Gauteng
—  Province of South Africa  —
The Province of Gauteng
Coat of arms
Motto: Unity in Diversity
Location of Gauteng in South Africa
Country	South Africa
Established	27 April 1994
Capital	Johannesburg
Districts	List City of Johannesburg City of Tshwane Ekurhuleni Sedibeng Metsweding West Rand
Government
• Type	Parliamentary system
• Premier	Nomvula Mokonyane (ANC)
Area[1]
• Total	18,178 km2 (7,019 sq mi)
Area rank	9th in South Africa
Highest elevation	1,913 m (6,276 ft)
Population (2007)[2][3][4]
• Total	10,667,578
• Estimate (2011)	11,328,203
• Rank	1st in South Africa
• Density	590/km2 (1,500/sq mi)
• Density rank	1st in South Africa
Population groups[5]
• Black African	75.2%
• White	18.4%
• Coloured	3.7%
• Indian or Asian	2.7%
Languages[6]
• Zulu	21.1%
• Afrikaans	13.6%
• Sotho	12.6%
• English	12.0%
• Northern Sotho	11.2%
Time zone	SAST (UTC+2)
ISO 3166 code	ZA-GP
Website	http://www.gautengonline.gov.za

Gauteng (/ɡaʊˈtɛŋ/^[7] or /xaʊˈtɛŋ/; Sotho pronunciation [xɑ́.ú.ˈtʼè.ŋ̀]) is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. It was formed from part of the old Transvaal Province after South Africa's first all-race elections on 27 April 1994. It was initially named Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vereeniging (or PWV) and was renamed 'Gauteng' in December 1994.

Situated in the heart of the Highveld, Gauteng is the smallest province in South Africa, with only 1.4% of the land area,^[8] but it is highly urbanised, containing the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria. As of 2007^[update], it had a population of nearly 10.5 million, making it the most populous province in South Africa.^[9]

Etymology[link]

The name Gauteng comes from the Sesotho word meaning "Place of Gold", the historical Sesotho name for Johannesburg and surrounding areas. This referred to the thriving gold industry in the province following the 1886 discovery of gold in Johannesburg.^[8] The Sesotho word is a locative derived from the Afrikaans goud (gold) plus the locative suffix "-ng." When properly pronounced, the first letter of the name Gauteng is a voiceless velar fricative, pronounced similarly to the "ch" in the German achtung or Scottish loch and the same as the Dutch "g" or the Spanish "g" as in gente. This pronunciation is natural in both the Sesotho and Afrikaans languages.

History[link]

Gauteng, formerly known as Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vereeniging (PWV), was carved out of the old Transvaal province in 1994, although the terminology "PWV", describing the region existed long before that. Tokyo Sexwale was elected as the first premier of the province that same year. Politically, it has been dominated by the ANC throughout its post-apartheid history.

Law and Government[link]

Since 6 May 2009, the premier has been Nomvula Mokonyane. Paul Mashatile, the former provincial minister of finance and economic affairs and the current provincial chairman of ANC in the Gauteng Province, was Premier from 7 October 2008 until Mokonyane's election. He replaced former premier Mbhazima Shilowa, who was premier from 1999. Shilowa resigned in protest against the decision by the ANC national executive committee (NEC) to remove former president Thabo Mbeki from office.

Geography & Climate[link]

Gauteng's southern border is the Vaal River, which separates it from the Free State. It also borders on North West to the west, Limpopo to the north, and Mpumalanga to the east. Gauteng is the only landlocked province of South Africa without a foreign border. Most of Gauteng is on the Highveld, a high-altitude grassland (circa 1,500 m/4,921 ft above sea-level). Between Johannesburg and Pretoria there are low parallel ridges and undulating hills, some part of the Magaliesberg Mountains and the Witwatersrand. The north of the province is more subtropical, due to its lower altitude and is mostly dry savanna habitat.

The climate is mostly influenced by altitude. Even though the province is at a subtropical latitude, the climate is comparatively cooler, especially in Johannesburg, at 1,700 m (5,577 ft) above sea level (Pretoria is at 1,330 m/4,364 ft). Most precipitation occurs as brief afternoon thunderstorms; however, relative humidity never becomes uncomfortable. Winters are crisp and dry with frost occurring often in the southern areas. Snow is rare, but it has occurred on some occasions in the Johannesburg metropolitan area.

