Information on Germiston, Gauteng, South Africa

Conference Venues South Africa brings you information on Germiston situated in the Gauteng Province of South Africa including information on history, location, attractions, facilities.

Germiston is a city in the East Rand of Gauteng in South Africa. It is the sixth largest city in the country with South Africa's biggest railway junction.

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History of Germiston

Gold gave Germiston its begining in 1886. It became a municipality in 1903 and a city in 1950. Pioneering honours go to August Simmer and John Jack, who came in 1886 to exploit the gold. John Jack called the place Germiston after his childhood home near Glasgow. Many other mining ventures followed and Germiston`s growth was generated by supplementary industrial requirements. These in turn attracted supporting commerce and increasing population.

Because of Germiston`s unique geographic position, situated at the center of the Pretoria-Witwater- srand-Vereeniging axis, Germiston became the the focus of the country`s most extensive railway network. Today some 200 000 rail passengers and 170  000 metric tons of  goods pass through the City`s station each month. Germiston has the most important markets on its doorsteps, raw materials are readily obtained and coal and steel are factors of  immense economic importance. Industry has long since overtaken goldmining, however Germiston is still the home of the worlds largest gold refinery. The City is also the home of more than 700 factories, some of them the biggest in the country.

Germiston Education

There are a number of schools in the city, including the Dominican St Catherine's Convent, which was founded in the city centre in 1908, and then relocated to the suburb of Parkhill Gardens in the 1940s. Germiston High School was founded in 1917, alongside Victoria Lake. For a period of time from the 1940s to the late 1960s it was divided into separate Boys' and Girls' High Schools, with the boys staying at Victoria Lake, and the girls moving to Fourth Avenue in Lambton. Due to the need to relocate the Afrikaans Delville Primary School, the Girls were moved back to combine with the boys in the original historic buildings. Famous past pupils include Dr Sydney Brenner, winner of the 2002 Nobel Prize.

Germiston Attractions

Victoria Lake is better known today simply as Germiston Lake, however, the famous Sailing and Rowing Club retains the name of the Victoria Lake Club. The club is home to some of the best canoeists and rowing crews in the country, including the sixteen time South African School Champions, St Benedict's College. The lake is very popular on weekends for water skiing and regattas.

Germiston is also the location of Rand Airport, at one time one of the busiest in Africa, and indeed the Southern Hemisphere. Today it caters largely for light aircraft and flying schools, but is also home to the South African Airways Museum. As a result of this, two of the earlier Boeing 747 Jumbo Aircraft acquired by SAA now reside there on permanent display.

Germiston Facilities and Recreation

Although Germiston is largely an industrial area with many factories, refineries and mines; it is minutes away from large shopping malls with great entertainment facilities. Fantastic dinners are to be had in one of the many prestigious restaurants. Germiston is an area in which one can enjoy historical experiences recreation and many sporting facilities

Towns and Suburbs of the Gauteng province of South Africa

Alberton , Arcadia , Auckland Park , Bardene , Bartlett , Bedfordview , Benoni , Boekenhoutskloof , Boksburg , Bonaero Park , Bredell , Bronkhorstspruit , Brooklyn , Bruma , Brummeria , Bryanston , Centurion , Chartwell , Club View , Constantia Park , Cradle of Humankind , Cullinan , De Wagensdrift , Die Wilgers , Dinokeng , Donkerhoek , Edenvale , Elandsdrift , Eldoraigne , Erasmuskloof , Erasmusrand , Fairland , Farrarmere , Ferndale , Fourways , Gallo Manor , Garsfontein ,Germiston , Glen Austin , Glen Marais , Glenvista , Groenkloof , Halfway House , Hartbeespoort , Hatfield , Heidelberg , Hennopspark , Honeydew , Houghton , Hyde Park , Illovo , Irene , Isando , Jet Park , Johannesburg , Kameeldrift , Kempton Park , Klippoortjie , Knoppieslaagte , Kromdraai , Krugersdorp , Kyalami , Lakefield , Lanseria , Linden , Little Falls , Lonehill , Lynnwood , Lyttelton , Magaliesburg , Melrose , Melville , Menlo Park , Menlyn , Meyersdal , Meyerspark , Midrand , Mnandi , Modderfontein , Mondeor , Monrick , Montana , Morningside , Muldersdrift , Murrayfield , New Redruth , Newmarket , Nigel, Noordheuwel , Northcliff , North Riding , OR Tambo Airport , Ormonde , Parktown , Pretoria , Pretoria East , Pomona , Randburg , Randfontein , Randhart , Raslouw , Ravenswood , Riviera, Rivonia , Roodepoort , Rosebank , Rosherville , Ruimsig , Rust de Winter , Samrand , Sandown , Sandton , Sandhurst , Selection Park , Silver Lakes , Solheim , Springs , Sunninghill , The Reeds , Vereeniging, Vanderbijlpark , Walkerville , Wapadrand , Waterkloof , Waverley , Weltevredenpark , Westcliff , Woodmead