104-702: The Msunduzi River is a river in KwaZulu-Natal , South Africa . It is also known by its anglicised name, the Dusi River . The original name, Msunduzi , is isiZulu . The Msunduzi is a tributary of the Mngeni River . The Msunduzi passes through the centre of Pietermaritzburg , the provincial capital. A portion of the river within the city has been dammed by weirs , and is used for canoeing and rowing practice. This section, known as Camp's Drift, has also been proposed for potential development of
208-696: A protectorate over a sub-divided kingdom. However this proved unsatisfactory to the colonial government, and eighteen years later the kingdoms were annexed to the Natal colony, doubling its size. In 1884, the Witwatersrand Gold Rush caused a considerable rush of colonists from Natal to the Transvaal . Railways were still far from the Transvaal border, and Natal offered the nearest route for prospectors from Cape Colony or from Europe. Durban
312-651: A British colony in 1843, and administered from the Cape Colony in 1844. However, it was not until the end of 1845 that an effective administration was installed with Martin West as lieutenant-governor that the power of the Boer Volksraad finally came to an end. In April 1842 Lord Stanley , then Secretary of State for War and the Colonies in the second Peel Administration , wrote to Sir George Napier that
416-418: A British colony. The institutions adopted were to be as far as possible in accordance with the wishes of the people, but it was a fundamental condition "that there should not be in the eye of the law any distinction or disqualification whatever, founded on mere difference of colour, origin, language or creed". Sir George then appointed Henry Cloete (a brother of Colonel Cloete) a special commissioner to explain to
520-680: A cordial reception. That controversial British annexation of the Transvaal, was disrupted when Sekhukhune allegedly signed a peace treaty with the Boers removing the main justification for British intervention in the Transvaal at that time. Nonetheless, tensions between the British colonists and the Zulu continued to build, culminating in the Anglo-Zulu War . After an initial defeat the British were able to conquer Zululand , where they established
624-819: A diamond-cutting works, various heavy engineering concerns, the Natal Portland Cement (NPC) slagment cement factory, and the Newcastle Cogeneration Plant (old Ingagane Power Station). This was recommissioned as Africa's first gas-fired power station by Independent Power Southern Africa (IPSA), and it supplies the Karbochem Plant with electricity. The textile industry is a major employer in the Newcastle area, with over 100 factories belonging to ethnic Taiwanese and Chinese industrialists. Maize, livestock and dairy farmers operate on
728-552: A force under Duncan McKenzie entered Zululand. Thereupon Dinizulu surrendered (December 1907) without opposition, and was removed to Pietermaritzburg. His trial was delayed until November 1908, and it was not until March 1909 that judgment was given, the court finding him guilty only on the minor charge of harbouring rebels. Meantime, in February 1908, the governor— Matthew Nathan , who had succeeded Henry McCallum in August 1907—had made
832-407: A harbour board was formed under the chairmanship of Harry Escombe . It controlled the operations for improving the sea entrance until 1893 when on the establishment of responsible government it was abolished. The work of improving the harbour was however continued with vigour, and finally, in 1904, such success was achieved that vessels of the largest class were enabled to enter port. At the same time,
936-473: A lieutenant in the British navy, with other merchants of Cape Town , formed a company to trade with the natives of the south-east coast. In the brig Salisbury , commanded by James S. King, who had been a midshipman in the navy, Farewell visited Port Natal, St Lucia and Delagoa Bays. The voyage was not successful as a trading venture, but Farewell was so impressed with the possibilities of Natal both for trade and colonization that he resolved to establish himself at
1040-470: A major upheaval in KwaZulu-Natal's political landscape. The African National Congress (ANC), which had won a majority in the province in every election since 2004 , saw its vote collapse by nearly two-thirds, down to 17% and in third place. In contrast, uMkhonto we Sizwe , a new party led by former President Jacob Zuma , became the province's largest party, winning 45% of the vote, primarily among
1144-589: A minimum of 21 °C (70 °F), dropping to daytime highs from June to August of 23 °C (73 °F) with a minimum of 11 °C (52 °F). The temperature drops towards the hinterland, with Pietermaritzburg being similar in the summer, but much cooler in the winter. Ladysmith in the Tugela River Valley reaches 30 °C (86 °F) in the summer but may drop below freezing point on winter evenings. The Drakensberg can experience heavy winter snow, with light snow occasionally experienced on
SECTION 10
#17327732706951248-490: A plan was formed to murder Pretorius, Boshof and other leaders, who were now convinced that the only chance of ending the state of complete anarchy into which the country had fallen was by accepting British sovereignty. In these circumstances, the task of Henry Cloete was one of great difficulty and delicacy. He behaved with the utmost tact and got rid of the Winburg and Potchefstroom burghers by declaring that he should recommend
1352-537: A range of flora and fauna. The iSimangaliso Wetland Park and the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites . The iSimangaliso Wetland Park, along with uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park and Ndumo, are wetlands of international importance for migratory species and are designated as Ramsar sites . South Africa signed the 1971 Ramsar Convention to try to conserve and protect important wetlands because of their importance to habitats and numerous species. The former Eastern Cape enclave of
