City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ekurhuleni
City
Location in Gauteng
Location in Gauteng
Coordinates: 26°10′S 28°18′E / 26.167°S 28.300°E / -26.167; 28.300Coordinates: 26°10′S 28°18′E / 26.167°S 28.300°E / -26.167; 28.300
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceGauteng
SeatGermiston
Wards101
Government
 • TypeMunicipal council
 • MayorMzwandile Masina[1] (ANC)
Area
 • Total1,975 km2 (763 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[3]
 • Total3,178,470
 • Density1,600/km2 (4,200/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
 • Black African78.7%
 • Coloured2.7%
 • Indian/Asian2.1%
 • White15.8%
First languages (2011)
 • Zulu28.8%
 • English12.0%
 • Afrikaans11.9%
 • Northern Sotho11.4%
 • Other35.9%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Municipal codeEKU
GDPUS$ 82.6 billion[4]
GDP per capitaUS$ 24,468[4]

The City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality is a metropolitan municipality that forms the local government of the East Rand region of Gauteng, South Africa. The municipality itself is a large suburban region east of Johannesburg. The name Ekurhuleni means place of peace in XiTsonga. Ekurhuleni is one of the five districts of Gauteng province and one of the eight metropolitan municipalities of South Africa. The seat of Ekurhuleni is Germiston. OR Tambo International Airport falls in the Kempton Park area of Ekurhuleni.[5]

History[]

The municipality was established in 2000, superseding the Eastern Gauteng Services Council, the Khayalami Metropolitan Council, and the previous administrations of Alberton, Benoni, Boksburg, Brakpan, Edenvale/Lethabong, Germiston, Kempton Park/Tembisa, Nigel and Springs.[6]

The planned abolition of the Lesedi Local Municipality, which includes Heidelberg, and its absorption into Ekurhuleni after the 2016 municipal elections, were blocked by the High Court of South Africa in 2015.[7]

The name Ekurhuleni meaning place of peace alludes to the fact that the East Rand townships were the site of severe political violence between supporters of the Inkatha Freedom Party and the ANC in the early 1990s, prior to South Africa's first multiracial elections in 1994.[8]

Geography[]

Ekurhuleni lies on the plateau that is the highveld at about 1600 metres in altitude. The highest elevation is at the Gillooly's Ridge – Bill Stewart Side – Fisher's Hill at 1772m asl.[9] The lowest point is at 1552m asl. The city is rich in wetlands, pans, streams and rivers.[10] The city is highly urbanised; however, the north especially has high-potential agricultural land.[11]

Climate[]

Ekurhuleni has a subtropical highland climate (Cwb) according to the Köppen-Geiger Climate classification.[12] This classifies a warm temperate climate of warm summers and dry winters. In the winter months (May - October) the city has a diurnal temperature pattern with a high amplitude, as temperatures can range from freezing at night to mid 20s °C in the day.

The main precipitation falls between October and March with a monthly average prec/modelclimate/germiston_south-africa_1002108|title=Climate Germiston|website=meteoblue}}</ref> The daily maximum temperatures in October–March are on average 27 °C. The Winter is mostly dry with only a few cold fronts reaching the highveld from the southern Atlantic Ocean.[13]

