Khutsong
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Khutsong
| pushpin_map = South Africa Gauteng#South Africa
| coordinates = {{coord|26|20|1|S|27|19|39|E|region:ZA|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = South Africa
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| subdivision_name1 = Gauteng
| subdivision_type2 = District
| subdivision_name2 = West Rand
| subdivision_type3 = Municipality
| subdivision_name3 = Merafong City
| subdivision_type4 = Main Place
| established_title = Established
| leader_title = Councillor
| leader_name = Ofentse Hamilton Kawe
| area_footnotes = {{cite web |url=http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/766003 |title = Main Place Khutsong |work=Census 2011}}
| area_total_km2 = 16.15
| population_total = 62458
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_density_km2 = auto
| demographics_type1 = Racial makeup (2011)
| demographics1_title1 = Black African
| demographics1_info1 = 99.4%
| demographics1_title2 = Coloured
| demographics1_info2 = 0.3%
| demographics1_title3 = Indian/Asian
| demographics1_info3 = 0.1%
| demographics1_title4 = White
| demographics1_info4 = 0.1%
| demographics1_title5 = Other
| demographics1_info5 = 0.1%
| demographics_type2 = First languages (2011)
| demographics2_title1 = Tswana
| demographics2_info1 = 34.8%
| demographics2_title2 = Xhosa
| demographics2_info2 = 25.0%
| demographics2_title3 = Sotho
| demographics2_info3 = 19.3%
| demographics2_title4 = Zulu
| demographics2_info4 = 7.3%
| demographics2_title5 = Other
| demographics2_info5 = 13.6%
| timezone1 = SAST
| utc_offset1 = +2
| postal_code_type = Postal code (street)
| postal_code = 2499
| postal2_code_type = PO box
| postal2_code = 2500
| area_code_type = Area code
}}
Khutsong is a township on the West Rand of South Africa, and scene of widespread unrest starting in February 2006.{{cite web|title=Khutsong unrest continues|url=http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Khutsong-unrest-continues-20060221|website=News 24 Archives|accessdate=17 May 2015}} It is situated north-west of the town of Carletonville,{{Cite web |url=http://www.merafong.co.za/history.htm |title=History |access-date=2006-02-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050205142621/http://www.merafong.co.za/history.htm |archive-date=2005-02-05 |url-status=dead }} in the Merafong City Local Municipality of the Gauteng province, just west of the Abe Bailey Nature Reserve. With a terrible history of violence and gangsterism,{{cite web|title=Gangster cause terror in Khutsong|date=23 August 2016|url=https://carletonvilleherald.com/7939/gangsters-cause-terror-in-the-khutsong-community/}} 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.{{cite web|title=Carletonville's Gold Street: Where SA's mining history goes to die a slow death|url=https://biznews.com/sa-investing/2018/06/20/carletonville-gold-street-sa-mining-history-die-slow-death/}}
Climate
Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as subtropical highland (Cwb).{{cite web|title=Climate: Khutsong - Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table|url=http://en.climate-data.org/location/27089/|publisher=Climate-Data.org|accessdate=1 September 2013}} 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.
