At Blesbokspruit, Ekurhuleni’s natural side comes into focus: the 1,800-hectare freshwater ecosystem near Nigel is a designated Ramsar site. At the same time, memorial sites and museums tell stories of South Africa’s struggle for freedom, Benoni’s history and aviation. These different themes give your trip distinct focuses: birdlife and wetlands, history and remembrance, or activities on the water.
Heritage and Remembrance
The Chris Hani Memorial and Walk of Remembrance in Boksburg is a national heritage site. It commemorates Chris Hani’s life, work and sacrifice, as well as his contribution to a free and democratic South Africa. The Walk of Remembrance has a curving, contemplative design; benches beneath a canopy of trees provide a place for quiet reflection. Its design combines movement with quiet contemplation.
The O.R. Tambo Cultural Precinct is in Wattville, Benoni, where the Tambos lived during their struggle against apartheid. At the O.R. Tambo Narrative Centre, O.R. Tambo’s life and legacy are interpreted through exhibitions. The precinct also includes the Environmental Education Centre, which offers learners an extracurricular learning experience in the natural sciences. Classrooms and laboratories are set up for lectures and hands-on experiments. The precinct thus brings historical storytelling and practical learning together as distinct approaches.
The Benoni Museum presents the history of Benoni and the mining sector. African musical instruments and basic household items from African homes complement these subjects. A visit to the museum therefore covers both the development of the town and insights into music and everyday life.
Wetlands and Birdlife
The Blesbokspruit Wetland Reserve near Nigel is a 1,800-hectare freshwater ecosystem and a designated Ramsar site in Ekurhuleni. Marievale Bird Sanctuary lies at the southern end of the Blesbokspruit Ramsar site. More than 280 bird species live there. The wetland’s ecology supports significant populations of waterbirds and wetland species throughout the year.
The Rondebult Bird Sanctuary in Boksburg offers a different kind of landscape. The 95-hectare reserve consists of a series of water ponds that provide important habitat for indigenous waterbirds. Unlike the extensive Blesbokspruit, Rondebult centres on its sequence of ponds. Together, the two sites showcase different aspects of Ekurhuleni’s wetlands and birdlife.
Water, Leisure and Aviation
At Germiston Lake, water sports range from sailing and canoeing to fishing and rowing. Those interested in aviation history can visit the South African Airways Museum Society in Germiston. The museum preserves the history of South African aviation from its beginnings to the jet age.
In Boksburg, Wild Waters offers a different kind of experience: its attractions include a 500-metre Supertube slide and a wild-water slide where bodyboards are used. Quieter pools and smaller slides for children round out the offering. Bunny Park is a family-friendly facility with rabbits as well as goats, sheep, geese and pigs. These leisure spots therefore offer very different experiences—from water sports and slides to animal encounters.
Discover more destinations: Benoni, Nigel, Brakpan, Vosloorus, City Of Johannesburg, West Rand, Sedibeng, Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality.
Go to the main travel overview: Gauteng.