hideClimate data for Ekurhuleni
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (��F) 33.8
(92.8) 		33.5
(92.3) 		35.2
(95.4) 		29.4
(84.9) 		29.2
(84.6) 		28.8
(83.8) 		24.5
(76.1) 		27.0
(80.6) 		33.0
(91.4) 		32.5
(90.5) 		33.6
(92.5) 		33.0
(91.4) 		35.2
(95.4)
Average high °C (°F) 32
(90) 		32
(90) 		30
(86) 		27
(81) 		25
(77) 		22
(72) 		22
(72) 		26
(79) 		30
(86) 		32
(90) 		32
(90) 		32
(90) 		28.5
(83.3)
Daily mean °C (°F) 27
(81) 		27
(81) 		26
(79) 		23
(73) 		21
(70) 		18
(64) 		18
(64) 		21
(70) 		25
(77) 		26
(79) 		27
(81) 		27
(81) 		24
(75)
Average low °C (°F) 14
(57) 		13
(55) 		13
(55) 		10
(50) 		6
(43) 		2
(36) 		2
(36) 		4
(39) 		8
(46) 		11
(52) 		13
(55) 		14
(57) 		9
(48)
Record low °C (°F) 6
(43) 		0
(32) 		1
(34) 		−1
(30) 		−5
(23) 		−7
(19) 		−6
(21) 		−7
(19) 		−3
(27) 		2
(36) 		1
(34) 		0
(32) 		−7
(19)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 132
(5.2) 		86
(3.4) 		79
(3.1) 		41
(1.6) 		13
(0.5) 		5
(0.2) 		2
(0.1) 		7
(0.3) 		20
(0.8) 		85
(3.3) 		114
(4.5) 		142
(5.6) 		726
(28.6)
Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) 21 16.5 14.8 7.5 2.9 1.5 0.6 1.9 5.3 15.5 19.1 22.9 129.5
Mean monthly sunshine hours 250.1 224.8 238.8 236.9 276.0 266.9 283.9 284.1 280.8 269.5 248.7 263.9 3,124.4
Source 1: meteoblue[14]
Source 2: World Meteorological Organisation (UN)[15]

Main places[]

Road sign: Ekurhuleni
Ekurhuleni 2001 population density map

The 2011 census divided the municipality into inter alia the following main places:[16]

Place Area (km2) Population Most spoken languages
Alberton 77.16 121,536 Afrikaans 42%, English 34%, Zulu 6%, Sotho 5%, Xhosa 2%, foreign languages 2%
Benoni 175.55 158,777 English 41%, Afrikaans 19%, Zulu 17%, Pedi 5%, Sotho 3%, Tsonga 3%, foreign languages 3%, Xhosa 2%, Ndebele 2%
Boksburg 162.35 260,321 Afrikaans 28%, English 18%, Zulu 14%, Pedi 9%, Xhosa 8%, Sotho 7%, Tsonga 4%, foreign languages 3%
Brakpan 182.81 73,080 Afrikaans 47%, English 16%, Zulu 14%, Sotho 4%, Pedi 3%, foreign languages 2%, Tsonga 2%, Xhosa 2%, Tswana 2%
Daveyton 14.45 127,967 Zulu 37%, Pedi 13%, Xhosa 11%, Sotho 10%, Tsonga 9%, Tswana 5%, Ndebele 3%, English 2%, foreign languages 2%
Duduza 11.23 73,295 Zulu 64%, Sotho 16%, Xhosa 5%, Pedi 2%, Tswana 2%
Edenvale 20.03 49,292 English 72%, Afrikaans 11%, foreign languages 4%, Zulu 3%
Etwatwa 20.83 151,866 Zulu 44%, Tsonga 12%, Pedi 12%, Sotho 7%, Xhosa 6%, Ndebele 6%, Swazi 2%, Tswana 2%
Germiston 143.27 255,863 English 24%, Afrikaans 16%, Zulu 16%, Xhosa 9%, Pedi 7%, Sotho 7%, foreign languages 5%, Tsonga 4%, Venda 2%, Tswana 2%
Katlehong 55.36 407,294 Zulu 37%, Sotho 22%, Xhosa 13%, Pedi 9%, Tsonga 6%, English 2%
Kempton Park 149.05 171,575 Afrikaans 34%, English 26%, Zulu 8%, Pedi 7%, foreign languages 4%, Sotho 4%, Tswana 3%, Xhosa 3%, Tsonga 2%
Kwa-Thema 14.70 103,727 Zulu 55%, Xhosa 8%, Sotho 7%, Pedi 7%, Tswana 6%, Ndebele 4%, Tsonga 2%, English 2%, Swazi 2%
10.10 54,710 Zulu 46%, Pedi 11%, Tsonga 10%, Xhosa 8%, Sotho 6%, Ndebele 4%, Swazi 3%, English 2%, Tswana 2%
Nigel 139.07 38,318 Afrikaans 43%, Zulu 23%, English 16%, Sotho 5%, Xhosa 2%
Springs 183.50 121,610 Afrikaans 30%, Zulu 20%, English 15%, Pedi 8%, Xhosa 7%, Sotho 5%, Tsonga 3%, foreign languages 3%, Tswana 2%
Thembisa 42.08 463,109 Pedi 33%, Zulu 21%, Tsonga 13%, Xhosa 7%, Sotho 6%, Tswana 3%, Ndebele 3%, Venda 3%, foreign languages 2%, English 2%
Tokoza 9.43 105,827 Zulu 40%, Sotho 21%, Xhosa 18%, Pedi 5%, Tsonga 3%
Tsakane 19.75 135,994 Zulu 57%, Sotho 10%, Pedi 7%, Xhosa 6%, Tsonga 4%, Tswana 3%, Ndebele 3%, English 2%
Vosloorus 32.10 163,216 Zulu 46%, Sotho 17%, Xhosa 8%, Pedi 7%, Tsonga 5%, Tswana 4%, English 3%
Wattville 2.17 25,667 Zulu 47%, Sotho 13%, Pedi 10%, Xhosa 7%, Tswana 5%, Tsonga 5%, English 2%, foreign languages 2%, Ndebele 2%

