricity for cooking, 70.4% for heating, and 80.8% for lighting. 77.4% of households have a radio, 65.7% have a television, 15.1% own a computer, 62.1% have a refrigerator, and 45.1% have a mobile phone.

25.8% of the population aged 15–65 is unemployed.

The median annual income of working adults aged 15–65 is R 23 539 ($3,483). Males have a median annual income of R 24 977 ($3,696) versus R 20 838 ($3,083) for females.

Distribution of annual income of Gauteng province (2001)[32]
Category
No income 2.0%
R 12 – R 4 800 ($2 – $721) 6.4%
R 4 812 – R 9 600 ($723 – $1,443) 13.0%
R 9 612 – R 19 200 ($1,445 – $2,886) 24.0%
R 19 212 – R 38 400 ($2,888 – $5,772) 20.4%
R 38 412 – R 76 800 ($5,774 – $11,543) 15.8%
R 76 812 – R 153 600 ($11,545 – $23,087) 10.4%
R 153 612 – R 307 200 ($23,089 – $46,174) 5.0%
R 307 212 – R 614 400 ($46,176 – $92,348) 1.8%
R 614 412 or more ($92,350+) 1.1%
Ethnic group 2021 population
Ethnic group Population %
Black African 12 648 380 80%
White 2 212 454 14%
Coloured 474 311,64 3%
Asian 474 311,64 3%
Total 15 810 388 100.00%

[dubious – discuss]

Life expectancy

[edit]

Gauteng is the province with the second highest life expectancy in the country in 2019 with females having a life expectancy of 69 years and males having a life expectancy of 64 years.[8]

Urban conurbation

[edit]

Historically described as the PWV complex,[33] the urban conurbation of Gauteng, referred to as the Gauteng City Region,[34] contains the major urban populations of Johannesburg (7,860,781 as of 2011), Pretoria (1,763,336), Vereeniging (377,922), Evaton (605,504) and Soshanguve (728,063), coming to an urban population of over 11 million.[35] Thomas Brinkhoff lists a "Consolidated Urban Area" in Gauteng as having a population of 13.1 million as of January 2017.[36] The future governmental plans for the region indicate the gradual urbanisation and consolidation towards the creation of a megalopolis that connects these metros. The GCRO is a collaboration between the Universities of Johannesburg and Witwatersrand, the city of Johannesburg, Gauteng Provincial Government, and SALGA-Gauteng. The GCRO's purpose is to collect information and create a database on the Gauteng City Region to provide to government, lawmakers and civil society an informed understanding of the fastest urbanizing region in Southern Africa.[34][non-primary source needed]

Economy

[edit]
Main article: Economy of Gauteng

Gauteng is considered the economic hub of South Africa and contributes heavily in the financial, manufacturing, transport, technology, and telecommunications sectors, among others. It also plays host to a large number of overseas companies requiring a commercial base in and gateway to Africa.

Gauteng is home to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange,[37] the largest stock exchange in Africa. Some of the largest companies in Africa and abroad are based in Gauteng, or have offices and branches there, such as Vodacom,[38] MTN,[39] Neotel,[40] Microsoft South Africa[41] and the largest Porsche Centre in the world.[42]

Although Gauteng is the smallest of South Africa's nine provinces—it covers a mere 1.5% of the country's total land area,[7] the province is responsible for a third of South Africa's gross domestic product (GDP).[43] Gauteng generates about 10% of the total GDP of sub-Saharan Africa and about 7% of total African GDP.[44] Gauteng has the highest GDP and GDP per capita of all South Africa's provinces.[45] Gauteng is also the province with the most taxpayers and the highest average taxable income per taxpayer according to the South African Revenue Service.[46]

Transport

[edit]
Sandton Gautrain Station in August 2010

SANRAL, a parastatal, is responsible for the maintenance, development and management of all national road networks in South Africa.[47] SANRAL is responsible for instituting the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project, which was met with a lot of opposition due to the tolling of Gauteng motorists.[48][49] Many important national routes run through Gauteng such as the N1, N3, N4, N12, N14 and the N17. Johannesburg is quite dependent on freeways for transport in and around the city. The R21, R24, R59, M1 and M2 all run through Johannesburg while the R80 connects Pretoria Central to Soshanguve. The Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project led to a large decrease in traffic congestion when construction finished 2011–2012. Cape Town, for the first time in decades, is now the most congested city in South Africa.[50][51]

