Stanger
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KwaDukuza Stanger |
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 KwaDukuza
KwaDukuza
KwaDukuza
KwaDukuza shown within KwaZulu-Natal
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| Coordinates: 29°20′00″S 31°17′30″E / 29.33333°S 31.29167°ECoordinates: 29°20′00″S 31°17′30″E / 29.33333°S 31.29167°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | KwaZulu-Natal |
| District | iLembe |
| Municipality | KwaDukuza |
| Established | 1825 as Dukuza, 1873 as Stanger |
| Area | |
| • Total | 32.37 km2 (12.50 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 51,536 |
| • Density | 1,600/km2 (4,100/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 53.0% |
| • Coloured | 1.9% |
| • Indian/Asian | 43.7% |
| • White | 0.7% |
| • Other | 0.7% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • English | 47.7% |
| • Zulu | 46.0% |
| • Xhosa | 1.4% |
| • Other | 4.8% |
| Postal code (street) | 4449 |
| PO box | 4450 |
KwaDukuza (also known as Stanger) is a town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. In 2006, its official name was changed from Stanger to KwaDukuza; however Zulu people in the area called it "Dukuza" well before this date, and many white South Africans continue to use "Stanger" today (see name, below). "Stanger" has been used on new road signs in the area.
The town was named to honour William Stanger, a surveyor–general in South Africa. In 2006 the Minister of Arts and Culture approved a name change from Stanger to KwaDukuza, and it was published in the Government Gazette on 3 March 2006.
The town was founded about 1820 by King Shaka, and was named KwaDukuza (Zulu: Place of the Lost Person) because of the capital's labyrinth of huts. After Shaka was assassinated on 24 September 1828—in a coup by two of his half-brothers, Dingane and Umthlangana (Mhlangane)—the town was burnt to the ground. In 1873 European settlers built a town on the site, naming it Stanger after William Stanger, the surveyor-general of Natal.
Stanger became a municipality in 1949, and is the commercial, magisterial and railway center of an important sugar-producing district. A small museum adjoins the site of King Shaka's grave, a grain pit in the town center. The town and its vibrant inhabitants are surrounded by sugar cane fields, bush and the mahogany tree where King Shaka held meetings, which still stands in front of the municipal offices. The Shaka Day festival, a colorful ceremony of 10,000 or more Zulu, is held at the KwaDukuza Recreation Grounds on 24 September every year. The festival is usually attended by dignitaries to mark the significance of the Zulu nation.
The Stanger North Coast Museum houses historical items and information on King Shaka, the sugar industry and local history. The town has an eastern flavor, due the influx of Indian laborers during the late 19th and early 20th centuries for sugar-cane barons such as Liege Hulett. The first few hundred Indian families left Port Natal for the cane farms on 17 November 1860. The importing of Indian laborers was stopped in 1911 when their numbers exceeded 100,000. Most Indians did not return when their work contracts expired, exchanging their return-trip passes for money or property. The growth of the Indian community changed the economic and cultural nature of KwaDukuza. Town celebrations include Diwali and the Winter Fair; the latter a fundraiser for child welfare.
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Wikipedia