96-457: Welkom ( Afrikaans pronunciation: [ˈvɛlkɔm] ) is the second-largest city in the Free State province of South Africa , located about 140 kilometres (90 mi) northeast of Bloemfontein , the provincial capital. Welkom is also known as Circle City , City Within A Garden , Mvela and Matjhabeng . The city's Sesotho name, Matjhabeng means 'where nations meet', derived from
192-651: A coloured person." Many criteria, both physical (e.g. examination of head and body hair) and social (e.g. eating and drinking habits, a native speaker of English, Afrikaans or another European language ) were used when the board decided to classify someone as white or coloured. The Act was repealed on 17 June 1991. Black Economic Empowerment legislation further empowers blacks as the government considers ownership, employment, training and social responsibility initiatives, which empower black South Africans, as important criteria when awarding tenders ; private enterprises also must adhere to this legislation. Some reports indicate
288-526: A complaint with the Human Rights Commission against Zuma. According to the CCR's spokesman, Zuma's remarks constituted "unfair discrimination against non-Afrikaans-speaking, white South Africans....." In 2015, a complaint was investigated for hate speech against Jacob Zuma who said "You must remember that a man called Jan van Riebeeck arrived here on 6 April 1652, and that was the start of
384-714: A growing number of whites in poverty compared to the pre-apartheid years and attribute this to such laws – a 2006 article in The Guardian stated that over 350,000 Afrikaners may be classified as poor, and alluded to research claiming that up to 150,000 were struggling for survival. As a consequence of Apartheid policies, Whites are still widely regarded as being one of 4 defined race groups in South Africa. These groups (blacks, whites, Coloureds and Indians) still tend to have strong racial identities, and to identify themselves, and others, as members of these race groups and
480-483: A lateral shift of 4 km. A number of other major faults lie parallel to the De Bron Fault. Dips occur mostly towards the east, averaging 30 degrees but this becomes steeper approaching the De Bron Fault. To the east of the fault, a dip occurs towards the west at 20 degrees, although structurally complex dips of up to 40 degrees have also been measured. Between these two blocks, lies the uplifted horst block of
576-591: A minority) and as a second or third language by Sesotho, Setswana and Xhosa speakers. Although there are relatively few native English speakers, English is becoming increasingly important as the language of business and government. This is evidenced by the shift of tertiary institutions such as the University of the Free State from solely using Afrikaans as the medium of instruction to using both Afrikaans and English, and eventually only English. The population of
672-432: A more accurate estimate was that "only a tiny fraction of the white population – as few as 7,754 households – are affected." The new phenomenon of white poverty is mostly blamed on the government's affirmative action employment legislation, which reserves 80% of new jobs for black people and favours companies owned by black people (see Black Economic Empowerment ). In 2010, Reuters stated that 450,000 whites live below
768-419: A steady proportional decline in South Africa's white community, due to higher birthrates among other South African ethnic groups, as well as a high rate of emigration. In 1977, there were 4.3 million whites, constituting 16.4% of the population at the time. As of 2008, it was estimated that at least 800,000 white South Africans had emigrated since 1995. Like many other communities strongly affiliated with
864-493: A substantial minority in Bloemfontein (45.7%) and Winburg (36.3%). In the 2022 census, 72.3% of the population reported their first language as Sotho , 10.3% as Afrikaans , 5.5% as Xhosa , 5.3% as Setswana , and 1.5% as English . The Free State is the only province in which native Sotho-speakers form a majority of the population. It is also the province with the third-highest proportion of Afrikaans speakers, after
960-579: A system of party-list proportional representation and meets at the Vierde Raadsaal in Bloemfontein . The politics of the Free State has been dominated by the ANC since the end of Apartheid. The ANC has won a majority of the vote in every provincial election since 1994. The most recent provincial election was held in 2024 . The ANC again won the election, albeit with a sharply reduced majority. The Democratic Alliance (DA) retained its position as
1056-634: A thriving agricultural industry. The province is high-lying, with almost all land being 1,000 metres above sea level. The Drakensberg and Maloti Mountains foothills raise the terrain to over 2,000 m in the east. The Free State lies in the heart of the Karoo Sequence of rocks, containing shales , mudstones , sandstones and the Drakensberg Basalt forming the youngest capping rocks. Mineral deposits are plentiful, with gold and diamonds being of particular importance, mostly found in
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#17327753827031152-530: A town on 23 July 1948. On 14 February 1968, after 21 years of existence, Welkom received city status, and celebrated this event with the opening of the Civic Centre by Mrs Martie du Plessis. The construction of this building commenced in 1964. During Apartheid in the years of segregation, the townships of Thabong and Bronville were established for black and Coloured people, respectively. On 8 December 1976, Welkom experienced an earthquake measuring 5.2 on
