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Weenen | |
|---|---|
  Weenen  Weenen | |
| Coordinates:28°51′00″S30°04′00″E / 28.85000°S 30.06667°E /-28.85000; 30.06667 | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | KwaZulu-Natal |
| District | uThukela |
| Municipality | Inkosi Langalibalele |
| Established | 1839[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 71.98 km2 (27.79 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[2] | |
• Total | 3,126 |
| • Density | 43.43/km2 (112.5/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 83.4% |
| • Coloured | 2.8% |
| • Indian/Asian | 6.4% |
| • White | 7.0% |
| • Other | 0.4% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Zulu | 80.4% |
| • English | 11.6% |
| • Afrikaans | 4.2% |
| • S. Ndebele | 1.3% |
| • Other | 2.5% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| PO box | 3325 |
| Area code | 036 |
Weenen (Dutch for "wept") is the second oldestEuropean settlement inKwaZulu-Natal,South Africa. It is situated on the banks of theBushman River. Thefarms around the town growvegetables,lucerne,groundnuts, andcitrus fruit.
The plots was laid out in 1839 at the site of amassacre by theZulus followingVoortrekker settlements in the area near the royalkraal ofDingane.[3]: 20 The Voortrekkers had arrived in the area a year earlier and the town's Dutch name (place of weeping) originates from the massacre of 100 men and women, 185 children and 200 Khoikhoi servants.[3]: 20 The settlement was officially surveyed and established in 1841.[3]: 20 The Bushman River was bridged by the Jubliee Bridge in 1898.[3]: 21 In 1910, it became governed by a local board.[3]: 21 A now-closednarrow gauge railway was built in 1907 to connect the town toEstcourt, 47 kilometres to the west until 1983 and provided an outlet for its produce and was thus called the "Cabbage Express'.[3]: 22
The museum (also from 1838) houses a collection ofVoortrekker artefacts and was constructed by Voortrekker leaderAndries Pretorius whose waterwheel is one of the exhibits.[3]: 22 It has previously done service as a magistrate's office, post office and a prison.[3]: 22
The 6,500 ha game reserve is administered byKZN Wildlife and covers an area of typical inland KwaZulu-Natal acacia grassland with occasional thickets. The reserve offers extensive game viewing facilities, guided walks, environmental education, and three picnic sites. More than 230 species of birds have been recorded (there are two hides overlooking a dam) and the park is a good example of the successful rehabilitation of severely degraded habitat. Mammals in the reserve includerhinoceros,giraffe,hyaena,jackal,bushbuck,reedbuck,steenbok andporcupine. The game reserve has a small two-bedroom cottage with BBQ facilities and its own trail and waterhole. There are 12 caravan and camping sites and a picnic site. A guided walk of 8 km can be taken, and three self-guided trails which pass dams.
The major summer activity is white-water rafting, and the most exciting time to do this is between November and May. The 30 km stretch of river known as the canyon provides some of the most thrilling white water in the country. The South African leg of the Camel White-Water Challenge took place at Zingela in Weenen.
Municipalities and communities ofUThukela District Municipality,KwaZulu-Natal | ||
|---|---|---|
District seat:Ladysmith | ||
| Alfred Duma | .svg) | |
| Inkosi Langalibalele | ||
| Okhahlamba | ||