Philippi, Cape Town

Philippi
Philippi Township
Philippi Show map of Western Cape Philippi Show map of South Africa Philippi Show map of Africa  Philippi shown within Western Cape
Location within Cape Town  Philippi
Coordinates: 34°1′S 18°33′E / 34.017°S 18.550°E / -34.017; 18.550Coordinates: 34°1′S 18°33′E / 34.017°S 18.550°E / -34.017; 18.550
Country	South Africa
Province	Western Cape
Municipality	City of Cape Town
Area
• Total	47.96 km2 (18.52 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	200,603
• Density	4,200/km2 (11,000/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
• Black African	90.3%
• Coloured	8.0%
• Indian/Asian	0.3%
• White	0.3%
• Other	1.1%
First languages (2011)
• Xhosa	78.7%
• Afrikaans	7.3%
• English	6.2%
• Zulu	1.1%
• Other	6.7%
Postal code (street)	7750
PO box	7781

Philippi is one of the larger townships in Cape Town, South Africa, although the exact size is unknown. Regarding to the 2011 Census approx. 191,000 people live in Philippi.

Philippi is seen by government and businesses as ideal for certain business related developments. Although it is also known to grow about 80% of Cape Town's vegetables in the farmland just outside the township, this area of Philippi is slated for a number of large developments including the 'Philippi Mini-City'.

The nomadic Khoi and San once used the land for grazing their animals and hunting for food.

The first community of local residents was recorded in 1833 during which time it was known as "Die Duine" (The Dunes).

The Philippi Germans arrived in Cape Town in three groups between 1860 and 1883, and became known for their ability to grow vegetables in the sandy soils of the Cape Flats.

Until the 1970s the area was mainly used for grazing with a few farms located in the area. Rapid residential growth began in the late 1970s and early 1980s as apartheid policies as economic migrants from the former Ciskei and Transkei homelands in the Eastern Cape settled in nearby Nyanga, Langa, Gugulethu, Crossroads, Browns Farm and Samora Machel. As resistance to apartheid grew in the 1980s Philippi increasingly became a place of refuge from the political unrest in the former homelands. Additional residents came to live in Philippi when farms in Mitchell's Plain were eliminated due to urban sprawl.

At least half of Cape Town's vegetables are grown here, despite being surrounded by residential suburbs which include townships, informal settlements and century-old neighourhoods.The ability to grow produce is greatly aided by the fact that the area sits on top of a large aquifer. The Germans developed farming methods over three generations to adapt to the extreme weather conditions and sandy soil. One of these practices was no-till farming. Its use is being reintroduced and encouraged today.