Randpark Ridge

{{more citations needed|date=December 2009}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                            = Randpark Ridge
| native_name                     = Randparkrif
| pushpin_map                     = South Africa Gauteng#South Africa
| coordinates                     = {{coord|26.101|S|27.957|E|region:ZA|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type                = Country
| subdivision_name                = [[South Africa]]
| subdivision_type1               = Province
| subdivision_name1               = [[Gauteng]]
| subdivision_type2               = District
| subdivision_type3               = Municipality
| subdivision_name3               = [[City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality|City of Johannesburg]]
| subdivision_type4               = Main Place
| subdivision_name4               = [[Randburg]]
| established_title               = Established
| leader_title                    = Councillor
| leader_name                     = David Brand
| area_footnotes                  = <ref name="census2011">{{cite web |url=http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/798016031 |title = Sub Place Randpark Ridge |work=Census 2011}}</ref>
| area_total_km2                  = 9.00
| elevation_m                     = 1700
| population_footnotes            = <ref name="census2011" />
| population_total                = 18033
| population_as_of                = 2011
| population_density_km2          = auto
<!-- demographics (section 1) -->| demographics_type1              = Racial makeup (2011)
| demographics1_footnotes         = <ref name="census2011" />
| demographics1_title1            = [[Bantu peoples of South Africa|Black African]]
| demographics1_info1             = 23.8%
| demographics1_title2            = [[Coloureds|Coloured]]
| demographics1_info2             = 3.2%
| demographics1_title3            = [[Indian South African|Indian]]/[[Asian South African|Asian]]
| demographics1_info3             = 7.6%
| demographics1_title4            = [[White South African|White]]
| demographics1_info4             = 64.1%
| demographics1_title5            = Other
| demographics1_info5             = 1.4%
<!-- demographics (section 2) -->| demographics_type2              = [[First language]]s (2011)
| demographics2_footnotes         = <ref name="census2011" />
| demographics2_title1            = [[English language|English]]
| demographics2_info1             = 67.4%
| demographics2_title2            = [[Afrikaans]]
| demographics2_info2             = 14.5%
| demographics2_title3            = [[Zulu language|Zulu]]
| demographics2_info3             = 4.3%
| demographics2_title4            = [[Tswana language|Tswana]]
| demographics2_info4             = 2.3%
| demographics2_title5            = Other
| demographics2_info5             = 11.4%
<!-- blank fields (section 2) -->
<!-- Other information -->| timezone1                       = [[South African Standard Time|SAST]]
| utc_offset1                     = +2
| postal_code_type                = [[List of postal codes in South Africa|Postal code]] (street)
| postal_code                     = 2169
| postal2_code_type               = [[Post-office box|PO box]]
| postal2_code                    = 2156
| area_code_type                  = [[Telephone numbers in South Africa|Area code]]
}}
'''Randpark Ridge''' is an [[suburb|upmarket suburb]] of [[Randburg]], [[South Africa]]. It is located in Region C of the [[City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality|City of Johannesburg]]. It fell into the town of Randburg during the apartheid era. Developed in the early 1980s and still relatively new, Randpark Ridge is bordered by several other suburbs including [[Weltevreden Park]], [[Randburg|Sundowner]], [[Boskruin]], [[Bromhof]], [[Honeydew, South Africa|Honeydew]] and [[Fairland, Gauteng|Fairland]].