1456-629: A sporting and office complex, including an olympic standard canoe slalom course. The Msunduzi Municipality , to which Pietermaritzburg belongs, takes its name from the river. The Dusi Canoe Marathon is an annual canoe marathon from Pietermaritzburg to Durban , which starts on the Msunduzi, and ends on the Mngeni . The race attracts around 2000 paddlers, and receives national media coverage in South Africa. The race first began in 1951. In
1560-462: A tour in Zululand, on which occasion some 1500 of the prisoners taken in the rebellion of 1906 were released. The intercolonial commission had dealt with the native question as it affected South Africa as a whole; it was felt that a more local investigation was needed, and in August 1906, a strong commission was appointed to inquire into the condition of the Natal natives. The general election which
1664-505: A tract of land including "the port or harbour of Natal". On the 27th of the same month, Farewell declared the territory he had acquired a British possession. In 1825 he was joined by King, who had meantime visited England and had obtained from the government a letter of recommendation to Lord Charles Somerset , governor of the Cape, granting King permission to settle at Natal. Farewell, King and Fynn made independent settlements at various parts of
1768-742: A year marked by the annexation of Zululand to Natal. In 1898, Natal entered the Customs Union already existing between Cape Colony and the Orange Free State . On 13 December 1873, Chief Langalibalele was captured by the Natal Government and taken for trial in Pietermaritzburg. This was the culmination of a long and tedious stand off between the chief and the Colonial Government. Langalibalele
1872-420: Is Durban , which is also the largest port city in sub-saharan Africa. It is the second-most populous province in South Africa, after Gauteng . Two areas in KwaZulu-Natal have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites : the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park . These areas are extremely scenic as well as important to the surrounding ecosystems. During the 1830s and early 1840s,
1976-413: Is 28, an increase of 6 years from 2011. In the 2022 census, 84.8% of the population described themselves as Black African , 9.3% as Indian/Asian , 4.1% as White , and 1.5% as Coloured . A large majority of Black African people in the province are Zulu . KwaZulu-Natal has the largest Indian population in South Africa, with a majority of all Indian South Africans living in the province. A majority of
2080-539: Is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the government merged the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu ) and Natal Province . It is located in the southeast of the country, with a long shoreline on the Indian Ocean . It shares borders with three other provinces and the countries of Mozambique , Eswatini and Lesotho . Its capital is Pietermaritzburg , and its largest city
2184-532: Is a Zulu-style grass hut. The motto is Masisukume Sakhe , Zulu for "Let us stand up and build". KwaZulu-Natal's provincial government sits in Pietermaritzburg . The foundation stone of the new legislative building was laid on 21 June 1887, to commemorate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee . The building was completed two years later. On 25 April 1889, the Governor of Natal, Sir Arthur Havelock , opened
SECTION 20
#17327732706952288-427: Is always breaking on the shore, even in the finest weather, and at the mouth of every natural harbour a bar occurs. To deepen the channel over the bar at Durban so that steamers might enter the harbour was the cause of labour and expenditure for many years. Harbour works were begun in 1857, piers and jetties were constructed, dredgers imported, and controversy raged over the various schemes for harbour improvement. In 1881
2392-549: Is given in parentheses: In 2012, the Ingonyama Trust owns 32% of the land in KwaZulu-Natal, in many municipalities. This amounts to about three million hectares, occupied by over 4 million people. The Zulu king is the chairman of the Trust. The coastline is dotted with small towns, many of which serve as seasonal recreational hubs. The climate of the coastal areas is humid and subtropical, comparable to southern Florida in
2496-452: Is increasingly important to the economy of KwaZulu-Natal. The area's rich biodiversity and efforts at conservation have been recognised. Tourists have come to see the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park , declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites . These two major parks and that of Ndumo have wetlands of international importance listed as Ramsar sites for conservation. Prominent civil society organisations based in
2600-566: Is preyed upon by thousands of predators, including game fish , sharks , dolphins and seabirds . Usually, the shoals break up and the fish disappear into deeper water around Durban. Scientists have been unable to answer many questions surrounding this exceptional seasonal event. The interior of the province consists largely of rolling hills from the Valley of a Thousand Hills to the Midlands . Their beauty has inspired literature. Alan Paton , in
2704-638: Is the eastern most province in the country. The lowland region along the Indian Ocean coast is extremely narrow in the south, widening in the northern part of the province, while the central Natal Midlands consists of an undulating hilly plateau rising toward the west. Two mountainous areas, the western Drakensberg Mountains and northern Lebombo Mountains form, respectively, a solid basalt wall rising over 3,000 m (9,800 ft) beside Lesotho border and low parallel ranges of ancient granite running southward from Eswatini. The area's largest river,
