KwaThema

{{Infobox settlement

| name = KwaThema

| other_name = last Town

| pushpin_map = South Africa Gauteng#South Africa

| coordinates = {{coord|26|17|51|S|28|24|9|E|region:ZA|display=inline,title}}

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = South Africa

| subdivision_type1 = Province

| subdivision_name1 = Gauteng

| subdivision_type2 = District

| subdivision_type3 = Municipality

| subdivision_name3 = Ekurhuleni

| subdivision_type4 = Main Place

| established_title = Established

| leader_title = Councillor

| area_footnotes = {{#tag:ref |{{cite web |url=http://census.adrianfrith.com/place/77318 |title = Main Place KwaThema |work=Census 2001}} |name=census2001}}

| area_total_km2 = 13.93

| population_footnotes =

| population_total = 99517

| population_as_of = 2001

| population_density_km2 = auto

| demographics_type1 = Racial makeup (2001)

| demographics1_footnotes =

| demographics1_title1 = Black African

| demographics1_info1 = 99.7%

| demographics1_title2 = Coloured

| demographics1_info2 = 0.2%

| demographics1_title3 = Indian/Asian

| demographics1_info3 =

| demographics1_title4 = White

| demographics1_info4 =

| demographics1_title5 = Other

| demographics1_info5 =

| demographics_type2 = First languages (2001)

| demographics2_footnotes =

| demographics2_title1 = Zulu

| demographics2_info1 = 56.8%

| demographics2_title2 = Sotho

| demographics2_info2 = 8.7%

| demographics2_title3 = Northern Sotho

| demographics2_info3 = 8.6%

| demographics2_title4 = Xhosa

| demographics2_info4 = 8.6%

| demographics2_title5 = Other

| demographics2_info5 = 17.3%

| timezone1 = SAST

| utc_offset1 = +2

| postal_code_type = Postal code (street)

| postal_code =

| postal2_code_type = PO box

| postal2_code =

| area_code_type = Area code

}}

KwaThema is a township south-west of Springs in the district of Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, South Africa. It was established in 1951 when Africans were forcibly removed from Payneville because it was considered by the apartheid government to be too close to a white town. The new township's layout was designed along modernist principles and became a model for many subsequent townships, although the envisaged social facilities were not implemented. The typical South African township house, the 51/9, was one of the plans developed for KwaThema. A black local authority with municipal status was established in 1984. In 1985 KwaThema experienced violent unrest and right-wing vigilante activity.

KwaThema is a multi-racial township where most of South Africa's eleven official languages are spoken but the predominant ones are Sotho and Zulu. KwaThema has given birth to many successful individuals who have helped in the development of the town.

History

KwaThema was named after Selope Thema who was a South African political activist and leader.{{Cite web|title = Olive Schreiner Letters Online|url = https://www.oliveschreiner.org/vre?view=personae&entry=280|website = oliveschreiner.org|access-date = 2015-09-06}}{{Cite web|title = Richard Victor Selope Thema {{!}} South African History Online|url = http://www.sahistory.org.za/people/richard-victor-selope-thema|website = sahistory.org.za|access-date = 2015-09-06}}

Notable residents

Andries Maseko (1955–2013), South African footballer
Nelson Dladla (b. 1954), South African footballer
Joe Mzamane (1918–1993), an Anglican priest, mayor and father of Mbulelo Mzamane
Mbulelo Mzamane (1948–2014), a South African author, poet, and academic
Eudy Simelane (1977–2008), South African footballer and LGBT-rights activist, raped and murdered in the town{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/mar/12/eudy-simelane-corrective-rape-south-africa|title=Raped and killed for being a lesbian: South Africa ignores 'corrective' attacks|last=Kelly|first=Annie|date=12 March 2009|work=The Guardian|access-date=2009-03-14}}
Lucas Sithole (1931–1994), South African sculptor
Madi Phala (1955–2007), South African artist and designer{{Cite web|url=https://artthrob.co.za/07mar/news/phala.html|title=A R T T H R O B _ N E W S|website=artthrob.co.za|access-date=2019-03-07}}
Hilda Tloubatla (b. 1942), South African mbaqanga singer
Simon "Tsipa" Skosana (1957–2009), South African bantamweight champion{{Cite web|url=http://boxrec.com/en/boxer/25057|title=BoxRec: Simon Skosana|website=boxrec.com|access-date=2019-03-06}}
Innocent Mayoyo, South African goalkeeper{{Cite web|url=http://www.joburgpost.co.za/2017/04/21/10-greatest-goalkeepers/|title=10 Greatest Goalkeepers|date=2017-04-21|website=Joburg Post|language=en-ZA|access-date=2019-03-07|archive-date=8 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190308080924/http://www.joburgpost.co.za/2017/04/21/10-greatest-goalkeepers/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.joburgpost.co.za/2017/02/17/50-greatest-orlando-pirates-players-ever-orlandopirates/|title=50 Greatest Orlando Pirates players ever {{!}} #OrlandoPirates|last=Kekana|first=David|date=2017-02-17|website=Joburg Post|language=en-ZA|access-date=2019-03-07|archive-date=20 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190220041736/http://www.joburgpost.co.za/2017/02/17/50-greatest-orlando-pirates-players-ever-orlandopirates/|url-status=dead}}
Joe Nina (b. 1974), South African musician and producer{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicinafrica.net/directory/joe-nina|title=Joe Nina|date=2016-04-20|website=Music in Africa|language=en|access-date=2019-03-07}}
Rolly Xipu (b. 1953), South African Lightweight/ Junior Welterweight Boxing Champion

References

More information

[https://web.archive.org/web/20090907090642/http://www.kwathema.net/ The KwaThema Project]

Category:Townships in Gauteng

Category:Populated places in Ekurhuleni