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TheWest Rand[1] is the urban western part of theWitwatersrand that is functionally merged with theJohannesburgconurbation. This area became settled byEuropeans after agold-bearing reef discovered in 1886 and sparked thegold rush that gave rise to the establishment of Johannesburg.
The West Rand extends fromRandfontein in the west toRoodepoort in the east, and includes the town ofKrugersdorp. The areas ofCarletonville andWestonaria are sometimes included as being part of the Far West Rand. The areas are economically linked to the city through the gold mining industry. Following the creation of the Johannesburg unicity in 1999, Roodepoort, which is traditionally regarded as part of the West Rand, became part of Johannesburg municipality. After 1999, much of the area became part of the newly formedWest Rand District Municipality (excluding Roodepoort, which became part of theCity of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality).[2]
Despite being a separate municipal area, like theEast Rand, the West Rand is included in theWitwatersrand urban area. To this end, the West Rand shares the samedialling code as Johannesburg (011 locally) and the samemetropolitan route numbering system as Johannesburg (and the East Rand). It is not uncommon for residents of the West Rand towork in Johannesburg proper and vice versa.