2808-468: The Cape Colony . The British established a sugar cane industry in the 1860s. Farm owners had a difficult time attracting Zulu labourers to work on their plantations, so the British brought thousands of indentured labourers from India. As a result of the importation of Indian labourers, Durban became the home to the largest concentration of Indians outside India. In 1823 Francis Farewell , formerly
2912-466: The Hime ministry resigned and was succeeded by a cabinet under the premiership of George Sutton , the founder of the wattle industry in Natal and one of the pioneers in the coal-mining industry. In May 1905 Sutton was replaced by a coalition ministry under Charles John Smythe , who had been colonial secretary under Hime. These somewhat frequent changes of ministry reflected, chiefly, differences concerning
3016-488: The Star of Bethlehem , due to Vasco da Gama naming the region "Natalia", a reference to the birth of Christ, on Christmas Day in 1497. The strelitzia flower on the shield symbolizes the province's beauty. The assegai and knobkierrie behind the shield represent protection and peace. The base of the crown element is a type of headdress traditionally worn by Zulu elders, that represents wisdom and maturity. The element itself
3120-553: The Tugela , flows west to east across the center of the province. The coastal regions typically have subtropical thickets and deeper ravines; steep slopes host some Afromontane Forest . The midlands have moist grasslands and isolated pockets of Afromontane Forest. The north has a primarily moist savanna habitat, whilst the Drakensberg region hosts mostly alpine grassland . The province contains rich areas of biodiversity of
3224-471: The Tugela River , and asking that this territory should be proclaimed a British colony and that a governor and council be appointed. To all these requests no official answer was returned. The settlers had been joined in the year named (1835) by Allen Francis Gardiner , a naval officer, whose chief object was the evangelization of the natives. With the support of the traders he founded a mission station on
Msunduzi River - Misplaced Pages Continue
3328-481: The 30 October 1873 a Corps of Colonial Volunteer troops moved towards the Hlubi 'location'. The Hlubi began to flee. On 2 November 1873 Shepstone issued an order giving the Hlubi 24 hours to surrender or face the consequence of rebellion. On 4 November 1873 the Hlubi and Volunteer Corps came face to face and 3 colonists and 1 Mosotho were killed. The colonial forces then 'broke up' the tribe, seizing cattle, killing not just
3432-511: The Boer columns, but failed to prevent their escape due to the fraudulent use of Red Cross flags by the Boers. The British withdrew to Ladysmith . Boer forces proceeded to Ladysmith and surrounded the town, cutting off its communications from the south. The Siege of Ladysmith lasted until 28 February 1900, when the town was relieved by forces under Redvers Buller . During the six weeks previous to
3536-590: The Boers took control of the port and soon afterwards established the Natalia Republic . The Republic suffered from disorganized government and poor relations with the Zulus. On 2 December 1841, Sir George Thomas Napier , governor of Cape Colony, issued a proclamation declaring his intent to resume British military occupation of Port Natal. Most of the Voortrekkers left by 1843. Natal was proclaimed
3640-709: The British mainly to work in the sugar plantations on the coast. The colony acquired Zululand (the area north of the Tugela River) after the Zulu War of 1879. The lands north of the Buffalo River were added in 1902. Boer forces entered the area during the South African War (1899 to 1902) – also known as the second Boer War – and laid siege to Ladysmith . They failed to build on their initial advantage and for three months
3744-634: The Cape, visited Mpande and obtained from him a valuable concession. Hitherto the Tugela from source to mouth had been the recognized frontier between Natal and Zululand . Mpande gave up to Natal all the territory between the Buffalo and Tugela rivers, now forming Klip River county. The colony's early population growth was driven by settlement from the United Kingdom between 1849 and 1851, with approximately 4500 emigrants between 1848 and 1851. From
3848-628: The Colonial Office in the UK received a telegram from Sir Henry Barkly in Cape Town of the imminent collapse of the Transvaal , because the Transvaal's President Burger and his men had been routed after their attack on Sekhukhune and his people the Pedi . This galvanized Henry Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon who obtained permission from Disraeli to appoint Sir Theophilus Shepstone (known by
3952-522: The Colony of Natal became Natal Province , one of the founding provinces of the Union of South Africa . The British settlers quickly realised that the coastlands were suited to the cultivation of tropical or semi-tropical products, and from 1852 onward sugar , coffee , cotton and arrowroot were introduced, tea being afterwards substituted for coffee. The sugar industry soon became of importance, and
4056-480: The Drakensberg as the northern limit of Natal. On 8 August 1843, the Natal volksraad unanimously agreed to the terms proposed by Lord Stanley. Many of the Boers who would not acknowledge British rule trekked once more over the mountains into what are now the Orange Free State and Transvaal provinces. At the end of 1843, there were not more than 500 Dutch families left in Natal. Cloete, before returning to
4160-455: The English living at the bay. The next step was taken by the settlers at the port, who in 1835 resolved to lay out a town, which they named Durban , after Benjamin D'Urban , then governor of Cape Colony . At the same time the settlers, who numbered about 50, sent a memorial to the governor calling attention to the fact that they were acknowledged rulers over a large tract of territory south of