1248-415: Is also South Africa's leader in the production of biofuels, or fuel from agricultural crops, with a number of ethanol plants under construction in the grain-producing western region. South Africa is one of the top ten Maize producers in the world (12,365,000 tons as of 2013 ). Field crops yield almost two-thirds of the gross agricultural income of the province. Animal products contribute a further 30%, with
1344-401: Is asparagus, both white and green varieties. Although horticulture is expanding and becoming increasingly export-orientated, most produce leaves the province unprocessed. The Free State's advantage in floriculture is the opposing seasons of the southern and northern hemispheres. The Free State is also rich in mineral wealth, gold representing 20% of the world's total gold production. Mining is
1440-578: Is connected to Kroonstad to the north-east by the R730 and the R34 . It is also connected to Brandfort and Bloemfontein in the south and to Bothaville and Klerksdorp in the north by the R30 . Free State (province) The Free State ( Sotho : Freistata ; Afrikaans : Vrystaat [ˈfrɛistɑːt] ; Xhosa : iFreyistata ; Tswana : Foreistata ; Zulu : iFuleyisitata ), formerly known as
1536-542: Is divided into one metropolitan municipality and four district municipalities . The district municipalities are in turn divided into 19 local municipalities : The Free State's major towns include: The Free State provincial government is based in Bloemfontein , the provincial capital. The Free State Division of the High Court of South Africa also sits in Bleomfontein. Like South Africa's other provinces,
1632-549: Is located on the south-western corner of the Witwatersrand Basin . This basin situated on the Kaapvaal Craton , is filled by a 6-kilometre thick succession of sedimentary rocks , which extends laterally for hundreds of kilometres. The Free State Goldfields are divided into two sections, cut by the north–south striking De Bron Fault. This major structure has a vertical displacement of about 1500m as well as
1728-483: Is owned by white people. In February 2018, the Parliament of South Africa passed a motion to review the property ownership clause of the constitution, to allow for the expropriation of land , in the public interest, without compensation, which was supported within South Africa's ruling African National Congress on the grounds that the land was originally seized by whites without just compensation. In August 2018,
1824-770: Is the Dutch Reformed Church (NGK), with 23% of the white population being members. Other significant denominations are the Methodist Church (8%), the Roman Catholic Church (7%), and the Anglican Church (6%). Meanwhile, many white South Africans have also emigrated to Western countries over the past two decades, mainly to English-speaking countries such as the United Kingdom , Australia and New Zealand . However,
1920-527: Is the multi-million Rand Phakisa Freeway situated between Welkom and Odendaalsrus, which opened in 1999. Phakisa Freeway is an international standard, multi-purpose motor sport facility. The track features a 4,24 km road course as well as a 2,4 km banked oval track similar to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Nevada , United States . It is one of the few oval speedways outside of
2016-445: Is traversed by the northwesterly line of equal latitude and longitude. As of the 2022 census , the Free State had a population of 2,961,864, an increase of 8.0% from the prior census in 2011 . It recorded the slowest population growth among South Africa's nine provinces between 2011 and 2022. It is also the second-least populous and second-least densely populated province. The median age is 28, an increase of 3 years from 2011. In
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#17327753827032112-448: Is usually required to optimise the ore-body. A 2007 palaeontological study done in greater Matjhabeng began a programme of excavation of an early Pliocene locality. With an estimated age of 4.0–3.5 Ma, the locality also represents the only well-documented, river-deposited Pliocene locality in the central interior of southern Africa. After three years of excavation, a diverse fauna that includes fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals
2208-613: The Afrikaans -speaking descendants of the Dutch East India Company 's original colonists, known as Afrikaners , and the Anglophone descendants of predominantly British colonists of South Africa . In 2016, 57.9% were native Afrikaans speakers, 40.2% were native English speakers, and 1.9% spoke another language as their mother tongue, such as Portuguese , Greek , or German . White South Africans are by far
2304-503: The Bay of Biscay . Prospector Arthur Megson heard of their venture and decided to investigate near the town of Odendaalsrus in 1904. He gathered samples of exposed strata near an outcrop, which by then was part of Hendrik Petrus Klopper's farm Aandenk . He too did not succeed in obtaining any interest from companies until October 1932, when he presented his findings to Allan Roberts and Mannie Jacobs. The area needed to be tested by drilling, and
2400-741: The Cape Agulhas ) in 1488. The history of white settlement in South Africa started in 1652 with the settlement of the Cape of Good Hope by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) under Jan van Riebeeck . Despite the preponderance of officials and colonists from the Netherlands , there were also a number of French Huguenots fleeing religious persecution at home and German soldiers or sailors returning from service in Asia. The Cape Colony remained under Dutch rule for two more centuries, after which it
