Our family history may be very much like your own - alive with change and transformation, but consistently resonating the values and culture which give us
EDENVALE’s HISTORY
Edenvale is a town on the East Rand in Gauteng, South Africaand is part of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality. It started out in 1903 as a small settlement named Rietfontein which sprung up around the RietfonteinGold Mine. It was an unimportant small village where certain Cornish Miners settled after the Boer War.
The farm Rietfontein No 9 was originally owned by Tobias Mynhardt whose home is still in evidence today and is called Frank Marret Park. Mynhardt subdivided the area in the early 1890’s into four portions, selling Eastleigh to Father De Lacey and Edenvale to a Mr Amm, a leading Johannesburg grocer. The major portion, which extended from Modderfontein boundary to Elandsfontein station,was sold to the Rietfontein Gold Mining Company, while the remaining portion of Edendale was retained by Mr. Mynhardt. The first erven/lots were sold in 1903 and the town named after John Eden. Owing to the proximity of the Land to the Rietfontein Mining Company the new owners were induced to lay out the land as Townships.
Eastleigh was laid out in one acre lots while Edenvale and Edendale were sub-divided in quarter acre stands
(991sq metres). In 1903, stands were offered for sale to the public at 20 pounds per stand, on terms of 2 pound deposit and 1 pound per month. Not surprisingly this cheap ground, which was also free of tax, encouraged folk to settle in Edenvale. At that time, Rietfontein Mine employed Cornish Miners called “Cousin Jacks”. They settled In Edenvale and Eastleigh in brick-lined wood and iron house, some of which can still be seen today.
By 1907, a school opened in a house for the Edenvale children. In 1913, Rietfontein Mine was closed due to the first mining strike and miners were absorbed into mines in the Germiston area. During this period many Afrikaans families came to live in Edenvale, as an interest in mining grew.
The infamous Rand Revolt of 1922, which grew out of the strikes on the gold and coal mines, retarded the progress of Edenvale somewhat. As a largely mining community, many families were hit hard as miners were un-employed for many months. To assist these families, a voluntary committee organized by the late Harry Sneech, wife of Harry Sneech, the then Postmaster, and opened soup kitchens to feed the needy.
By 1924, a Vigilance Association was formed and raised money to build a concrete bridge which linked Edenvale to Eastleigh. From 1935 to 1938 this committee also functioned as a health Committee. In 1939 Edenvale became a village and in 1954 was proclaimed a Municipality. Lights and water installations, which became available in 1938, stimulated a building boom in the Edenvale Municipal area. Industrialists also became more interested with the availability of cheap land so forming the nucleus of today’sSebenza Industrial Township (meaning “to work” in Zulu).
Building societies interested themselves in Edenvale and granted loans for housing. Most of the streets in
Edenvale were numbered but 12th Street extension was named after Edenvale’s pioneer, Harry Sneech. 5th
Street was changed to Hendrik Potgieter Street on the occasion of the Voortrekker Centenary in 1938.
The name of the town ages back to the beginning of time. The first garden of all was named Eden -and the "vale" is the archaic but romantically poetic name for a valley -the farmers have always been fond of biblical and traditional associations. But a garden is also where life grows. Over the decades, Edenvale has tried to nurture this feeling.
Modern Edenvale has become a very well-known part of Johannesburg. It lies about halfway between the O.R.
Tambo International Airport and the city centre and is located roughly 12KM by road from Sandton and roughly 9KM from the closest, currently operating, Gautrain station. This makes it a very comfortable spot to live as it is quite close to all the major parts of Johannesburg. Edenvale is a very quiet town which ranges from the middle class areas such as Eastleigh to the upper class areas such as Dowerglen or Edenglen.
Edenvale was known for being an Afrikaans speaking area. Much of that has changed as it has been widely diversified by Southern African foreigners, mainly: Zimbabweans, Zambians and Malawians. It also hosts a large population of Portuguese and Italian inhabitants.
In the recent years Edenvale has expanded significantly. Two malls have been erected, Greenstone and
Stonebridge mall, as well as an array of complexes and townhouses, in an area now called Greenstone Hill
and Greenstone Park, just above Illiondale.
SCHOOLS
The first school in Edenvale was started in 1906 in a house at the corner of De Wet Street and Van Riebeeck
Avenue.Mr M W de Wetwas the principal of the Government school, who took over the school from Mr Simon in 1906. Mr Simon was forced to resign owing to a lack of accommodation and remained in charge of the school until 1923.Mr De Wet for many years exercised a tremendous influence on the community. He was not only principal of the school, but the general factotum in respect of education, religious and cultural affairs.
Private Schools in the Edenvale and surrounding area today include:
Public Schools in the Edenvale area today include:
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
Ricardo Mulder Community Library
The Ricardo Mulder Community Library was officially opened on 23 October 1993. The library is spacious and makes full use of natural light which creates a wonderful relaxing atmosphere. The library has 3 floors, adult’s reading, children’s books and the reference section.
Tel:
Operating hours are:
Monday –Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Police
Metro Police
Fire Department
Court
Traffic and Licencing
Churches and Synagogues
Municipality
Post Offices
SPCA
MEDICAL FACILITIES
Doctors
Dentists
Optometrists
Diabetes Clinic
Dieticians
SHOPPING
BEAUTY
Hair Dressers
Nail Bars
VETERINARIAN’S
SPORT FACILITIES
SCOUTS
BROWNIES AND GIRL GUIDES
PARKS
Horwood Farm
The town’s oldest building, the old Horwood’s Farmhouse (built in 1902), is now officially recognised as a
national monument by the National Monument’s Council.
Horwood’sFarm is quite a popular picnic and braai spot for families on the weekends, there are paved
pathways for the children to cycle around on and wide open spaces for playing cricket or soccer. Parents can
relax under the large shady trees while their children cycle around the park or play nearby. There is also place
for children to roller blade away from the cyclists
RESTAURANTS AND BAKERY’S
De Molen / The Windmill
’De Molen’ is a 3/4 size copy of the Zeldenrust Molen in Holland. Itwas built in 1996. over ’De Bakery’ to place
emphasis on the fact there was a Dutch baker in Edenvale. The buildings in the lane next to the windmill are
also in the Dutch style to carry through the whole Dutch theme.
There is seating both inside and outside this windmill.
Tel:
Operating hours are:
Monday –Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Please note the restaurant section is closed on Mondays.
Cheese for Africa & Café Di Stefano
This place does not only sell cheeses, but also has a little restaurant where breakfasts and lunches are served
in a glass enclosure. Tel: (011) 609 9970
BED AND BREAKFASTS
A modest corrugated iron house, 113 First Ave, provides a record of architectural style that was common in
Edenvale so many years ago. This house is possibly the oldest home in Edenvale, bar the Horwood
Farmhouse. The corrugated iron home dates back to the turn of the century and this prefabricated house was
built along similar lines to the dwellings found at Pilgrim’s Rest. For many years it was home of Mr Thomas
and Mrs Heyla Eales. The iron and brick structure had remained unaltered from the time it was bought by the
parents of the late Mrs Eales, Mr and Mrs Roets in 1918 for the princely sum of 75 Pounds. However, much of
the decorative latch work and broekie lace that adorned the front veranda, had since disappeared
At one time it was examined by an architect from the National Monuments Council, with the view of having it
declared as a national monument, but that never came into being.
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After Mrs Eales Passed away the property was bought by new owners who have lovingly restored it and it now
functions as a Bed and Breakfast.
