Roodepoort (F 9)

Name: Roodepoort

Following the re-organisation of local government in South Africa in 1994, Roodepoort is no longer a separate municipality

Roodepoort, meaning "red valley" in Afrikaans, is a sprawling residential area, in parts dominated by light industry and small businesses. It gets its name from the red soil in the area. It dates back to 1884, when Fred Struben discovered the first payable gold in the area at what he called the Confidence Reef, a large rocky outcrop in the centre of Roodepoort.

At the time the area was settled by scattered Boer farmers on nine farms. Four of the farms - Roodepoort, Vogelstruisfontein, Paardekraal and Wilgrespruit - were soon declared public diggings.

The city of Roodepoort originated when Jan Bantjies secured the prospecting rights on the farm Roodepoort. Gold was discovered the following year and the farm was declared open for public diggings. Other discoveries followed and as the diggers needed a place to pitch their tents, the farm Roodepoort opened up its land.

A shantytown sprang up. Between 1886 and 1888, four mining towns, Roodepoort, Florida, Hamberg and Maraisburg, were proclaimed. The Goldfields Diggers Committee was formed in 1886 to represent the farmers' interests. This was the first form of local government in the area, which became known as Roodepoort-Maraisburg.

The search for gold spread, and in 1886 the main reef at Langlaagte in Johannesburg was discovered. The gold at Confidence Reef, mostly surface gold in quartz rock, soon ran out, but by then a settled community was established in Roodepoort.

In 1903 the Roodepoort-Maraisburg Urban District Board was established, and the first election was held in January 1904. The status of the Board was soon raised to that of a municipality, and in 1963 the Roodepoort-Maraisburg municipality was changed to Roodepoort and city status was granted in 1977 (at which time Maraisburg was dropped from the name).

Roodepoort is a gold-mining center in the West Rand area. A monument commemorates the Jameson Raid of 1895.

The city retains some of its early historic buildings. The Old House on the corner of 3rd Street and Boundary Road consists of an early three-roomed wood and iron structure, which soon had a veranda and railing added to become an attractive cottage. The old municipal offices in Berlandina Street, an attractive plaster and stone building now used as a Roodepoort branch library, were declared a national monument in 1985. Another national monument is the old Roodepoort Town School in Rex Street, on the site of the original building erected in 1894.

General

Made up primarily of the Greater Roodepoort area, this region now contains residential suburbs, agricultural holdings in the north, part of the mining belt in the south, and some areas of commercial activity such as Westgate, Constantia and Laser Park.

The Roodepoort region is one of the most attractive residential areas in Johannesburg, offering charming suburbs amid rolling hills, many with superb views of the city to the east and the Magaliesburg to the west. There are plenty of open spaces, golf courses and entertainment areas, as well as what many consider the city's finest park, the Witwatersrand Botanical Gardens.

Although the area is far to the west of the city centre, well-marked dual-carriage highways offer excellent transport routes. Roodepoort is the region most conveniently situated for access to Gauteng attractions such as the Cradle of Humankind, Magaliesburg and Pilanesburg.

The area is self-contained, offering a wide range of services including ample shopping centres, schools, a museum, major private hospitals – Olivedale, Wilgeheuwel and Flora Clinic - country lodges, trails and restaurants, golf courses and country clubs

Population (estimated):
1996: 150,418
2001: 172,668
2005: 225,000

Character:
Predominantly residential with supporting urban amenities.

Some key issues:

•Vast tracts of vacant land are vulnerable to uncontrolled and unmanaged development, land invasion, leapfrog development and illegal uses
•High residential growth, particularly low income housing, is being experienced, in contrast with a low rate of economic growth
•Urban decay and economic decline south of the railway line, particularly in and around the Roodepoort CBD
•Increasing numbers of people are being housed in unhealthy and exploitative circumstances on the Princess AH through "shack farming".
Suburbs in Region 5:
Aanwins AH, Allen's Nek, Alsef AH, Amorosa AH, Bergbron, Carenvale, Consolidated Main Reef Gold Mine, Constantia Kloof, Constantia Park, Creswell Park, Davidsonville, Delarey, Discovery, Doornkop AH, Durban Roodepoort Deep, Fleurhof, Floracliffe, Florida, Florida Glen, Florida Hills, Florida Lake, Florida Lakes, Florida North, Florida Park, Georginia, Groblerpark, Groblerpark Ext, Hamberg, Harveston AH, Haylon Hills AH, Helderkruin, Hillfox, Honey Hills, Honeydew, Horison, Horison Park, Horison View, Industria North, Kimbult AH, Kloofendal, Lindhaven, Little Falls, Manufacta, Maraisburg, Matholesville, Northcliff Ext, Ondekkerspark, Panorama, Poortview AH, Princess, Princess AH, Quellerina, Radiokop, Rand Leases Gold Mine, Reefhaven, Rietfontein AH, Robertville, Roodekrans, Roodepoort Central, Roodepoort North, Roodepoort West, Ruimsig AH, Selwyn, South Roodepoort Main Reef Areas Gold Mine, Stormill, Strubensvallei, Tres Jolie AH, Uitsig, Weltevreden Park, White Ridge, Wilfordon, Wilgeheuwel, Wilropark, Witpoortjie.

