The West Rand is the name of the urban western part of the Witwatersrand that is functionally merged with the Johannesburg conurbation. This area became settled by Europeans after a gold-bearing reef discovered in 1886 and sparked the gold rush that gave rise to the establishment of Johannesburg.The West Rand extends from Randfontein in the west to Roodepoort in the east, and includes the town of Krugersdorp.