Bedfordview

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Bedfordview
Bedfordview.jpg
Northern view on Bedfordview
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Bedfordview
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Bedfordview
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Bedfordview
Coordinates: 26°10′46″S28°08′10″E / 26.17944°S 28.13611°E / -26.17944; 28.13611
CountrySouth Africa
Province Gauteng
Municipality Ekurhuleni
Main Place Germiston
Area
[1]
 • Total11.07 km2 (4.27 sq mi)
Elevation
1,639 m (5,377 ft)
Population
 (2011) [1]
 • Total13,959
 • Density1,300/km2 (3,300/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
[1]
 •  Black African 23.2%
 •  Coloured 1.7%
 •  Indian/Asian 7.7%
 •  White 63.9%
 • Other3.3%
First languages (2011)
[1]
 • English69.6%
 •  Afrikaans 7.5%
 •  Zulu 4.0%
 •  Northern Sotho 2.2%
 • Other16.6%
Time zone UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
2007
PO box
2008

Bedfordview is an affluent suburb in western Ekurhuleni, sharing an administrative boundary with the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, Gauteng, South Africa. Bedfordview has been part of the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality since 2000. The Eastgate Shopping Centre, one of the biggest in Africa when first built, is also located here.

Contents

History

The site of Bedfordview was largely taken up by the farm Elandsfontein and was administered as part of the District of Potchefstroom in the South African Republic. The coat-of-arms of Bedfordview features an Eland holding a fountain as a tribute to the early rural history of the town.

The Witwatersrand Gold Reef had a huge impact on the area. Elandsfontein was purchased for the mineral rights, and was later divided into smaller farms and small-holdings, many of which were settled by retired miners. [2] The entire area became known as Geldenhuis Estates Smallholdings. [2]

One of these farms was owned by Sir George Herbert Farrar, a randlord who played a prominent role in planning the infamous Jameson Raid, one of the main causes of the Second Anglo-Boer War. His farm, Bedford, was located in the present-day suburb of St Andrews, and parts of the original farm can still be seen in St Andrews' School. The farm itself was named after Sir Farrar's home-town of Bedford in England. [2] Apparently the raid itself was planned in a small house close to the farm. Sir George is buried on Milner Ave, close to the school, the only official grave in the town.

British cavalry was based in Bedfordview during the war and apparently planted the oak trees along Van Buuren Ave. There is also a legend that an Indian Rajah-based with the unit died and was buried somewhere in Bedfordview in full regalia, including his jewel-encrusted sword.

The name "Bedfordview" came about as the result of a competition. A young lady, Daisy Dollery, won the competition and thought there was a nice view from Bedford Farm. "Bedford View" (two words) was then registered. Over the years the name has contracted to one word. On 24 February 1926, the suburb officially obtained its name. [2]

By 1932 the small-holding had developed into a small village. The 1st Bedfordview Scout Troop opened its doors on 26 July 1928, and there was a government school and a post office. However, there were major health concerns. Bill Stewart, the headmaster at the school, recalled that sewage would run down Van Buuren Road from Malvern East and that the piggeries and other farms caused swarms of flies. There was talk that the area should become part of a municipality in order to deal with the matter, and residents were asked whether they would prefer to join Johannesburg or Germiston. Joining a municipality would mean rates and taxes though, so the residents elected instead to set up a health committee to sort out the problem. This later developed into the Bedfordview Village Council and then the Bedfordview Town Council.

Bedfordview was joined with Germiston and Palm Ridge to form the Transitional Council of Greater Germiston, after the institutition of democracy. This was in turn merged with other East Rand towns to form the City of Ekurhuleni, which incorporated the old municipalities of Alberton, Bedfordview, Benoni, Boksburg, Brakpan, Edenvale, Germiston, Kempton Park, Nigel, and Springs.

Listings

The site Bedfordview.co.za is a dedicated listing for business, malls, shops, jobs and property in the Bedfordview area.

Economy

Airports Company South Africa has its head office in Bedfordview. [3]

TAAG Angola Airlines has an office in Bedfordview. [4]

Murray and Roberts has its head office in Bedfordview."

Securities and Trading Technology (STT) has its head office in Bedfordview."

Mochachos has its head office in Bedfordview."

Suburbs

The following suburbs form part of Bedfordview:

Malls

Schools

Transport

Bedfordview is located at the interchange between the N3, N12 and R24 highways named the George Bizos Interchange. The N3 highway leads southwards to Germiston and Durban and northwards to Sandton and Pretoria, the N12 highway leads eastwards to Boksburg and eMalahleni and the R24 highway leads south-westwards to the Johannesburg CBD and north-eastwards to Edenvale and O.R. Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park.

The main route through the Bedfordview central business district (CBD) is Van Buuren Road (M52) which connects Bedfordview to the neighbouring suburbs of Wilbart and Wychwood.

