Atlantis, Western Cape

Atlantis
Atlantis

 Atlantis shown within Western Cape

Coordinates: 33°34′S 18°29′E / 33.567°S 18.483°E / -33.567; 18.483Coordinates: 33°34′S 18°29′E / 33.567°S 18.483°E / -33.567; 18.483
Country South Africa
Province Western Cape
Municipality City of Cape Town
Area[1]
 • Total 28.84 km2 (11.14 sq mi)
Population (2011)[1]
 • Total 67,491
 • Density 2,300/km2 (6,100/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[1]
 • Black African 12.9%
 • Coloured 85.0%
 • Indian/Asian 0.4%
 • White 0.1%
 • Other 1.6%
First languages (2011)[1]
 • Afrikaans 79.5%
 • English 9.4%
 • Xhosa 7.7%
 • Other 3.4%
Postal code (street) 7349
Area code 021

Atlantis is a town in the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality in the Western Cape, South Africa. Atlantis is 40 km (25 mi) north of the Cape Town Central Business District (CBD).[2] As of 2011, it has 67,491 residents. Unemployment, lack of housing and crime are major challenges in the area.[3]

History

Atlantis was established during the 1970s by the apartheid government as an industrial centre [4][2] and as a community for Cape Town's Coloured population.[5] The government attempted, in anticipation of the influx of people, to provide an employment base by instituting a program to encourage industry, through subsidies and other inducements, to locate there; this effort was not particularly successful. Several factors, including the Six Day War between Israel and Arab nations, forced the government of the day to rethink its strategy in terms of subsidisation of industries located in the town.

The withdrawal of subsidies[6] meant that many factories found themselves having to foot bills not formerly anticipated, including high transportation costs. This led to the migration of businesses closer to and into the Cape Town CBD, in order to be closer to means of transportation, including Paarden Island, Killarney and Epping, and the airport and harbour.

Industry and development

Currently, only about 3% of the original companies still have business in Atlantis. However, some have claimed that Atlantis could be on its way to once again becoming a manufacturing hub[6] due to the opening of a Hisense factory in the town in June 2013.[2] Hisense has injected ZAR 350 million into the first phase of the Atlantis plant, creating 300 production positions and accompanied by a skills-transfer programme led by Hisense technicians and engineers from China.[2][7]

City of Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille claimed in March 2013 that Atlantis could be en route to resurrection, and that Atlantis residents would be among the biggest beneficiaries of the proposed multibillion-rand Wescape development.[2] The Wescape development set to be built near Melkbosstrand on the city’s north-western edge and will connect Atlantis to the city.[8]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Main Place Atlantis". Census 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Hisense factory in Atlantis ‘to create 1,200 jobs’ | Trade & Industry | BDlive
  3. ↑ Atlantis en route to resurrection - Western Cape | IOL News | IOL.co.za
  4. ↑ Growth: Journal of Development in Southern Africa. Corporation for Economic Development. 1987.
  5. ↑ Forced Removals in South Africa: The Western Cape, Northern Cape and Orange Free State. Surplus People Project. 1983. ISBN 978-0-86810-052-4.
  6. 1 2 Fin24, Atlantis aims for industrial development, retrieved 14 June 2015
  7. ↑ Walker, Andy, Hisense opens new headquarters in Cape Town, strengthens SA ties, retrieved 14 June 2015
  8. ↑ Cape Town plans new ‘mini city’ - Western Cape | IOL News | IOL.co.za
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