The town of Alberton lies to the south-east of Johannesburg city and was established over 100 years ago. Alberton consists mostly of pleasant residential homes occupied by hardworking citizens, many of whom commute to Johannesburg on a daily basis.
Alberton sits on a farm that once belonged to a 13-year old. In 1890, in his adult years, he built a mansion which is still standing and can be viewed from the highway. A later syndicate owner, General Alberts, gave the town its name of Alberton.
Alberton has all the necessary conveniences deserving of a town its size: a large shopping mall, churches, schools, entertainment, restaurants and facilities for all sporting codes. And the commercial section has an enjoyable pedestrian-friendly zone for traffic-free access to all amenities. Only 19km from Johannesburg city centre and 33km to the international airport on major highways, Alberton is well situated for business and leisure travellers visiting this part of South Africa.
Top 6 reasons to visit Alberton
1. Open 7 days a week with 120 onsite stores, 10 restaurants and 1700 parking bays, Alberton City mall delivers a fun and exciting experience for shoppers. The mall has a full calendar of interesting promotions and events to keep visitors entertained throughout the year.
2. Travel to the Art Farm in Alwynspoort to appreciate the art on display at the Art in the Garden exhibition held on the first Saturday of every month. The artwork is supplied by local artists.
3. The Jackson dam is a picturesque spot to enjoy a picnic under the willow trees and kick-around on the grassed embankments. Fishing of carp is allowed, be sure to hire fishing gear for your visit. A children’s play park is located alongside the dam.
4. Visit Market @ 84 in the Walkerville area to purchase fresh produce straight off the nearby farms as well as unique and interesting handmade crafts offered by talented crafters. The market takes place on weekends.
5. Buy your outdoor gear from Die Blou Meul (the blue mill) store, supplying the region for over 50 years and one of the largest such stores. Goods range from camping products to generators.
6. Free (yes, free!) Sahaja yoga meditation classes are offered to the public every Wednesday evening at the Alberton library. Learn to practice the art of self-realisation.
Transport
The OR Tambo International Airport is situated 33km north of Alberton. Car rental agencies are located at the airport and in the town, otherwise order a vehicle online. Metered taxis, shuttle service companies and Uber all operate in the area.
Did you know?
In the days when Johannesburg was surrounded by dusty mine dumps, people moved to Alberton to enjoy the fresh air. The town is still far enough away to escape pollution from newer industries.
Alberton has a small circular cemetery. The gravesite was once a part of the original farm laid out in the 1840s and it lay neglected for many years before councillors attempted to re-inter the graves elsewhere. Some descendants refused and to appease all parties, it was decided to build a traffic circle around the cemetery.