2496-591: The Englishmen Mr Donaldson and Mr Hinds on a portion of the farm Zoeten-Inval in 1896. The men discovered a small outcrop which seemed to be a conglomerate pebble reef, but they failed to raise interest among mining companies who at that stage did not believe that there was gold to be discovered south of the Vaal River . They returned to England to test the samples they had extracted, but died before reaching their destination when their ship sank in
2592-551: The Great Trek in the 1830s and established their own autonomous Boer republics further inland. Nevertheless, the population of white ancestry (mostly European origin) continued increasing in the Cape as a result of settlement, and by 1865 had reached 181,592 people. Between 1880 and 1910, there was an influx of Jews (mainly via Lithuania ) and immigrants from Lebanon and Syria arriving in South Africa. Recent immigrants from
2688-469: The Levant region of Western Asia were originally classified as Asian , and thus "non-white", but, in order to have the right to purchase land, they successfully argued that they were "white". The main reason being that they were Caucasian and from the lands where Christianity and Judaism originated from, and that the race laws did not target Jews, who were also a Semitic people . Therefore arguing that if
2784-615: The Matjhabeng Municipality , part of the Lejweleputswa District . Welkom was officially declared a city on 14 February 1968. Much of the history of Welkom is centred around the discovery of gold in the northwestern Free State . It was proclaimed a town in 1948, nine years after a major gold discovery was made in Odendaalsrus , just north of Welkom. The first prospecting in the area was done by
2880-655: The Orange Free State , is a province of South Africa . Its capital is Bloemfontein , which is also South Africa 's judicial capital. Its historical origins lie in the Boer republic called the Orange Free State and later the Orange Free State Province . The current borders of the province date from 1994 when the Bantustans were abolished and reincorporated into South Africa. It is also
2976-491: The Population Registration Act of 1950 , each inhabitant of South Africa was classified into one of several different race groups, of which White was one. The Office for Race Classification defined a white person as one who "in appearance obviously is, or who is generally accepted as a white person, but does not include a person who, although in appearance obviously a white person, is generally accepted as
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3072-579: The Richter magnitude scale . The most significant damage caused was the total collapse of a six-storey block of flats about 75 minutes after the event. Widespread damage to many other buildings was experienced throughout the city. Despite extensive damage to surface and underground mining structures, only four deaths occurred. During the decline of the Apartheid era, race relations were particularly problematic as many White South Africans felt threatened by
3168-686: The Soetdoring Nature Reserve near Bloemfontein . The South African cheetahs were reintroduced in the Free State for the first time in June 2013 after a hundred years of regional extinction, at Laohu Valley Reserve near Philippolis . Following the reintroduction of an adult female South African cheetah in early 2016, three wild cheetah cubs were born for the first time in Laohu Valley Reserve in February 2017, making
3264-599: The United States and the only one in Africa . The circuit hosted MotoGP 's South African motorcycle Grand Prix from 1999 to 2004 . Harmony F.C.'s homeground is the Zuka Baloyi Stadium , a multi-sport facility, that is currently mostly used for soccer. Another soccer stadium is Vuyo Charles Stadium which was formerly known as Thabong Stadium . The Griffons Rugby Union was formed in 1968 when
3360-648: The West and Europe's colonial legacy in Africa, white South Africans were in the past often economically better off than their black African neighbours and have surrendered political dominance to majority rule. There were also some white Africans in South Africa who lived in poverty—especially during the 1930s and increasingly since the end of minority rule. Current estimates of white poverty in South Africa run as high as 12%, though fact-checking website Africa Check described these figures as "grossly inflated" and suggested that
3456-605: The Western Cape and the Northern Cape . Sesotho is the dominant home language in most of the province. Zulu is the major language in the far eastern municipality of Phumelela . Setswana is the main language in Tokologo in the northwest, and in and around the area of Thaba Nchu . Afrikaans is widely spoken throughout the province, as a first language for the majority of whites and coloureds (who constitute
3552-652: The 1820 British and Dutch colonists. The remainder of the White South African population consists of later immigrants from Lebanon, and Europe such as Greeks and Norwegians . Portuguese immigrants arrived after the collapse of the Portuguese colonial administrations in Angola and Mozambique , although many also originate from Madeira . Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias was the first European to explore Southern Africa (the Cape of Good Hope and