Parks and nature[]

Ekurhuleni has over 206 wetlands and lakes.

Germiston Lake is a natural pan in the Elsburgspruit system and has a catchment area of 1174ha. It is fed mostly by surface runoff water and stormwater drains. The lake is one of the cleanest bodies of water in South Africa.[citation needed] It has a size of 57.4 ha and a maximum capacity of 2839×. Its depth is approximately 8 metres.[17][18] On the banks of the lake are a recreational park with playground equipment and Braai areas as well as a rowing club and golf club.

A wetland of note is the Blesbokriver wetland which stretches over an area of 1858ha.[19]

Flamingoes can be found in the Marievale Bird sanctuary.

The Bullfrog Pan is almost 10 hectares and is home to more than 150 bird species.[20]

Landmarks[]

In 2017 the Chris Hani memorial at Thomas Nkobi Memorial Park in Boksburg was revealed during the 22nd commemoration of his death. The Chris Hani memorial site consists of the Monument, the Walk of Remembrance and the Wall of Remembrance which recognizes the historical events, places and people associated with the liberation struggle of South Africa.[20]

Chris Hani Monument in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni

The Thokoza Wall of Remembrance commemorates the people who died in the fight between the Inkatha Freedom Party and the residents.[20]

Arts and culture[]

Ekurhuleni has a rich cultural life. In 2017 the Thami Mnyele Fine arts award had its 30th anniversary.[21]

The local music scene is well and alive and Ekurhuleni gave rise to a few notable music stars.

O.R. Tambo Narrative Centre tells visitors all about the lives and contributions of the Tambo couple towards the dismantling of Apartheid in South Africa. It is situated on the banks of the Leeupan Wetland. It also has an exhibition of environmental education aimed at children.

Since 2016 Ekurhuleni has hosted the Ekurhuleni International Film Festival.[22]

Demographics[]

In 2016 3,379,104 people lived in Ekurhuleni, of whom 22.7% were under 15 years old, 71.2% were between the ages of 15-64 and 6.1% were older than 65 years old. Ekurhuleni had 1,299,490 households with an average people per household number of 2.6. 80.2% of people lived in formal dwellings and 52.9% owned housing.[23]

The following statistics are from the 2014 census.[24]

Ekurhuleni 2001 dominant language map
Population pyramid 2011
% Males Age Females %
n/d
 