PUTCO, the largest commuter bus operator in South Africa,[52] services the Gauteng area extensively.[53] The bus rapid transit system Rea Vaya also serves to transport people from Johannesburg's southern neighbourhoods into and around the CBD.[54] In an interview, Parks Tau stated that by 2040, Johannesburg will be dominated by pedestrians and public transport as opposed to the use of private transport or informal transport, such as minibus taxis.[55]

Gautrain and Metrorail both service the province's public transport sector where trains are concerned[56][57] and Gautrain offers a bus service that transports commuters to and from various train stations and predetermined bus stops.[58] Metrorail trains are considered one of the most cost-effective methods of transportation in and around Gauteng.[59]

The O. R. Tambo International Airport, Rand Airport, Lanseria International Airport, Wonderboom Airport and Grand Central Airport are located in Gauteng.[60][61][62]

There is a large informal transport sector in Gauteng, consisting of thousands of minibus taxis, which many of the urban and rural population makes use of.[59][63] However, it is noted that taxis are often unsafe as their drivers ignore the rules of the road and the vehicles are often not roadworthy.[63] The City of Johannesburg stated that: "major initiatives are under way to completely reform the taxi industry and provide more comfort and safety to customers." In March 2017, it is reported that Gauteng alone has 4,7 million registered vehicles under the "GP" abbreviation via the eNatis system.[64][63]

Education

[edit]
University of Pretoria's Old Arts Building

Gauteng is a large center of learning in South Africa, and it has many universities and educational institutions of higher learning.

Universities

[edit]

Colleges

[edit]

In 2002, the Gauteng Department of Education founded an initiative called Gauteng Online in an attempt to get the entire province to utilize a wide assortment of electronic and telecommunications systems.[65] In 2007, this initiative was handed over to the Gauteng Department of Finance.[65]

In the 2013 national budget speech, it was announced that the Gauteng Department of Education would be granted over R700 million to improve education and to alleviate issues concerning the overcrowding in schools, a shortage in teaching staff and transport for poor pupils.[66]

In 2017/2018, the Gauteng Provincial government spent R42.4 billion on education which accounted for 38% the province's total expenditure.[67]

Conservation

[edit]

Although Gauteng province is dominated by the urban areas of Johannesburg and Pretoria, it has several nature reserves. Gauteng is home to the Cradle of Humankind UNESCO World Heritage Site which includes the Sterkfontein caves and the Wonder Cave Kromdraai. Johannesburg is home to the largest human-made urban forest in the world.[68][69][70]

Provincial reserves

[edit]
The Maropeng visitors centre at the Cradle of Humankind
Main article: Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation, Environment and Land Affairs

There are 5 provincial reserves managed by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation, Environment and Land Affairs:

Sport

[edit]
Loftus Versfeld Stadium, one of Gauteng's various stadia and venue for the 2010 FIFA World Cup

Gauteng is home to many stadiums and sporting grounds, notably Soccer City, Ellis Park Stadium, Odi Stadium, Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Lucas Moripe Stadium, Giant Stadium, Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg Stadium, the Wanderers Stadium and SuperSport Park.

Several teams from Gauteng play in the country's top-level association football (more commonly referred to as soccer) league, the Premier Soccer League (PSL), including Mamelodi Sundowns, SuperSport United, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. The national squad Bafana Bafana's home stadium is Soccer City in Johannesburg. During the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the first ever world cup held by an African nation,[71] Gauteng's stadia hosted many games. The first ever FIFA world cup match on African soil took place at Soccer City on 11 June 2010.[72][73] Along with Soccer City, Loftus Versfeld Stadium and Ellis Park Stadium hosted matches in Gauteng.[74]

