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Brits | |
|---|---|
 Brits as seen from Dewetsnek in theMagaliesberg | |
  Brits  Brits  Brits | |
| Coordinates:25°38′4″S27°46′52″E / 25.63444°S 27.78111°E /-25.63444; 27.78111 | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | North West |
| District | Bojanala |
| Municipality | Madibeng |
| Area | |
• Total | 114.7 km2 (44.3 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
• Total | 53,511 |
| • Density | 466.5/km2 (1,208/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • African | 41.1% |
| • White | 46.6% |
| • Indian/Asian | 5.5% |
| • Other | 0.9%Coloured |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Tswana | 28.6% |
| • Afrikaans | 25.9% |
| • Northern Sotho | 10.1% |
| • Xhosa | 10.1% |
| • Other | 25.3% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal code (street) | 0250 |
| PO box | 0250 |
| Area code | 012 |
Brits (/brəts/) is a town in theNorth West Province of South Africa. It is situated in a fertilecitrus, vegetable and grain-producing area that is irrigated by the waters of theHartbeespoort Dam. It is close to theCity of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality inGauteng, which includesPretoria, and it has the same dialling code as Pretoria. In addition to being a centre for agriculture, the city is home to several heavy industries.The city also plays an important role in theSouth African mining industry: 94% of South Africa'splatinum comes from theRustenburg and Brits districts, which together produce more platinum than any other single area in the world. In addition, there is a largevanadium mine in the district.
Mothotlung, Letlhabile, Maboloka, Bapong, Majakaneng, Tornado, Bethanie and Oukasie[2][3] are the black townships, with Oukasie[4] founded in 1931 being one of the oldest townships in South Africa.TheIndian area in Brits isPrimindia. Brits is part of theMadibeng Local Municipality.
Brits is linked toSandton by theR511 and toRandburg by theR512, and to Pretoria by theR513,R514 &R566. Freeway access is by theN4 Highway (Bakwena Toll Route), which was constructed in the early 2000s.
The first European to build a pioneer hut in the area wasAlbertus Venter circa 1840. He settled down with his wife and daughter on the farm which is today known asDe Kroon and started farming. The Fourie family soon joined him and on 13 June 1846 the first white baby was born in this area north of theMagaliesberg.Phillipus Fourie eventually bought the farm from Venter and he put up the first permanent homestead that became known as the "Ou Werf".
The railway station called Brits was opened on 9 July 1906 and residents began putting up small businesses on the southern side of it. The station was built on the property ofJohan Nicolaas Brits that owned part of the farmRoodekopjes. He was previously the first owner of the farm Bloemfontein which he sold to Capt. Warden. In 1918 a steam driven roller mill was built west of the station and served the farming community for many decades. Mail now arrived by train and it became the station master's job to sort out the people's mail. The first post office was built on the station in 1915, and the first post master wasHaydon Thomas. It was in this little building that the first telephone was installed and it was operated by Miss Theron. The first police station was established in 1921 andSergeant Prinsloo was the first station commander.
A little village began to develop around the main road on the southern side of the station, which later became known as Tom Street. Unfortunately no proper city planning was done and this area had no access to running water. A businessman by the name ofLouis Karovsky, bought the part ofHendrik Christiaan Brits' farm to the north of the rail road. This section was cut up into 940 stands and legally proclaimed as a township in October 1923.[5] The area south of the railway station eventually become theIndian area ofPrimindia, with Tom Street as its primary business node. Brits was founded in 1924 on the farmRoode Kopjes (Red Hills) and was named after the owner, Johannes Nicolaas Brits. The armistice treaty for theTransvaal civil war was signed in 1864 beneath akaree tree just to the south of Brits. A speech byGeneral Hertzog in 1912 at the nearby De Wildt railway station led to the formation of theNational Party.
TheDe Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre, renowned for its success in breeding and studyingcheetah,king cheetah,brown hyena,suni,blue duiker andwild dogs is situated in the small town of De Wildt, just east of Brits.
Ukutula Lodge and conservation center is also based in Brits. Ukutula is home to a number of wild cat species and is a registered Wildlife Breeding and trading facility, as well as an animal rescue center.
Brits is also the birthplace of the firstcloned animal in Africa, a cow.[6]
Brits Airfield is located a few miles north of the city. Communities from surrounding villages and townships make use of taxis, buses, private cars as well as bicycles as modes of transport to move from one point to another.
Municipalities and communities ofBojanala Platinum District Municipality,North West | ||
|---|---|---|
District seat:Rustenburg | ||
| Moretele | .svg) | |
| Madibeng | ||
| Rustenburg | ||
| Kgetlengrivier | ||
| Moses Kotane | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