==History==
The suburb has its origins as part of an old Witwatersrand farm called ''Boschkop'', named after the distinctive hill to north of the suburb, which is now the Boschkop Nature Reserve in the suburb of [[Boskruin]].<ref name="JHB01">{{cite web | url=http://joburg.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=291&Itemid=51 | title=Joburg's oldest buildings | publisher=City Of Johannesburg | date=21 February 2003 | accessdate=31 October 2016 | author=Davie, Lucille}}</ref> On this land, an old brick farm house was supposedly built on the land in around 1860.<ref name=JHB01/> In 1903 the farm was owned by a J. Labuschagne and he sold part of the original land and farm house to [[John Dale Lace]].<ref name=JHB01/> He added on to the original Boer farmhouse; two gabled sections to either side, and a dam, built over the ''spruit'' (stream) that is a tributary of the [[Klein Jukskei River]].<ref name=JHB01/> At this stage the house had a total of 25 rooms. He would lose his 1300-acre country estate to [[Standard Bank]], who sold it to an Irishman, Tom Kelly, in 1927.<ref name=JHB01/> Kelly then renovated and extended the old farmhouse, changing its name to ''Hy Many.''<ref name=JHB01/> A tree lined drive  connected the farmhouse to the old Muldersdrift Road, now called [[Beyers Naude Drive]].<ref name=JHB01/> Kelly's daughter would sell the land in 1982 to the Gencor Trust and the land was rezoned for residential development.<ref name=JHB01/> Attempts were made to keep the house and have it listed, as it was due for demolition, but no funds could be found for its restoration.<ref name=JHB01/> By the early nineties it was run down and occupied by squatters before a fire destroyed the rear.<ref name=JHB01/> By 1994 the old farmhouse was bought by developers who demolished the burnt out section illegally and in 1996, fifteen townhouses were built around it.<ref name=JHB01/> The old farmhouse was modernized inside but the [[façade]] remains the same and has five original [[Jacaranda]] trees, possibly 90 to 100 years old.<ref name=JHB01/> Regarded as the oldest brick house in Johannesburg it now stands in Frangipani Crescent, Randpark Ridge.<ref name=JHB01/>

==Current suburb==
The suburb is chiefly residential, with a few nodes for commerce along the major routes that service the area. It is well planned and forms part of Johannesburg's large man-made forest. Its proximity to both the city centre and [[Sandton]] make it an extremely popular area to live.{{Cn|date=March 2024}} It is, however, still close enough to the [[Magaliesburg]] so as to feel part of the countryside. The area is serviced by one [[highway]], namely the [[N1 Western Bypass (Johannesburg)|N1 Western Bypass]] which connects the vicinity to [[Sandton]] and [[Pretoria]] to the north and to [[Roodepoort]] and [[Soweto]] to the south. The major arterial route is [[Beyers Naudé Drive]] ([[M5 (Johannesburg)|M5]]), which radiates from the inner city. Of importance are also John Vorster Drive and [[M6 road (Johannesburg)|Ysterhout Drive (M6)]], as well as Christiaan de Wet Road ([[R564 (South Africa)|R564]]) running somewhat parallel to the freeway.

[[Rand Park High School]] along with [[Rand Park Primary School]] serve as the area's public [[schools]], and [[Trinityhouse High School]] and [[Aurora Private School]] are well-respected [[private schools]] in the area. The Randridge Mall and Rock Cottage are two well-known Randpark Ridge [[shopping malls]], as well as the [[Lifestyle Garden Centre]] and several smaller malls exist for daily expenses. The prominent ridge (which gives the suburb its name) is protected as the Boschkop [[Nature Reserve]], and is a prominent sight from most of western Johannesburg. Several parks abound including Essenhout Park and Hy Many Park. Much open land exists in the suburb especially to the west near to [[Honeydew, South Africa|Honeydew]].{{Cn|date=March 2024}}

Transport can be a problem for residents. The major routes are blocked in the morning and afternoon traffic, and this can make travel from the city centre much more difficult than usual.{{Cn|date=March 2024}} No train service runs near the area and thus it is buses and minibus taxis that offer the only public transport to residents. The nearest international airport is [[Lanseria International Airport|Lanseria Airport]] with the next closest international airport being [[O. R. Tambo International Airport|OR Tambo International Airport]] in [[Ekurhuleni]].

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Greater Johannesburg|communities}}
[[Category:Johannesburg Region B]]