Rugby, or more accurately rugby union, is a popular sport in South Africa, and in Gauteng in particular. Two rugby teams from Gauteng participate in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby championship: the Pretoria-based Bulls, and the Johannesburg-based Lions (previously the Cats). Three Gauteng-based teams play in the country's domestic competition, the Currie Cup: the Blue Bulls from Pretoria, the Golden Lions from Johannesburg and the Falcons from the East Rand. In 1995, South Africa hosted the 1995 Rugby World Cup and proceeded to win the tournament at Ellis Park Stadium on 24 June 1995.[75] The events surrounding the world cup formed the basis of the story for the movie Invictus.[76]

Many South African universities take part in the Varsity Rugby league. Of these, the Gauteng universities include the University of Pretoria, the University of Johannesburg and the University of the Witwatersrand.[77]

Cricket is also widely popular among all cultural groups in the country, and is the only sport to feature in the top two among all of South Africa's major ethnic/racial groups. The Highveld Lions represent both Gauteng and North West in the country's three domestic competitions—the first-class SuperSport Series, the List A one-day MTN Domestic Championship and the Twenty20 Standard Bank Pro 20 Series.

Many marathons take place in Gauteng, such as the Gauteng Marathon, the Arwyp Medical Centre 15 km Nite Race and the Trisport Joburg City Triathlon.[78][79][80][81]

Gauteng's favourable weather conditions throughout the year make it an ideal hub for sports and other out door activities.[82] This makes golf, horse racing and swimming very popular. The Vaal River facilitates water sports in the forms of jet skiing, water skiing and motor boating.[82] Adventure sports are also quite popular in Gauteng, particularly skydiving, paragliding and hang-gliding.[82]

The amusement park Gold Reef City is situated in Gauteng,[83] as is the Johannesburg Zoo[84] and the Pretoria Zoo.[85] Botanical gardens in the province include the Pretoria and Walter Sisulu national botanical gardens maintained by the South African National Botanical Institute as well as the Johannesburg and Manie van der Schijff botanical gardens.[86][87]

The Ticketpro Dome and the Gallagher Convention Centre, which are both popular events and expos venues, are also located within Gauteng.[88][89] The province also has a Formula One racetrack, the Kyalami Circuit. The most recent F1 race at the venue was in 1993.

