Newtown, Johannesburg
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2018) |
Newtown | |
|---|---|
 Newtown, with Nelson Mandela Bridge in the background | |
 | |
| Coordinates: 26°12′14″S 28°02′02″E / 26.204°S 28.034°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Gauteng |
| Municipality | City of Johannesburg |
| Main Place | Johannesburg |
| Government | |
| • Councillor | Nokuthula Albertina Xaba (African National Congress) |
| Area | |
• Total | 0.85 km2 (0.33 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
• Total | 2,505 |
| • Density | 2,900/km2 (7,600/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 90.0% |
| • Coloured | 1.9% |
| • Indian/Asian | 6.4% |
| • White | 1.2% |
| • Other | 0.6% |
| Language (2011) | |
| • Zulu | 20.9% |
| • English | 12.5% |
| • Tswana | 10.0% |
| • Northern Sotho | 8.1% |
| • Other | 48.6% |
| Website | www |
Newtown is a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa. It is located in the capital city of Gauteng Province[3] and in Region F of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality. It has the coordinates of 26.204°S and 28.034°E. The suburb originated as a manufacturing district for brick production.[4]
Historical background
[edit]In the early 20th century, the Newtown Precinct was named "the Brickfields". In 1896, approximately 7,000 people[5] lived in the town.
A number of industries developed at Brickfields, such as trade firms, banks, brick factories, a brewery, and fisheries. Immigrants from other nations, also settled in Brieckfields.[6]
In April 1904, Mahatma Gandi declared an outbreak of the bubonic plague in Brickfield. The plague caused 82 fatalities and 112 people were reportedly diagnosed with it.[7] The local government initiated the fire brigade to start fires within the town, aiming to cease the plague.
Turbine Hall
[edit]Originally built between 1927 and 1934, the Turbine Hall became the largest "three steam-driven" power stations. It is situated in the middle of Newtown and has been deemed an iconic building in the art and culture precinct.[8]
Cleanup
[edit]The Greater Newtown Construction was initiated by City of Johannesburg Municipality Council, which rehabilitated old suburb structures, enhanced public open spaces, and introduced closed-circuit television.[9]
Newtown's street lighting was designed by the French engineer Patrick Rimoux.[10]
Regeneration
[edit]Johannesburg City Council partnered with Gauteng Agency, Blue IQ, in a project to develop the community of Newtown.[11] The project included building five housing developments in which Council states, "[it will] cater for different levels of income".[12]
The plan details that over 2,000 housing units will be built within a few years. The Nelson Mandela Bridge, inaugurated on 20 July 2003,[13] is the northern entrance to Newtown.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Newport, Statistics South Africa, 2011, retrieved 4 June 2019
- ^ "LGE 2016 List of Councillors". Electoral Commission of South Africa. August 2016.
- ^ Mudzamatira, Witness (2019). "The Efficacy of Cultural Resources Management in Southern Gauteng Province, South Africa". The South African Archaeological Bulletin. 74 (209): 3–15. JSTOR 26841984.
- ^ "Newtown Improvement District - History". www.newtown.co.za. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
- ^ "Region F Suburbs". www.joburg.org.za. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
- ^ Herbst, Michael (1998). "Second Johannesburg Biennale: Alternating Currents". African Arts. 31 (3): 74. doi:10.2307/3337580. JSTOR 3337580.
- ^ Mitchell, J. Alexander (1921). "Plague in South Africa: Perpetuation and Spread of Infection by Wild Rodents". The Journal of Hygiene. 20 (4): 377–382. doi:10.1017/s0022172400034112. ISSN 0022-1724. JSTOR 3859059. PMC 2207056. PMID 20474748.
- ^ Gaugle (2005). "Alternating Currents of Power: From Colonial to Post-apartheid Spatial Patterns in Newtown, Johannesburg". Urban Studies. 42 (13): 2335–2361. doi:10.1080/00420980500379453. JSTOR 43084426. S2CID 154869892..
- ^ "Newtown Improvement District - History". www.newtown.co.za. Retrieved 2021-04-04.
- ^ Dirsuweit, Teresa (1999-06-01). "From fortress city to creative city". Urban Forum. 10 (2): 183–213. doi:10.1007/BF03036618. ISSN 1874-6330. S2CID 154503763.
- ^ "Development Planning". www.joburg.org.za. Retrieved 2021-04-04.
- ^ ROGERSON, Christian M.; ROGERSON, Jayne M. (2016). "Intra-urban spatial differentiation of tourism:: Evidence from Johannesburg, South Africa". Urbani Izziv. 27 (2): 125–137. ISSN 0353-6483. JSTOR 24921001.
- ^ "Steel offers numerous advantages in bridge construction, says SAISC". Leading Architecture & Design. 2019-05-27. Retrieved 2021-04-04.
