Bronkhorstspruit

Bronkhorstspruit
The Nan Hua Temple Complex in Bronkhorstspruit
Bronkhorstspruit
 Bronkhorstspruit shown within Gauteng
Bronkhorstspruit
Bronkhorstspruit (South Africa)
Bronkhorstspruit
Bronkhorstspruit (Africa)
Coordinates: 25°48′18″S 28°44′47″E / 25.80500°S 28.74639°E / -25.80500; 28.74639Coordinates: 25°48′18″S 28°44′47″E / 25.80500°S 28.74639°E / -25.80500; 28.74639
Country South Africa
Province Gauteng
Municipality City of Tshwane
Established 1905
Area[1]
 • Total 3.11 km2 (1.20 sq mi)
Elevation 1,375 m (4,511 ft)
Population (2011)[1]
 • Total 3,720
 • Density 1,200/km2 (3,100/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street) 1020
PO box 1020
Area code 013

Bronkhorstspruit is a town 50 km east of Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa along the N4 highway towards Witbank. It lies on the border between the Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces. It also consists of three townships called Zithobeni, Rethabiseng and Ekangala.

On 18 May 2011 Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality took over the municipal administration from the abolished Kungwini Local Municipality.

History

In 1858, a group of Voortrekkers settled in the Bronkhorstspruit creek, which was originally called Kalkoenkransrivier ('Turkey Cliff River'). The town was laid out on land of the farm Hondsrivier owned C.J.G. Erasmus and was initially named after him.[2] It adopted the name Bronkhorstspruit in 1935.[3]:296

On 20 December 1880 it was the scene of the action at Bronkhorstspruit, an important event in the early days of the First Boer War when a Boer Commando ambushed a British army column, 94th Regiment of Foot, near the present town en route from Lydenburg to Pretoria.[3]:296

There is disagreement about where the town got its name from. Some believe it was named after the farmer JG Bronkhorst, while others say that it was named after the plant, bronkors (Afrikaans for watercress), that grew in the region of the creek.[3]:296

Parks and greenspace

Ten kilometers to the south of the town lies the Bronkhorstspruit Dam.[3]:296

Economy

Agriculture

Being an agricultural area, maize, sorghum, groundnuts, sunflower seeds, sheep and cattle are grown and raised.[3]:296

Mining

Fire clay is mined in the area.[3]:296

Places of interest

Cultura Park, a suburb of Bronkhorstspruit, hosts the largest Buddhist temple in the Southern Hemisphere. Nan Hua Temple houses the South African theadquarters of the Humanistic Buddhist order.

References

  1. 1 2 "Sub Place Bronkhorstspruit". Census 2011.
  2. ↑ Dictionary of Southern African Place Names
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Erasmus, B.P.J. (2014). On Route in South Africa: Explore South Africa region by region. Jonathan Ball Publishers. p. 401. ISBN 9781920289805.


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