Vereeniging is a major city located in the Gauteng province of South Africa (although it was formerly part of the Transvaal province).
It forms part of the Vaal Triangle, a major industrial region for the country, and is also an important population center. The city is one of the most prominent industrial and manufacturing centers in the country, producing high quantities of iron, steel, pipes, bricks, tiles and processed lime, among others. Vereeniging is also of some historical and cultural importance to many cultural groups from the area, particularly those of Dutch and/or Afrikaans descent. The city’s name is derived from the Afrikaans/Dutch word for ‘union’. Today, it forms a part of the Sedibeng district, along with the Emfuleni municipality.
The history of Vereeniging can be traced back to the late nineteenth century. Founded in 1892, it was originally intended to be an industrial center, and much of the city’s early growth was fueled (literally and figuratively) by the highly productive coalmines that were established in the surrounding area. As the mining population grew, so too did Vereeniging itself, and it quickly became a well-populated and developed town. The early population of the town was mainly of Afrikaans descent, in addition to the indigenous population.
Vereeniging became caught up in a considerable amount of the conflict surrounding the Second Boer War, and for a time was occupied by the British. During this period, a concentration camp was set up near the city which, at its peak, housed close to a thousand men, women, and children, under very poor conditions. Today, a golf course is situated on this site. Vereeniging’s most well known important historical moment came with the Treaty of Vereeniging, an agreement signed at the town in 1902 that marked the end of the Second Boer War. However, contrary to popular belief, while the agreement bore the name of the town, it was in fact signed in Pretoria.
Another historical landmark for Vereeniging was the Sharpeville massacre, a key conflict of the apartheid era that occurred at the mainly black community of Sharpeville just outside Vereeniging itself. This incident, along with several others, were to spark a great amount of outrage both locally and internationally, and contributed to the momentum that finally led to the downfall and dissolution of the apartheid regime.
Vereeniging is located in the southern part of the Gauteng province, at the point where the Kilp River joins with the larger Vaal River. Its neighbouring cities are Vanderbijlpark to the west, Three Rivers to the east, Meyerton to the north, and Sasolburg to the south.
Vereeniging’s landmarks include the Emerald Resort and Casino, a popular entertainment attraction and tourist destination, as well as the Maccauvlei Golf Course. The Marievale Bird Sanctuary and Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve, both located near Vereeniging, offer a look at some of the country’s wildlife.
Vereeniging is home to around 99,787 people, at a population density of approximately 530 per square kilometer.