Notable residents

Related Research Articles

Eastgate Shopping Centre is a super-regional shopping centre in Bedfordview, near Bedford Gardens and the Johannesburg city centre in Gauteng. It remains one of the largest centres in the country and is the fourth largest shopping centre in Gauteng, after Mall of Africa, Sandton City and Menlyn Park. The centre lies next to the R24 airport freeway, between the Johannesburg CBD to the west and O. R. Tambo International Airport to the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Rand</span> Eastern region of Gauteng, South Africa

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alberton, South Africa</span> Place in Gauteng, South Africa

Alberton is a town situated on the southern part of the East Rand of the Gauteng Province in South Africa and is situated very close to the major urban centre of Johannesburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boksburg</span> Town in Gauteng, South Africa

Boksburg is a city on the East Rand (Ekhuruleni) 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Germiston</span> Place in Gauteng, South Africa

Germiston, also known as kwaDukathole, is a city in the East Rand region of Gauteng, South Africa, administratively forming part of the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality since the latter's establishment in 2000. It functions as the municipal seat of Ekurhuleni, hosting the municipal council and administration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kempton Park, South Africa</span> Place in Gauteng, South Africa Postal address 1619

Kempton Park is a city in the East Rand region of Gauteng province, South Africa. It is part of the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality. It is situated south of Tembisa, one of the largest townships in South Africa, which is also part of Ekurhuleni. South Africa's busiest airport, O. R. Tambo International Airport is located in Kempton Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R21 (South Africa)</span> Road in South Africa

The R21 / P157 is a major north–south provincial route in eastern Gauteng Province, South Africa. Built in the early 1970s, it remains one of two freeways linking Pretoria with Johannesburg, via the R24. As the eastern of the two freeways, it links the Pretoria city centre with OR Tambo International Airport, the N12 freeway, and Boksburg. Between the Solomon Mahlangu Drive on-ramp in Monument Park, Pretoria, and the N12 in Boksburg, the R21 / P157 is an 8 lane highway and motorway (freeway), with 4 lanes in each direction. It has off-ramps leading to Irene, Olifantsfontein, Benoni, and Kempton Park, including a partial offramp to Atlas Road. The route intersects the N1 Highway near Centurion, the R24 near the airport, the N12 and N17 in Boksburg, and the N3 near Vosloorus on the East Rand, where it ends. The section from the N12 to the N3 is not a freeway. As early as the 1970s there were proposals to extend the R21 / P157 freeway further south and the freeway may be linked with the current eastern terminus of the M2 in Germiston in future.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R24 (South Africa)</span> Road in South Africa

The R24 is a major East-West provincial route in the Gauteng and North West provinces that links OR Tambo International Airport with Rustenburg via Johannesburg, Krugersdorp and Magaliesburg. The process of renaming the streets and freeway that form the route from Krugersdorp eastward to OR Tambo International after anti-apartheid stalwart Albertina Sisulu was completed in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R25 (South Africa)</span> Road in South Africa

The R25 is a provincial route in South Africa that connects Johannesburg with Groblersdal via Kempton Park, Bapsfontein and Bronkhorstspruit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R29 (South Africa)</span> Road in South Africa

The R29 is a provincial route in South Africa that connects Johannesburg with Leandra and Kinross via Germiston, Boksburg, Benoni and Springs. For much of its route it is named Main Reef Road. The R29 used to end near the Golela border post, however the section from Evander to Ermelo is now part of the N17 and the section from Ermelo to the Golela border post just after Pongola is now part of the N2.

Malvern is a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa. Situated east of the Johannesburg CBD, it lies south of Kensington and north of the industrial suburb of Denver. It is located in Region F of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality and lies just west of Bedfordview in the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality</span> Metropolitan Municipality in Gauteng, South Africa

The City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality is a metropolitan municipality that forms the local government of the East Rand region of Gauteng, a large suburban region east of Johannesburg. Ekurhuleni means "place of peace" in XiTsonga. Ekurhuleni is one of the five districts of Gauteng and one of the eight metropolitan municipalities of South Africa. The seat of Ekurhuleni is Germiston and the most spoken language is Zulu at 28.8%. The city is home to South Africa's busiest airport, OR Tambo International Airport, which is in the Kempton Park area of Ekurhuleni.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">N12 (South Africa)</span> National road in South Africa

The N12 is a national route in South Africa which runs from George through Beaufort West, Kimberley, Klerksdorp and Johannesburg to eMalahleni.

The M57 is a major metropolitan route in Greater Johannesburg, South Africa. A north/south route, it connects Germiston with the south-eastern suburbs of Pretoria via Kempton Park and Olifantsfontein. For most of its length, it is an alternative route to the R21 freeway.

The M37 is a metropolitan route in Greater Johannesburg, South Africa. It connects the N3 at Greenstone Shopping Mall with Katlehong via Edenvale and Germiston.

The M39 is a long metropolitan route in Greater Johannesburg, South Africa. It connects Kyalami with Germiston via Midrand, Kempton Park & Isando.

The M44 is a short metropolitan route in Greater Johannesburg, South Africa. It connects the Elandsfontein industrial suburb in the northern part of Germiston with Petit in the north-eastern part of Benoni.

The M59 is a short metropolitan route in Greater Johannesburg, South Africa. The entire route is in the western part of the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, particularly in Kempton Park and Edenvale.

The M99 is a short metropolitan route in Greater Johannesburg, South Africa. For its entire route, it parallels the R24 Highway in the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Sub Place Bedfordview". Census 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Raper, Peter E.; Moller, Lucie A.; du Plessis, Theodorus L. (2014). Dictionary of Southern African Place Names. Jonathan Ball Publishers. p. 1412. ISBN   9781868425501.
  3. ↑ "Contact us Archived 2011-07-20 at the Wayback Machine ." Airports Company South Africa. Retrieved on 6 February 2011. "Physical address: 24 Johnson Road The Maples Office Park - Bedfordview Johannesburg."
  4. ↑ "TAAG Offices Archived 2010-01-29 at the Wayback Machine ." TAAG Angola Airlines. Retrieved on 23 January 2010. "South Africa - Johannesburg 3rd Riley Road, Bedfordview Office Park Building 11A/ Stand 10 Bedfordview"
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