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eventREF E-0093319Revised

Event record

Digging for gold is officially authorised and fortune hunters flock to the Witwatersrand

Date
8 Sep 1886
Updated
30 Sep 2019
Digging for gold is officially authorised and fortune hunters flock to the Witwatersrand

Digging for gold in the Witwatersrand (now city of Johannesburg and surroundings) was authorised in September 1886 and further accelerated the influx of people to the area. The influx had initially been caused by the discovery of gold. People flocked from all over the world to dig for gold in the area. The city of Johannesburg was established a month after digging was authorized. Ten years later, the city had a population of over a 100 000. A third of that population was made up of foreigners.  Today, the city comprises mine dumps left behind after years of mining.

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How we know this

  1. 01Joburg News Johannesburg in the 19th Century [online] Available at: www.joburgnews.co.za [Accessed on 31 August 2012]
  2. 02New History The Story Of Gold Johannesburg – An Instant City [online] Available at:newhistory.co.za [Accessed on 31 August 2012]  

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2012, September 5). Digging for gold is officially authorised and fortune hunters flock to the Witwatersrand. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0093319

South African History Online (2012) 'Digging for gold is officially authorised and fortune hunters flock to the Witwatersrand', South African History Online, 5 September. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0093319 (Accessed: 1 August 2026).

South African History Online, Digging for gold is officially authorised and fortune hunters flock to the Witwatersrand [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0093319, (accessed 1 August 2026).

"Digging for gold is officially authorised and fortune hunters flock to the Witwatersrand." South African History Online, 5 Sept. 2012, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0093319. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "Digging for gold is officially authorised and fortune hunters flock to the Witwatersrand." South African History Online. September 5, 2012. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0093319.

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