Stilfontein

Stilfontein
Stilfontein Location in North West
Stilfontein  Stilfontein shown within South Africa
Coordinates: 26°50′34″S 26°46′28″E
Country	South Africa
Province	North West
District	Dr Kenneth Kaunda
Municipality	City of Matlosana
Area
• Total	7.63 km2 (2.95 sq mi)
Population (2001)
• Total	14,713
• Density	Bad rounding here1,900/km2 (Bad rounding here5,000/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2001)
• Black African	14.4%
• Coloured	0.9%
• Indian/Asian	0.2%
• White	84.6%
First languages (2001)
• Afrikaans	72.5%
• English	14.0%
• Tswana	6.4%
• Sotho	2.8%
• Other	4.3%
Time zone	SAST (UTC+2)
Postal code	2551

Stilfontein (Afrikaans for quiet spring) is a mining town with 96,242 inhabitants, situated between Klerksdorp and Potchefstroom in North West Province of South Africa.

Stilfontein was established in 1949 as a residential centre for three large gold mines, the Hartebeesfontein, Buffelsfontein and Stilfontein mines.

Stilfontein was struck by a mining-related earthquake in 9 March 2005, which damaged buildings in the town, which was followed by the closure of the Hartebeesfontein and Buffelsfontein when the Stilfontein Gold Mining was handed over into liquidation. The Simmer and Jack Mines took over the mines but disaster struck again on 23 March 2006 when a fire trapped 8 miners underground at the Buffelsfontein mine.

Demographics

According to the 2001 Census, the population of Stilfontein was 14,708. The racial distribution was as follows: 84.9% White, 14.2% Black, 0.8% Coloured and 0.1% Asian. The population density was 1,717 persons per km² (663 persons per mi²). The white population is very likely to have been undercounted, a common problem with the 2001 census.

Tourist attractions

• Hartebeesfontein Gold Mine
• Annual Rose Festival in spring