Where is Westdene In Johannesburg
About Westdene
Westdene was originally part of the farm Braamfontein, established in the area in 1853. The farm stretched from Westdene in the west to Houghton in the east and from Newtown in the south to Linden in the north. Various parts of the farm were sub-divided and sold many times over and in 1871 Gerhardus Petrus Bezuidenhout sold his south-western portion of the farm to Frans Johannes van Dijk who in turn sold the land to Johannes Jacobus Lindeque in 1884. The portion of land became known as Lindeque’s Portion and would eventually develop into the present-day suburbs of Auckland Park, Cottesloe and Westdene. Hendrik Wilhelm Struben obtained permission from Lindeque to prospect the area for gold in 1885 but no evidence of gold was discovered. In 1887 Lindeque sold a portion to the then Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek for 4000 pounds. The government’s intention with acquiring the land was to improve the water supply to Johannesburg, but soon the government also laid out the first suburbs on the farm in 1888 and 1889.
Location of Westdene In Johannesburg
Westdene is a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa. Westdene lies between the historic suburb of Sophiatown and Melville with the Melville Koppies West nature reserve to the north of the suburb. Westdene derives its name from its location, literally meaning west-valley. ‘West’ since it is located west from the city centre and with ‘dene’ derived from the Old English denu, meaning valley.
frequently asked questions (FAQs).
Which side of Johannesburg is Westdene?
Westdene is a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa. Westdene lies between the historic suburb of Sophiatown and Melville with the Melville Koppies West nature reserve to the north of the suburb. Westdene derives its name from its location, literally meaning west-valley.
Is Westdene a good area?
Westdene neighborhood is a relatively safe area. The park is fenced. There are two gates (one closes at 6PM, the other at 7PM). Westdene dam was the scene of a tragic schoolbus accident in 1985.
Where is Melville situated in Johannesburg?
The suburb is to the west of the Johannesburg CBD. It is located in Region B of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality.
What is the richest part of Johannesburg?
Johannesburg is South Africa richest city, with most of the wealth concentrated in the suburbs of Sandhurst, Hyde Park, and West Cliff.
Which areas are safe in Johannesburg?
The best areas to stay in Johannesburg are Rosebank, Melrose, and Sandton as these are some of the safest areas of the city and are very affluent.
What caused the Westdene bus accident?
A witness said it appeared that a tyre had blown out, sending the bus swerving into another vehicle before it smashed through a fence and plunged into the reservoir. The bus was transporting students from the local high school (Hoërskool Vorentoe).
How many kids died in the Westdene bus accident?
On 27 March 1985, 42 children lost their lives after a double-decker school bus unexpectedly swerved left into the Westdene Dam. Up until this day, no one knows why or how 30 children survived and 42 lost their lives.
Is Benoni a rich area?
In a recent article published by Business Tech, “The cheapest and most expensive cities in South Africa”, Benoni was listed as the most expensive city or town in South Africa. The article used data compiled by Expatistan, a website indexing the cost of living in cities across the globe.
What happened Westdene bus driver?
The driver, Willem Horne
He survived the disaster, and had to be kept under police guard at the hospital because a father had appeared with a gun, threatening to shoot him. Inevitably the issue of race arose. Horne was coloured and had moved up from the Cape with his wife and five children, aged between 10 and 18.
Where is Benoni situated?
Benoni, town, Gauteng province, South Africa, east of Johannesburg. It is situated at 5,419 feet (1,652 m) above sea level and covers two sides of a valley that borders four lakes. Benoni was established as a mining camp after the local discovery of gold in 1887.
What are the slums in Johannesburg called?
Soweto. Soweto, urban complex in Gauteng province, South Africa. Originally set aside by the South African white government for residence by Blacks, it adjoins the city of Johannesburg on the southwest; its name is an acronym derived from South-Western Townships. It is the country’s largest Black urban complex.
Which is the oldest suburb in Johannesburg?
Kensington (established in 1897) is one of the oldest suburbs in Johannesburg (and the largest suburb in this city) and became popular with the mining fraternity. It also houses the historic schools of both Jeppe Boys and Girls.
What was the worst bus accident in South Africa?
The Sol Plaatje Dam bus crash was one of the worst vehicle accidents of all time, when a coach bus drove into the Saulspoort Dam near the town of Bethlehem, South Africa, killing 51 people on 1 May 2003.
What is the deadliest bus crash in history?
The collision and plunge into a river involving a school bus near Prestonsburg, Kentucky on February 28, 1958 was the most disastrous bus accident in the history of the United States.
What caused Mwingi bus to fall?
A bus carrying members of the Mwingi Catholic Church to attend a wedding at Nuu market, Mwingi, plunged into river Enziu after being swept off the road by raging waters.
What famous person died in a bus?
On the eastern bank of the Sushana River, McCandless found an abandoned bus, Fairbanks Bus 142, which he used as a makeshift shelter until his death.
What happened at Moloto Road?
Families of the six people who died in a bus accident on the R573 Moloto Road last year have accused the Public Utility Transport Corporation (Putco) of making their lives difficult by allegedly not paying them their R5 000 monthly incomes on time.
What was the biggest crash ever?
The 1987 stock market crash, or Black Monday, is known for being the largest single-day percentage decline in U.S. stock market history. On Oct. 19, the Dow fell 22.6 percent, a shocking drop of 508 points.
Did Mwingi bus driver survive?
The bus capsized next to the bridge. The driver has also died.
How many people survived the Mwingi accident?
After being rescued, they were rushed to Mwingi Level Four Hospital for emergency treatment. In about one hour, 12 people were rescued while 20 bodies had been retrieved from the school bus including its driver – who had been hired to take the bridal party to the ceremony.
How many people were in Mwingi bus?
In about 30 seconds, the 61-seater bus belonging to St Joseph Seminary, Mwingi was almost fully submerged. Mutua and his cousins, who were occupying the back seat, smashed the rear windscreen. He said he grabbed his four-year-old sister and swam to safety.
What famous person died on a plane?
Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper (1959)
Immortalized by Don McLean’s song “American Pie” as “The Day the Music Died,” the crash of a Beechcraft Bonanza on February 3, 1959, took the lives of 22-year-old Buddy Holly (“Peggy Sue”), Ritchie Valens (17) and J.P. Richardson (“The Big Bopper,” who was 28).
Is Moloto in Gauteng or Mpumalanga?
Moloto, Gauteng, South Africa.
What happened on the queslett road?
Reece Young was just 14 when he was fatally injured. The boy suffered a significant brain injury as he ended up beneath a motorist’s Volkwagen Golf on Queslett Road, Great Barr in November last year.
Is Moloto Road a national road?
The road was officially handed over to Sanral in 2020, becoming a national route. The Moloto Road stretches over 160km and spans three provinces – Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo – and is used by tens of thousands of commuters daily.
Where is the most crime in South Africa?
In 2022, Pretoria (South Africa) ranked first in the crime index among African cities, with a rating of roughly 82 index points. The five most dangerous areas on the continent were South African cities.