Colenso, KwaZulu-Natal
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Colenso eSikebheni |
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Battle site
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 Colenso
Colenso
Colenso
Colenso shown within KwaZulu-Natal
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| Coordinates: 28°44′12″S 29°49′35″E / 28.73667°S 29.82639°ECoordinates: 28°44′12″S 29°49′35″E / 28.73667°S 29.82639°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | KwaZulu-Natal |
| District | Uthukela |
| Municipality | Alfred Duma |
| Established | 1855 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 9.77 km2 (3.77 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 6,388 |
| • Density | 650/km2 (1,700/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 90.1% |
| • Coloured | 2.1% |
| • Indian/Asian | 2.9% |
| • White | 4.5% |
| • Other | 0.3% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Zulu | 83.0% |
| • English | 7.8% |
| • Afrikaans | 4.2% |
| • S. Ndebele | 1.6% |
| • Other | 3.4% |
| Postal code (street) | 3360 |
| PO box | 3360 |
| Area code | 036 |
 Photo of the power station as seen from across the Tugela river at Eskom Heritage |
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Photo of the Colenso turbines and boilers at Eskom heritage |
Colenso (known in Zulu as eSikebheni - Place of the Boat) is a town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is located on the southern bank of the Tugela River. The original settlement was contained within a loop on the river, but it subsequently expanded southwards and eastwards. It lies on the main Durban - Johannesburg railway line some 190 km (118 mi) north-west of Durban.
The settlement was established in 1855 at a Commando Drift, a ford on the Tugela River in the then Colony of Natal on the main road between Durban in the south and the South African Republic (now divided into various provinces, including Gauteng Province) and Orange Free State to the north. The settlement was a stop-over point before or after fording the river (which is some 60–70 metres (200–230 ft) wide at that point). It was named after the Anglican bishop of Natal and champion of the Zulu cause, John William Colenso. On account of the ferry, the Zulu named the settlement eSikebheni - Place of the Boat.
In October 1879 the ford was replaced by the Bulwer Bridge, named after Sir Henry Bulwer, the then Lieutenant Governor of Natal. On 21 June 1886 the railway line from Durban to Ladysmith (20 km north of Colenso) which crossed the Tugela River at Colenso was opened.
During the Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902) the town, being located at the point where the main north-south transport route crossed the main east-west river, was one of focal points in the relief of Ladysmith. In 1922 work commenced on the building of a power station which was to be the main industry of the town for many years. The settlement was proclaimed a township in 1926 and received borough status in 1958. The power station was decommissioned in 1985 which caused a stagnation of the town.
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