Khutsong
Encyclopedia
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 http://www.merafong.co.za/history.htm, in the Merafong City Local Municipality
of the Gauteng
province.
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 http://www.sabcnews.com/south_africa/general/0,2172,122333,00.html and violent incidents, including petrol bombing the homes of African National Congress
candidates,, blocking roads 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 http://www.sabcnews.co.za/portal/site/SABCNews/menuitem.5c4f8fe7ee929f602ea12ea1674daeb9/?vgnextoid=f0c6c4622920e110VgnVCM10000077d4ea9bRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&channelPath=Politics%20%3E%3E%20Province. The passage of the Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution of South Africa
, altering the provincial boundaries accordingly, came into effect on 3 April 2009.
Township (South Africa)
In South Africa, the term township and location usually refers to the urban living areas that, from the late 19th century until the end of Apartheid, were reserved for non-whites . Townships were usually built on the periphery of towns and cities...
on the West Rand
West Rand
The West Rand is the name of the urban western part of the Witwatersrand that is functionally merged with the Johannesburg conurbation. This area became settled by Europeans after a gold-bearing reef discovered in 1886 and sparked the gold rush that gave rise to the establishment of...
of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, and scene of widespread unrest since February 2006. It is situated close to the town of Carletonville http://www.merafong.co.za/history.htm, in the Merafong City Local Municipality
Merafong City Local Municipality
Merafong City Local Municipality is a local municipality in West Rand District Municipality, Gauteng, South Africa. Its boundaries enclose some of the richest gold mines in the world...
of the Gauteng
Gauteng
Gauteng is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. It was formed from part of the old Transvaal Province after South Africa's first all-race elections on 27 April 1994...
province.
Riots
Following the abolition of cross-border municipalities, the entire Merafong City Local MunicipalityMerafong City Local Municipality
Merafong City Local Municipality is a local municipality in West Rand District Municipality, Gauteng, South Africa. Its boundaries enclose some of the richest gold mines in the world...
which includes Khutsong, was transferred from the West Rand District Municipality
West Rand District Municipality
The West Rand District Municipality is one of the districts of Gauteng province of South Africa, that covers the West Rand area, with the exception of Roodepoort. The seat of the district municipality is Randfontein. The most spoken language of its 744 168 people is Setswana...
in Gauteng Province to the Southern District Municipality
Southern District Municipality
Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality is one of the 4 districts of North West province of South Africa. The seat of Kaunda District is Klerksdorp. The majority of its 599 674 people speak Setswana . The district code is DC40...
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
South African municipal election, 2006
Municipal elections were held in South Africa on 1 March 2006, to elect members to the local governing councils in the municipalities of South Africa...
held on 1 March 2006.
Actions taken by residents included an application to the Pretoria High Court http://www.sabcnews.com/south_africa/general/0,2172,122333,00.html and violent incidents, including petrol bombing the homes of African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
candidates,, blocking roads 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
Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki is a South African politician who served two terms as the second post-apartheid President of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008. He is also the brother of Moeletsi Mbeki...
was celebrating Freedom Day at Bhisho renewed riots reminiscent of those which occurred in Soweto
Soweto
Soweto is a lower-class-populated urban area of the city of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for South Western Townships...
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 http://www.sabcnews.co.za/portal/site/SABCNews/menuitem.5c4f8fe7ee929f602ea12ea1674daeb9/?vgnextoid=f0c6c4622920e110VgnVCM10000077d4ea9bRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&channelPath=Politics%20%3E%3E%20Province. The passage of the Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution of South Africa
Constitution of South Africa
The Constitution of South Africa is the supreme law of the country of South Africa. It provides the legal foundation for the existence of the republic, sets out the rights and duties of its citizens, and defines the structure of the government. The current constitution, the country's fifth, was...
, altering the provincial boundaries accordingly, came into effect on 3 April 2009.