Vereeniging is a City, in Gauteng Province of South Africa. It has a population of more than 350,000 people. It is located on the banks of the Northern loop of the Vaal River. The name Vereeniging is derived from the Afrikaans/Dutch word meaning "association" or "union". The City was founded in 1892 and much of its early growth was due to the nearby coal Mines.
The City is well known for being the location where the Treaty of Vereeniging ending the Second Boer War (1899-1902) was negotiated. During this conflict, a Concentration Camp was set up by the British military in the Area. Nearby Vereeniging is Sharpeville. The Site of the Sharpeville Massacre in 1960. Although named after Vereeniging, the Treaty of Vereeniging was actually signed at Melrose House, Pretoria. Vereeniging falls within an Area known as the Vaal Triangle about 60 kilometres from Johannesburg - a roughly triangular, essentially Rural Area. Bounded by Vereeniging, Vanderbijlpark and Sasolburg. From 1961-1972 F.W. de Klerk practiced as an attorney in Vereeniging. During this time, he played an active part in Nationalist Party politics and in local educational affairs. He was offered the chair of Administrative Law at Potchefstroom University, but declined the position when he was elected Member of Parliament for Vereeniging in November 1972.
South African legend Leon Schuster, become a movie favourite in most homes, because of his funny personality! Leon Schuster, a comedian, actor, singer, and film director, was born on 21 May 1951 in Vereeniging. Bles Bridges, a well known Afrikaans country singer, also stayed in Vereeniging, until his death in 2000.
The Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden (previously known as the Witwatersrand National Botanical Garden). A 3 Kilometers Squared Botanical Reserve, in the Vaal Triangle. It was formally established in 1982 and is one of the youngest of South Africa's National Botanical Gardens, but the site where it is located has been popular with visitors for many decades before that. The garden is home to a well known pair of Verreaux's eagles that nest in the Roodekrans ridge which intersects the reserve. The garden has a restaurant, gift shop and nursery which sells South African native plants (the nursery closed March 2015). The Garden has been recognized as one of the most beautiful botanical gardens in the world.