3648-406: The 2001 census. The following table shows the distribution of white people by province , according to the 2011 census : After the publication of the census results it was reported that the undercount rate was 31%. The high undercount rate was reported as an issue of concern as it raised questions about the accuracy of the number of white, Indian, foreign-born and homeless people recorded in
3744-669: The 2008 13.5% rise in house robberies and associated crime. In a study, Johan Burger , senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), said that criminals were specifically targeting wealthier suburbs. Burger explained that several affluent suburbs are surrounded by poorer residential areas and that inhabitants in the latter often target inhabitants in the former. The report also found that residents in wealthy suburbs in Gauteng were not only at more risk of being targeted but also faced an inflated chance of being murdered during
3840-413: The 2022 census, 88.9% of the population described themselves as Black African , 8.0% as White , 2.6% as Coloured , and 0.4% as Indian/Asian . The majority of the population are black Africans who speak Sotho as a first language. The vast majority of White people in the Free State are Afrikaners . The proportion of whites in the province has shrunk considerably since the nineteenth century. In 1880
3936-517: The Eastern Highlands, while decoratively painted Sotho houses dot the grasslands. Some of South Africa's most valued San (Bushman) rock art is found in the Free State, particularly in the regions around Clarens , Bethlehem , Ficksburg , Ladybrand and Wepener . White South Africans White South Africans are South Africans of European descent. In linguistic , cultural, and historical terms, they are generally divided into
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4032-581: The Free State has a parliamentary system of government, with the provincial premier elected by the Free State Provincial Legislature . The premier then selects the members of the provincial Executive Council (cabinet). The current premier is Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae of the African National Congress (ANC), who has held the position since 2024. The provincial legislature is elected every five years by
4128-496: The Free State is overwhelmingly Christian . As of the 2022 census, 92.7% of the population described themselves as Christians , the third-highest proportion among South Africa's provinces. Among other religions, 4.9% of the population stated that they practiced Traditional African religions, and 0.5% of the population described themselves as Muslim . 1.4% of the population described themselves as being atheist, agnostic, or having no religious affiliation. The Free State Province
4224-546: The Netherlands , Greece , and the territories of the Portuguese Empire during the mid- to late twentieth century. South Africa's white population increased to over 3,408,000 by 1965, reached 4,050,000 in 1973, and peaked at 5,044,000 in 1990. The number of white South Africans resident in their home country began gradually declining between 1990 and the mid-2000s as a result of increased emigration. Under
4320-558: The South African government began the process of taking two white-owned farmlands. Western Cape ANC secretary Faiez Jacobs referred to the property clause amendment as a "stick" to force dialogue about the transfer of land ownership, with the hope of accomplishing the transfer "in a way that is orderly and doesn't create a 'them' and 'us' [situation]." The Statistics South Africa Census 2011 showed that there were about 4,586,838 white people in South Africa, amounting to 8.9% of
4416-600: The West Rand Group of sediments with no reef preserved. The western margin area is bound by synclines and reverse thrusts faults and is structurally complex. Towards the south and east, reefs sub-crop against overlying strata , eventually cutting out against the Karoo to the east of the area. Most of the ore resource tends to be concentrated in reef bands located on one or two distinct unconformities. Mining has taken place as mostly deep-level underground, exploiting
4512-488: The balance generated by horticulture. Ninety percent of the country's cherry crop is produced in the Ficksburg district, which is also home to the country's two largest asparagus canning factories. Soya, sorghum, sunflowers and wheat are cultivated in the eastern Free State, where farmers specialise in seed production. About 40% of the country's potato yield comes from the province's high-lying areas. The main vegetable crop
4608-532: The census. Former South African President Jacob Zuma commented in 2009 on Afrikaners being "the only white tribe in a black continent or outside of Europe which is truly African", and said that "of all the white groups that are in South Africa, it is only the Afrikaners that are truly South Africans in the true sense of the word . " These remarks have led to the Centre for Constitutional Rights (CCR) laying
4704-435: The classification continues to persist in government policy due to attempts at redress like Black Economic Empowerment and Employment Equity. Since the 1990s, there has been a significant emigration of whites from South Africa. Between 1995 and 2005, more than one million South Africans emigrated, citing violence as the main reason, as well as the lack of employment opportunities for whites. In recent decades, there has been
