Springs is a former independent city that is now part of the City of Ekurhuleni, based in the east of Johannesburg (East Rand), in Gauteng Province, South Africa. It lies 50 km (31 mi) east of Johannesburg and 72 km (45 mi) southeast from Pretoria. Its name derives from the large number of springs in the area, and its estimated population is more than 121,610 in 2011. It is situated at 1628 m (5,340 ft) above sea level.Springs was divided during the Apartheid era into the middle- and upper-income white suburbs around the city centre and the Indian area of Bakerton east of the CBD; while black people were relocated to KwaThema, southwest of the CBD.