4264-741: The Legislative Council buildings have both been protected as provincial landmarks . They formed a colonial Parliament of two houses: a Council of 11 nominated members and an Assembly of 37 elected members. The Natal Parliament was disbanded in 1910 when the Union of South Africa was formed, and the Assembly became the meeting place of the Natal Provincial Council. The council was disbanded in 1986. The Provincial Legislature consists of 80 members. The 2024 election saw
Msunduzi River - Misplaced Pages Continue
4368-530: The Legislative Council since 1889. Further extensions to the parliamentary building were made. The building was unoccupied until 1902, when it was used without being officially opened, due to the country's being engulfed in the Anglo-Boer war . The war forced the Legislative Assembly to move the venue of its sittings, as its chamber was used as a military hospital. The Legislative Assembly and
4472-488: The Natal commissioners disagreed; in 1905, however, an act was passed by the Natal legislature imposing a poll tax of £1 on all males over 18 in the colony, except indentured Indians and natives paying hut tax (which was 14 shillings a year). Every European was bound to pay the tax. In 1906, the Bambatha Rebellion broke out in the colony, attributable ostensibly to the poll tax, and spread to Zululand. It
4576-480: The Natal volksraad the decision of the government. There was a considerable party of Natal Boers still strongly opposed to the British, and they were reinforced by numerous bands of Boers who came over the Drakensberg from Winburg and Potchefstroom . Commandant Jan Mocke of Winburg (who had helped to besiege Captain Smith at Durban ) and others of the "war party" attempted to induce the volksraad not to submit, and
4680-427: The Pietermaritzburg region, the river occasionally contains counts of E. coli bacteria as high as 50 000 per 100 ml. This results in a fairly high incidence (64% of respondents in one survey) of health issues in canoeists using the river. These include diarrhea (colloquially known as "Dusi guts"), as well as eye and ear infections, and septic cuts. The poor quality of water is believed to be caused by sewers near
4784-611: The Portuguese word for Christmas, Natal . The Nguni branch of the Bantu occupied this area from the early 1300s The first European settlers, mostly British, established Port Natal , a trading post. They made almost no attempt to develop the interior, whose inhabitants had been decimated by the Zulu king, Shaka . The Afrikaner Voortrekkers entered the area via the Drakensberg passes in 1837. These Afrikaners defeated
4888-501: The South Coast, while Ballito , uMhlanga , Zimbali and Salt Rock are North Coast resort towns. Beaches of world-class quality are to be found along virtually every part of South Africa's eastern seaboard, with some of the least-developed gems found in the far southern and far northern ends of the province. Marina Beach (and its adjoining resort San Lameer) was recognised in 2002 as a Blue Flag beach . Some visitors come for
4992-482: The United States, but not quite as hot and rainy in the summer. As one moves further north up the coast towards the border of Mozambique, the climate becomes almost purely tropical. North of Durban is locally referred to as " The North Coast ", while south is " The South Coast ". The Kwazulu-Natal Tourist board includes towns such as Margate , Port Shepstone , Scottburgh and Port Edward in its definition of
5096-517: The White population is of British descent , making it one of only two provinces (along with the Eastern Cape ) where Whites of British descent outnumber Afrikaners . In the 2022 census, 81.8% of the population reported their first language as Zulu , 14.4% as English , 3.1% as Xhosa , and 1.0% as Afrikaans . KwaZulu-Natal is the only province in which native Zulu-speakers form a majority of
5200-513: The Zulu honorific as Somtseu meaning '’father of the nation'’) who had served for 30 years as a Natal administrator, first as Diplomatic Agent to Native Tribes, then as secretary for native affairs, to act as special commissioner to the Transvaal. On 15 December 1876, Shepstone with 25 troopers from the Natal Mounted Police and others set out from Pietermaritzburg to Pretoria to annex the Transvaal; arriving on 27 January 1877 to
5304-439: The Zulu monarch is considered the monarch of the province of KwaZulu-Natal. The King's constitutional powers are limited. This makes KwaZulu-Natal, uniquely among South African provinces, a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. As of the 2022 census , KwaZulu-Natal had a population of 12,423,907, an increase of 21.0% from the prior census in 2011 . It is the second-most populous of South Africa's nine provinces. The median age
SECTION 50
#17327732706955408-541: The Zulus at the Battle of Blood River in 1838 and thereafter established the Republic of Natal. Thus, the territory was once part of a short-lived Boer republic between 1839 and 1843 until its annexation by Britain. Many Afrikaner inhabitants left for the interior after the annexation and were replaced by immigrants, mainly from Britain. From 1860 onwards, increasing numbers of Indians, mainly Tamils , were brought in by
5512-489: The annual late autumn or early winter phenomenon on the KwaZulu-Natal coast of the " sardine run ". Referred to as "the greatest shoal on earth", the sardine run occurs when millions of sardines migrate from their spawning grounds south of the southern tip of Africa northward along the Eastern Cape coastline toward KwaZulu-Natal. They follow a route close inshore, often resulting in many fish washing up on beaches. The huge shoal of tiny fish can stretch for many kilometres; it
