Sabie | |
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Main Street, Sabie
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Sabie shown within Mpumalanga | |
Coordinates: 25°05′52″S 30°46′45″E / 25.09778°S 30.77917°ECoordinates: 25°05′52″S 30°46′45″E / 25.09778°S 30.77917°E | |
Country | South Africa |
Province | Mpumalanga |
District | Ehlanzeni |
Municipality | Thaba Chweu |
Area | |
• Total | 55.03 km2 (21.25 sq mi) |
Population (2011) | |
• Total | 9,148 |
• Density | 170/km2 (430/sq mi) |
Racial makeup (2011) | |
• Black African | 60.8% |
• Coloured | 8.0% |
• Indian/Asian | 0.5% |
• White | 30.1% |
• Other | 0.6% |
First languages (2011) | |
• Afrikaans | 33.4% |
• Swazi | 23.9% |
• Sotho | 14.5% |
• English | 10.4% |
• Other | 17.8% |
Postal code (street) | 1260 |
PO box | 1260 |
Area code | 013 |
Sabie is a forestry town situated on the banks of the Sabie River in Mpumalanga, South Africa. The name Sabie is derived from the Tsonga Shangaan word "Ulusaba" which means fearful. The Shangaan called this river Ulusaba because the river was once teeming with dangerous Nile crocodiles and as a result, the Tsonga Shangaan people dubbed it Ulusaba (fearful river). The word Ulusaba was modernized by the Afrikaner colonialists who changed it from Ulusaba Shangaan into the Afrikaans version "Sabie" .
The town was started after H.T. Glynn and J.C. Ingle found gold there and formed the Glynns-Lydenburg Gold Mining Company.
Sabie is located 360 kilometres east of Johannesburg and is 64 kilometres west of the popular Kruger National Park. It is known for its scenery and beautiful waterfalls, and is a popular tourist destination.
Its main industry is forestry. The plantations surrounding Sabie form one of the world's largest man-made forests.
It is situated approximately 1,000 metres (3,281 feet) above sea level and is in the summer rainfall area. During the winter period, there is little rainfall, and the area can become intensely dry. Forest fires are prevalent during this time, therefore precautions are taken before hand to create fire breaks, as well as to incorporate block burning
Sabie is also a tourism based town and relies on the steady flow of tourists year round to keep the community economy going. There are many attractions in and around the town itself. Of these the most popular is the Lone Creek Falls about 10 km (6 mi) outside of town. There are many other waterfalls in the area, such as Maria Shire, Horseshoe, Forest Falls and of course the Sabie River falls situated within the town itself.