Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal
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Mpumalanga, also widely known as Hammarsdale, is a township located in the
eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality The eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality () is a metropolitan municipality (South Africa), metropolitan municipality, created in 2000, that includes the city of Durban and surrounding towns. eThekwini is one of the 11 Districts of South Africa, di ...
in the
KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN) is a Provinces of South Africa, province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the government merged the Zulu people, Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu language, Zulu) and ...
province of
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
. It is situated some 10 km south-south-east of
Cato Ridge Cato Ridge is a town in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa named after George Christopher Cato (1814–1893), the first mayor of Durban. Organisationally and administratively it is included in the Ethekwini Metropolitan Municipality as a ...
and some 50 km west of
Durban Durban ( ; , from meaning "bay, lagoon") is the third-most populous city in South Africa, after Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the largest city in the Provinces of South Africa, province of KwaZulu-Natal. Situated on the east coast of South ...
. Derived from Zulu, the name means 'sunrise', 'the sun comes out'. The township boasts of a local library known as Mpumalanga Library and a shopping center which has become the heart of the township known as the Hammarsdale Junction. There is a local stadium and an Elangeni College campus located in the heart of Mpumalanga. Among amenities such as clinics, police stations, a SASSA and a home affairs office, the township has a variety of schools, some of which are mentioned below.


Legacy of political conflict

The township was engulfed in severe political violence in the latter 1980s to early 1990s and was one of the hotspots of political conflict in KwaZulu-Natal.


Geography

Mpumalanga forms the easternmost boundary of the
eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality The eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality () is a metropolitan municipality (South Africa), metropolitan municipality, created in 2000, that includes the city of Durban and surrounding towns. eThekwini is one of the 11 Districts of South Africa, di ...
(Greater Durban region) with the adjoining
Mkhambathini Local Municipality Mkhambathini Municipality () is a Local municipality (South Africa), local municipality within the Umgungundlovu District Municipality, in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. is an Zulu language, isiZulu word derived from meaning "the pla ...
in the uMgungundlovu District along with
Cato Ridge Cato Ridge is a town in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa named after George Christopher Cato (1814–1893), the first mayor of Durban. Organisationally and administratively it is included in the Ethekwini Metropolitan Municipality as a ...
to the north. Mpumalanga lies within the hilly region between Durban and Pietermaritzburg known as the
Valley of a Thousand Hills The Valley of a Thousand Hills is a valley between Pietermaritzburg and Durban, South Africa. The Umgeni River meets the Msunduzi River (Duzi River) in the valley, and the Dusi Canoe Marathon is run through the area every year. Geography T ...
and is located north of the uMlazi River. Mpumalanga spans an extensive area of 21,66 km2 and is largely subdivided into multi-sections primarily in the form of letters from A to H as well as other areas with names such as Elangeni, Hammars Estate, Mpumalanga East and Zamani. The nearest regional urban centre to Mpumalanga is
Pinetown Pinetown is a city that forms part of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, based just inland from Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The city is situated 16 km (10 mi) north-west of Durban and 64 km (40 mi) south-east of Pieterm ...
, located approximately 35 kilometres to the east while
Pietermaritzburg Pietermaritzburg (; ) is the capital and second-largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa after Durban. It was named in 1838 and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. The town was named in Zulu after King ...
, approximately 39 kilometres to the north-west also serves as an urban centre to Mpumalanga as opposed to the larger city of
Durban Durban ( ; , from meaning "bay, lagoon") is the third-most populous city in South Africa, after Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the largest city in the Provinces of South Africa, province of KwaZulu-Natal. Situated on the east coast of South ...
which is considerably further. Other neighbouring towns include
Cato Ridge Cato Ridge is a town in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa named after George Christopher Cato (1814–1893), the first mayor of Durban. Organisationally and administratively it is included in the Ethekwini Metropolitan Municipality as a ...
(10 km), Camperdown (16 km) and Hillcrest (24 km).


Infrastructure


Roads

Mpumalanga is centred on two roads, namely the M50 also named Mthoko Mkhize Drive leading to
Cato Ridge Cato Ridge is a town in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa named after George Christopher Cato (1814–1893), the first mayor of Durban. Organisationally and administratively it is included in the Ethekwini Metropolitan Municipality as a ...
and
Inchanga Intshanga is a village in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, approximately halfway between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. Schools Inchanga has several schools, including * Rietvallei Combined School * Siphesihle High School, * Inchanga Primary Sch ...
and Buthelezi/Sibisi Drive leading to Shongweni and Hillcrest. The M50 leading to Inchanga provides direct access to the N3 highway between
Pietermaritzburg Pietermaritzburg (; ) is the capital and second-largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa after Durban. It was named in 1838 and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. The town was named in Zulu after King ...
and
Durban Durban ( ; , from meaning "bay, lagoon") is the third-most populous city in South Africa, after Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the largest city in the Provinces of South Africa, province of KwaZulu-Natal. Situated on the east coast of South ...
at the Hammarsdale interchange, just outside Mpumalanga.


People

* The Joy, an a cappella group. *
James Mpanza James Mpanza (15 May 1889 – 23 September 1970) was a squatter, community leader and social activist in Johannesburg, South Africa, from the mid-1940s until the late 1960s. In 1944 he led the land occupation that resulted in largest housing de ...
, who became known as the "Father of Soweto". *
Bongiwe Msomi Bongiwe Msomi (born 19 January 1988) is a former South Africa netball international and current netball coach. Between 2011 and 2023, Msomi made 171 senior appearances for South Africa. She represented South Africa at the 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2 ...
, former
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
netball captain. * Meshack Radebe, politician. *
Pearl Thusi Sithembile Xola Pearl Thusi (born 13 May 1988) is a South African actress, model, and presenter. She is known for her roles as Patricia Kopong in the BBC/HBO comedy-drama series '' The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency'', Dayana Mampasi in the AB ...
, actress, model, and presenter. * Nomcebo Zikode, singer and songwriter.


References

{{Authority control Populated places in eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality Townships in KwaZulu-Natal