Randburg is an area located in north western Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. Formerly a separate municipality, its administration devolved to the newly created City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, along with neighbouring Sandton and Roodepoort, in the late 1990s. During the transitional period of 1996-2000, Randburg was part of the Northern Metropolitan Local Council (MLC).
Randburg was founded as a town in 1959, as the amalgamation of 32 suburbs, northwest of Johannesburg. Although economically linked to Johannesburg, residents chose to create their own town council. The name Randburg was chosen in a competition, and is derived from the Rand currency, which was introduced at around the same time that the new municipality was established in 1959. Randburg was a stronghold of the National Party during the apartheid era.
The resident demographic of Randburg tends to be more affluent than most of Johannesburg. The area was declared as a white area during the Apartheid era, but post-apartheid has attracted a varied population. It is still predominated by white English and Afrikaans suburban citizens.
Randburg is well known for its plethora of shopping malls and entertainment nodes, including the Brightwater Commons, Cresta Centre, Northgate and the Randburg Square (formerly Sanlam Shopping Centre) among various others.
The municipal area of Randburg contained numerous suburbs; many of these are residential. Some larger areas include Blairgowrie, Ferndale, Kensington B, Darrenwood, Cresta, Aldara Park, Olivedale, Randpark Ridge, Boskruin and Fairlands, Gauteng. Suburbs of Johannesburg including Parkhurst, and Greenside although erroneously included by Google Maps as part of Randburg have never been part of the area .