Melmoth, South Africa

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Melmoth
eMthonjaneni
Melmoth, Kwazulu-Natal, b.jpg
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Melmoth
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Melmoth
Coordinates: 28°35′S31°23′E / 28.583°S 31.383°E / -28.583; 31.383
Country South Africa
Province KwaZulu-Natal
District King Cetshwayo
Municipality Mthonjaneni
Area
[1]
 • Total
13.36 km2 (5.16 sq mi)
Elevation
740 m (2,430 ft)
Population
 (2022) [1]
 • Total
7,814
 • Density580/km2 (1,500/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
[1]
 •  Black African 71.0%
 •  Coloured 1.4%
 •  Indian/Asian 0.8%
 •  White 23.6%
 • Other0.1%
First languages (2011)
[1]
 •  Zulu 77.5%
 •  English 4.5%
 •  S. Ndebele 2.7%
 •  Afrikaans 16.3%
 • Other3.1%
Time zone UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
3835
PO box
3835
Area code 035

Melmoth is a small town situated in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Contents

History

The town was established in the Mthonjaneni district after the annexation of Zululand by the British Empire in 1887 and was named after Sir Melmoth Osborn, the resident commissioner of Zululand's "Reserve Territory". [2] Large wattle plantations were set up and a wattle bark factory was established in 1926.

The Dutch Reformed Church of Melmoth was established in 1894 as the first Dutch Reformed Church in Zululand. [3]

The district is also planted with sugar cane from the outskirts of the town and into the surrounding villages. The government-funded hospital in Melmoth is St Marys kwaMagwaza Hospital that caters for the people of Melmoth and surrounding villages. [4]

In Recent Years

In 2017, the South African Geographical Names Council (SAGNC) made a decision to rename Melmoth to eMthonjaneni, the same name as the local municipality it is in. [5]

Number Plates

Vehicle registrations in Melmoth start with NO - N for Natal, O for Osborn. [6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Main Place Melmoth". Census 2011.
  2. ↑ "Gateway to Zululand". www.melmoth.co.za. Archived from the original on 26 September 2009. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  3. ↑ Maeder, C.A.; Zinn, Christian (1917). Ons Kerk Album (in Dutch). Cape Town: Ons Kerk Album Maatschappij Bpk.
  4. ↑ "KwaMagwaza Hospital". www.kznhealth.gov.za. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  5. ↑ "85 towns hit with name changes in South Africa – and more are on the way". BusinessTech. 14 April 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  6. ↑ "Melmoth Information | Tourism Guide". www.wheretostay.co.za. Retrieved 31 August 2015.


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