|
Man whose ideal became reality |
| WELKOM is the realization of an ideal held by Sir Ernest
Oppenheimer, at that time Chairman of the Anglo American
Corporation. His instructions to Mr William Backhouse were
that Welkom should be a town of which its occupants could be
justly proud. |
| The township of Welkom officially came into
being on 15th April 1947, some six years after the first
mining lease in the area was awarded to the St Helena Gold
Mining Company, and was proclaimed a town on 23rd July
1948. Between 1937 and 1947 the early mining community
consisted of about 500 people who lived at Uitzig Camp. The
only visible remaining sign of Uitzig Camp today is utilised
and maintained by the Moth Club. |
 |
In the year of its 21st birthday on 14th February 1968,
Welkom received city status, and celebrated this event with
the opening of the Civic Centre. The following message was
published on the front page of the first edition of the
Welkom News in January 1950: |
| "In a special New Year message of greetings to the people of
Welkom, Sir Ernest Oppenheimer expresses his great faith in
the future of the new goldfield. "Up to 200 000 000 pounds
will have to be spent on the full development of the
thirteen mines that are planned, and on the necessary
services and amenities for employees." |
Article obteined from VISTA's special Anniversary edition April 1997.
 | | |
|