Khutsong | |
|---|---|
  Khutsong  Khutsong | |
| Coordinates:26°20′1″S27°19′39″E / 26.33361°S 27.32750°E /-26.33361; 27.32750 | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Gauteng |
| District | West Rand |
| Municipality | Merafong City |
| Government | |
| • Councillor | Ofentse Hamilton Kawe |
| Area | |
• Total | 16.15 km2 (6.24 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
• Total | 62,458 |
| • Density | 3,867/km2 (10,020/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 99.4% |
| • Coloured | 0.3% |
| • Indian/Asian | 0.1% |
| • White | 0.1% |
| • Other | 0.1% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Tswana | 34.8% |
| • Xhosa | 25.0% |
| • Sotho | 19.3% |
| • Zulu | 7.3% |
| • Other | 13.6% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal code (street) | 2499 |
| PO box | 2500 |
Khutsong is atownship on theWest Rand ofSouth Africa, and scene of widespread unrest starting in February 2006.[2] It is situated north-west of the town ofCarletonville,[3] in theMerafong City Local Municipality of theGauteng province, just west of theAbe Bailey Nature Reserve. With a terrible history of violence and gangsterism,[4] the main factors causing crime rates to spike up from 2011 until late 2019 are mainly high poverty rates, municipality mismanagement and corruption and the lack of employment/job creating opportunities. In 2017/18 thousands of mine workers lost their jobs due to mines shutting down.[5]
Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate assubtropical highland (Cwb).[6] Summer days are generally warm or slightly hot, summer nights are mild, while winter days are warm and winter nights are cool. Most of the rain falls in summer.
| Climate data for Khutsong | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 25.8 (78.4) | 24.8 (76.6) | 24.6 (76.3) | 23.9 (75.0) | 22.2 (72.0) | 20.1 (68.2) | 20.1 (68.2) | 22 (72) | 24.1 (75.4) | 25.5 (77.9) | 25.5 (77.9) | 25.7 (78.3) | 23.7 (74.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 20.5 (68.9) | 19.9 (67.8) | 19.3 (66.7) | 17.7 (63.9) | 15.1 (59.2) | 12.5 (54.5) | 12.6 (54.7) | 14.3 (57.7) | 16.6 (61.9) | 18.6 (65.5) | 19.5 (67.1) | 20.1 (68.2) | 17.2 (63.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 15.2 (59.4) | 15.1 (59.2) | 14.1 (57.4) | 11.6 (52.9) | 8 (46) | 5 (41) | 5.1 (41.2) | 6.6 (43.9) | 9.2 (48.6) | 11.8 (53.2) | 13.6 (56.5) | 14.6 (58.3) | 10.8 (51.5) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 171 (6.7) | 174 (6.9) | 116 (4.6) | 67 (2.6) | 19 (0.7) | 15 (0.6) | 11 (0.4) | 12 (0.5) | 32 (1.3) | 63 (2.5) | 124 (4.9) | 163 (6.4) | 967 (38.1) |
| Source:Climate-Data.org, altitude: 1226m[6] | |||||||||||||
Following the abolition of cross-border municipalities, the entireMerafong City Local Municipality which includes Khutsong, was transferred from theWest Rand District Municipality inGauteng Province to theSouthern District Municipality in theNorth West Province. The residents of Khutsong objected to the transfer from wealthy Gauteng to the poorer North West. Only 123 votes were cast in thelocal government elections held on 1 March 2006.
Actions taken by residents included an application to thePretoria High Court[7] and violent incidents, including petrol bombing the homes ofAfrican National Congress candidates,[8] blocking roads[9] 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[when?] 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.[citation needed]
On 27 April 2007 when PresidentThabo Mbeki was celebrating Freedom Day atBhisho renewed riots reminiscent of those which occurred inSoweto on16 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.[10] The passage of theSixteenth Amendment to theConstitution of South Africa, altering the provincial boundaries accordingly, came into effect on 3 April 2009.
On the 3 November 2013 number of vigilante mobs totalling around 700 people attacked alleged gang members across Khutsong. Six people died in the attacks[11] including five alleged gangsters and onesangoma believed to have been giving the gangstersmuti and moral support.[12]
It is reported that the event took place as a result of high levels of violent crime and the ongoing abduction of young girls as well as the recruitment of school children into the gangs. Local community members tried to organise a meeting with the police but were unable to gain an audience with them, after which they organised a meeting of their own to discuss the gang problem. One of the largest of the local gangs, the Casanovas, then sought to break-up the meeting by sending over one hundred gang members to beat people at the meeting. Twenty people were injured and this led the community to regroup and vow revenge and the vigilante mob was formed.[12] Arrests were never made.
Municipalities and communities ofWest Rand District Municipality,Gauteng | ||
|---|---|---|
District seat:Randfontein | ||
| Mogale City | .svg) | |
| Merafong City | ||
| Rand West City | ||