 85+
 
 n/d
n/d
 
 80–84
 
 n/d
0.53
 
 75–79
 
 0.89
0.65
 
 70–74
 
 0.74
1.04
 
 65–69
 
 1.07
1.46
 
 60–64
 
 1.47
1.95
 
 55–59
 
 1.91
2.37
 
 50–54
 
 2.26
3.02
 
 45–49
 
 2.65
3.72
 
 40–44
 
 3.18
4.87
 
 35–39
 
 4.18
5.75
 
 30–34
 
 5.05
5.59
 
 25–29
 
 5.13
4.04
 
 20–24
 
 4.01
3.21
 
 15–19
 
 3.29
3.67
 
 10–14
 
 3.69
4.41
 
 5–9
 
 4.40
4.87
 
 0–4
 
 4.90
Language Population %
IsiZulu 908 002 28.81%
English 377 935 11.99%
Afrikaans 375 611 11.8%
Sepedi 359 245 11.40%
Sesotho 315 806 10.02%
IsiXhosa 252 757 8.02%
XiTsonga 208 865 6.63%
Setswana 90 307 2.87%
Other 81 878 2.60%
IsiNdebele 75 150 2.38%
Tshivenda 48 227 1.53%
SiSwati 44 967 1.43%
Sign Language . 0.4%

Gender[]

Germiston
The Rhodesfield suburb of Kempton Park
Gender Population %
Male 1 627 724 51.21%
Female 1 550 747 48.79%

Ethnic groups[]

A street in Lakefield
Ethnic group Population %
Black African 2 502 769 78.74%
White 502 439 15.81%
Coloured 85 910 2.70%
Indian/Asian 68 058 2.14%
The CBD of Benoni

Education[]

Ekurhuleni has two school districts: Ekurhuleni North and Ekurhuleni South.[25] There are 671 schools in Ekurhuleni, of which 137 are independent.[26][27] Ekurhuleni has two colleges of further education and training (FET)[28][29] as well as two centres of adult education and training (AET).[30] The municipal government under Executive Mayor Mzwandile Masina conducted a feasibility study and lobbied the national government to establish a university in Ekurhuleni [31] which was formally announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in the 2020 State of the National Address.

Politics[]

The city has scored best in governance out of all metros in South Africa.[32]

The municipal council consists of 224 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. 112 are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 112 wards, while the remaining 112 are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 3 August 2016 the African National Congress (ANC) lost its majority on the council for the first time. The ANC subsequently formed a coalition with the African Independent Congress, the Pan Africanist Congress, the Patriotic Alliance and the .

The following table shows the results of the 2016 election.[33][34]

Party Votes Seats
Ward List Total % Ward List Total
ANC 436,190 438,961 875,151 48.6 76 33 109
Democratic Alliance 307,664 306,709 614,373 34.2 35 42 77
EFF 102,242 99,770 202,012 11.2 1 24 25
African Independent Congress 14,709 14,810 29,519 1.6 0 4 4
IFP 8,940 9,345 18,285 1.0 0 2 2
Freedom Front Plus 7,991 8,059 16,050 0.9 0 2 2
ACDP 3,908 3,754 7,662 0.4 0 1 1
PAC 3,836 3,743 7,579 0.4 0 1 1
Patriotic Alliance 2,272 2,499 4,771 0.3 0 1 1
COPE 2,209 2,504 4,713 0.3 0 1 1
3,067 1,219 4,286 0.2 0 1 1
Independent 3,675 – 3,675 0.2 0 – 0
UDM 1,435 2,109 3,544 0.2 0 0 0
Others 2,283 5,298 7,581 0.4 0 0 0
Total 900,421 898,780 1,799,201 100.0 112 112 224
Spoilt votes 16,086 15,783 31,869

Economy[]

As of 2014 the GDP of Ekurhuleni was estimated at over US$55 billion (PPP), being US$17,361 per person.[4] Ekurhuleni has an active workforce of 1.6 million people of whom 28.8% are unemployed.[24] Ekurhuleni makes up 6.2% of national production.

Ekurhuleni has in Rand Refinery the largest integrated single-site precious metals refining and smelting complex in the world.[35]

Airways Park, the head office of South African Airways
Professor John D. Kasarda with Ekurhuleni mayor Mondli Gungubele

Manufacturing[]

The city is an important manufacturing centre in South Africa, contributing 32% of manufacturing production.[36] The city has been described as "the workshop of the country".[37] It contributes 11% to the GVA of South Africa.[38]

Ekurhuleni has held the "Manufacturing Indaba" Conference every year since 2014. This two-day conference provides contacts and networking between business owners, industry owners, capital providers, experts and the government.[39]

Infrastructure[]

Road network[]

Ekurhuleni is connected to the main motorways in South Africa via the M2, N3, N17, R21, R24 and R59 highways. As Ekurhuleni is part of the Johannesburg Conurbation, Transport routes in Ekurhuleni share the same metropolitan route numbering system as Johannesburg.