4800-551: The country's population. This was a 6.8% increase since the 2001 census. According to the Census 2011, Afrikaans was the first language of 61% of White South Africans, while English was the first language of 36%. The majority of white South Africans identify themselves as primarily South African , regardless of their first language or ancestry. Approximately 87% of white South Africans are Christian , 9% are irreligious , and 1% are Jewish . The largest Christian denomination
4896-399: The country, as the government had maintained diplomatic relations with these countries. These were granted the same privileges as white people, at least for purposes of residence. Some African Americans such as Max Yergan were granted an "honorary white" status as well. Statistics for the white population in South Africa vary greatly. Most sources show that the white population peaked in
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#17327753827034992-419: The current Target shaft. This resource is estimated to have a mine life of about 30 years. Welkom also has significant coal reserves. The Theunissen coal field is located in the districts of Theunissen and Bultfontein, only some 12 km to the south of Welkom. The section of the reserve able to be mined covers an area of more than 23,500 hectares. Located about 7.5 km from Welkom, a kimberlite pipe,
5088-636: The declining gold price in the nineties, the manufacturing industry was promoted as a further means to support the local economy. Heavy machinery support for mining can be found in the Voorspoed area. Various other maintenance industries and services are well founded in Welkom which include engineering, and mechanical repairs. Welkom produces goods such as steel, lumber, dairy products, and beef. The city also hosts several major industries such as Coca-Cola and South African Breweries . The high water table in
5184-434: The earliest indication of extensive grasslands in South Africa, though these grasslands were part of an environmental mosaic that included significant woodland, and probable wetland, components. According to the 2011 census , Welkom proper had a population of 64,130 people in an area of 167.55 square kilometres (64.69 sq mi), a population density of 382.76 inhabitants per square kilometre (991.3/sq mi). 60.7% of
5280-497: The eastern frontier. Beginning in 1818 thousands of British settlers arrived in the growing Cape Colony , intending to join the local workforce or settle directly on the frontier. Ironically most of the farms failed due to the difficult terrain, forcing the British settlers to encroach on African land in order to practise pastoralism . About a fifth of the Cape's original Dutch -speaking white population migrated eastwards during
5376-419: The erection of the facility, by assaulting him and a security guard, while he was officiating at the event. Four men were arrested and charged with the assault. On 20 March 1990, Welkom was struck by a multi-vortex tornado which went through the suburbs. This tornado was part of a 240 km long storm front and had a width of up to 1.7 km. This weather event proved to be the most devastating recorded, from
5472-462: The eventuality of a regime change. This was the main cause of the events that transpired on 13 May 1989, when the mayor, a Mr Gus Gouws, was tarred and feathered after officiating at a multiracial wheelchair marathon event. The National Party mayor ran foul of his White constituency when he proposed the opening of a taxi rank in the business district of Welkom. Aggrieved residents of the city then sought to humiliate him to dissuade him from authorising
5568-455: The farmers' association, Agri South Africa, coordinated efforts to resettle farmers throughout the African continent. The initiative offered millions of hectares from 22 African countries that hoped to spur development of efficient commercial farming. The 30 percent target was not close to being met by the 2014 deadline. According to a 2017 government audit, 72% of the nation's private farmland
5664-425: The financial and insurance point of view, in South Africa to date, destroying 4,000 homes. On 26 September 1990, Welkom experienced a seismic event with a magnitude of 4.2, which resulted in two deaths and five injuries. The mining company Pamodzi Gold applied for bankruptcy in 2009 even though it was sitting atop one of the richest and consistently-producing gold veins in the world. The gold mine, President Steyn,
5760-546: The financial crisis has slowed the rate of emigration and in May 2014, the Homecoming Revolution estimated that around 340,000 white South Africans had returned in the preceding decade. According to Statistics South Africa , white South Africans comprised 7.7% of the total population of South Africa in 2022. Their proportional share in municipalities may be higher than census figures indicate, given an undercount in
5856-561: The first borehole was started on 5 May 1933. Jacobs managed to interest two men, Fritz Marx and Peter Woolf, in the venture and the Wit Extensions Company was formed later that year. Although the borehole, which by then penetrated more than 1200 metres, yielded 120-inch pennyweights of gold (roughly 480 centimetre grams per ton), it was not enough to garner financial assistance and the operation had to close due to depleted finances. (For gold ores to be payable in South Africa,
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#17327753827035952-487: The first high values of gold were discovered in 1939. By 1940, sufficient work had been done to prove the existence of gold in the area and thirteen mining areas were later demarcated around what would become the town of Welkom. Welkom officially came into being on 15 April 1947, six years after the first mining lease in the area was awarded to the St Helena Gold Mining Company, and was proclaimed
