List of Towns, Villages and Cities in Emfuleni Local Municipality

Emfuleni Local Municipality, in Sedibeng District, Gauteng, had a 2022 census population of 945,650 across 965.6 km². Vanderbijlpark is the seat. “Emfuleni” is isiZulu for “at the river”, a reference to the Vaal River that runs along its southern edge.

Emfuleni is by far Sedibeng’s largest and most urbanised local municipality, holding roughly 80% of the district’s total population within less than a third of its land area.

Towns and Villages in Emfuleni

Further towns, suburbs and localities on record:

• Annaton
• Arcon Park
• Barrage
• Bedworth Park
• Boitumelo
• Duncanville
• Evaton West
• Helena’s Rust
• Houtkop
• Lenteland
• Lochvaal
• Ottosdrif
• Peacehaven
• Redan
• Roodia
• Sebokeng Unit 12
• Sebokeng Unit 14
• Sonlandpark
• Springfield Collieries
• Vaalview
• Van der Merweskroon
• Vanderbijlpark CE 2
• Vlakplaas
• Waterdal

Geography

Emfuleni lies on the Vaal River, which forms its southern boundary with Free State’s Metsimaholo Local Municipality. The terrain is flat Highveld, cut by the river and its floodplain, with the built-up Vaal Triangle core surrounded by open grassland to the north and east. It borders Midvaal Local Municipality to the east, the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality to the north, and Rand West City Local Municipality and Mogale City to the west.

Demographics

Emfuleni’s census population rose from 721,663 in 2011 to 945,650 in 2022, growth of about 31%. It is Sedibeng’s largest and most densely urbanised local municipality, at roughly 979 people per km². Sesotho, Zulu and Afrikaans are all widely spoken across its townships and older residential suburbs, a legacy of decades of industrial-era labour migration into Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging.

Economy and Local Life

Emfuleni was the former industrial heartland of the Vaal Triangle, built on iron and steel production at Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging, anchored historically by large steelworks that drew workers from across the country. Manufacturing has since contracted, and the municipality has faced sustained infrastructure and service-delivery strain, including recurring water and sanitation failures that have drawn national attention in recent years. The Vaal River corridor still supports some tourism and recreation around Three Rivers and Vaalpark, and retail and municipal administration remain significant employers in both main towns.

Vanderbijlpark, the seat, was purpose-built in the 1940s around the Iscor (now ArcelorMittal) steelworks, with a planned town layout distinct from Vereeniging’s older, more organic street grid. Vereeniging itself predates the steel era, having grown as a coal-mining and rail town from the 1890s.

Getting There

The N1 highway passes just west of the municipality, with the R59 and R82 the main routes linking Vereeniging and Vanderbijlpark to Johannesburg and the Free State. The nearest airport is O.R. Tambo International, about 60 km north, reached via the N1 and R59.

FAQ

What is the seat of Emfuleni? Vanderbijlpark, a planned town built around the former Iscor steelworks.

What is the population of Emfuleni? 945,650 at the 2022 census, up from 721,663 in 2011, the largest population of any local municipality in Sedibeng District.

How many towns are in Emfuleni? Its two main towns, Vereeniging and Vanderbijlpark, plus townships including Evaton, Sebokeng and Sharpeville.

What is Sharpeville known for? The site of the 1960 Sharpeville massacre, a pivotal event in South Africa’s anti-apartheid history, commemorated each year on 21 March, Human Rights Day.

Which district is Emfuleni in? Sedibeng District Municipality, Gauteng.

What does the name Emfuleni mean? IsiZulu for “at the river”, referring to the Vaal River along its southern boundary.

How far is Emfuleni from Johannesburg? Vanderbijlpark lies about 65 km south of the Johannesburg city centre via the N1 and R59.