Mtubatuba | |
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Mtubatuba shown within KwaZulu-Natal | |
Coordinates: 28°25′S 32°11′E / 28.417°S 32.183°ECoordinates: 28°25′S 32°11′E / 28.417°S 32.183°E | |
Country | South Africa |
Province | KwaZulu-Natal |
District | uMkhanyakude |
Municipality | Mtubatuba |
Established | 1903 |
Area | |
• Total | 76.22 km2 (29.43 sq mi) |
Population (2011) | |
• Total | 27,237 |
• Density | 360/km2 (930/sq mi) |
Racial makeup (2011) | |
• Black African | 94.5% |
• Coloured | 1.2% |
• Indian/Asian | 1.0% |
• White | 3.3% |
• Other | 0.1% |
First languages (2011) | |
• Zulu | 88.0% |
• English | 6.1% |
• Afrikaans | 1.7% |
• S. Ndebele | 1.5% |
• Other | 2.6% |
Postal code (street) | 3935 |
PO box | 3935 |
Area code | 035 |
Mtubatuba is a town north of Richards Bay close to the entrance of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park (previously Greater St Lucia Wetland Park) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Town some 55 km south-south-west of Hluhluwe and 28 km west of St Lucia. Administered by a health committee since 1950. The name, formerly spelt Matubatuba, is Zulu for ‘creator of opportunities’, referring to a chief of the Mkwananzi tribe who died here in 1954.
The town's early years were hampered by flooding. An additional setback occurred during World War I: a ship carrying essential parts of what was to be the town's first sugar mill was torpedoed. The mill was eventually constructed in 1916 at nearby Riverview. Its township is KwaMsane.