Sebokeng, Gauteng
Encyclopedia
Sebokeng is a township
in southern Gauteng
, South Africa
near the industrial city of Vanderbijlpark (located in the district municipality of Sedibeng and the local municipality of Emfuleni).
when 18,772 houses were erected. In September 1984 there were violent clashes between the South African security forces and the residents of Sebokeng, who were boycotting rent and service tariffs. The cessation of fighting in 1994 allowed citizens to begin forming a stable community.
The township is predominantly black, but there has been an influx of people of other racial groups seeking to live there.
Sebokeng's lingua franca is Sotho (this can be explained by the fact that the Vaal Triangle is located very close to the Free State), which is spoken by most residents as either a first, second or third language. Other languages spoken are Zulu and Xhosa.
In 2007, Sebokeng's first mall, Thabong Mall was opened to serve and employ the residents of Sebokeng and neighbouring townships.
disputes. Many of the roads of Sebokeng were left unnamed by the Apartheid-era municipality and thus 7-digit house numbers are depended on for navigation through residential areas. The longest main roads of Sebokeng are Moshoeshoe Rd (named after the Sotho king, Moshoeshoe
) and Adams Rd.
homicides have taken place here since the Apartheid-era until the present. Zone 7 and Zone 13 also have a high unemployment rate. Zone 16 is another high crime area, with locals stating that most of the crime is committed by gangsters living in the hostels
located there.
's Sebokeng campus is also in Zone 16, as well as the Sebokeng Training College.
, Orange Farm, Small Farm and Lakeside.
The Vaal University of Tecnology is in Vanderbiljpark
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...
in southern 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...
, 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...
near the industrial city of Vanderbijlpark (located in the district municipality of Sedibeng and the local municipality of Emfuleni).
History
It was established by the then apartheid government in 19651965 in South Africa
-Events:* The African National Congress establish its HQ in Morogoro, Tanzania* 8 January - Adam Faith, a British pop singer, cancels his tour of South Africa because the apartheid government prohibited mixed audiences at concerts...
when 18,772 houses were erected. In September 1984 there were violent clashes between the South African security forces and the residents of Sebokeng, who were boycotting rent and service tariffs. The cessation of fighting in 1994 allowed citizens to begin forming a stable community.
Demographics
The township is divided into a number of zones ranging from Zone 1 to Zone 21. After South Africa's democratic elections in 1994, the number of middle-class black South Africans or 'black diamonds' in this township has risen dramatically, with Zones such as Zone 6, 10 and 14 consisting of the largest number of black middle-class citizens and homes with a higher property value than traditional Apartheid 'matchbox houses' (four-roomed houses erected during the township's establishment).The township is predominantly black, but there has been an influx of people of other racial groups seeking to live there.
Sebokeng's lingua franca is Sotho (this can be explained by the fact that the Vaal Triangle is located very close to the Free State), which is spoken by most residents as either a first, second or third language. Other languages spoken are Zulu and Xhosa.
Economy
Many of the residents of Sebokeng have opted to using entrepreneurship as a means of earning an income since 1994; before then entrepreneurship was strongly discouraged by the Apartheid government and black men were preferred to work in the neighbouring suburbs of Vereeniging, Vanderbijlpark and Meyerton as cleaners, garden workers, delivery boys, etc. The types of businesses run by residents range from formal businesses such as beauty shops, pubs, petrol garages and night clubs to informal, usually home-based businesses such as spaza shops, hair salons and shabeens.In 2007, Sebokeng's first mall, Thabong Mall was opened to serve and employ the residents of Sebokeng and neighbouring townships.
Infrastructure
Developments to upgrade the railway station near Zone 10 began in 2010 and are still underway. Many roads in Sebokeng have deteriorated and remained untarred for more than 30 years. Developments to re-tar many of these road began in 2009, but have been stalled due to tenderBlack Economic Empowerment
Black Economic Empowerment is a programme launched by the South African government to redress the inequalities of Apartheid by giving previously disadvantaged groups economic opportunities previously not available to them...
disputes. Many of the roads of Sebokeng were left unnamed by the Apartheid-era municipality and thus 7-digit house numbers are depended on for navigation through residential areas. The longest main roads of Sebokeng are Moshoeshoe Rd (named after the Sotho king, Moshoeshoe
Moshoeshoe
Moshoeshoe may refer to:* Moshoeshoe I, c.1786-1870; paramount chief of southern Sotho; founder of Basuto kingdom * Moshoeshoe II, 1938-1996, king of Lesotho...
) and Adams Rd.
Crime
Some of Sebokeng's notorious high-crime zones are Zone 7 and 13. Many gang-relatedGang
A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen...
homicides have taken place here since the Apartheid-era until the present. Zone 7 and Zone 13 also have a high unemployment rate. Zone 16 is another high crime area, with locals stating that most of the crime is committed by gangsters living in the hostels
Compound (migrant labour)
A migrant worker compound is a key institution in a system such as that which regulated labour on mines in South Africa from the later nineteenth century. The tightly controlled closed compound which came to typify the phenomenon in that country originated on the diamond mines of Kimberley from...
located there.
Education
The Vaal Triangle's D7 education district offices are in Zone 16 next to Residentia High School. Vaal University of TechnologyVaal University of Technology
Vaal University of Technology is a tertiary institution in South Africa. It attracts students from all over the country. It is one of the largest residential Universities of Technology, with about 15,000 students, 300 programs, all primarily taught in English. The campus and facilities are...
's Sebokeng campus is also in Zone 16, as well as the Sebokeng Training College.
Neighbouring townships
Neighbouring townships include EvatonEvaton
Evaton is a township north of Sebokeng in the Emfuleni region of Gauteng, South Africa. It was established in 1904. Like other townships in the area, Evaton was affected by the violent unrest which erupted in 1984 and by 1985 a state of emergency was imposed....
, Orange Farm, Small Farm and Lakeside.
The Vaal University of Tecnology is in Vanderbiljpark