Midrand was established as a municipality in 1981 (in an area known as Halfway House, after its position between Pretoria and Johannesburg), but ceased to be an independent town in the restructuring of local government that followed the end of apartheid in 1994. Though no longer an independent town, the name Midrand is still in common use to denote the suburbs around the N1 highway north of the Jukskei River up to the border with City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality.
The city is relatively modern, having experienced much growth in the last decade. Many businesses have relocated there due to its proximity to good highway links and its location in the economic centre of the Gauteng Province. Midrand’s development has meant there is little break between the outskirts of Johannesburg and those of Pretoria. Some of the big companies in Midrand is Vodacom, Microsoft, Neotel and Altech Autopage.
Suburbs that are generally regarded as being in Midrand include among others: Country View, Carlswald, Crowthorne, Glen Austin, Halfway House, Halfway Gardens, Vorna Valley, Noordwyk, Randjesfontein.
Midrand has the largest conference centre in South Africa which is known as Gallagher Estate which was built on the former site of Laerskool/Primary School Halfway House, which subsequently moved to new grounds near the fire station.
The newest landmark of Midrand is the classical Turkish-style mosque, Nizamiye Masjid, the largest mosque in South Africa as well the Mall of Africa, one of the biggest malls in Africa.
The easiest way of transportation in Midrand is the normal way of the vehicle with the roads connecting easily with one another. The N1 goes through the whole of Midrand, the main road R55 is also an alternative route to take when travelling to and from Midrand. Midrand has its own airport Grand Central Airport. There is also a Gautrain station that can take people to other stations with the Gautrain system.
Activities to do in Midrand include visiting the Mapatiza Underground Gemstone Mines where you can take a tour of the mine with its colourful passages and chambers and see how gemstones are being sorted and polished. The Midrand Urban Market offers a fun day out for the whole family from the jumping castles to the traders that sell their goods. For the motor enthusiasts, the Kyalami Racing Circuit offers entertainment with track days and racing events. The Kyalami Country Club offers a golf course that is sometimes visited by nature members.
Midrand Schools: Midrand has Midrand High School, Beaulieu College as the main high schools. Midrand Primary School, Halfway House Primary and Jubilate Primary School is the main primary schools. SPARK Midrand offers a private school and the Summerhill International College is also in Midrand. The American international school of Johannesburg also resides in Midrand.
Midrand Hospitals: The main hospitals in Midrand are the Netcare Waterfall City, Cure Day Clinics Midstream, Netcare 911 Pty Ltd. The Midrand West Clinic is also there for your daily health needs. There is also the Midrand Veterinary Hospital and the Halfway House Veterinary Clinic that can take care of your four legged friends.
Midrand Shopping Malls and Restaurants: The mall of Africa is one of the largest malls in Africa and offers everything from clothing shops to whole trade shops and a wide variety of restaurants that is suited for anybody. The Carlswald Lifestyle Shopping Centre offers mostly restaurants and has a Dis-Chem for medical needs. Some of the stand-alone restaurants in Midrand are Table 29 restaurant and Mio Col’Cacchio pizzeria.
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