Further information: Gauteng Roller Hockey League

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Census 2011: Census in brief (PDF). Pretoria: Statistics South Africa. 2012. ISBN 9780621413885. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 May 2015.
  2. ^ South African Census, 2022 (Report). Statistics South Africa. 16 May 2024. p. 1. Archived from the original on 16 May 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. ^ "Statistics South Africa | Census Dissemination".
  4. ^ "Provincial gross domestic product:experimental estimates, 2013–2022" (PDF), www.statssa.gov.za
  5. ^ "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  6. ^ "Gauteng". Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. 2021. Archived from the original on 9 October 2018. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  7. ^ a b Stats in brief, 2006 (PDF). Pretoria: Statistics South Africa. 2006. p. 3. ISBN 0-621-36558-0. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  8. ^ a b "Mid-year population estimates" (PDF). Statistics South Africa. 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  9. ^ a b Boonzaaier, Dawie. "Gauteng and KZN: Agreements sealed as 'arrogant' EFF is cast aside". City Press. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h "General Overview of Gauteng" (PDF). Makiti Guides and Tours (Pty) Ltd. Archived from the original on 11 April 2005. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  11. ^ "About Gauteng". Gauteng Provincial Government. Archived from the original on 4 August 2008. Retrieved 25 October 2008.
  12. ^ a b c d e "Gauteng". South African History Online. Archived from the original on 25 January 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  13. ^ Geyer, H. S. (1990). "Implications of differential urbanization on deconcentration in the Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vaal Triangle metropolitan area, South Africa". Geoforum; Journal of Physical, Human, and Regional Geosciences. 21 (4): 385–96. doi:10.1016/0016-7185(90)90019-3. PMID 12284151. Archived from the original on 5 July 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  14. ^ "United Nations Observer Mission in South Africa (UNOMSA) Headquarters - Johannesburg, Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vaal (PWV) - Vaal Triangle - weekly operational statistics and reports - UNARMS". Search.archives.un.org. Archived from the original on 5 July 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  15. ^ a b c d e f "From mining village to commercial powerhouse – History of Gauteng". southafrica.net. Archived from the original on 16 November 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  16. ^ Deklerk, Aphiwe (11 May 2019). "ANC holds on to Gauteng by a whisker". TimesLIVE. Archived from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  17. ^ Mahlati, Zintle (22 May 2019). "David Makhura re-elected as premier of Gauteng". IOL. Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  18. ^ South African Journal of Science. South African Association for the Advancement of Science. 1975. p. 365. Archived from the original on 5 October 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  19. ^ "Maps - Johannesburg (South Africa) – Gold mining belt Witwatersrand". Diercke International Atlas. BMS-Verlage GmbH. Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  20. ^ "Johannesburg marvels at rare snowfall". News24. 7 August 2012. Archived from the original on 15 July 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  21. ^ "Snow forces road closures across SA – South Africa | IOL News". IOL.co.za. 7 August 2012. Archived from the original on 15 July 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  22. ^ "Pretoria Climate Normals 1961−1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  23. ^ "Klimatafel von Pretoria (Wetteramt), Transvaal / Südafrika" (PDF). Baseline climate means (1961-1990) from stations all over the world (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  24. ^ "Climate data for Pretoria". South African Weather Service. June 2011. Archived from the original on 8 March 2010. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  25. ^ "World Weather Information Service – Johannesburg". World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  26. ^ "Johannesburg/Jan Smuts Climate Normals 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  27. ^ "Climate data for Johannesburg". South African Weather Service. Archived from the original on 8 March 2010. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  28. ^ "Monthly weather forecast and climate Johannesburg, South Africa". Weather Atlas. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  29. ^ "Statistical Release - Census 2022" (PDF). statssa.gov.za. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  30. ^ a b https://census.statssa.gov.za/assets/documents/2022/P03014_Census_2022_Statistical_Release.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  31. ^ https://census.statssa.gov.za/assets/documents/2022/P03014_Census_2022_Statistical_Release.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  32. ^ "Statistics South Africa Census 2001". Archived from the original on 11 April 2005. Retrieved 9 June 2005.
  33. ^ "South Africa - Languages". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on 26 March 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  34. ^ a b "Home". gcro.ac.za. Archived from the original on 23 March 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  35. ^ "South Africa: Provinces and Major Urban Areas". www.citypopulation.de. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  36. ^ "Major Agglomerations of the World - Population Statistics and Maps". www.citypopulation.de. 1 January 2017. Archived from the original on 4 July 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
  37. ^ "Johannesburg Securities Exchange". The City of Johannesburg. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  38. ^ "Vodacom History". African Wireless. Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  39. ^ "MTN Home". MTN Group. Archived from the original on 10 April 2013. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  40. ^ "Neotel Contact Us". Neotel. Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  41. ^ "Microsoft ZA Home". Microsoft. Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  42. ^ "Porsche South Africa". Porsche. Archived from the original on 17 March 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  43. ^ "Gauteng Economic Development Agency". Archived from the original on 5 April 2008. Retrieved 11 April 2008.
  44. ^ List of African countries by GDP (nominal)
