Fochville

Fochville
Fochville Show map of Gauteng Fochville Show map of South Africa Fochville Show map of Africa  Fochville shown within Gauteng
Coordinates: 26°29′S 27°29′E / 26.483°S 27.483°E / -26.483; 27.483Coordinates: 26°29′S 27°29′E / 26.483°S 27.483°E / -26.483; 27.483
Country	South Africa
Province	Gauteng
District	West Rand
Municipality	Merafong City
Established	1920
Area
• Total	11.36 km2 (4.39 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	9,497
• Density	840/km2 (2,200/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
• Black African	25.7%
• Coloured	1.2%
• Indian/Asian	0.4%
• White	71.7%
• Other	0.9%
First languages (2011)
• Afrikaans	71.3%
• English	6.8%
• Sotho	6.2%
• Tswana	6.0%
• Other	9.7%
Postal code (street)	2515
PO box	2515
Area code	018

Fochville is a farming and mining town situated in Gauteng province in South Africa and makes a part of the Merafong City Local Municipality which also includes Kokosi, Carletonville and Khutsong.

In the area surrounding Fochville are a number of Sotho or Tswana ruins. The Boer War hero, Danie Theron, was killed just 5 km north of the town. The town itself was only established as an agricultural centre in 1920 and was named after the World War I commander-in-chief of the Allied forces in France, Marshal of France Ferdinand Foch.

In September 2012, the settlements near Fochville fell victim to some ethnic violence in which shacks were razed and burned to the ground, and four people were killed along with six injured. Apparently, the conflict was waged between two rival factions following a dispute over boundaries, making the violence a turf war. The weapons used were knobkierries, petrol cans, and traditional spears and daggers.

Fochville has sporting facilities at the sport stadium called Gert van Rensburg Stadium. Sporting clubs include those playing cricket, rugby, squash, yoga, kickboxing and other sports.

The Borehole is the site where, in the early mining days, Western Deep Levels struck a stream of sulphurous water, which to this day surges out of the borehole.

Renosterfontein is a farm with old Tswana kraals, a traditional African village, and the ruins of a house that belonged to the brothers of President Andries Pretorius.

Fochville was proclaimed as a town on 15 November 1920 under control of a Health Committee and was named after the famous French General Foch of the First world War.

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Wikipedia