Johannesburg: History, Former Names & Timeline
City born of the 1886 gold discovery that quickly became the largest in southern Africa.
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Former names of Johannesburg
| From | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1886 | Johannesburg |
Timeline of Johannesburg
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1886 | Gold is discovered on the Witwatersrand |
| 1976 | The Soweto uprising |
| 1994 | South Africa's first multiracial election |
Who ruled Johannesburg
Derived from the border maps; each row runs until the next recorded border change.
| Period | State |
|---|---|
| 500 BC–1599 | Khoisan |
| 1600–1879 | Unclaimed / no data |
| 1880–1913 | Transvaal |
| 1914–1919 | South Africa |
| 1920–1944 | Union of South Africa |
| 1945–today | South Africa |