Khutsong
| Khutsong | |
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 Khutsong
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Khutsong
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| Coordinates: 26°20′1″S 27°19′39″E / 26.33361°S 27.3275°ECoordinates: 26°20′1″S 27°19′39″E / 26.33361°S 27.3275°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Gauteng |
| District | West Rand |
| Municipality | Merafong City |
| Area[1] | |
| • Total | 8.60 km2 (3.32 sq mi) |
| Population (2001)[1] | |
| • Total | 69,858 |
| • Density | 8,123/km2 (21,040/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2001)[1] | |
| • Black African | 99.7% |
| • Coloured | 0.1% |
| • White | 0.1% |
| First languages (2001)[1] | |
| • Tswana | 33.0% |
| • Xhosa | 29.5% |
| • Sotho | 18.7% |
| • Zulu | 7.9% |
| • Other | 10.9% |
| Time zone | SAST (UTC+2) |
Khutsong is a township on the West Rand of South Africa, and scene of widespread unrest since February 2006. It is situated close to the town of Carletonville [3], in the Merafong City Local Municipality of the Gauteng province.
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[edit] Riots
Following the abolition of cross-border municipalities, the entire Merafong City Local Municipality which includes Khutsong, was transferred from the West Rand District Municipality in Gauteng Province to the Southern District Municipality in the North West Province. The residents of Khutsong objected to the transfer from wealthy Gauteng to the poorer North West. Only 123 votes were cast in the local government elections held on 1 March 2006.
Actions taken by residents included an application to the Pretoria High Court [4] and violent incidents, including petrol bombing the homes of African National Congress candidates,[2], blocking roads [3] and the destruction of municipal property.
One important element in the Khutsong issue relates to environmental security. The Khutsong community is physically located alongside some of the richest gold mines in the world. Recent research conducted by the Water Research Commission in South Africa has shown that heavy metal and radionuclide contamination is closely associated with rivers and wetlands downstream of major mining operations. The Khutsong community is located in such an aquatic ecosystem, so the environmental dimension to this conflict is an important and largely unexplored one.
On 27 April 2007 when President Thabo Mbeki was celebrating Freedom Day at Bhisho renewed riots reminiscent of those which occurred in Soweto on 16 June 1976 took place in the streets of Khutsong.
On 4 December 2008 it was announced that Khutsong and the rest of the Merafong Municipality would be reintegrated into the Gauteng Province [5]. The passage of the Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution of South Africa, altering the provincial boundaries accordingly, came into effect on 3 April 2009.
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ a b c d "Main Place Khutsong". Census 2001. http://census.adrianfrith.com/place/78808.
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
[edit] External links
- Inkatha Freedom Party - Mbeki must intervene at Khutsong
- Gauteng government page on Khutsong
- Government Notice on transfer of Merafong City Local Municipality
- Merafong City Local Municipality page
- Google News Link on Khutsong
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