Bedfordview is a town on the East Rand in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. While it borders the eastern edge of the Johannesburg metropolitan area, it forms part of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality along with the major towns of Alberton, Benoni, Boksburg, Brakpan, Edenvale, Germiston, Kempton Park and Tembisa.

As with many towns in the area, its history is tied to mining and agriculture. The site of town was largely on a farm called Elandsfontein that was eventually purchased for its mineral rights.  When prospecting efforts failed to deliver the expected results, the farm was divided up into smaller parcels of land and used for smaller farms and small-holdings, with the area becoming known as Geldenhuis Estates Smallholdings.

One of the farms was named Bedford, and when a competition was held in 1926 to rename the area, the winning submission of “Bedford View” was entered because of the view from the farm.  This was subsequently contracted into a single word: Bedfordview.

Bedfordview is home to the Eastgate Shopping Centre which, when it opened, was said to be the largest shopping centre in the Southern Hemisphere.  Bedfordview also has a more serene alternative in the form of the Gillooly’s Farm – a 44 hectare expanse with hiking trails, recreational areas, a restaurant, picnic areas and a man-made lake well stocked with catfish and carp.  The area is rich in bird-life and more than 50 species of birds can be spotted here including cormorants, herons, egrets, storks, sparrow and wagtails.

With its proximity to the O.R. Tambo airport, industrial areas and schools and easy access to major road arteries Bedfordview remains an area that is much in demand for business and residential use.