Vanderbijlpark Information, Accommodation, Restaurants, Business Directory and Properties for Sale

Vanderbijlpark (pronounced fʌndɪɹbeɪlpɑːɹk) is a medium sized industrial city on the Vaal river, situated in the Southern part of the Gauteng Province of South Africa. Together with neighbouring towns Sasolburg and Vereeniging it forms what is commonly known as the Vaal Triangle.

The black townships of Sebokeng, Bophelong and Boipatong. Boipatong is indelibly imprinted in the minds of South Africans after the Boipatong Massacre of 17 June 1992 in which 46 people lost their lives due to political unrest.

The Vaal Triangle, located in what is today known as the district municipality of Sedibeng and the local municipality of Emfuleni. is a major industrial region for South Africa.  

History

After World War 2 the demand for steel went up exponentially. Dr JH van der Bijl, a young scientist at that time working in the USA, was recalled to South Africa by Prime Minister Jannie Smuts. His mission - advise the government on the planning of South Africa's industrial development. He oversaw the Iron and Steel Corporation's first plant in Pretoria, but it soon became clear that more was needed. 

A piece of land measuring 100 sq km was purchased adjacent to the Vaal River, to build a large steel works and model town, and the steel works began operating in 1947.  Out of this the town as we know it today followed when Vanderbijlpark was proclaimed in 1949.

It attained municipal status in 1952, when Governor General Dr EG Jansen opened ISCOR's second steel works here.

Entertainment

Vanderbijlpark is home to, amongst others, the  recently constructed Vaal Mall, the Emerald Casino Resort as well as the Emfuleni Golf Course

Education

Tertiary - The Vaal Triangle Campus of the North-West University is situated on the banks of the Vaal River, with student numbers exceeding 3000.

The Computer Training Institute has also built a new satellite campus in central Vanderbijlpark, and the Vaal University of Technology is situated 1km away from the North West University.

Primary and Secondary - more than 60 schools in the Vaal Triangle area, of which 8 secondary and 16 Primary schools are located in Vanderbijlpark.

Demographics

A sensus done in 2001 indicates that Vanderbijlpark occupies in that year an area of 233 sq km, with a population of just more than 80 000. Almost 30% black, 70% white, 1% coloured and half a percent Asian.