Consider Vanderbijlpark.
What makes living in Vanderbijlpark great?
Named after Hendrik van der Bijl, an electrical engineer and industrialist, Vanderbijlpark is home to Vanderbijlpark Steel (before part of ISCOR – Iron and Steel Corporation), and now part of the global company ArcelorMittal.
With neighbouring towns Vereeniging and Sasolburg, it forms the Vaal Triangle, a major industrial region of South Africa, in the district municipality of Sedibeng and the local municipality of Emfuleni.
It all started when Dr HJ van der Bijl, a young South African electrical engineer working in the United States at the time, was called back to South Africa in 1920 by the then Prime Minister Jan Smuts to advise the government on planning South Africa’s industrial development.
Van der Bijl oversaw the Iron and Steel Corporation’s first plant at Pretoria, but with the increased demand after World War II, 100 km² was bought to build a large steel works and model town.
The steel works began operating in 1947 and the town was proclaimed in 1949. The town attained municipal status in 1952 when Governor General Dr EG Jansen opened ISCOR’s second steel works.
Vanderbijlpark is designed in a circular design, which differs from the traditional grid design of towns. The town is divided into four distinct residential blocks, namely: CE (Central East), CW (Central West), SE (South East), SW (South West), Vanderbijlpark CBD
It was at ISCOR where Eckart and Dieter Sittig started their apprenticeship around 1961 and then in 1963 opened their first shop, Twin Radio in Vanderbijlpark. Twin Radio is still continuing to offer great service to longstanding and new customers in this beautiful town on the banks of the Vaal.
Vanderbijlpark today:
With its rich history, vibrant culture, and host of amenities, the town is an ideal choice. Together with Vereeniging and Sasolburg, it forms the Vaal Triangle, a major industrial region of South Africa. And set on the scenic banks of the Vaal River, Vanderbijlpark unites water sport enthusiasts of all ages.
Vanderbijlpark is an attractive town whose leafy streets, parks and gardens are lined with some 500 000 trees, and although many of the lookalike houses were built by the giant South African steel company Iscor during the period 1947 to 1964, Vanderbijlpark is also where you’ll find sought-after, homes.
Vanderbijlpark lies on the shores of the mighty malaria-free Vaal Dam, with some of the best inland boating in the country. Its 800km shoreline is lined with picnic and camping sites, marinas, pleasure resorts, holiday homes and beaches. If you’re a water-sport fan you’ll be in your element because you can take your pick of boating, river cruising, fishing, waterskiing and swimming; or maybe you just want to chill with a picnic or braai on the banks.
If you need more outdoor activities visit the resort’s 203ha Animal World, established in 2001 by the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa; or make a splash at the resort’s indoor climate-controlled Aquadrome.
The adjacent Emfuleni Nature Park has great hiking trails, plenty of birdlife as well as plains game such as red hartebeest, zebra, wildebeest, blesbok and reedbuck. Or play a round at the Emfuleni Golf Estate.
The Vaal Triangle Campus of the North-West University is in Vanderbijlpark. This campus is situated on the banks of the Vaal River and has student numbers exceeding 3000. The main campus of Vaal University of Technology is in Vanderbijlpark. It is about 1 km away from the North West University