6048-410: The fleet. The Free State has many public and private hospitals. The province is the granary of South Africa, with agriculture central to its economy, while mining on the rich goldfields reef is its largest employer. Agriculture dominates the Free State landscape, with cultivated land covering 32,000 square kilometres, and natural veld and grazing a further 87,000 square kilometres of the province. It
6144-581: The gold-bearing conglomerates of the goldfields are extracted as a byproduct. Bituminous coal is also mined, and converted to petrochemicals at Sasolburg. The Free State also produces high-quality diamonds from its kimberlite pipes and fissures, and the country's largest deposit of bentonite is found in the Koppies district. Since 1989, the Free State economy has moved from dependence on primary sectors such as mining and agriculture to an economy increasingly oriented towards manufacturing and export. Some 14% of
6240-550: The grade must typically exceed 960 cengrams – the equivalent of 8 grams per ton over a 120 cm stope width, which after dilution will yield 4g/t in the mill). However, the discovery of gold-bearing reef in the Klerksdorp area in 1933 by the Anglo American Corporation encouraged geologists and others with vision to see the northwestern Free State as a potential gold field. Prospecting intensified and
6336-782: The inhabitants described themselves as " Black African ", 26.9% as " White ", 11.1% as " Coloured " and 0.9% as " Indian or Asian ". Welkom's economy centres on the mining of gold and uranium and is the hub of the Free State Goldfields. Welkom has contributed 21% to the free world's gold sales. The city and immediate surroundings are dominated by the headgears and reduction plants of several gold and uranium mining companies, including St Helena, Unisel, Welkom, Western Holdings, Free State Geduld, President Brand, President Steyn, Erfdeel Dankbaarheid, Phakisa, and Tshepong. In Sept 2016 Harmony Gold and its partner White Rivers Exploration declared an as to then unknown gold ore body near
6432-515: The largest population of White Africans . White was a legally defined racial classification during apartheid . Most Afrikaners trace their ancestry back to colonists in the mid-17th century and have developed a separate cultural identity, including a distinct language. These colonists included Huguenots who emigrated from France (see Huguenots in South Africa ) and Walloons who emigrated from present-day Belgium . The majority of English-speaking White South Africans trace their ancestry to
6528-558: The late Dr Danie Craven , then the President of SA Rugby spread the game to rural areas in South Africa, Welkom was one of four new provinces formed and called North-Free State. Welkom's airport is also used on a regular basis for gliding championships on a National and International basis. Welkom has a well established education system with some schools reaching their 60-year anniversary. Some prominent schools include: Hani Park Primary GoldenPark Primary Thabong Primary Welkom
6624-509: The laws targeted other people from the Levant, it should also affect the Jews. The first nationwide census in South Africa was held in 1911 and indicated a white population of 1,276,242. By 1936, there were an estimated 2,003,857 white South Africans, and by 1946 the number had reached 2,372,690. The country began receiving tens of thousands of European immigrants, namely from Germany , Italy ,
6720-896: The lowest rainfall (0 mm) in July and the highest (70 mm) in January. The monthly distribution of average daily maximum temperatures ranges from 17 °C in June to 29 °C in January. The region is the coldest during July when the mercury drops to 0 °C on average during the night. Welkom is situated on two vegetation units, the Western Free State Clay Grassland and Vaal-Vet Sandy Grassland, these are differentiated by soil types, rainfall and frost. The dominant grass species are Hyparrhenia hirta , Themeda triandra , Sporobolus pyramidalis , Eragrostis sp, Aristida sp, and other grasses and herbs. Trees and shrubs are infrequent due to heavy frost in
6816-418: The migrant labour system, where people of various countries such as Lesotho , Malawi and Mozambique etc. met to work in the mines of the gold fields . A settlement was laid out on a farm named " Welkom " (which is the Afrikaans and Dutch word for " welcome ") after gold was discovered in the region, and it was officially proclaimed a town in 1948. The town became a municipality in 1961. It now falls in
6912-472: The most economic horizon is often undertaken. The B Reef is a highly channelised ore-body located 140m stratigraphically above the Basal Reef. Within the channels, grades are excellent, but this falls away to nothing, outside of the channels. The A Reef is also a highly channelised reef, located some 40m above the B Reef. It consists of multiple conglomerate bands of up to 4m thick and a selected mining cut
7008-639: The narrow, generally shallow dipping tabular reefs. The Basal Reef, is the most common reef horizon. It varies from a single pebble lag to channels of more than 2m thick. It is commonly overlain by shale, which thickens northwards. The second major reef is the Leader Reef, located 15-20m above the Basal Reef. This is mostly mined at shafts to the south. Further north, it becomes poorly developed with erratic grades. The reef consists of multiple conglomerate units, separated by thin quartzitic zones, often totalling up to 4 metres thick. A selected mining cut on
