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East Rand, Gauteng

East Rand
Germiston CBD.jpg Benoni CBD.jpg
Kempton Park CBD.jpg Tembisa township, Gauteng, South Africa.jpg
Boksburg.JPG Pentecost Protestant Church-Brakpan-001.jpg
Country South Africa
Province Gauteng
Municipality Ekurhuleni
Government
 • Mayor Mzwandile Masina
Area
 • Total 1,975 km2 (763 sq mi)
Population
 • Total 3,178,470
 • Density 1,600/km2 (4,200/sq mi)
Racial makeup ()
 • Black African 78.7%
 • Coloured 2.7%
 • Indian/Asian 2.1%
 • White 15.8%
First languages ()
 • Zulu 28.8%
 • English 12.0%
 • Afrikaans 11.9%
 • Northern Sotho 11.4%
 • Other 35.9%
PO box 1462
HDI Increase 0.74 High (2012)
GDP US$ 55.3 billion
GDP per capita US$ 17,361

Coordinates: 26°10′38″S 28°13′19″E / 26.17722°S 28.22194°E / -26.17722; 28.22194

The East Rand is the name of the urban eastern part of the Witwatersrand that is functionally merged with the Johannesburg conurbation. This area became settled by Europeans after a gold-bearing reef was discovered in 1886 and sparked the gold rush that gave rise to the establishment of Johannesburg.

The large black townships of the East Rand were the scene of heavy clashes between the African National Congress and the Inkatha Freedom Party before the end of Apartheid.

The region extends from Germiston in the west to Springs in the east, and south down to Nigel, and includes the towns of Boksburg, Benoni, Brakpan, Kempton Park, Edenvale, and Bedfordview.


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