Khutsong: An Empirical Example of the Complex Relationship Between Concepts like Risk, Inequality, Exclusion and Inclusion

This paper reports on research conducted in the Khutsong municipality, North-West Province, South Africa. In 2004 a presidential project was announced to resettle the Khutsong township because it was built on a dolomite hazardous area that causes sinkholes. For this purpose the biggest town redevelopment programme in South Africa was undertaken. As the project now unfolds it is clear that different processes are running concurrently. The town planners professionally assessed the risk problem and provided a grand solution. For this they obtained political buy-in from national government. The local politicians on the other hand are careful to be involved in the demolishment of the old houses or shacks of people moving to the new houses. They tend to protect their power bases. The people on the other hand are well informed about the hazards of dolomite but blame the municipality for allowing water seepages to occur in the water supply and sewerage systems. They use the new housing scheme to lesson household density with only a part of the family moving to the new houses and the rest remaining in the original house or shack. Or they use the original house or shack as a source of income by renting it. Poor households use this risk scenario as a tool to enhance their disadvantageous position by profiting with regard to housing. Richer households resist resettlement because the government is not in a position to replace their houses and businesses. In fact the businessmen use this to expand their businesses. This paper demonstrates that this municipality presents a salient example of professional risk management clashing with political instincts and how inequality, exclusion and inclusion become complex concepts in such a scenario due to the skills people have to exploit such major projects.