Germiston, East Rand, Gauteng - Property, Accommodation and Conference Venues

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Germiston in the East Rand Region of Gauteng, South Africa
Germiston is situated in the East Rand region of the Gauteng province of South Africa. Germiston is part of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality which includes much of the East Rand, also the Greater Johannesburg Metropolitan Area. Germiston is home to the WesBank Raceway motorsports facility.

Germiston lies 5,550 feet (1,690 metres) above sea level and is situated in the Witwatersrand directly southeast of Johannesburg. It is the largest railway junction of South Africa and has substantial rail repair shops. Germiston lies in the heart of the Rand goldfields and was founded in 1886 after the local discovery of gold. It officially became a town in 1903 and a city in 1950. It is part of one of South Africa’s most heavily industrialized areas. Gold bullion from nearly all the country’s mines is recovered at the Rand Refinery Limited (established 1921), the largest in the world. Other industries include smelting, cotton-ginning, and varied manufactures.

Notable people to come from Germiston include: Andre Nel(South African cricket fast bowler) Andre Watson (Rugby Referee), Pierre Isse (Bafana Bafana Defender), Dr Sydney Brenner, winner of the 2002 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, Ernie Els (professional golfer), Albert Johanneson (Professional Footballer and first black player to play in the FA Cup), Ted Grant.

Germiston was established in the early days of the gold rush when two prospectors, John Jack from the farm of Germiston near Glasgow and August Simmer from Vacha in Germany, struck paydirt on the farm of Elandsfontein. Both men made fortunes and the town sprung up next to the mine. In 1921 the world's largest gold refinery, the Rand Refinery, was established at Germiston.

 

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