5616-547: The bay. In 1834, a petition from Cape Town merchants asking for the creation of a British colony at Natal was met by the statement that the Cape finances would not permit the establishment of a new dependency. The merchants, however, dispatched an expedition under Dr Andrew Smith to inquire into the possibilities of the country, and the favourable nature of his report induced a party of Boers under Piet Uys , including Jan Bantjes , to go there also. Both Smith and Uys travelled overland through Kaffraria , and were well received by
5720-459: The commission's report. But in 1909 an act was passed which placed native affairs in the hands of four district commissioners, gave to the minister for native affairs direct executive authority and created a council for native affairs on which non-official members had seats. While the district commissioners were intended to keep in close touch with the natives, the council was to act as a "deliberative, consultative and advisory body." On 31 May 1910,
5824-521: The country on Cape Colony was put to an end and Natal constituted a distinct colony with a legislative council of sixteen members, twelve elected by the inhabitants and four nominated by the Crown. At the time the population of settlers and their descendants exceeded 8000. While dependent on the Cape, ordinances had been passed establishing Roman-Dutch law as the law of Natal, and save where modified by legislation, it remained in force. On 14 September 1876,
5928-531: The crisis by renewed energy in harbour works, railway constructions and the development of the natural resources of the country. A railway to the Zululand coalfields was completed in 1903, and in the same year a line was opened to Vryheid in the newly annexed territories. Natal further built several railway lines in the eastern half of the Orange River Colony, thus opening up new markets for her produce and facilitating her transit trade. In August 1903
6032-815: The district of Wakkerstroom as was encompassed by a line drawn from the north-eastern corner of Natal, east by Volksrust in a northerly direction to the summit of the Drakensberg Range , along that range, passing just north of the town of Wakkerstroom , to the headwaters of the Pongola River (now called Phongolo River ), and thence following the river to the border of the Utrecht district. The districts added to Natal contained about 6,000 white inhabitants (mostly Afrikaners ), and some 92,000 natives, and had an area of nearly 7,000 square miles (18,000 km ), so that this annexation meant an addition to
6136-505: The elections to the council led to the return of a majority in favour of accepting self-government, and in 1893 a bill establishing responsible government was passed and received the sanction of the Imperial government. At the time the white inhabitants numbered about 50,000. The electoral law was framed to prevent more than a very few natives obtaining suffrage . Restrictions in this direction dated as far back as 1865, while in 1896 an act
6240-487: The establishment of a colony in Natal would be attended with little prospect of advantage, but at the same time stated that the pretensions of the emigrants to be regarded as an independent community could not be admitted. Various measures were proposed which would but have aggravated the situation. Finally, in deference to the strongly urged views of Sir George Napier, Lord Stanley, in a despatch of 13 December, received in Cape Town on 23 April 1843, consented to Natal becoming
6344-415: The first Legislative Council session in the new building. This was the former site of St Mary's Church, built in the 1860s. The congregation built a new church in 1884 at the corner of Burger Street and Commercial Road. The old building was demolished in 1887 to provide space for the legislative complex. When governance was granted to Natal in 1893, the new Legislative Assembly took over the chamber used by
SECTION 60
#17327732706956448-808: The first non-white and the first person from outside Europe and the Americas to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (1960); Pixley ka Isaka Seme , the founder of the African National Congress (ANC) and South Africa's first black lawyer; John Langalibalele Dube , the ANC's founding president; Harry Gwala , ANC member and anti-apartheid activist; Mac Maharaj , Grammy award-winning group Ladysmith Black Mambazo , Grammy award-winning DJ Black Coffee , ANC member, anti-apartheid activist and Little Rivonia Trial defendant ; Mangosuthu Buthelezi ,
6552-455: The first to include a portion of road that is made of partial plastic, the equivalent of nearly 40,000 recycled milk cartons. KwaZulu-Natal has a varied yet verdant climate thanks to diverse, complex topography. Generally, the coast is subtropical with inland regions becoming progressively colder. Durban on the south coast has an annual rainfall of 1009 mm, with daytime maxima peaking from January to March at 28 °C (82 °F) with
6656-463: The forlorn crying of the titihoya , one of the birds of the veld. Below you is the valley of the Umzimkulu , on its journey from the Drakensberg to the sea; and beyond and behind the river, great hill after great hill; and beyond and behind them, the mountains of Ingeli and Griqualand East . On Christmas Day 1497, Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama saw the coast of Natal and named the site after
6760-555: The founder of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP); Anton Lembede , the founding president of the ANC Youth League ; Jacob Zuma , the former President of South Africa ; Bhambatha , a 19th-century Zulu chief who became an anti-apartheid icon; and Shaka Zulu . At around 92,100 km (35,600 sq mi) in area, KwaZulu-Natal is roughly the size of Portugal. It has three different geographic areas and