Roodepoort History

•24 April 1960 - Mohammed Bhabha, attorney and member of the National Council of Provinces for Mpumalanga, is born in Roodepoort, West Rand. ( Hayes, S. (ed)(2000). Who's Who of Southern Africa 2001 , Graighall: Jonathan Ball.)

24 May 1976 - Pupils reject a call by the Orlando Diepkloof School Board to return to school. The strike spreads to Pimville Higher Primary School. The SA Students Movement makes an attempt to consolidate the situation and holds a conference in Roodepoort to discuss the campaign against the use of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction

30 September 1979 - Azapo (Azanian People's Organisation) is established in Roodepoort for the second time, after the first founding in 1977 did not succeed. The first president is Curtis Nkondo. (Wallis: Nuusdagboek).

28 June 1983 - Two bomb blasts cause extensive damage to the Department of Internal Affairs office and the police headquarters at Roodepoort, near Johannesburg. The ANC is held to be responsible

30 December 1985 - Winnie Mandela is arrested for having contravened a banning order that prohibited her from being in the magisterial district of Johannesburg and Roodepoort

3 Junie 1988 - 'n Reeks ontploffings in 'n winkelsentrum eis die lewe van vier mense en 19 word beseer
3 July 1998 - Gene Rockwell (54), SA rock singer of Heart, dies of cancer in Roodepoort

7 July 1998 - Brig. Theuns Swanepoel (“Rooi Rus”) (70), one of the most feared interrogators of the SA Security Police, dies in Roodepoort

14 May 1997 - Three learners of Die Adelaar high school in Roodepoort win an international internet competition in which more than 20 000 learners from thirty-seven countries competed. (Wallis, F. (2000). Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000 jaar, Kaapstad: Human & Rousseau).

More info: http://www.roodepoortinfo.co.za/site_about.php

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Lodge Number: 2539
Consecrated: 1895
Region: Roodepoort
Address:
P.O. Box 1298 Florida
History of the Lodge:

One of the twelve lodges constituting the District in 1895

The intending founders were advised by a past Master of Johannesburg Lodge, John Edward Green, who played a very important part in the events leading up to the formation of the District, and in the event acted as Consecrating and Installing Officer at the consecration of Roodepoort Lodge on 16 February 1895. A building committee was appointed and after various discussions a contract was entered into for the building of a masonic hall which would also serve as a public hall. In July 1899 the foundation stone was laid, but with the South African war intervening, the lodge went into recess and the building contractor declined to continue his contract. In 1902 the lodge resumed working in the Wesleyan Church Hall, while arrangements were made to complete the masonic hall and the first meeting was held there in June 1903. Eventually the municipal authorities decided to build a town hall, thereby substantially reducing the use of the masonic premises, leading to their sale, in 1937, and the development of a new masonic hall, in Rex Street which was completed in 1938.

After the Second World War the lodge had several Masters who were to give outstanding service to the District. Frank Turner, Assistant District Grand Master from 1981 to 1988, is the earliest name in the Transvaal's list of Grand officers, and Ted Ablett was to be District Grand Master from 1978 to 1989. Don Cock (WM 1964/5) was also very active in the District, his offices ranging from DG Organist in 1965 to Senior Warden in 1972. He receive Grand honours in 1984.

In 1981, as the Rex Street premises had become too expensive to maintain, they were sold, although the eight lodges meeting there continued as tenants. However, together with a ninth lodge, they decided to build a new masonic centre in Andrew Street, Horizon View, the ownership to be shared, between the nine lodges concerned, on an equal Constitutional basis. The construction of the new complex proved more difficult and expensive than originally contemplated and substantial borrowing came to be necessary, but the brethren of the various lodges worked with a will to raise funds and by 1993 had paid off all but one loan of R15 000. When the complex was consecrated in 1986 W Bro Isaac Beron was installed as WM of the New Horizons Lodge No 8703 as a tribute to the part he played in developing the scheme.




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