Empangeni

Empangeni
Street in Empangeni
Empangeni Empangeni Empangeni  Empangeni shown within KwaZulu-Natal
Coordinates: 28°45′S 31°54′E / 28.750°S 31.900°ECoordinates: 28°45′S 31°54′E / 28.750°S 31.900°E
Country	South Africa
Province	KwaZulu-Natal
District	King Cetshwayo
Municipality	uMhlathuze
Established	1851
Area[1]
• Total	154.47 km^2 (59.64 sq mi)
Population (2011)[1]
• Total	110,340
• Density	710/km^2 (1,900/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[1]
• Black African	91.3%
• Coloured	0.8%
• Indian/Asian	1.7%
• White	5.9%
• Other	0.2%
First languages (2011)[1]
• Zulu	84.5%
• English	7.9%
• Afrikaans	3.6%
• S. Ndebele	1.3%
• Other	2.7%
Postal code (street)	3880
PO box	3880
Area code	035

Empangeni is a town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is approximately 156 kilometres northeast of Durban, situated in hilly countryside, overlooking a flat coastal plain and the major harbour town of Richards Bay only 15 kilometres away. The N2 freeway runs just east from Empangeni intersecting the John Ross Highway (R34) which connects Empangeni and Richards Bay.

The climate is sub-tropical with an average temperature of 28.4 °C in summer and 14.5 °C in Winter.

Education

Empangeni has four major high schools, Empangeni High School, St Catherine's (a Catholic convent), Old Mill High School and Felixton College along with three major primary schools, Grantham Park, Heuwelland and Empangeni Preparatory School.

The main campus of the University of Zululand^[2] lies a short drive to the south and The Owen Sitole College of Agriculture to the north.

Churches

Empangeni is home to a number of well known Christian Churches, such as Christian Family Church, The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Empangeni Methodist Church, AGS Empangeni, Victory Family Church, Full Gospel Church, Lutheran Church, Solid Ground Church, Empangeni Baptist Church, Uniting Reformed Church (Dutch), the Catholic Church, Holy cross and St Thomas in Felixton.

Notable Citizens

Empangeni is the birthplace of star tennis player Ian Vermaak^[3] and Ruve Robertson, who is now married to Hollywood actor Neal McDonough.

Local Media

Empangeni's local news media is covered by The Zululand Observer.^[4]

History

In 1851, the Norwegian Missionary Society established a mission station on the banks of the eMpangeni river. The river was named after the profusion of Mpange trees (Trema guineensis) growing along its banks. The mission was later moved to Eshowe, 61 kilometres north-west. In 1894 a magistracy was established. The Zululand Railway reached the town in January 1903 and linked the area to Durban and Eshowe. The government planted eucalyptus trees in 1905 as part of an experimental timber plantation. The plantation was a success and led to a large scale planting along the coastal belt. In 1906 Empangeni became a village.^[5] Rapid expansion began when a sugar mill was erected at Felixton. The establishment of the Empangeni Sugar Mill set the area on the road to rapid development. Empangeni was officially proclaimed as a township on 15 January 1931 and declared a borough on 13 October 1960.

For nearly a year in 1983 and 1984, the town was terrorized by 35-year-old Simon Mpungose, who was called the "Hammer Man" because he would break into homes in the dead of night and kill the occupants with a hammer before robbing them of their money and jewels.^[6]

Township

Ngwelezane is a township on the outskirts of Empangeni.^[7] The township is home to the Ngwelezane Hospital,^[8] which services the area with 554 beds.

References

1. "Main Place Empangeni". Census 2011.
2. "UNIZULU – Main Campus | The University of Zululand". www.unizulu.ac.za. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
3. "Ian Vermaak Profile". International Tennis Federation. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
4. "The Zululand Observer Team in Empangeni | Zululand Observer". zululandobserver.co.za. Retrieved 2015-08-30.
5. "Empangeni history - Empangeni information - Empangeni tourist attractions - Empangeni tourist destinations - Empangeniaccommodation - Kwa Zulu-Natal - KZN - Zululand". www.kznnorthhappenings.co.za. Retrieved 2015-08-30.
6. "November 29th Simon Mpungose – South Africa 29/11/1985". truecrimelibrary.com. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
7. "Residents feel 'ripped off' by KZN municipality", eNCA, 10 August 2013
8. "Ngwelezane Hospital", KZN Department of Health, 04 August, 2015

External links

Media related to Empangeni at Wikimedia Commons