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Mogale places
What towns are in Mogale City?
Mogale City covers Krugersdorp, Magaliesburg, Tarlton, Hekpoort, Muldersdrift, Krugersdorp West, Witpoortjie, Lewisham, Azaadville, Swannieville, Munsieville, Kagiso, Noordeheuwel, Silverfields, Monument, Rangeview, West Rand Cons., Chamdor and Boltonia.
With more than a 250 000 residents in 63 000 households, it is the sixth largest municipality in the South Africa and the second in the province.
Krugersdorp: a town built on gold
In 1887, gold was discovered in the area, which led to the true birth of Krugersdorp, and the arrival of a stream of prospectors to the Witwatersrand.
By 26 April 1887, a new settlement for whites was established in the area. The valleys and hills were fertile and there was plenty of water.
It has been recorded that in 1801, 998 Sotho settlements were established in a 971 square mile area around Magaliesburg, including the Krugersdorp area.
Where Krugersdorp now stands was initially a part of Pretoria district. Voortrekker leader Andries Pretorius later moved into the area when he acquired a farm known as Paardeplaats, which is now known as Paardekraal and includes the Paardekraal Monument.
By December 1889 the first stands were on sale in the new town. This area was known as District Township, later renamed Krugersdorp North. Shortly after this Burgershoop was established.
A business sector had already begun to grow in 1888, with the first building being the Standard Bank. An Anglican Church was also one of the first buildings to be erected.
Krugersdorp was declared a separate district in November 1894 and, by this time, had a population of 18 540. In 1895, the borders of the old Krugersdorp were finalised and a magistrate was appointed. Krugersdorp eventually got municipal status in 1903. The first election of councillors took place in December that year.
Munsieville: the childhood home of Archbishop Tutu
Munsieville grew out of the informal settlements inhabited by mine labourers on the outskirts of the original mining town of Krugersdorp.
The story of Munsieville began on 15 December 1905, when it was gazetted that the piece of land to the north west of Krugersdorp near District Township was to be used as a 'native location'. It was, however, only in 1911 that the New Donation (as it was then called) was officially established by the Municipal Council, and all blacks not living on their employers' premises had to be resident there.
In 1913 a housing plan, based on one already in existence in Benoni, was formulated. It made provision for two and three-bedroomed houses costing about 20 pounds a room to build, and an 18-room compound. By 1923, about 220 males, 262 females and 325 children were living in 119 houses in the 'location'.
In 1934, standpipes (taps at the corners of the street from which residents could draw their water) and central wash houses were in use in the area, and one year later it was necessary to extend the New Location. The Old Location, which had been located near the present-day Burgershoop, was disestablished in 1937 and a new sub-economic housing scheme, including sewerage, guttering, curbing and three- and four-roomed houses, was begun to accommodate the now overcrowded new one.
At a monthly council meeting in 1941, it was unanimously agreed to change the township's name to Munsieville, after the chief sanitary inspector at the time, James Munsie. He is remembered for the tremendous amount he did in the interest of the town's health.
Years later the current township of Munsieville was demarcated and formal township housing was erected.
Archbishop Emeritus and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Desmond Tutu lived in Munsieville from the age of five. His father was headmaster of St Paul's Anglican Mission School where young Mpilo began his education. Tutu was later a schoolteacher at Munsieville School before he joined the priesthood.
Tutu and his wife Leah married in a Roman Catholic Church in Munsieville. He recalls: “That church was razed to the ground along with many residential buildings because Munsieville was doomed to be demolished. It was an aberration; a black spot in what should have been a lily-white area. Munsieville was reprieved only by the intervention of Leon Wessels, the Nationalist MP for Krugersdorp, who later apologised handsomely for apartheid. He was to become Deputy Chair of the Constituent Assembly that gave us our wonderful Constitution.”
Tutu's childhood home can be visited, as can other 'exile' houses.
Talented local women have formed the Mukondeleli Craft Suppliers and their beadwork, clay pots and quilting are on view here. Vibey taverns and sophisticated shebeens abound.
Munsieville has always had a vibrant social culture and was on the forefront of political activism during the struggle against apartheid. Today, residents enjoy better facilities and modern services.
One of the traditions that remain is the culture of children playing in the streets, which was a result of there being no sporting or recreational facilities. Apart from the ever-popular soccer games, one can also witness the children's traditional African games.
The townspeople of Munsieville are friendly and eager to please. Hospitality and bright smiles greet visitors. Most of the residents work in the commercial sector and are also employed as public servants.
Kagiso: place of peace
Kagiso always seems to be filled with song.
Much of the township's early history is unknown as its history was handed down verbally rather than recorded in documents. Amidst all the modifications lent to the verbal transmissions, it has been ascertained that Kagiso was established around 1926. The development began with the suburb presently known as Lewisham, with 667 housing units. Today in Lewisham there are about 850 houses. Kagiso 2 came into being in 1958.
The name Kagiso means peace.
The population is predominantly Tswana and Xhosa, though there are North Sotho, South Sotho, Zulu, Venda and Shangaan.
The sounds of jazz, world music or kwaito can often be heard in its many taverns and shebeens. Since its humble corrugated-iron beginnings, Kagiso is now larger than Munsieville and is a modern, thriving township.
Dr Frank Chikane was raised here and he played a pivotal role in the political development of the area. A number of professional catering services are operated by the women of Kagiso and Traditional Games is an enterprise that strives to preserve ancient African games. All the games are of African origin and are made in different materials and sizes.
Azaadville: bringing a touch of spice to Mogale City
Azaadville lies south of Krugersdorp and its largely Indian residents have, since the early 1900s, brought a touch of "spice" to Krugersdorp - look out for their oriental influence adjacent to the town hall. Of note in the township's development was the involvement of Mahatma Ghandi, who participated in the original inhabitants efforts, which were unfortunately unsuccessful, to halt their removal to a different area.
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 Krugersdorp: a town built on gold
Useful links Mogale's rich heritage
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