N17

The Soul of the South The town of Alberton lies along the banks of the Natal Spruit in the East Rand of Gauteng. It is primarily a residential area with its residents commuting to the nearby city of Johannesburg, only 15 km’s away, or other surrounding suburbs to make a living. From a town planning perspective, Alberton is truly unique in that is does not have a reason for its location apart from its proximity to the major population centres which also includes Pretoria. The area offers a variety of shopping malls and entertainment facilities. The community is “close knit” and Alberton hosts a fair amount of events providing plenty of family fun for its residents throughout the…

Bethal is a small farming town in the Cosmos countryside of Mpumalanga, just under two hours drive from Johannesburg. There are no notable tourist attractions in Bethal and no game farms in the surrounding area however, clean air, nature at its finest and warm hospitality are just a few of the ingredients that make this part of our country so special. Bethal also has easy access to other attractions in the nearby towns of Secunda and Ermelo and the town sees many travellers, business and leisure, who are en-route to other areas in the province or Swaziland. Today Bethal mainly farms maize, sunflowers and potatoes. The town was once South Africa’s main potato producing area and still today…

Boksburg is a town situated on the East Rand of Gauteng, ideally positioned between the N12 and N17 highways, offering visitors an easy commute to and from major towns, including Brakpan, Benoni, Germiston, Alberton, and Johannesburg. Just a few kilometres from Johannesburg’s major airport, Boksburg is geared for tourism with many attractions that are well worth a visit. There are a number of historical buildings to explore and is the resting place of Chris Hani, leader of the South African Communist Party, and is also the birthplace of Gerrie “The Boksburg Bomber” Coetzee, former WB heavyweight Boxing Champion. Boksburg is home to the very popular “beach within reach” Wild Waters Park with numerous fun-filled water slides and beach area as well as the 180 shop East Rand Mall…

Brakpan is situated between Springs and Benoni on the East Rand of Gauteng. The three areas have virtually become one and eventually all East Rand towns will simply become suburbs of Johannesburg due to the constant urban development. There is nothing particularly unique about this mostly Afrikaans speaking town – no landmarks, major monuments or museums – but the town certainly doesn’t lack character. Its suburban roads still show some tinned roofed homes, and despite some presence of electric fencing and high walls, some homes are still defined by nothing more than a simple fence. The opening of Carnival City brought more tourists to the town and created many much needed jobs.  Brakpan offers excellent restaurants, movie houses, entertainment, great shopping, sport facilities…

Centre of our Lake District Chrissiesmeer is a small little town just over two hours from Johannesburg, ideal for weekend getaways for the Joburg city folk. Chrissiesmeer is a place of incredible beauty, rolling hills, lakes and legends! Lake Chrissie is the largest freshwater lake in South Africa. The area is known as SA’s Lake District and its beauty is considered equivalent to the famous lake districts of England and Scotland – 270 small shallow lakes dot the landscape of the Mpumalanga Highveld within a 20 km radius of the town. The natural heritage of the lakes is undeniable however, the sheer beauty of the area and its abundant bird-life is just as important for tourism and in turn it is the tourism based economy that helps protect these areas. The Lakes are home to about 80…

Devon is a small settlement in in the Sedibeng District Municipality in Gauteng, South Africa. The small village, was named after the surveyor who laid it out's home county in England.The Devon vicinity is important for natural gas.

Garden Town of Mpumalanga Ermelo is the main centre of the Grass and Wetlands Region of Mpumalanga, surrounded by sheep, cattle, sunflower and maize farms. The extensive pine plantations, endless rows of cedars, acorn trees and wattles, and rolling green landscapes make it easy to see why Ermelo is known as the garden town of the Mpumalanga Province. The town boasts a magical beauty and its’ spectacular surroundings afford visitors the opportunity to enjoy numerous outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain biking, fishing and birding. Ermelo is a town not to be underestimated, the province's tranquil Lake District, which includes the pretty little village of Chrissiesmeer, is only…

Evander is a small town in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa, 8km north-west of Secunda. The town was founded in 1955 when the Union Corporation started its mining activities and was originally part of the Bethal district. Evander is named after Evelyn Anderson, the wife of Peter Maltitz Anderson, one of the directors of the corporation. The Union Corporation acquired options in the Kinross area, 64 km west of Springs and mining started in 1955 through their subsidiary, Winkelhaak Mines Ltd. The Evander mine is currently operating in its 8th shaft and employs 3 300 people. These operations are now owned by Harmony Gold Mine. The Kimberley Reef in the Evander Basin produced over 16 000 kg of gold fbetween 2008-2010. The ore is milled and processed at Kinross, 7km north. The…

