Steynsrus

Steynsrus
Steynsrus  Steynsrus shown within South Africa
Coordinates: 27°57′S 27°34′E / 27.950°S 27.567°E / -27.950; 27.567Coordinates: 27°57′S 27°34′E / 27.950°S 27.567°E / -27.950; 27.567
Country	South Africa
Province	Free State
District	Fezile Dabi
Municipality	Moqhaka
Area[1]
• Total	8.0 km2 (3.1 sq mi)
Population (2011)[1]
• Total	9,106
• Density	1,100/km2 (2,900/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[1]
• Black African	94.3%
• Coloured	0.5%
• Indian/Asian	0.5%
• White	4.5%
• Other	0.1%
First languages (2011)[1]
• Sotho	89.5%
• Afrikaans	5.5%
• English	1.7%
• Sign language	1.6%
• Other	1.7%
Postal code (street)	9515
PO box	9515
Area code	056

Steynsrus is s a small farming town in the Free State province of South Africa that was founded in 1910 and named after the last president of the Orange Free State, Martinus Theunis Steyn. It is included under Moqhaka Local Municipality, the tier of municipal government in South Africa, and administered from Kroonstad.

Location

Steynsrus is located on the R76 and R720 road between Kroonstad and Senekal, roughly 50 km from either; the distance, as with most towns in the Free State, that could be ridden in a day on horseback. A fine sand stone Dutch Reformed Church, built in 1928, dominates the town and is its most notable architectural feature, sitting at the main axis, Van Reebeck and Haasbroek Streets. Steynsrus is a service centre and there is a branch of an agricultural cooperative, as well as butchers, hardware and general goods stores, furniture and appliance retailers, a panel beating shop and a gas station. All the basics are available for what people here, and anywhere else, may need. There is also a large pottery and ceramic goods factory which has sales all over South Africa. First National is the only bank represented in Steynsrus, but through an ATM. Accommodation is available from the Steynsrus Hotel.There is steynsrus high school which is always producing over 90 percent pass rate for matric leaners.

Matlwangtlwang

The area its self is older than hundred years which makes it older than steynsrus dating back to time of difaqane and is named river passing south of the town next jaskraal farm where the Bataung clan used to live and the remains of their huts still remains even their graves . Matlwangtlwang is home to a large secondary school and a health centre. A church by the name of Be Born Again, Intermediate school Ntjafaditswe.

Economy

Apart from government services, agriculture is the main employer in this area and many residents commute every day to work on the surrounding farms.

Sport

Football is popular among the black community and there is an active league with teams whose colourful names include: Manchester United, Marabelle, Peace Brothers and Black Birds. Their biggest rivals are the farm teams, drawn from the workers who live on neighbouring farms. The Pandam Pirates Football Club, of Pandam Farm, are one of their foremost opponents and the matches played between them are closely watched.Amongst the sporting codes there is a small but growing gymnesium Ekasi where bodybuiling and anyrobics are taking place.

Demographics

While in 2001 Steynsrus had a population of 1,192, Matlwangtlwang had a population of 6,441. Both Steynsrus and Matlwangtlwang had majority of Females in the population.

Ethnic groups

According to the 2001 census there are 847 white South Africans living in town of Steynsrus (71.1%), almost all of Afrikaner background. The town also houses 18 (1.5%) shop owners who are South African citizens of Indian origin. Under apartheid Indians were banned from living in the Free State—even requiring a pass to travel through it—and those in Steynsrus are therefore relatively more recent residents. Steynsrus town also has a large (and growing) black minority, which in 2001 stood at 324 (27.2%). Of Matlwangtlwang's 6,441 inhabitants, 6,408 were classified as black in the 2001 census. 92.5% of them speak Southern Sotho, with the next largest language being Zulu at 3.6%.

Language

Almost all the people in Matlwangtlwang speak seSotho. In the actual town of Steynsrus the majority (70.8%) of residents speak Afrikaans while most of the black minority speaks seSotho and a few whites (as well as most of the Asian population) profess English as their mother tongue.

References

v t e Municipalities and communities of Fezile Dabi District Municipality, Free State District seat: Sasolburg Moqhaka Kroonstad Steynsrus Vierfontein Viljoenskroon Ngwathe Edenville Heilbron Koppies Parys Vredefort Metsimaholo Deneysville Holly Country Kragbron Oranjeville Sasolburg Viljoensdrif Mafube Cornelia Frankfort Tweeling Villiers