WATCH: Historic mine winder at Gold Reef City turns 100 years

Gold Reef City on September 5 celebrated the 100th anniversary of its historic mine winder, a symbol of Johannesburg’s mining heritage and a reminder of the city’s golden beginnings.

The mine winder was commissioned in 1925 as part of the Crown Mines operations, once the largest and richest gold mine in the world.

Crown Mines was formed in 1909, after the amalgamation of eight companies, including Crown Deep and Crown Reef, operating on one of Johannesburg’s richest gold-bearing areas. The company eventually became part of the Rand Mines Group.

Mining scale and depth

Crown Mines operated 16 main vertical shafts, 32 sub-verticals, and 54 incline shafts, some plunging to depths of more than 3 500m below the surface.

Fourteen shafts were connected to the mine winder system, including the famous 5 Shaft, located 5km north of today’s Gold Reef City.

By 1922, 14 Shaft and its sub-verticals had reached 57 levels, just short of 3 300m underground – a world record at the time.

@southern.courier Crown Mines was formed in 1909, after the amalgamation of eight companies, including Crown Deep and Crown Reef, operating on one of Johannesburg’s richest gold-bearing areas. The company eventually became part of the Rand Mines Group. Mining scale and depth Crown Mines operated 16 main vertical shafts, 32 sub-verticals, and 54 incline shafts, some plunging to depths of more than 3 500m below the surface. #GoldReefCity #100thanniversary ♬ original sound – Southern Courier

The main shaft, sunk in 1916, was completed in 22 months, and a sub-shaft was finished in 1918, achieving a global record depth of nearly 1 000m.

Workforce and production

By the late 1930s, Crown Mines employed approximately 30 000 underground workers, making it Johannesburg’s single largest employer.

Over its lifetime, Crown Mines produced more than 1.4 million kilograms of gold (1 400 tonnes).
To extract this, miners hauled over 300 million tons of rock to the surface.

At its peak, Crown Mines produced more ore than any other mine in Johannesburg.

Closure and legacy

Despite its size and productivity, operations slowed in the 1970s due to unstable gold prices.

In May 1977, the Rand Mines Group closed Crown Mines after almost 70 years of continuous operation. Yet even at its closure, Crown Mines was still regarded as the richest and most productive mine in Johannesburg’s history.

Today, the 100-year-old winder remains preserved at Gold Reef City Theme Park, where visitors can step back in time, experience underground mine tours, and see first-hand the machinery that once drove the city’s prosperity.

“This winder is more than a century-old piece of engineering. It represents the incredible scale of Johannesburg’s mining story,” said Andrew Richard, general manager at Gold Reef City.

“It reminds us of the tens of thousands of people who worked underground, the millions of kilograms of gold brought to the surface, and the pioneering spirit that built our city.”

@southern.courier Gold Reef City on September 5 celebrated the 100th anniversary of its historic mine winder, a symbol of Johannesburg’s mining heritage and a reminder of the city’s golden beginnings. The mine winder was commissioned in 1925 as part of the Crown Mines operations, once the largest and richest gold mine in the world. #GoldReefCity #100thanniversary ♬ original sound – Southern Courier

To commemorate the centenary, Gold Reef City will host special heritage tours, exhibitions, and educational experiences highlighting Johannesburg’s mining legacy and the critical role of Crown Mines in South Africa’s history.

Gold Reef City invites all South Africans and visitors from across the world to discover and celebrate the 100-year-old mine winder, a powerful symbol of Johannesburg’s golden past.

For more information on what’s happening at Gold Reef City, visit www.goldreefcity.co.za or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram.

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