Tongaat (Zulu: oThongathi[2]) 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 King Shaka International Airport is 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) south of Tongaat by road. The R102 is a thoroughfare through the town from KwaDukuza and Ballito in the north to Verulam in the south. Its population is mostly people of Indian descent. 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.[3] Much of the architectural style in the town was the work of Ivan Mitford-Barberton,[4] and many buildings are in the Cape Dutch style of architecture.
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Tongaat
oThongathi | |
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Aerial view of Tongaat Beach | |
![]() ![]() Tongaat ![]() ![]() Tongaat | |
Coordinates: 29°34′00″S 31°07′00″E | |
Country | South Africa |
Province | KwaZulu-Natal |
Municipality | eThekwini |
Area | |
• Total | 11.72 km2 (4.53 sq mi) |
Population (2011)[1] | |
• Total | 42,554 |
• Density | 3,600/km2 (9,400/sq mi) |
Racial makeup (2011) | |
• Black African | 41.1% |
• Coloured | 1.2% |
• Indian/Asian | 56.7% |
• White | 0.4% |
• Other | 0.5% |
First languages (2011) | |
• English | 59.3% |
• Zulu | 32.3% |
• Xhosa | 3.6% |
• S. Ndebele | 1.0% |
• Other | 3.8% |
Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
Postal code (street) | 4399 |
PO box | 4400 |
Area code | 032 |
Tongaat was established 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[5]
In 2017 plans were made for the restoration of the historic railway station building.[6]
The town is home to the headquarters of Tongaat Hulett Sugar.[7] Maidstone Sugar Mill, one of the country's first mills, completed in 1850 is nearby.
Tongaat is home to numerous cultural and religious organisations and buildings. These include:
a
Communities of eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal | |||||||||
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Seat: Durban | |||||||||
Cities and towns |
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Suburbs of Durban |
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