Umzimkhulu

Umzimkhulu is a town in Harry Gwala District Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.

Umzimkhulu
Umzimkhulu is located in KwaZulu-Natal
Umzimkhulu
Umzimkhulu
Umzimkhulu is located in South Africa
Umzimkhulu
Umzimkhulu
Coordinates: 30.263°S 29.940°E / -30.263; 29.940
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceKwaZulu-Natal
DistrictHarry Gwala
MunicipalityUmzimkhulu
 • Councillor(ANC)
Area
[1]
 • Total4.55 km2 (1.76 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total8,399
 • Density1,800/km2 (4,800/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
[1]
 • Black African95.1%
 • Coloured3.5%
 • Indian/Asian0.5%
 • Other0.9%
First languages (2011)
[1]
 • Zulu47.2%
 • Xhosa41.5%
 • English5.5%
 • Afrikaans1.3%
 • Other4.5%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
3297
PO box
3297
Area code039

The town lies 243 km north-east of Mthatha, 18 km south-west of Ixopo, and 108 km south south-west of Pietermaritzburg, the provincial capital. It developed from a trading-post and was laid out in 1884. Takes its name from the Mzimkulu River on which it is situated; Zulu and Xhosa for 'big place', 'large home' of the waters.[2]

Until 1 March 2006, the town was part of an exclave of the Eastern Cape, before being transferred to KwaZulu-Natal as part of the Twelfth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa.

During the KwaZulu-Natal riots of July, 2021, more than 50 people died in a furniture store in the town that was set alight while looters were robbing it.[3]

References
  1. "Main Place Umzimkhulu". Census 2011.
  2. "Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Public Domain)". Human Science Research Council. p. 445.
  3. "Babalelwa ku-50 abangqongqe nesitolo".


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