  45. ^ "Four facts about our provincial economies". www.statssa.gov.za. Statistics South Africa. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  46. ^ "Tax Statistics 2022 Highlights" (PDF). sars.gov.za. South African Revenue Service. p. 21. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  47. ^ "SANRAL". National Roads Agency. Archived from the original on 7 May 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  48. ^ "COSATU, DA, SANCO agree joint petition on Gauteng tolls". Politicsweb.co.za. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  49. ^ "Government Gazette" (PDF). South African Government Printing Works. 25 October 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  50. ^ "TomTom Traffic Index". Archived from the original on 1 December 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  51. ^ "R750 million to fight traffic in SA's most congested city". Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  52. ^ "Learnership Opportunity with PUTCO". idrive.co.za. 4 September 2007. Archived from the original on 18 November 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  53. ^ "About Us: Mr. Franco Pisapia, the MD of PUTCO Ltd". PUTCO. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  54. ^ "Home". Rea Vaya. Archived from the original on 29 March 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
  55. ^ "IDP PLANS FOR THE FUTURE". Rea Vaya. Archived from the original on 18 November 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  56. ^ "Objectives, Gautrain – The Gautrain Project". Gautrain. Archived from the original on 9 October 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  57. ^ "Welcome to Metrorail". Metrorail. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  58. ^ "Gautrain – Buses". Gautrain. Archived from the original on 2 November 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  59. ^ a b "City of Johannesburg – Trains". Joburg.org.za. Archived from the original on 31 July 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  60. ^ "Airports Company South Africa – O.R. Tambo International Airport". Airports Company South Africa. Archived from the original on 23 May 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  61. ^ "Rand Airport – Your Aviation Hub". Rand Airport. Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  62. ^ "Lanseria International Airport – Home". Lanseria International Airport. Archived from the original on 14 March 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  63. ^ a b c "City of Johannesburg – Taxis". Joburg.org.za. Archived from the original on 30 April 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  64. ^ "You'll never guess how many vehicles are registered in SA". News24. 28 March 2017. Archived from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  65. ^ a b Mariné Jacobs Johannesburg (17 May 2013). "Govt denies Gauteng Online is ineffective". ITWeb. Archived from the original on 18 October 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  66. ^ "Education get lion's share of Gauteng's funds". iol.co.za. 5 March 2013. Archived from the original on 13 June 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  67. ^ "Limpopo spent almost half of its budget on education in 2017/18". Stats South Africa. 2019. Archived from the original on 14 November 2019. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  68. ^ "Green tourism – Gauteng Tourism Authority". Gauteng.net. Archived from the original on 16 May 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  69. ^ "City of Johannesburg – Joburg's urban forest to grow". Joburg.org.za. 30 August 2007. Archived from the original on 30 April 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  70. ^ Hamilton Wende. "Johannesburg expands its urban forest". CNN.com. Archived from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  71. ^ "Host nation of 2010 FIFA World Cup − South Africa". FIFA. 15 May 2004. Archived from the original on 12 November 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  72. ^ "Host nation of 2010 FIFA World Cup – South Africa". FIFA. Archived from the original on 12 November 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  73. ^ "Soccer City Stadium – Johannesburg". FIFA. Archived from the original on 8 December 2010. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  74. ^ "A guide to all the stadiums to be used at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa – FIFA.com". FIFA. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  75. ^ "IRB Rugby World Cup – Johannesburg, 24 June 1995, 15:00 local, 13:00 GMT". ESPN. Archived from the original on 13 December 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  76. ^ Stephenson, Hunter (14 March 2009). "First Look: Clint Eastwood's The Human Factor with Matt Damon". slashfilm.com. Archived from the original on 20 June 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  77. ^ "Varsity Cup News". Archived from the original on 2 March 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  78. ^ "Running Race Calendar: The Gauteng Marathon". www.runnersworld.co.za. Archived from the original on 28 February 2013.
  79. ^ "The Gauteng Marathon | Runner's World Magazine". Runnersworld.co.za. 2 September 2012. Archived from the original on 17 August 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  80. ^ "Arwyp Medical Centre 15 km Nite Race | Runner's World Magazine". Runnersworld.co.za. 26 January 2011. Archived from the original on 11 March 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  81. ^ "Trisport Joburg City Triathlon (incorporating CGT Champs) | Runner's World Magazine". Runnersworld.co.za. 6 February 2011. Archived from the original on 7 February 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  82. ^ a b c "Sports and outdoor events – Gauteng Tourism Authority". Gauteng.net. Archived from the original on 16 May 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  83. ^ "Gold Reef City > About Us". Gold Reef City. Archived from the original on 11 March 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  84. ^ "About The Zoo". Johannesburg Zoo. Archived from the original on 30 May 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  85. ^ "NZG – About Us". National Zoological Gardens of South Africa. Archived from the original on 13 April 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  86. ^ "Gardens". South African National Botanical Gardens. Archived from the original on 2 May 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  87. ^ "The Johannesburg Botanical Garden". Johannesburg City Parks. Archived from the original on 11 May 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  88. ^ "The Ticketpro Dome". The Ticketpro Dome. Archived from the original on 28 March 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  89. ^ "About". Gallagher Convention Centre. Archived from the original on 10 April 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gauteng.

26°S 28°E / 26°S 28°E / -26; 28

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gauteng&oldid=1250801198#Geography"