The first gold mine in South Africa was discovered in Witwatersrand, this was the turning point in South African history South. This was greatest point in their history, its what basically put them on the map so to speak. Soon their were longer term working spaces along the main line of gold mines in the district of Johannesburg South.

"Large deposites of gold were discovered in South Africa around 1800's" Sanders. This also les to the discovery of more and more mines, their was one in Vogelstruisfontein and of cores many other smaller towns. With more and more gold mines starting to pop-up the higher South Africa's Gold production went up. "South Africa was and still does produce the most amount of gold in the world, coming in at about one sixths the worlds gold " Sanders. At the time period this was a substantial amount of gold, the most that anyone had seen come out of a country at a time. "Along with looking for the gold people also found large amounts of oil reserves. This also turned into one of their big industries." U.S. Energy

(The picture to the right is a picture of the first gold mine in South Africa)

So as the gold and oil business grew so did the people as a result. This is how so many towns and communities were set up in South Africa so quickly. Plus many of these towns were multi-racial as a result of the white immigrants moved in looking to "make it big." "The discovery of all this gold also led to the idea for better transportation, this was were the railroads were built this connected almost all of Africa." South.

Due to the excessive amounts of gold mines, their was also the need for more and more workers. Owners had to increase workers yearly and soon it went from 14,000 to 100,000 South.

The mining and oiling portion of South Africa provides most of the countreis income, this is the better side of the coin so to speak. The flip side of the coin is the conditions of some of the working camps in the mines and the drilling sites. Some say it would be better to just completly froget the mining industry as it is already taking a nose dive as it only represents five to eight percent of GPD compared to eaelier years where it was twenty percent Daniel R. Donovan. Some say to continue mining as it is still needed for the economey but to redue the working conditions of the workers completley, but this a costly meathod and highly disaproved Daniel R. Donovan.

This is a hard topic to disscus considering that it both helps and hurts the country. It is still a highly controversial and on top of that it is also very opinative. Its is mostly helpful as of now, but who knows what the future could hold?