Eshowe | |
|---|---|
 Fort Nongqayi in Eshowe | |
  Eshowe  Eshowe | |
| Coordinates:28°53′18″S31°26′54″E / 28.88833°S 31.44833°E /-28.88833; 31.44833 | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | KwaZulu-Natal |
| District | King Cetshwayo |
| Municipality | uMlalazi |
| Established | 1880[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 18.23 km2 (7.04 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[2] | |
• Total | 14,744 |
| • Density | 808.8/km2 (2,095/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 82.7% |
| • Coloured | 5.0% |
| • Indian/Asian | 4.6% |
| • White | 7.4% |
| • Other | 0.4% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Zulu | 75.8% |
| • English | 17.5% |
| • Afrikaans | 2.9% |
| • S. Ndebele | 1.2% |
| • Other | 2.6% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal code (street) | 3815 |
| PO box | 3815 |
| Area code | 035 |
Eshowe is the oldest town of European settlement inZululand,[citation needed] historically also known asEziqwaqweni,Ekowe orkwaMondi. Eshowe's name is said to be inspired by the sound of wind blowing through the more than 4 km2 of the indigenousDlinza Forest, the most important and striking feature of the town. Although the name is most likely to be derived from theZulu word for theXysmalobium shrubs,showe orshongwe.
Today Eshowe is a market town, with a 100 km radiuscatchment area, two shopping centres, a main bus station serving the hinterland, a major hospital, and several schools.
In 1860Cetshwayo, then only a Zulu prince, built akraal here and named the place Eziqwaqweni(the abode of robbers).A mission station was established at Eshowe in 1861 once permission had been obtained from the Zulu King Cetshwayo byNorwegian missionary, the ReverendOmmund Oftebro. Later the station was called theKwaMondi Mission Station(place of Mondi) after the Zulu name which was given to Oftebro.
During theAnglo-Zulu War of 1879, ColonelCharles Pearson led the coastal column to Eshowe. This column encountered part of the Zulu army at theNyezane River, but after a short battle pushed on to the KwaMondi Mission which was fortified and calledFort Ekowe.[3] The forces under Colonel Pearson were besieged for 10 weeks until relieved on April 3 byLord Chelmsford after theBattle of Gingindlovu.
After the British left, Eshowe was burned down by the Zulus.
After the war Eshowe was established as the capital of Zululand and the home of theBritish resident in Zululand,Melmoth Osborne. The nearby town ofMelmoth is named after him.
In 1887 Eshowe became the capital of Zululand and was officially declared a township in 1891.
In 1947 the British Royal Family (King George VI,Queen Elizabeth,Princess Elizabeth andPrincess Margaret) visited and were welcomed in Eshowe byKing Cyprian. The family toured the Dlinza Forest and spent a night in 'The Residency' in Eshowe.
Eshowe served as the seat of the first Black Diocesan Bishops inSouth Africa, of theAnglican andRoman Catholic Church. Eshowe is still the seat of the Bishop of the AnglicanDiocese of Zululand.
Municipalities and communities ofKing Cetshwayo District Municipality,KwaZulu-Natal | ||
|---|---|---|
District seat:Richards Bay | ||
| uMhlathuze | .svg) | |
| uMlalazi | ||
| Nkandla | ||
| Mbonambi | ||
| Ntambanana | ||
| Mthonjaneni | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