The road network in Ekurhuleni spans 8,024 km of paved roads and approximately 1,200 km of gravel road.[40]

Public transport[]

Ekurhuleni is one of 13 cities and towns in South Africa to implement the bus rapid transit (BRT) system. Phase 1 of the project runs from Tembisa to Vosloorus via Kempton Park and the OR Tambo International Airport. New routes have been integrated from Katlehong to Rhodesfield, from Vosloorus to Rhodesfield, and from Reiger Park to Rhodesfield.[41] Passengers are served by Metrorail which sustains the passenger rail network in the Western Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. Seven train lines serve Ekurhuleni.[42]

Rail[]

Ekurhuleni has the largest rail hub in South Africa used by Transnet.[36]

Aviation[]

Ekurhuleni aerotropolis

Several airline companies are headquartered in the Kempton Park area of Ekurhuleni.

Ekurhuleni is Gauteng's first aerotropolis.[43] This is a metropolis with an airport at its centre. One should be able to get to the airport from anywhere in Ekurhuleni in 25 min. The major aim will be logistics and connecting the local industry and agriculture to the world markets.

O.R. Tambo International Airport has two terminals handling domestic and international flights. Terminal A handles international traffic and Terminal B domestic flights. The airport services airlines from all five continents and plays a vital role in serving the local, regional, intra- and inter-continental air transport needs of South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. It is the biggest and busiest airport in Africa. OR Tambo International handles more than 20 million passengers per year and employs more than 18,000 people.[44]

South African Airways, the flagship air carrier of South Africa, and its subsidiary South African Express have their head offices in Ekurhuleni.[5][45][46] Mango, a low cost airline owned by SAA, is headquartered on the grounds of OR Tambo International Airport.[47]

The headquarters of Comair and Kulula.com are at an intersection within Ekurhuleni in close proximity to OR Tambo International Airport.[48][49] Federal Air also has its headquarters on the OR Tambo International Airport grounds.[50] 1Time has its head office in the Isando Industrial Park.[51] Safair's head office is in Kempton Park.[52]

Airports Company South Africa has its head office in Bedfordview, Ekurhuleni.[53] TAAG Angola Airlines has an office in Bedfordview.[54]

Stormwater systems[]

There are 11,318 stormwater systems and a total lengths of pipes and channels of more than 3800 km.[40]

Sports and recreation[]

Ekurhuleni has at least 16 golf courses and is home to the international Golf Tournament the South African Open held at Glendower Golf Club.[55]

There is an over 100 year old rowing club at the bank of Germiston Lake,[56] and over 30 swimming pools can be found in the city.[57]

Ekurhuleni United FC play in the fourth division of South African Football.[58]

Ekurhuleni has the Ekurhuleni masters league, a soccer league of retired pros and talented players who did not make the cut.[59]

38 eco "outdoor gyms" can be found in Ekurhuleni.

Notable people from Ekurhuleni[]

References[]

  1. ^ "As it happened: ANC wins Ekurhuleni municipality mayoral race".
  2. ^ "Contact list: Executive Mayors". Government Communication & Information System. Archived from the original on 14 July 2010. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Statistics by place". Statistics South Africa. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Global city GDP 2014". Brookings Institution. Retrieved 7 November 2017. East Rand
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b "Background[permanent dead link]." Ekurhuleni. 3 (3/8). Retrieved on 30 September 2009.
  6. ^ "IDP & SDBIP 2013/14". Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality. 2013. p. 11. Archived from the original on 2017-08-25. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
  7. ^ "DA wins court case - Heidelberg Nigel Heraut". 22 September 2015.
  8. ^ "Xenophobia: The painful history of black-on black violence - OPINION - Politicsweb". www.politicsweb.co.za.
  9. ^ CITY OF EKURHULENI [@City_Ekurhuleni] (25 July 2017). "@morri85 Giloolys ridge – Bill Stewart Side –Fishers hill is highest point at +/- 1772m Lowest point is about +/- 1552m