Gauteng is often referred to as South Africa’s “place of gold” and is located in the heart of the country’s highveld. While it is the smallest of all the provinces, it is the economic powerhouse of the southern African region. The population is highly concentrated into urban centres and residential suburbs, with an excellent infrastructure in terms of road and rail networking.
Known for its cosmopolitan community, Gauteng is made up of the vibrant city of Soweto, Johannesburg the city that never sleeps, the diplomatic centre of Pretoria and a multitude of other places. The presence of gold has ensured that a mix of cultures from all over the world have established themselves in the province, with ancestors historically flocking to the region in search of fame and fortune.
South Africa’s economic hub, Johannesburg is the most industrialized city in the country and acts as the gateway through which Africa and the rest of the world relates. Popular residential suburbs here include the affluent Sandton City and Alberton, as well as Roodepoort and Krugersdorp in the west and Germiston, Springs, Boksburg and Benoni in the east. Much of the expansion is due to the rich gold bearing reef in the Witwatersrand region.
Pretoria is the administrative capital of the country and is located just to the north of Johannesburg, with the important industrial and coal mining towns of Vereeniging and Vanderbijlpark in the south along the Vaal River. Despite the extensive urbanization in the Gauteng region, there is still plenty of agricultural land producing a range of fruit and vegetables, dairy products and meat to surrounding cities, as well as maize and groundnuts, sunflowers and cotton being grown in certain areas.
The climate is typically African, with the summer rainfall expected in the interior combined with hot and humid weather in summer and dry, frosty weather in winter. The region is home to some of the biggest and best shopping centres in the country, with many people flying in from other countries in the African region to take advantage of the broad selection. If you enjoy living at a fast pace in a dynamic and changing environment then this is just the lifestyle awaiting you in Gauteng. |
