oThongathi
Tongaat
Aerial view of oThongathi
Aerial view of oThongathi
oThongathi is located in KwaZulu-Natal
oThongathi
oThongathi
oThongathi is located in South Africa
oThongathi
oThongathi
Coordinates: 29°34′00″S 31°07′00″E / 29.56667°S 31.11667°E / -29.56667; 31.11667
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceKwaZulu-Natal
MunicipalityeThekwini
Area
[1]
 • Total11.72 km2 (4.53 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total42,554
 • Density3,600/km2 (9,400/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
[1]
 • Black African41.1%
 • Coloured1.2%
 • Indian/Asian56.7%
 • White0.4%
 • Other0.5%
First languages (2011)
[1]
 • English59.3%
 • Zulu32.3%
 • Xhosa3.6%
 • S. Ndebele1.0%
 • Other3.8%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
4399
PO box
4400
Area code032

oThongathi, previously and still commonly known as Tongaat, is a town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, about 40 kilometres (25 mi) north of Durban and 28 kilometres (17 mi) south of KwaDukuza. It now forms part of eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, or the Greater Durban area. The area is home to the oldest Indian community in South Africa, having been where the first indentured Indian laborers settled in 1860 to work in the sugar-cane plantations.[2] Much of the architectural style in the town was the work of Ivan Mitford-Barberton,[3] and many buildings are in the Cape Dutch style of architecture.

Prior to 1 December 2023, vehicle registration plates in oThongathi started with NJ - N for Natal. It is still exactly unknown what the J stands for as this vehicle registration code also covered Verulam, Inanda and Ntuzuma.

History

oThongathi was established as Tongaat in 1945 and its name was taken from the name of the uThongathi River which passes by the town: The name of the river, derived from Zulu, is said to mean

'it is important to us' or 'you are important because of us', referring to legends involving reaction to a denigrating remark in the first instance, and to Shaka's magnanimous view of a tribe he had just made subservient to him[4]

In 2017 plans were made for the restoration of the historic railway station building.[5]

Law and government

Municipal re-demarcation

As the 2024 national government elections near, there have recently been several demarcation proposals made by the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) to relocate Wards 58, 61 and 62 of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality which includes oThongathi to be relocated to the neighbouring KwaDukuza and Ndwedwe local municipalities in the iLembe District Municipality. Wards 58 and 62 would be relocated to KwaDukuza and Ward 61 would be relocated to Ndwedwe.

It has also been highlighted that the relocation of Ward 61 to Ndwedwe is in a bid to stimulate economic activity in Ndwedwe, a largely rural municipality with high levels of unemployment and little economic and social development. The reason for the relocation was also attributed to the fact that oThongathi serves as the nearest urban service centre to the Ndwedwe area. A final decision on the demarcation proposals is yet to made as several objections and concerns have been raised over the negative economic impact it could have on eThekwini.[6][7][8]

Name change

In November 2009, the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality submitted a list of places in the municipality to the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Geographic Names Committee to be changed from their anglicised names to the correct Zulu spelling. In the list, the town Tongaat was to be changed to "oThongathi" and the Tongaat River was to be changed to "uThongathi River".[9] On 1 October 2010, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Arts and Culture gazette the list of approved name changes which included the town of Tongaat and the Tongaat River.[10]

Ever since the name change, the South African National Roads Agency Ltd. (SANRAL) has changed the road signs on the N2 leading to and at the uShukela Drive interchange (Exit 202) just outside oThongathi, however there are still several road signs that still remain with the name "Tongaat" and many Durbanites and residents of oThongathi still refer to it by its previous name.

Geography

oThongathi is situated in a series of hills dominated by sugarcane fields just inland from the coast and is primarily built south of the uThongathi River. Neighbouring settlements include Westbrook (7 km) to the west, Verulam (13 km) to the south, Ballito (16 km) to the north-west and eMdloti (16 km) to the south-west.

Suburban areas

The 2011 census divided the urban area of Tongaat (now oThongathi) into 14 “sub places” including:

  • Belvedere (Residential)
  • Buffelsdale (Residential)
  • Burbreeze (Residential)
  • Fairbreeze (Residential)
  • Flamingo Heights (Residential)
  • Gandhi’s Hill (Residential)
  • Mitchell Village (Residential)
  • Mithangar (Residential)
  • Newton (Residential)
  • Sandfields (Residential)
  • Tongaat Industrial (Industrial)
  • Trurolands (Industrial)
  • Vanrova (Residential)
  • Watsonia (Residential)

Economy

Industries

oThongathi is home to Tongaat Hulett, one of the largest sugar producers in Africa which has its headquarters located just outside the town and owns and operates the Maidstone Sugar Mill situated on the north banks of the uThongathi River and is one of South Africa's first sugar mills – completed in 1850.

Retail

Gopalall Hurbans Road forms the main thoroughfare through the oThongathi CBD, lined by a number of local retailers, shops, restaurants and other businesses. The main shopping centre, oThongathi Mall, which once collapsed in 2013 during construction, was reconstructed in the same plot of land on the main road as previously and was opened to the public in March 2023.[11]

Culture & Religion

oThongathi is home to numerous cultural and religious organisations and buildings. These include:

  • Brake Village Sri Siva Soobramaniar Alayam[12]
  • Shree Veeraboga Emperumal Temple[13]
  • Chinna Thirupathi Venkataswara Devasthanam

Infrastructure

As a regional service centre, oThongathi is fairly well served in terms of public infrastructure with amenities such as the town hall, police station, library, sports centre and the regional branch of the Department of Home Affairs.

