Orange Farm

Orange Farm (Farma/Farmton) is a township located approximately 45 km from Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the youngest townships in South Africa, with the original inhabitants; laid off farm workers, taking up residency in 1988. Support for the population came slowly mostly from people who were tenants at the great township of Soweto.

The recently founded Orange Farm Water Crisis Committee, an offshoot of the South African Anti-Privatization Forum (AFP) has been very vocal and active against the privatization of water. Approximately 85% of the people work in Johannesburg. Most of the people use train to get to work. 35% of the residents are unemployed and the stats rise every year as the matriculates join them.

Infrastructure

The township now includes a small library, a few dirt roads, permanent housing for some, electricity in very few places, a clinic, and a multi-purpose community center. However these improvements come with financial costs, which most of the citizens living in Orange Farm cannot afford. The ongoing privatization of Orange Farm has also drawn much criticism from social justice and human rights groups as they have pointed out that local small businesses keep on dying. A lot has been done to improve Orange farm, it now has two parks. However, nearly all areas still need improvement.