6864-520: The highest peaks in summer. The Zululand north coast has the warmest climate and highest humidity, supporting many sugar cane farms around Pongola. KwaZulu-Natal borders the following areas of Mozambique, Eswatini and Lesotho: Domestically, it borders the following provinces: The KwaZulu-Natal Province is divided into one metropolitan municipality and ten district municipalities . The district municipalities are in turn divided into 44 local municipalities . The local seat of each district municipality
6968-410: The hill overlooking the bay. In 1837 Gardiner was given authority by the British government to exercise jurisdiction over the traders. They, however, refused to acknowledge Gardiner's authority, and from the Cape government he received no support. The next wave of immigration consisted of Voortrekkers fleeing British rule in Cape Colony , who pushed out the English settlers at Port Natal. In May 1838
7072-403: The line between the opposing forces followed the course of the Tugela River . In 1910, the colony became a province of the Union of South Africa and in 1961 of the Republic of South Africa. When the homeland of KwaZulu, which means "Place of the Zulu" was re-incorporated into the Natal province after the end of apartheid in 1994, the province of Natal, which had existed between 1910 and 1994,
7176-467: The men, but the women and children too. Survivors were 'apprenticed' to colonist and removed from their land. The Second Boer War broke out on 11 October 1899 with the Boer seizure of a Natal train on the Orange Free State border. Boer forces quickly occupied Newcastle . A landdrost was appointed and the town was renamed Viljoensdorp. In the Battle of Talana Hill on 20 October 1899, outside Dundee , British forces under William Penn Symons defeated
7280-426: The north, Newcastle is the province's industrial powerhouse, with Mittal Steel South Africa (previously ISPAT/ISCOR) and the Karbochem synthetic rubber plant dominating the economy. In 2002, Newcastle became the largest producer of chrome chemicals in Africa with the completion of a chrome-chemical plant, a joint-venture project between Karbochem and German manufacturing giant Bayer. Other large operations include
7384-428: The north-eastern boundaries being formed by the Tugela and Buffalo rivers beyond which lay the independent Kingdom of Zululand ( kwaZulu in the Zulu language ). Fierce conflict with the Zulu population led to the evacuation of Durban , and eventually, the Boers accepted British annexation in 1844 under military pressure. A British governor was appointed to the region and many settlers emigrated from Europe and
7488-584: The northern part of what is now KwaZulu-Natal was established as the Zulu Kingdom . The southern part was, briefly, the Boer Natalia Republic before the British took over control in 1843, renaming it as the Colony of Natal in 1843. The Zulu Kingdom remained independent until 1879. KwaZulu-Natal is the birthplace of many notable figures in South Africa's history, such as Albert Luthuli ,
7592-479: The novel Cry, the Beloved Country , wrote: There is a lovely road that runs from Ixopo into the hills. These hills are grass-covered and rolling, and they are lovely beyond any singing of it. The road climbs seven miles (11 km) into them, to Carisbrooke; and from there, if there is no mist, you look down on one of the fairest valleys of Africa. About you there is grass and bracken and you may hear
7696-557: The office was abolished by the establishment of the Union of South Africa. In August 1907 the report of the Native Affairs' Commission was published. The commission declared that the chasm between the natives and settlers had been broadening for years and that the efforts of the administration—especially since the grant of responsible government — to reconcile the natives to the changed conditions of rule and policy and to convert them into an element of strength had been ineffective. It
7800-489: The outskirts of the city. Coal is mined in the Newcastle area. Offshore mining of heavy mineral sands including minerals with a concentration of significant economic importance at several locations, such as rutile , ilmenite and zircon are threatening the marine ecology of KwaZulu-Natal's coast, including the Tugela Banks. The fishing economy of the prawn and nurse fisheries are also threatened. Ecology tourism
7904-506: The planters were compelled to seek for large numbers of labourers. The natives did not volunteer in sufficient numbers, and recourse was had to labour from India. The first Indian labourers reached Natal in 1860. They came as indentured labourers , but at the expiration of their contract were allowed to settle in the colony. The Indian population rapidly increased, the Indians becoming market gardeners, farmers, hawkers, and traders. Alone among
8008-496: The population. The province also has the second-highest proportion of English speakers of South Africa's nine provinces (after the Western Cape ). According to the 2022 census , 74.9% of the population described themselves as Christians , the lowest proportion among South Africa's nine provinces. Substantial minorities of the population practice Traditional African religions , Hinduism , and Islam . KwaZulu-Natal has
8112-495: The port. He went on with ten companions, among them Henry Francis Fynn . All the rest save Farewell and Fynn speedily returned to the Cape, but the two who remained were joined by three sailors, John Cane, Henry Ogle and Thomas Holstead. Farewell, Fynn and the others went to the royal kraal of Shaka , and, having cured him of a wound and made him various presents, obtained a document, dated 7 August 1824, ceding to "F. G. Farewell & Company entire and full possession in perpetuity"
