About Welkom

Welkom was laid out from scratch in 1947 to serve the newly discovered Free State goldfields, and it remains one of South Africa's few deliberately planned cities, with a distinctive layout of concentric circles and cul-de-sacs designed around its mine shafts rather than a conventional grid. For decades it was the beating heart of the Free State gold rush, home to giants like the President Steyn and Harmony mines, and its wide, tree-lined streets earned it the nickname "the City of Roses." As deep-level gold mining has declined, the town has leaned into diversifying its economy, including motorsport at the Phakisa Freeway raceway on its outskirts. Matjhabeng, the surrounding municipality, still carries the mining legacy in its townships and suburbs built to house generations of goldfields workers.

Welkom's live music kicks off with Deep In The Streets bringing two nights of sound to Lion Street from 29-30 August. Community spirit continues with the RED CARPET LADIES HERITAGE CELEBRATION at Lebogang Secondary School on 5 September, before Heritage Festival 2026 takes over the Portuguese club on 26-27 September. Style takes the spotlight when Matjhabeng Fashion Week 2026 opens on 3 October, and the season closes out with WonderWhizFest at Griffons Rugby Stadium on 31 October.