Springs at a glance
Springs is located in the east of Ekurhuleni in Gauteng and lies just 50km east of Johannesburg, South Africa. The area’s title is a result of the vast number of springs located in the area.
Springs is predominantly a blue-collar worker town with a population of around 122 000 people and 39 000 households. The economy in Springs is diverse, as it includes manufacturing, commerce, service, hospitality, mining and services companies.
O.R Tambo International Airport is 33km away from Springs Central. Driving at an average speed of 80km/h will take you about 31-minutes of travel time via S Main Reef Rd and N12.
Property in Springs can be bought from R320 000 for a 1-bedroom apartment to R4 million for a luxury six-bedroom residence.
Weather
Springs has a mild and generally warm climate. With an average mean temperature of 20.0 °C, January is the hottest month of the year. At an average mean temperature of 8.9 °C , June is the coldest month of the year. Summers have much more rainfall than winter. Rainfall is the lowest in June, with an average of 7 mm but in January it reaches its peak with an average of 126 mm.
History
On 16 September 1884, the official map of Springs was registered in Pretoria, the Republic’s capital. In those days the value of the land was equal to R200. However, the discovery of coal and gold in the area increased this market price.
In April 1904 Springs was founded as a coal and gold mining town and by 1962 the town had produced 10% of South Africa’s gold and 9% of its uranium. Today, Springs is one of the industrial centres of the Witwatersrand as manufacturing and engineering have replaced mining.
Schools
There are several high-end schools within the area, starting from pre-primary to secondary schools, including a tertiary college in Springs. Some of the schools include:
- Bakerton Primary School
- Creative Education Centre (Nursery and Primary School)
- Job Maseko Primary School
- KwaThema Primary School
- Eureka High School
- Dr Johan Jurgens High School
- Hoër Tegniese Skool Springs
- Hoërskool Hugenote
- Tertiary institutions in Springs include Ekurhuleni East College and Springs Campus
Healthcare
Residents in Springs can make use of the Far East Rand Provincial Hospital, the St Mary’s Women’s Hospital, and Life Parkland Hospital. Clinics include the White City and KwaThema clinics in KwaThema, Painville-and -Springs-.
Shopping
Shopping malls in Springs include, The Avenue shopping centre, Palm Springs, Veranda Shopping Centre, Third Street Arcade, Seedfam Tower Arcade, Standard Band Arcade, Second Street Mall. Shopping centres within the suburbs are Selcourt Shopping Center, Strubenvale Shopping Centre, New State Era Shopping Centre, Bakerton Square and Springsgate.
Restaurants
- Casa Nossa Family Restaurant
- Mike’s Kitchen Springs
- Devil’s Inn
- Cappuccinos Springs Mall
- Kung Fu Panda Restaurant & Sushi Bar,
- Geronimo’s Sports Bar, and Yankys are some of the unique places to dine.
Attractions
Landmarks and attractions within the area include the beautiful architecture of several monuments to important figures in the city’s development like Paul Kruger, War Monument at the northern entrance of the Springs CBD, The Old Springs Fire Station, and the Dutch Windmill in the Pioneer Park. The Blesbokspruit Wetland located within the Springs region is the largest wetland in the highveld region of Southern Africa and draws over 300 species of birds, land and water mammals, along with various species of reptiles.
