With the discovery of gold in the Witwatersrand area in the late 1800’s, a discovery was also made of the so-called "Black Reef", which ran through various farms along the banks of the Klip River. It was believed that the Klipvalley area, south of Johannesburg, had rich gold deposits which led to an influx of "gold diggers" seeking their fortune in the area.
Johannes Petrus Meyer, a council member for the Klip River District and a well known gold prospector, and members of the Pretorius family had a vision of a town in this area. In 1891 they formed a syndicate, with Jan Meyer as Chairman, to develop the land and proclaim a township. The town of Meyerton was officially proclaimed on 6 June 1891. It acquired municipal status in 1961.
Today, Meyerton is a small town with a population of approximately 12,000 and is located in a predominantly rural area. Sited close to the Klip River, a tributary of the Vaal River, its primary industries are ceramics and metal related manufacturing.
Page 2a
M
eyerton