Healthcare

oThongathi is served by Mediclinic Victoria, a private hospital opened and established in 1970 as Victoria Hospital and later acquired by its current owner, Mediclinic International in 2003. [14][15]

The Tongaat Community Health Centre is the main public health facility serving oThongathi and communities in the neighbouring iLembe District Municipality such as Ballito, Shakaskraal and Ndwedwe. Hambanathi Clinic, operating as a municipal clinic under the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, serves the adjoining township of Hambanathi.[16][17]

Transport

Air

King Shaka International Airport is the nearest airport to oThongathi, located approximately 8 km south-east of the town via the R102 and M65. The airport offers several flights to towns and cities domestically in South Africa as well as internationally to Doha, Dubai, Harare, Lusaka, Manzini and Istanbul.

Rail

The North Coast Line, the main commuter line between Durban and KwaDukuza runs through oThongathi, connecting its three railway stations, Tongaat, Tongaat Central and Flamingo Heights. The North Coast service operated by Metrorail runs northwards to KwaDukuza via Umhlali and southwards to Durban via Verulam and Mount Edgecombe.

Roads

oThongathi Toll Plaza on the N2 just outside the town

oThongathi is located 3 kilometres off the N2 freeway, also known as the North Coast Toll Road, which runs north–south from KwaDukuza to Durban and is connected to the N2 by Ushukela Drive (M43) which connects oThongathi and Westbrook. The oThongathi Toll Plaza is located on the N2 just north of the M43 interchange with two additional toll plazas on the southbound ramps.

Gopalall Hurbans Road (R102) is the main route through oThongathi, passing from Umhlali in the north to Verulam in the south and was the original N2 prior to the construction of the current freeway. The R614 connects oThongathi with Wartburg to the north-west and is an alternative route to the N3 for travel between the North Coast and Pietermaritzburg.

Water crisis

In April 2022, floods caused by abnormal heavy rainfall struck the Greater Durban region and one of the worst affected places in the region was oThongathi. The oThongathi Waterworks Treatment Plant's poorly maintained infrastructure was exacerbated by the floods which caused extensive damage to the oThongathi Waterworks Treatment Plant leaving many residents without water supply.[18]

Although water tankers had been sent to oThongathi, they were reported to inconsistent further sparking protests around oThongathi even in the neighbouring township of Hambanathi where it was reported that even waterborne diseases began to flourish.[19]

Towards the end of August 2022, Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu announced that there would be a tie-in to the Mamba Ridge pipe that will assist to supply water from the Hazelmere Dam, near Verulam to oThongathi.[20]

After more than 200 days of water shortages, towards mid-November 2022, the oThongathi Waterworks Treatment Plant was fully repaired, and water supply was to implemented into phases to complete the commissioning of the oThongathi Water Works with the southern areas of oThongathi receiving water supply first before other areas.[21]

Notable people

Notes and references

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Main Place Tongaat". Census 2011.
  2. ↑ Watson 1960, p. 76, Ch 6.
  3. ↑ Watson 1960, p. 200.
  4. ↑ Raper 1989, p. 433.
  5. ↑ Hitchcock, Lynn (26 January 2017). "Former railway station revamp proposed". News24. Retrieved 2017-10-13.
  6. ↑ "Boundary proposals before the Municipal Demarcation Board, may change eThekwini's landscape".
  7. ↑ juanventer (2023-04-05). "City status looms for KwaDukuza if demarcation board approves ward changes". North Coast Courier. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
  8. ↑ juanventer (2023-04-12). "Ward reallocation could be disastrous for eThekwini". North Coast Courier. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
  9. ↑ "More name changes". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
  10. ↑ Approval of official geographical names (www.gov.za)
  11. ↑ "oThongathi Mall to boost local economy • Tabloid Newspapers". tabloidmedia.co.za. 2022-07-06. Retrieved 2022-11-12.
  12. ↑ "Brake Village Sri Siva Soobramaniar Alayam – Go Boldly With Lord Muruga". Retrieved 2022-06-27.
  13. ↑ "SVET – Shree Veeraboga Emperumal Temple". Retrieved 2022-06-27.
  14. ↑ https://www.mediclinic.co.za/content/dam/mc-sa-corporate/downloads/about-mcsa/mcsa-our-history.pdf
  15. ↑ "Mediclinic Victoria, Tongaat - Doctor List, Address, Appointment | Vaidam.com". www.vaidam.com. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
  16. ↑ "Tongaat CHC". www.kznhealth.gov.za. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
  17. ↑ http://www.kznhealth.gov.za/clinicname.pdf
  18. ↑ Mabuza, Nokuthula. "PICS & VIDEO: Water supply to oThongathi set to resume at last, water and sanitation repairs ongoing in eThekwini". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
  19. ↑ "oThongathi residents up in arms for water crisis". SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader. 2022-08-25. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
  20. ↑ Erasmus, Des (2022-10-17). "This is how Tongaat got running water after 200 dry days". The Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
  21. ↑ Ngema, Thobeka. "More parts of oThongathi are starting to receive water". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
  22. ↑ "Dr Ansuyah Ratipul Singh". South African History Online. 17 February 2011. Retrieved 2017-10-13.
  23. ↑ Retief, Hanlie (7 February 2016). "Amla: man in the moment". CityPress. Retrieved 15 July 2019. a
  24. ↑ "Tongaat Primary- 96 years of heritage". Phoenix Sun. 6 March 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  25. ↑ Oppenheimer & Bayer 2007, p. 247.
  26. ↑ "Deolin Naidoo". IMDb.

Sources

Further reading

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