One of the highlights of living in Rustenburg is being able to enjoy the community and live amicably with others. One example would be the tie-up between the Chinese community and the locals in providing assistance to Lefaragatlha village and other informal settlements. More specifically, the Chinese are known as Fujain, from the province of the same name. These are the Chinese that migrated to South Africa as early as the 1870s. They worked mainly in the mines and were willing to be laborers in an industry fraught with risks. In fact, the black laborers were picky and wanted only to work in above ground infrastructure. Whites were not used because they demanded high wages. Thus, the Chinese migrants came in very handy and got jobs almost immediately. Over time, they became the most number of migrants in South Africa, and have become a respectable part of the local communities.
The Rustenburg Rapid Transport
This project intends to improve the public transportation system in Rustenburg. It hopes to boost the economic progress of the city. This project is on a national level and includes 11 other cities in South Africa. It was launched formally just this July 2011, and is expected to be finished in 5 years.
Sports and Outdoor Activities
Aside from the Royal Bafoken Stadium which was one of the sites of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Rustenburg has other sports facilities. One would be Olimpia Park which was used in the 1995 Rugby World Cup. In addition, there are various sports clubs and local meets for different sports like the Rustenburg Judo Club and the Rustenburg Skydiving Club. One advantage of being a local resident is that if you weren’t happy with the outcome of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, you can buy a laptop and the official 2010 FIFA computer game, and replay the matches just kilometres from where the action actually took place!
One school in Rustenburg has the distinction of being able to produce some of the most successful athletes in all of South Africa. This school is Die Hoërskool Rustenburg, which was established in 1922.
Scattered throughout the city are monuments about historical figures or events. One should not be surprised to find tribal totems, memorial gravesites, or commemorative battlefields around the city. There are also ruined forts and remains on display with relics from the Stone Age and the Iron Age.
The Bojanala Film Week
This film festival will took place on October 2011 for the first time. Rustenburg has been designated as official host for this year, and partners with the National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa. The main thrust of the film festival is to showcase local film-makers with a promising future. There is also the socio-civic aspect of getting out-of-school teenagers interested in something for their future.
In The News
Currently, one of the biggest concerns in Rustenburg is the number of deaths in the course of work in the mining industry. The figures show that in 2011 alone, 93 miners lost their lives while working. And with the attention this figure is generating, the local municipality is beginning to stand up and take notice. Again, this is a clear example of how the community can pull together for a better change.
Also being given more than enough space is the issue of illegal immigrants seeking a better way of life through jobs. Of all the municipalities in South Africa, the report has said that Rustenburg is one of the top three with illegal workers. However, unlike the other 2 places, Rustenburg has managed to rein in the flow of illegal workers and save jobs for the locals instead.