7104-435: The north and west of the province. The flats in the south of the reserve provide ideal conditions for large herds of plain game such as black wildebeest and springbok . The ridges, koppies and plains typical of the northern section are home to kudu , red hartebeest , southern white rhinoceros and buffalo . The Southern African wildcat , black wildebeest , zebra , eland , white rhinoceros and wild dog can be seen at
7200-543: The north-western part of the district makes it very suitable for maize production and should remain an important maize producing area. The district is mostly covered by non-arable, moderate potential grazing land as well as marginal potential arable land. The Welkom region forms part of the Maize Triangle, which stretches over three of South Africa's provinces. The region is also a major producer of sunflowers, poultry and beef cattle. Welkom's most notable sport feature
7296-556: The now liquidated Pamodzi Gold and resumed operations. In 2023, an explosion at an illegal mine killed about 30 people. Koppie Alleen is the only hill near Welkom and therefore is aptly named for its oddity. The terrain elevation above sea level is 1435 metres. The largest water catchment is the Sand River to the south-east of Welkom in Virginia's direction. Large saline pans such as Flamingo Pan and Theronia Pan are situated to
7392-488: The only one of the four original provinces of South Africa not to undergo border changes, apart from the reincorporation of Bantustans, and its borders date from before the outbreak of the Boer War . The Free State is situated on a succession of flat grassy plains sprinkled with pastureland, resting on a general elevation of 3,800 feet only broken by the occasional hill or kopje . The rich soil and pleasant climate allow for
7488-572: The period between 1989 and 1995 at around 5.2 to 5.6 million. Up to that point, the white population largely increased due to high birth rates and immigration. Subsequently, between the mid-1990s and the mid-2000s, the white population decreased overall. However, from 2006 to 2013, the white population increased. Contraception among white South Africans is stable or slightly falling: 80% used contraception in 1990, and 79% used it in 1998. The average life expectancy at birth for males and females Average annual household income by population group of
7584-498: The poverty line according to Solidarity and civil organisations, with some research saying that up to 150,000 are struggling for survival. However, the proportion of white South Africans living in poverty is still much lower than for other groups in the country, since approximately 50% of the general population fall below the upper-bound poverty line . A further concern has been crime. Some white South Africans living in affluent white suburbs, such as Sandton , have been affected by
7680-590: The preceding decade. Furthermore, immigration from Europe has also supplemented the white population. The 2011 census found that 63,479 white people living in South Africa were born in Europe; of these, 28,653 had moved to South Africa since 2001. At the end of apartheid in 1994, 85% of South Africa's arable land was owned by whites. The land reform program introduced after the end of apartheid intended that, within 20 years, 30% of white-owned commercial farm land should be transferred to black owners. Thus, in 2011,
7776-426: The province's major employer. The province has 12 gold mines, producing 30% of South Africa's output and making it the fifth-largest producer of gold in the world. The Harmony Gold Refinery and Rand Refinery are the only two gold refineries in South Africa. Gold mines in the Free State also supply a substantial portion of the total silver produced in the country, while considerable concentrations of uranium occurring in
7872-432: The province's manufacturing is classified as being in high-technology industries – the highest of all provincial economies. The northern Free State's chemicals sector is one of the most important in the southern hemisphere. Petrochemicals company Sasol , based in the town of Sasolburg , is a world leader in the production of fuels, waxes, chemicals and low-cost feedstock from coal. In the northeastern Free State, nestled in
7968-538: The province's second largest party and official opposition , with a significant increase in its share of the vote. The results of the 2024 provincial election are as follows: The Free State is the only province in South Africa that operates a free 24-hour dedicated rotor-wing aeromedical service from a public hospital. They are able to reach far-flung areas in only 45 minutes and deliver a high level of care on scene. On 31 October 2018, Free State Emergency Medical Service launched an additional 65 road ambulances to augment
8064-700: The robbery. The global financial crisis slowed the high rates of white people emigrating overseas and has led to increasing numbers of white emigrants returning to live in South Africa. Charles Luyckx, CEO of Elliot International and a board member of the Professional Movers Association, stated in December 2008 that emigration numbers had dropped by 10% in the six months prior. Meanwhile, "people imports" had increased by 50%. In May 2014, Homecoming Revolution estimated that around 340,000 white South Africans had returned to South Africa in
