Midrand was established as a municipality in 1981 (in an area known as Halfway House, named after its position between Pretoria and Johannesburg[2]), but ceased to be an independent town in the restructuring of local government that followed the end of apartheid in 1994.

Suburbs that are generally regarded as being in Midrand include among others: Country View, Carlswald, Crowthorne, Ebony Park, Glen Austin, Ivory Park, Kaalfontein, Rabie Ridge, Halfway House, Halfway Gardens, Vorna Valley, Noordwyk, Randjesfontein, Randjespark, Blue Hills, Kyalami Agricultural Holdings and Waterfall City.

Many businesses have relocated there due to its proximity to good highway links and its location in the economic centre of Gauteng Province.

Midrand has the largest[citation needed] conference centre in South Africa which is known as Gallagher Estate which was built on the former site of Halfway House Primary School, which subsequently moved to new grounds near the fire station.

Other landmarks include the Boulders Shopping centre, so named after the heritage site housing huge granite rocks which are approximately 3.5-billion years old.

[9] Midrand is a thriving business node, home to the offices of major corporations such as Vodacom, Microsoft, Neotel, and Altech Autopage as well as an array of small and medium enterprises.

Kyalami, an international renowned racetrack is in Midrand and is the venue for many of South Africa's premier motor racing events.

The N3 (Eastern Bypass) lying just south of Midrand, intersects the N1 at the Buccleuch Interchange and runs southwards to Germiston and Durban.

Midrand is the home of Grand Central Airport and also to one of the stations in the Gautrain rapid rail system on the route from Pretoria to Sandton.