01/06/2026
Barberton, 1899🦉
Barberton, situated in the De Kaap Valley near the border of Eswatini, rose to prominence during South Africa’s early gold rush era.
The town was named after Graham Barber, one of the three Barber brothers who, together with their cousin David Wilson, discovered gold in the area in 1884. Their discovery triggered a major gold rush, attracting prospectors, miners, investors, and entrepreneurs from across the world.
By 1899, Barberton had developed into a thriving mining town. Its economy revolved almost entirely around gold extraction, with several productive mines operating in the surrounding hills, including the famous Sheba and Consort mines.
Barberton became known for hosting one of South Africa’s earliest stock exchanges and played an important role in the development of the country’s mining economy. The town helped pave the way for the later expansion of gold mining on the Witwatersrand, where the discovery of gold eventually led to the establishment of Johannesburg.
