Reitz is a small maize, wheat and cattle farming town located in the east of the Free State province of South Africa.
Reitz | |
|---|---|
  Reitz  Reitz | |
| Coordinates: 27°48′S 28°26′E / 27.800°S 28.433°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Free State |
| District | Thabo Mofutsanyane |
| Municipality | Nketoana |
| Township | Petsana |
| Established | 1890[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 25.7 km2 (9.9 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,630 m (5,350 ft) |
| Population (2011)[2] | |
• Total | 20,183 |
| • Density | 790/km2 (2,000/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) (Reitz and Petsana combined) | |
| • Black African | 90.0% |
| • White | 9.1% |
| • Coloured | 0.3% |
| • Indian/Asian | 0.2% |
| • Other | 0.4% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Sotho | 66.9% |
| • Zulu | 19.9% |
| • Afrikaans | 9.2% |
| • Sign language | 1.1% |
| • Other | 3.0% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal code (street) | 9810 |
| PO box | 9810 |
| Area code | 058 |
Town and township
editThe original town, Reitz, lies upon the northwestern hillside. On the opposite hill lies the town's township, Petsana.
The population data of Reitz (as of the 2011 Census):[3]
Population = 3362
Population group:
White (54.1%)
Black African (43%)
Other (1.6%)
Indian or Asian (0.7%)
Coloured (0.62%)
First language:
Afrikaans (55.24%)
Sesotho (31.96%)
isiZulu (5.45%)
English (2.88%)
Other (1.39%)
isiXhosa (1.01%)
Setswana (0.76%)
Sign language (0.76%)
Sepedi (0.25%)
isiNdebele (0.25%)
Xitsonga (0.03%)
Petsana's population data (as of the 2011 Census)[4] is:
Population = 16,821
Population group:
Black African (99.44%)
Coloured (0.22%)
Other (0.12%)
Indian or Asian (0.12%)
White (0.10%)
First language:
Sesotho (73.42%)
isiZulu (22.56%)
Sign language (1.14%)
isiXhosa (1.05%)
Afrikaans (0.61%)
English (0.48%)
Other (0.32%)
isiNdebele (0.15%)
Setswana (0.11%)
Xitsonga (0.10%)
Sepedi (0.05%)
Siswati (0.01%)
Location
editReitz is located in the north-eastern part of the Free State province, 300 kilometres (190 mi) north-east of Bloemfontein and 180 kilometres (110 mi) south of Johannesburg. It lies roughly halfway between the towns of Bethlehem and Frankfort, at an elevation of 1,630 metres (5,350 ft).
Local Economy
editPetsana is a mainly residential area with schools, small shops and businesses, but very few industrial work sites. Most of the working population either goes out daily to work on farms in the area or work in town. Reitz has an industrial area, most notably the steel and farming equipment construction company, Van Zyl's Staalwerke. Reitz is also home to the headquarters of the co-op group, VKB. The VKB Group is an agricultural enterprise that was establishment in 1919, and provides services and products to the agricultural market. Another company that employs a lot of local workers is Grain Field Chickens. A subsidiary of VKB Agriculture, Grain Field is a technologically advanced abattoir, with between 800 000 and 850 000 chickens slaughtered per week.[5]
Agriculture
edit
The town has one of the largest maize silos in the southern hemisphere and is a major maize growing community.[6]
Tjheseho Skills Development Centre
editOn 30 April 2024 Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Prof Blade Nzimande and Free State MEC Mr Makalo Mohale launched a Community Education Infrastructure Programme at Tjheseho Skills Development Centre in Reitz. The Community College opens its doors in January 2025 and will admit 5000 learners.
The Tjheseho Skills Development Centre will serve as a multifaceted hub for skills enhancement, with a primary focus on agricultural simulation. Training will also be provided in sectors such as agriculture, business, transport, trade, manufacturing, and community services.[7][8]
Leifo-Iziko School
editIn August 2024 Leifo-Iziko High School became champions of the Kay Motsepe League, becoming the second school to do so from Nketoana Local Municipality after Ikaheng-Zakheni from Mamafubedu won it in 2023.[9] Leifo-Iziko and Paarl Gimnasium both represented South Africa in Singapore in the global netball stage for high schools, where Paarl Gimnasium took the first position and gold , and Leifo they came out in third place, getting a bronze medal for their efforts.[10] [11][12]
History and Name
editFounded in 1889,[6] the town was previously known as Singer's Post, its name was changed to Amsterdam, and again to its current name Reitz after the Orange Free State president, Francis William Reitz. The area was originally inhabited by the Khoisan peoples until colonisation by the Basotho, and later the British and Afrikaans.
Nearby towns
editThe nearest settlements or towns and their respective distances are listed here:[13]
Notable people from Reitz
edit- Thuso Motaung - Lesedi FM Presenter
- Maglera Doe Boy - rapper
References
edit- ^ Robson, Linda Gillian (2011). "Annexure A" (PDF). The Royal Engineers and settlement planning in the Cape Colony 1806–1872: Approach, methodology and impact (PhD thesis). University of Pretoria. pp. xlv–lii. hdl:2263/26503.
- ^ a b c d Sum of the Main Places Reitz and Petsana from Census 2011.
- ^ "Census 2011: Main Place: Reitz".
- ^ "Census 2011: Main Place: Petsana".
- ^ https://www.vkb.co.za/index.php/en/agri-processors/grain-field-chickens
- ^ a b "Accommodation in Reitz, Free State".
- ^ "Minister Blade Nzimande launches DHET Community Colleges Infrastructure Programme in Reitz, 30 Apr | South African Government". www.gov.za. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
- ^ "FS CET College - COMMUNITY EDUCATION IN ACTION". fs.cetc.edu.za. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
- ^ https://kaymotsepe.com
- ^ Moloi, By Tladi (2024-12-06). "SA schools clinch top spots at international netball tournament". GroundUp News. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
- ^ https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/sport/2024-08-19-paarl-gymnasium-leifo-crowned-champs-and-will-represent-sa-in-singapore/
- ^ https://centralnews.co.za/fs-leifo-iziko-school-secure-win-at-kay-motsepe-netball-championship-earn-singapore-trip/
- ^ http://pagenation.com/world/Reitz%20(Free%20State)_28.43_-27.79.map