8216-818: The province of KwaZulu-Natal include: Abahlali baseMjondolo (shackdwellers') movement, the Diakonia Council of Churches, the Right2Know campaign, and the Unemployed People's Movement. There are various game reserves found in the province; one notable example is Hluhluwe–Imfolozi Park , where the southern white rhinoceros was saved from extinction. In many of these larger reserves, large animals ranging from several antelope species to elephant , Cape buffalo and hippopotamus can be found. Predators include lions , leopards , and Cape wild dogs . Colony of Natal The Colony of Natal
8320-652: The province's ethnic Zulu majority. After the election, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), which previously had been the province's official opposition party, formed a coalition government with the ANC, the Democratic Alliance (DA), and the National Freedom Party . As part of the coalition agreement, the IFP's Thami Ntuli became premier , making him the first IFP member to hold the position in twenty years. Inkatha Freedom Party's Thami Ntuli
8424-471: The railway system was continually developing under the Natal Railway Company . For many years there had been an agitation among the colonists for self-government. In 1882 the colony was offered self-government coupled with the obligations of self-defence. The offer was declined, but in 1883 the legislative council was remodelled so as to consist of 23 elected and 7 nominated members. In 1890
8528-424: The rebellion, protested his loyalty to the British. As time went on, however, the Natal government, alarmed at a series of murders of whites in Zululand and at the evidences of continued unrest among the natives, became convinced that Dinuzulu was implicated in the rebellious movement. (When a young man, in 1889, he had been convicted of high treason and had been exiled, but in 1897 he had been allowed to return.) Now
8632-589: The regions around the river. (DUCT were responsible for the above-mentioned figures). Following DUCT lobbying, the Msunduzi District Municipality has commenced on a 10 million rand (SA currency) program to repair and improve the sewage system in 2016. DUCT is also testing trash nets as a means of catching and removing illegally dumped trash. KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal ( / k w ɑː ˌ z uː l uː n ə ˈ t ɑː l / , also referred to as KZN ; nicknamed "the garden province")
8736-477: The regions joined to create KwaZulu-Natal. Besides its importance as a symbol of the Zulu monarchy, the lion is also featured in the state emblems of the India and the United Kingdom which together represent the three largest people groups in KwaZulu-Natal and also represents the unity between them. The zig-zag stripe represents the Drakensberg , which is green in summer, but snowcapped in winter. The star represents
8840-480: The relief, 200 deaths had occurred from disease alone, and altogether as many as 8424 were reported to have passed through the hospitals. The relief of Ladysmith soon led to the evacuation of Natal by the Boer forces, who trekked northwards. As one result of the war, an addition was made to the territory of Natal, consisting of a portion of what had previously been included in the Transvaal. The districts transferred to Natal were: Vryheid , Utrecht and such portion of
8944-490: The river overflowing during heavy rains, and illegal dumping. These health risks threaten the annual canoe marathon. In effective terms, the water quality of the Msunduzi river is undesirable and can pose as a serious health threat for those who brave its waters. An NGO, the Duzi-Umgeni Conservation Trust (DUCT), has been set up to coordinate projects aimed at improving water quality, and conserving
9048-698: The second largest regional economy in the country after Gauteng . Durban is a rapidly growing urban area and is by most measures the busiest port in Africa. A good railway network links the city to other areas of Southern Africa. Sugar refining is Durban's main industry. Sheep, cattle, dairy, citrus fruits, corn , sorghum , cotton, bananas, and pineapples are also raised. There is an embryonic KwaZulu-Natal wine industry. Other industries, located mainly in and around Durban, include textile, clothing, chemicals , rubber, fertiliser , paper, vehicle assembly and food-processing plants, tanneries, and oil refineries. To
9152-423: The tide of trade which had already set in with the Transvaal steadily increased. Natal colonists were not merely the first in the field with the transport traffic to the new goldfields; they became some of the earliest proprietors of mines, and for several years many of the largest mining companies had their chief offices at Pietermaritzburg or Durban. In this year (1886) the railway reached Ladysmith , and in 1891 it
9256-416: The time of the coming of the first considerable body of British settlers dates the development of trade and agriculture in the colony, followed somewhat later by the exploitation of the mineral resources of the country. At the same time schools were established and various churches began or increased their work in the colony. John Colenso , appointed bishop of Natal , arrived in 1854. In 1856 the dependence of
9360-561: The town of Umzimkulu and its hinterland have been incorporated into KwaZulu-Natal following the 12th amendment of the Constitution of South Africa . The amendment also made other changes to the southern border of the province. The northwesterly line of equal latitude and longitude traverses the province from the coast at Hibberdene ( 30°34′35″S 30°34′35″E / 30.57639°S 30.57639°E / -30.57639; 30.57639 ) to northeast Lesotho . The province became
9464-518: The treatment of commercial questions and the policy to be adopted towards the natives. All Dutch colonists who had joined the Boer forces during the war were pardoned. As early as July 1903, rumours were current that Dinuzulu , king of the Zulus, was disaffected. Dinuzulu, however, remained at the time quiescent, though the Zulus were in a state of excitement over incidents connected with the Boer war, when they had been subject to raids by Boer commandoes, and on one occasion at least had retaliated. Unrest
