The town, proclaimed in 1949, lies on the north bank of the Vaal River, 10km west of Vereeniging and 60 km south of Johannesburg. It was named after Dr HJ van der Bijl, a brilliant young scientist, who oversaw the development of the Iron and Steel Corporations' (ISCOR) first plant at Pretoria in 1934. As the demand for steel increased, 10000 ha of ground along the Vaal River near Vereeniging was purchased to build a large steelworks and model city for its employees. This city was named Vanderbijlpark. The largest steelworks in the Southern Hemisphere, began operating in 1947. The streets in the city are named after scientists, engineers, composers, poets, writers and medical practitioners. The Vaal River on the southern border of the town provides facilities for all water sports and fishing.