• Johannesburg averages: January maximum: 26 °C (78.8 °F) (min: 15 °C/59 °F), June maximum: 16 °C (60.8 °F) (min: 4 °C/39.2 °F), annual precipitation: 713 mm (28.1 in)
• Pretoria averages: January maximum: 29 °C (84.2 °F) (min: 18 °C/64.4 °F), June maximum: 19 °C (66.2 °F) (min: 5 °C/41 °F), annual precipitation: 674 mm (26.5 in)

Municipalities[link]

Map of the municipalities of Gauteng

Gauteng Province is divided into 3 metropolitan municipalities, and 2 district municipalities which are further divided into 7 local municipalities).^[10]

Demographics[link]

Gauteng Province is home to 8.8 million people (2001 South African National Census), almost 20% of the total South African population. Gauteng Province is also the fastest growing province, experiencing a population growth of over 20% between the 1996 and 2001 censuses, thus Gauteng is likely to soon have the highest population of any province in South Africa.

As of the census of 2001, there are 8,837,172 people and 2,651,243 households residing in Gauteng. The population density is 519.53/km². The density of households is 155.86/km².

About 22.1% of all households are made up of individuals. The average household size is 3.33.

The province's age distribution was 23.6% under the age of 15, 19.6% from 15 to 24, 37.9% from 25 to 44, 15.0% from 45 to 64, and 4.0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 27 years. For every 100 females there are 101.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 102.3 males.

In the province, 14.4% of residents speak Afrikaans at home, 12.5% speak English, 1.5% speak IsiNdebele, 7.3% speak IsiXhosa, 20.5% speak IsiZulu, 10.7% speak Sepedi, 13.1% speak Sesotho, 8.4% speak Setswana, 1.2% speak SiSwati, 4.2% speak Tshivenda, and 5.1% speak Xitsonga. 1.0% of the population speaks a non-official language at home.

76.0% of residents are Christian, 18.4% have no religion, 1.7% are Muslim, 0.5% are Jewish, and 0.8% are Hindu. 2.6% have other or undetermined beliefs.

8.4% of residents aged 20 and over have received no schooling, 11.2% have had some primary, 5.5% have completed only primary school, 34.3% have had some high education, 28.0% have finished only high school, and 12.6% have an education higher than the high school level. Overall, 40.6% of residents have completed high school.

56.1% of housing units have a telephone and/or cell-phone in the dwelling, 41.5% have access to a phone nearby, and 2.3% have access that is not nearby or no access. 82.8% of households have a flush or chemical toilet. 84.2% have refuse removed by the municipality at least once a week and 2.6% have no rubbish disposal. 47.2% have running water inside their dwelling, 83.6% have running water on their property, and 97.5% have access to running water. 73.2% of households use electricity for cooking, 70.4% for heating, and 80.8% for lighting. 77.4% of households have a radio, 65.7% have a television, 15.1% own a computer, 62.1% have a refrigerator, and 45.1% have a cell-phone.

25.8% of the population aged 15–65 is unemployed.

The median annual income of working adults aged 15–65 is R 23 539 ($3,483). Males have a median annual income of R 24 977 ($3,696) versus R 20 838 ($3,083) for females.

Statistics South Africa Census 2001

Economy[link]

Gauteng is considered the economic hub of South Africa and contributes heavily in the financial, manufacturing, transport, technology and telecommunications sectors, amongst others. It also plays host to a large number of overseas companies requiring a commercial base in and gateway to Africa.

Although Gauteng is the smallest of South Africa's nine provinces – it covers only 1.4% of the country's total land area – the province is responsible for a third of South Africa's gross domestic product (GDP).^[12] Indeed Gauteng generates about 10% of the total GDP of sub Saharan Africa and about 7% of total African GDP.^[13]

Education[link]

University of Pretoria's Old Arts Building

Gauteng is a centre of learning in South Africa, and it has many universities and other schools of higher learning.

• University of Limpopo (Formed after the merger of Medical University of South Africa and University of the North)
• Tshwane University of Technology (Formed after Technikon Pretoria, Technikon Northern Gauteng, and Technikon North-West merged)
• University of Johannesburg (Formed after Rand Afrikaans University, some Johannesburg campuses of Vista University and Technikon Witwatersrand merged)
• African Leadership Academy
• University of Pretoria which also include the former campus of Mamelodi Vista University
• University of South Africa: Also known as UNISA and incorporating the Technikon South Africa and the distance learning unit of Vista University
• Vaal University of Technology: Previously known as Vaal Triangle Technikon
• University of the Witwatersrand
• Regenesys Management
• Monash University South Africa Campus

Gauteng Department of Education has embarked on a project to provide fully functional ICT laboratories to all public schools in Gauteng. The name of this project is Gauteng OnLine.