Germiston, on the East Rand in the Province of Gauteng, South Africa is situated 26 km outside of Johannesburg City Centre. Germiston city is home to the worlds’ largest gold refinery and some 700 factories of which are also some of the biggest in the world. It is South Africa’s sixth largest city and boasts the country’s biggest railway junction. Although Germiston is largely an industrial area, it is close to shopping malls and has a variety of fine restaurants, sporting activities and historical experiences for tourists and businessmen alike to enjoy. The Germiston Lake is a popular weekend spot for wind surfing and rowing competitions. Places to Visit Things to do and see…

The City that Gold built Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa is the Provincial Capital of Gauteng. This unique city is often referred to as Jozi, Jo’burg, Egoli or City of Gold as it is home to some of the worlds’ richest gold fields. Johannesburg is also the wealthiest city and economic powerhouse in Africa. It is for this reason that many visitors come to Jozi as it is seen as a multi-cultural mix of people in a booming, happening and trendy city. Sandton has become the new hub of the city, after businesses transferred from the city centre, and it is here in this leafy green suburb you will find the famous malls and social gatherings. The cultural district of Newtown on…

Kinross is a small gold mining town in the province of Mpumalanga and is set amongst four other gold mines in the area. The town, named after the town of Kinross in Scotland, was established in 1915. Kinross is also the centre of one of South Africa’s most advanced maize, potato and cattle-farming districts.

The Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve is renowned for its imposing hills, vast grasslands, unique fauna and flora, and its variety of stunning walking trails. Situated a mere 10 km from the centre of Johannesburg, 5 km from Soweto and easily accessible from Sandton, the East and the West Rand, the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve provides for an exciting nature experience. It is the largest proclaimed nature reserve in the Johannesburg Metropolitan area (About 680 ha. in extent) and boasts a surprising diversity ranging from larger game such as zebra, red hartebeest, and black wildebeest, to many items of botanical, geological, archaeological, historical and cultural interest. Red data and…

Leandra lies along the N17 between Johannesburg and Bethal, a rural town that serves the surrounding farms and local community. This small farming town is known for its seven large grain silos and its pretty main street, lined with homes built in the traditional 1950’s style. Alongside the railway line are also a few historical homes and buildings with tin roofs. The biggest advantage of the town is its proximity to Gauteng, as Leandra is not a tourist destination. A stopover for travellers along the N17, the town has a local Spar, a bottle store, a bank and ATM, a petrol station and a tyre and exhaust centre. Otherwise travellers might find a few quaint local shops with a few gems to take home. City dwellers escape to the area for relaxing getaways with the opportunity of viewing the…

Secunda is a fairly new town situated amidst the coalfields of Mpumalanga approximately 135 km from Johannesburg and 180 km from Pretoria. It is the second, as its name implies, extraction refinery after Sasolburg some 140 km to the west of Secunda. The landscape around Secunda has two distinctive features, the enormous cooling towers and high chimneys and the unique South African oil from coal steel structures. The highest structure is a 301 metres tall chimney, a chimney which happens to be one of the tallest freestanding structures in the Southern Hemisphere – quite the sight to see – Secunda is a destination with plenty to see in the way of engineering and man-made marvels!…

Springs is a bustling city just 50 km east of Johannesburg, nothing in terms of driving around the city of Gold, and is in fact considered by many as a suburb of Johannesburg. It lies in the area known as the East Rand which includes Benoni, Brakpan and Boksburg. Springs is known for its engineering and manufacturing industries, which unfortunately leaves it with a rather unattractive and drab image – not the most alluring of cities as far as tourism goes. However, the locals enjoy the suburban, rather than city, atmosphere and the easy access it offers to the attractions of Johannesburg. What Springs does offer by way of entertainment is its very popular Casino and Entertainment Centre…

The town of Trichardt was established on the farm Vaalkrans as a Dutch Reformed Church parish and received town status in 1906. Trichardt was named after Carolus Trichardt, the eldest son of the well known Voortrekker leader, Louis Trichardt. Carolus lived on the farm Goedehoop, near Trichardt, for many years. When he died in 1901 he was buried in Middelburg.