Welkom is a city in South Africa. It stands at the center of the Free State gold fields, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) northeast of Bloemfontein. The mines in the Welkom area produce much of the world’s gold. Uranium is a by-product. Coal is mined as well.
Welkom is a relatively new city. Its traffic system is unique. There are no traffic lights. The city has 23 traffic circles aimed at smooth, uninterrupted traffic. There are numerous parks and plenty of open spaces.
Gold was discovered on the “Welkom” farm in 1946. A South African businessman named Sir Ernest Oppenheimer developed the idea of creating a new town. A municipality was set up in 1961, and a city proclaimed in 1968.
In the mid-1990’s, after the end of South Africa’s racial segregation system called apartheid, Welkom was merged with the Black African township of Thabong and other nearby communities. In 2000, Welkom, including Thabong, became part of the Matjhabeng local municipality. Matjhabeng also includes the towns of Allanridge, Hennenman, Odendaalsrus, Ventersburg, and Virginia, as well as the surrounding communities and rural areas. The municipality has a population of 439,034.