Conservation[link]

Although Gauteng province is dominated by the urban areas of Johannesburg and Pretoria, it has several nature reserves.

Botanical Gardens[link]

• Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
• Johannesburg Botanical Garden
• Pretoria National Botanical Garden

Provincial reserves[link]

There are 5 provincial reserves managed by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation, Environment and Land Affairs

• Abe Bailey Nature Reserve
• Alice Glockner Nature Reserve
• Marievale Bird Sanctuary
• Roodeplaat Nature Reserve
• Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve

Private and Municipal Reserves[link]

• Kromdraai Conservancy
• Krugersdorp Nature Reserve
• Rietvlei Nature Reserve
• Wonderboom Nature Reserve

Gauteng is also home to the Cradle of Humankind UNESCO World Heritage Site

Sport and recreation[link]

Several teams from Gauteng play in the country's top-level association football (more commonly referred to as soccer) league, the Premier Soccer League (PSL), including Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.

Rugby, or more accurately rugby union, is also a popular sport in South Africa, and in Gauteng in particular. Two rugby teams from Gauteng participate in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby championship: the Pretoria-based Bulls, and the Johannesburg-based Lions (previously the Cats). Three Gauteng-based teams play in the country's domestic competition, the Currie Cup: the Blue Bulls from Pretoria, the Golden Lions from Johannesburg and the Falcons from the East Rand.

Cricket is also widely popular among all cultural groups in the country, and is the only sport to feature in the top two among all of South Africa's major ethnic/racial groups. The Highveld Lions represent both Gauteng and North West in the country's three domestic competitions—the first-class SuperSport Series, the List A one-day MTN Domestic Championship and the Twenty20 Standard Bank Pro 20 Series.

Popular individual sports include tennis and golf. Walking and hiking are also popular in Gauteng.

The Sterkfontein caves, and the Wonder Cave Kromdraai are in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site.

See also[link]

South Africa portal

• List of Speakers of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature
• PWV

References[link]

http://www.mg.co.za/article/2008-10-07-mashatile-elected-to-lead-gauteng

External links[link]

• Gauteng Provincial Government
• Gauteng Tourism Authority

v t e Province of Gauteng Johannesburg (capital) Topics Climate Ecology Economy Government Politics Government Premier Legislature North Gauteng High Court South Gauteng High Court Municipalities Cities and major towns Johannesburg Soweto Pretoria Katlehong Tembisa Soshanguve Mamelodi Sebokeng Roodepoort Alexandra Orange Farm Boksburg Vosloorus Tsakane Evaton Centurion Germiston Meadowlands Randburg Daveyton Sandton Etwatwa Kempton Park Ivory Park Diepkloof Kagiso KwaThema Saulsville Benoni Alberton Krugersdorp Thokoza Springs Vanderbijlpark Vereeniging Duduza Khutsong Brakpan Bekkersdal Wattville Diepsloot Mohlakeng Randfontein Midrand Atteridgeville Sharpeville Edenvale Metropolitan municipalities Ekurhuleni Johannesburg Tshwane District and local municipalities Sedibeng Emfuleni Lesedi Midvaal West Rand Merafong City Mogale City Randfontein Westonaria

v t e Administrative divisions of South Africa Capitals: Pretoria (executive); Bloemfontein (judicial); Cape Town (legislative) Provinces Eastern Cape Free State Gauteng KwaZulu-Natal Limpopo Mpumalanga North West Northern Cape Western Cape Municipalities Metropolitan Buffalo City (East London) Cape Town Ekurhuleni (East Rand) eThekwini (Durban) Johannesburg Mangaung (Bloemfontein) Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth) Tshwane (Pretoria) District Municipalities of the Eastern Cape of the Free State of Gauteng of KwaZulu-Natal of Limpopo of Mpumalanga of the North West of the Northern Cape of the Western Cape Full list Local Municipalities Full List Settlements in the Eastern Cape in the Free State in Gauteng in KwaZulu-Natal in Limpopo in Mpumalanga in the North West in the Northern Cape in the Western Cape

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Coordinates: 26°S 28°E / 26°S 28°E / -26; 28