Mayfair, Johannesburg

Coordinates: 26°12′15″S 28°0′41″E / 26.20417°S 28.01139°E / -26.20417; 28.01139
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Mayfair
Mayfair is located in Gauteng
Mayfair
Mayfair
Mayfair is located in South Africa
Mayfair
Mayfair
Coordinates: 26°12′15″S 28°0′41″E / 26.20417°S 28.01139°E / -26.20417; 28.01139
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceGauteng
MunicipalityCity of Johannesburg
Main PlaceJohannesburg
Established1896
Area
 • Total1.64 km2 (0.63 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total12,027
 • Density7,300/km2 (19,000/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
 • Black African31.9%
 • Coloured4.1%
 • Indian/Asian51.9%
 • White1.5%
 • Other10.6%
First languages (2011)
 • English56.3%
 • Afrikaans4.2%
 • Tswana3.4%
 • Zulu3.1%
 • Other33.0%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
2092
PO box
2108

Mayfair is a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa. The suburb is west of the Johannesburg CBD and is adjacent to Fordsburg. It is located in Region F of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality.

History[edit]

Prior to the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand in 1886, the suburb lay on land on one of the original farms that make up Johannesburg, called Langlaagte.[2] The land was purchased by J.B. Robinson.[3]: 181  It was established as a suburb in 1896 and is named after Mayfair in London.[2]

Demographics[edit]

Although designated a white area under apartheid, Indians began moving into Mayfair some time before the end of apartheid.

Today Mayfair has a large Indian population, along with a significant number of Muslim immigrants from the rest of Africa. In recent years Mayfair has become populated with a large number of Somalis and Ethiopians. Mayfair is populated by a diverse community economically and remains a vibrant part of Indian city life.

Notable residents[edit]

Former President of South Africa, F. W. de Klerk, the last to hold the office before the end of apartheid in 1994, was born here.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "Sub Place Mayfair". Census 2011.
  2. ^ a b Raper, Peter E.; Moller, Lucie A.; du Plessis, Theodorus L. (2014). Dictionary of Southern African Place Names. Jonathan Ball Publishers. p. 1412. ISBN 9781868425501.
  3. ^ Musiker, Naomi; Musiker, Reuben (2000). A Concise Historical Dictionary of Greater Johannesburg. Cape Town: Francolin. ISBN 1868590712.