Pongola, KwaZulu-Natal

Pongola
uPhongolo
Pongola
 Pongola shown within KwaZulu-Natal
Pongola
Pongola (South Africa)
Pongola
Pongola (Africa)
Coordinates: 27°23′0″S 31°37′0″E / 27.38333°S 31.61667°E / -27.38333; 31.61667Coordinates: 27°23′0″S 31°37′0″E / 27.38333°S 31.61667°E / -27.38333; 31.61667
Country South Africa
Province KwaZulu-Natal
District Zululand
Municipality uPhongolo
Government
Area[1]
 • Total 3.60 km2 (1.39 sq mi)
Population (2011)[1]
 • Total 1,403
 • Density 390/km2 (1,000/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[1]
 • Black African 37.9%
 • Coloured 0.6%
 • Indian/Asian 3.4%
 • White 57.3%
 • Other 0.6%
First languages (2011)[1]
 • Afrikaans 55.6%
 • Zulu 30.5%
 • English 8.6%
 • Swazi 1.4%
 • Other 3.9%
Time zone UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street) 3170
PO box 3170
Area code 034

Pongola (also known in Zulu as uPhongolo) is a small town situated in a fertile valley on the N2, near the Lubombo Mountains, in the valleys of Zululand, easily accessible to the Swaziland Border Posts. It is a unique and tranquil subtropical environment.. It has 50 km² of sugarcane and subtropical fruit plantations surrounding it. During the Depression years of the 1930s, drastic irrigation systems were started in Pongola. The town thrived as a result of the canal system and a sugar mill that was built. Today it is part of the uPhongolo Local Municipality.

Pongolapoort Dam and Pongola Game Reserve is to the east. It is the only dam in South Africa where you can catch Tiger Fish.

The uPhongolo Local Municipality is one of five local municipalities located within the area of the Zululand District Municipality. The municipality is governed by the ANC Council consisting of 22 Councillors and an Executive Committee and Hon. Cllr Winile Nhlabathi is the Mayor. The administrative functions are performed by the Municipal Manager and a team of managers. Among other schools, there are Dingukwazi Senior Secondary School and Langa High School.

Pongola is surrounded by hunting lodges and several have even the Big Five. Some farms specialize in biltong hunting and others concentrate on trophy hunting.

RA Rouillard was the driving force behind the region's agricultural and economic prosperity. The pioneering spirit which opened up the interior of South Africa came in a variety of guises. In the Louwsburg and Magut district, one pioneer who had a particularly significant impact on the region was R. A. Rouillard.

It is home to Tugam Game Farm, uPhongolo's oldest game farm.

Richard Antoine Rouillard was born in the Phoenix district of Mauritius in 1873.

References

StatsSA[2]

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Main Place Pongola". Census 2011.
  2. ↑ http://www.statssa.gov.za/?page_id=993&id=uphongolo-municipality


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