{{Weather box
|metric first=yes
|single line=yes
|location=Khutsong
|Jan high C=25.8
|Feb high C=24.8
|Mar high C=24.6
|Apr high C=23.9
|May high C=22.2
|Jun high C=20.1
|Jul high C=20.1
|Aug high C=22
|Sep high C=24.1
|Oct high C=25.5
|Nov high C=25.5
|Dec high C=25.7
|Jan mean C=20.5
|Feb mean C=19.9
|Mar mean C=19.3
|Apr mean C=17.7
|May mean C=15.1
|Jun mean C=12.5
|Jul mean C=12.6
|Aug mean C=14.3
|Sep mean C=16.6
|Oct mean C=18.6
|Nov mean C=19.5
|Dec mean C=20.1
|Jan low C=15.2
|Feb low C=15.1
|Mar low C=14.1
|Apr low C=11.6
|May low C=8
|Jun low C=5
|Jul low C=5.1
|Aug low C=6.6
|Sep low C=9.2
|Oct low C=11.8
|Nov low C=13.6
|Dec low C=14.6
|precipitation colour=green
|Jan precipitation mm=171
|Feb precipitation mm=174
|Mar precipitation mm=116
|Apr precipitation mm=67
|May precipitation mm=19
|Jun precipitation mm=15
|Jul precipitation mm=11
|Aug precipitation mm=12
|Sep precipitation mm=32
|Oct precipitation mm=63
|Nov precipitation mm=124
|Dec precipitation mm=163
|source 1 = Climate-Data.org, altitude: 1226m
}}
Local events
=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{{cite web |url=http://www.sabcnews.com/south_africa/general/0,2172,122333,00.html |title=SABCnews.com - south_africa/general |website=www.sabcnews.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312181229/http://www.sabcnews.com/south_africa/general/0,2172,122333,00.html |archive-date=2007-03-12}} and violent incidents, including petrol bombing the homes of African National Congress candidates,{{cite web |url=http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=265243&area=/insight/insight__national/ |title=Khutsong, my personal hell : Mail & Guardian Online |website=www.mg.co.za |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311054633/http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=265243&area=/insight/insight__national/ |archive-date=2007-03-11}} blocking roads{{cite web |url=http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20060223070405364C394320 |title=IOL: Heavyweights fail to calm restive Khutsong |website=www.iol.co.za |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070313113329/http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20060223070405364C394320 |archive-date=2007-03-13}} 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?|date=February 2024}} 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.{{Cn|date=February 2024}}
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.{{cite web |url=http://www.sabcnews.co.za/portal/site/SABCNews/menuitem.5c4f8fe7ee929f602ea12ea1674daeb9/?vgnextoid=f0c6c4622920e110VgnVCM10000077d4ea9bRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&channelPath=Politics%20%3E%3E%20Province |title=SABCNews - Cabinet approves Khutsong's reintergration into Gauteng |website=www.sabcnews.co.za |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723010235/http://www.sabcnews.co.za/portal/site/SABCNews/menuitem.5c4f8fe7ee929f602ea12ea1674daeb9/?vgnextoid=f0c6c4622920e110VgnVCM10000077d4ea9bRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&channelPath=Politics%20%3E%3E%20Province |archive-date=2011-07-23}} The passage of the Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution of South Africa, altering the provincial boundaries accordingly, came into effect on 3 April 2009.
=Vigilantism=
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{{cite web | url=http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71627?oid=443292&sn=Detail&pid=71616 | title="I saw my son burn to death!" - Daily Sun | publisher=Daily Sun | date=5 November 2013 | accessdate=7 November 2013}} including five alleged gangsters and one sangoma believed to have been giving the gangsters muti and moral support.{{cite web | url=http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2013-11-07-anatomy-of-the-khutsong-horror-when-rampant-crime-met-mob-justice/#.UntF3flmim4 | title=Anatomy of the Khutsong horror: When rampant crime met mob justice | publisher=Daily Maverick | date=7 November 2013 | accessdate=7 November 2013}}
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. Arrests were never made.
See also
Notes and references
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928201355/http://www.ifp.org.za/Releases/210507cpr.htm Inkatha Freedom Party - Mbeki must intervene at Khutsong]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060110232529/http://www.gpg.gov.za/services/mpcc/khutsong.html Gauteng government page on Khutsong]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060914025340/http://www.info.gov.za/gazette/notices/2005/28236.pdf Government Notice on transfer of Merafong City Local Municipality]
- [http://www.merafong.co.za/ Merafong City Local Municipality page]
- [https://news.google.co.za/news?q=khutsong Google News Link on Khutsong]
{{Greater Johannesburg|communities}}
{{West Rand District Municipality}}
Category:Populated places in the Merafong City Local Municipality