9568-496: The white population of Natal of about one-tenth, to her native population of about one-tenth also, and to her territory of about one-fourth. An act authorizing the annexation was passed during 1902 and the territories were formally transferred to Natal in January 1903. The period following the war was succeeded by commercial depression, though in Natal it was not so severely felt as in other states of South Africa. The government met
9672-484: Was a British colony in south-eastern Africa. It was proclaimed a British colony on 4 May 1843 after the British government had annexed the Boer Republic of Natalia , and on 31 May 1910 combined with three other colonies to form the Union of South Africa , as one of its provinces . It is now the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. It was originally only about half the size of the present province, with
9776-399: Was also manifested among the natives west of the Tugela, but it was not at first cause for alarm. During 1903–1904 a Native Affairs' Commission, representative of all the states, obtained evidence on the status and conditions of the natives. Its investigations pointed to the loosening of tribal ties and to the corresponding growth of a spirit of individual independence. Among its recommendations
9880-510: Was completed to the Transvaal frontier at Charlestown , the section from Ladysmith northward opening up the Dundee and Newcastle coalfields. Thus a new industry was added to the resources of the colony. The demand which the growing trade made upon the one port of Natal, Durban , encouraged the colonists to redouble their efforts to improve the Port of Durban . A heavy sea from the Indian Ocean
9984-566: Was held in the following month turned on native policy and on the measures necessary to meet the commercial depression. The election, which witnessed the return of four Labour members, resulted in a ministerial majority of a somewhat heterogeneous character, and in November 1906 Smythe resigned, being succeeded by Frederick Moor , who in his election campaign had criticized the Smythe ministry for their financial proposals. Moor remained premier until
10088-402: Was not sufficient to secure them, as the government had done, peace and ample means of livelihood. The commission among other proposals for a more liberal and sympathetic native policy urged the creation of a native advisory Board entrusted with very wide powers. "Personal rule", they declared, "supplies the keynote of successful native control". The unrest in Zululand delayed action being taken on
10192-597: Was officially inaugurated as the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal on 18 June 2024. KwaZulu-Natal is the home to the Zulu monarch , currently King Misuzulu Zulu kaZwelithini. As of 2015 , the King of the Zulu Nation is provided a stipend of 54 million South African rands by the provincial government. He is also the chairman of the Ingonyama Trust , which controls 32% of the area of the province. Under provincial legislation
10296-507: Was passed aimed at the exclusion of Indians from the suffrage. The leader of the party which sought responsible government was John Robinson who had gone to Natal in 1850, was a leading journalist in the colony, had been a member of the legislative council since 1863, and had filled various official positions. He now became the first premier and colonial secretary with Harry Escombe as attorney-general and F. R. Moor as secretary for Native Affairs. John Robinson remained premier until 1897,
10400-483: Was renamed KwaZulu-Natal. The province is home to the Zulu monarchy; the majority population speak Zulu . It is the only province in South Africa that has the name of its dominant ethnic group as part of its name. As with Eastern Cape , most White South Africans in KwaZulu-Natal are of British descent and less than a quarter of whites in the province are of Boer/Afrikaner descent. The lion and wildebeest supporters are symbols of, respectively, KwaZulu and Natal,
10504-475: Was soon thronged; and Pietermaritzburg , which was then practically the terminus of the Natal railway, was the base from which nearly all the expeditions to the goldfields were fitted out. The journey to De Kaap by bullock-waggon occupied about six weeks. "Kurveying" (the conducting of transport by bullock-waggon) in itself constituted a great industry. Two years later, in 1886, the Rand goldfields were proclaimed, and
10608-571: Was suppressed by the colonial forces under Colonel Duncan McKenzie , aided by a detachment of Transvaal volunteers. Bhambatha , a chief in the Greytown district who had been deposed for misconduct, kidnapped the regent appointed in his stead. He was pursued and escaped to Zululand, where he received considerable help. He was killed in battle in June, and by the close of July the rebellion was at an end. Dinuzulu, accused by many colonists of having incited
10712-602: Was the chief of the Hlubu (or amaHlbubi) tribe in northern Natal. He had failed to enforce an 1872 law that compelled all Africans in Natal to register their firearms with their local magistrate. When told to enforce the law by Resident Magistrate John Macfarlane, Langalibalele said, how one can "count the maggots in a piece of beef?". Langalibalele was then called to appear before the Secretary of Native Affairs, Theophilus Shepstone, in Pietermaritzburg twice, both times refusing. On
10816-458: Was the direct political representation of natives in the colonial legislatures on the New Zealand model , and the imposition of direct taxation upon natives, which should not be less than £ 1 a year payable by every adult male. The commission also called attention to the numerical insufficiency of magistrates and native commissioners in certain parts of Natal. With some of the recommendations
#694305