Doornkop

Doornkop
Doornkop Show map of Gauteng Doornkop Show map of South Africa Doornkop Show map of Africa  Doornkop shown within Gauteng
Location within Greater Johannesburg  Doornkop
Coordinates: 26°13′58″S 27°47′0″E / 26.23278°S 27.78333°E / -26.23278; 27.78333Coordinates: 26°13′58″S 27°47′0″E / 26.23278°S 27.78333°E / -26.23278; 27.78333
Country	South Africa
Province	Gauteng
Municipality	City of Johannesburg
Area
• Total	1.25 km2 (0.48 sq mi)
Population (2001)
• Total	8,740
• Density	7,000/km2 (18,000/sq mi)
PO box	1821

Doornkop (literally "thorn hill") is a ridge and locality southwest of Johannesburg, close to Krugersdorp, in Gauteng Province, South Africa.

It is the spot where Dr Leander Starr Jameson was defeated on January 2, 1896 following the Jameson Raid. The area is also linked in popular history to the third day of the Battle of Johannesburg that took place nearby from May 27 to 29, 1900 during the Second Boer War. The ridge was taken by cavalry under command of Lt Gen John French while a nearby ridge, now covered by several Soweto suburbs, was taken by seven infantry battalions, including the City Imperial Volunteers and Gordon Highlanders of Lt Gen Ian Hamilton.

The area is currently being submerged by the westward expansion of Soweto and the eastward growth of Krugersdorp's Kagiso township. Suburbs include Tshepisong, Leratong Village, Bambayi and Thulani.

There is another place named Doornkop, a community 15 km north of Middelburg in the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality (http://www.stevetshwetelm.gov.za/) in Mpumalanga.