8160-563: The rolling foothills of the Maluti mountains, the Golden Gate Highlands National Park is the province's prime tourist attraction. The park gets its name from the brilliant shades of gold cast by the sun on the spectacular sandstone cliffs, especially the imposing Brandwag or Sentinel Rock, which keeps vigil over the park. The sandstone of this region has been used for the lovely dressed-stone buildings found on
8256-731: The south-west of Welkom. Flamingo Pan is coded as an Important Bird Area (IBA) Welkom is well known for its efficient road traffic design mainly through the use of traffic circles, which has been the basis of worldwide studies. This is encouraged by flow design, the minimum of stop streets and the total absence of traffic lights and parking meters in the Central Business District. There are currently 33 large traffic circles. Welkom has several monuments including: Welkom normally receives about 401 mm to 550 mm of rain per year, dependent on wet or dry cycles, with most rainfall occurring mainly during mid-summer. It receives
8352-531: The summer months as brief afternoon thunderstorms , with aridity increasing towards the west. Areas in the east around Harrismith , Bethlehem and Ficksburg are well watered. The capital, Bloemfontein , experiences hot, moist summers and cold, dry winters frequented by severe frost. In the southeast, the Free State borders seven districts of Lesotho : Domestically, it borders the following provinces: The Free State borders more districts of Lesotho and more provinces of South Africa than any other province. It
8448-412: The three new cubs the first cheetahs born in the wild since their disappearance from the Free State province in over a century. The Free State experiences a continental climate , characterised by warm to hot summers and cool to cold winters. Areas in the east experience frequent snowfalls, especially on the higher ranges, whilst the west can be extremely hot in summer. Almost all precipitation falls in
8544-432: The trouble in this country." Former South African President Thabo Mbeki stated in one of his speeches to the nation that: "South Africa belongs to everyone who lives in it. Black and White." Prior to 1994, a white minority held complete political power under a system of racial segregation called apartheid . During apartheid , immigrants from Taiwan , South Korea , and Japan were considered honorary whites in
8640-502: The white population made up 45.7% of the total population. In 1904 this had fallen to 36.8%. Of the 142,679 people in 1904, only 60% were born in the province. Of the 2,726 European immigrants born in non- British states, 1,025 came from the Russian Empire , mainly Jews . In 1904 whites made up a majority in most settlements, namely Ficksburg (52.3%), Wepener (60.2%), Ladybrand (60.0%), and Kroonstad (51.6%), and made up
8736-567: The winter months. The grasslands surrounding Welkom also include small mammal communities of yellow mongoose , ground squirrel , Cape porcupine , African mole-rat , pouched mouse , large-eared mouse, four-stripe grass mouse, and multimammate mouse. The De Rust Private Nature Reserve is situated about 25 km from Welkom on the Kroonstad road and is registered with the Free State Department of Nature Conservation. Welkom
8832-651: Was annexed by the United Kingdom around 1806. At that time, South Africa was home to about 26,000 people of European ancestry , a relative majority of whom were still of Dutch origin. However, the Dutch settlers grew into conflict with the British government over the abolition of the slave trade and limits on colonial expansion into African lands. In order to prevent a frontier war, the British Parliament decided to send British settlers to start farms on
8928-453: Was discovered in 1890 and mined from a single shaft until the start of the Boer War in 1899. Mining continued after the war until a major aquifer, which was encountered at a depth of 259m, forced the mine to close. It was eventually re-opened by Samada Diamonds Pty Ltd and closed again in the early 1990s. Petra Diamonds operated the Star mine, a fissure 40 km south of Welkom. The Star mine
9024-540: Was previously owned by the Thistle Mining Co., up until February 2008, and reported a total sale of 487,069 troy ounces of gold from 2004 to 2006. On 29 October 2007, Thistle Gold Mining entered into a 'Sale of Shares and Claims Agreement' under the South African government's black economic empowerment laws, under which Thistle's direct and indirect interests were sold to Pamodzi Gold for $ 14-million. In 2010, Harmony Gold subsequently acquired President Steyn from
9120-464: Was recovered. Mammals ranged in size from rodents to mammoths , including an array of proboscideans , perissodactyls and artiodactyls , alongside rare carnivores. In total, 29 taxa, including the oldest Ancylotherium and Megalotragus fossils in southern Africa were recovered. Some of the taxa from Matjhabeng are shared with Langebaanweg , and others with Makapansgat , confirming the intermediate status of this locality. Isotopic analysis revealed
9216-424: Was renowned for its consistent production of high value diamonds. In 2013, Petra commenced a disposal process of its Fissure Mines portfolio. This process did not result in any acceptable offers for the mines and Star was subsequently placed into care and maintenance. Other minerals found in the Welkom vicinity include calcite , iridium , isoferroplatinum, muscovite , pyrophylite , rutile and uranite . Due to
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