KwaDukuza

"Stanger" redirects here. For the surname, see Stanger (surname).
This article is about the town; for the local municipality with the same name, see KwaDukuza Local Municipality
KwaDukuza
Stanger
KwaDukuza

 KwaDukuza shown within KwaZulu-Natal

Coordinates: 29°20′00″S 31°17′30″E / 29.33333°S 31.29167°E / -29.33333; 31.29167Coordinates: 29°20′00″S 31°17′30″E / 29.33333°S 31.29167°E / -29.33333; 31.29167
Country South Africa
Province KwaZulu-Natal
District iLembe
Municipality KwaDukuza
Established 1825 as Dukuza, 1873 as Stanger [1]
Area[2]
  Total 32.37 km2 (12.50 sq mi)
Population (2011)[2]
  Total 51,536
  Density 1,600/km2 (4,100/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[2]
  Black African 53.0%
  Coloured 1.9%
  Indian/Asian 43.7%
  White 0.7%
  Other 0.7%
First languages (2011)[2]
  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.[3][4][5]

Name

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.

History

Statue in park of smiling African man in a suit
Albert Luthuli statue in KwaDukuza
Engraved "Tshaka" monument in park
King Shaka memorial stone in KwaDukuza

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.

Climate

Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies the KwaDuzuka climate as humid subtropical (Cfa),[6] with more rain in the summer.

The highest record temperature was 43 °C (109 °F) on February 3, 2008, while the lowest record temperature was 5 °C (41 °F) on June 12, 2013.[7]

Climate data for KwaDukuza
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 40
(104)
43
(109)
41
(106)
38
(100)
39
(102)
37
(99)
35
(95)
39
(102)
43
(109)
41
(106)
41
(106)
41
(106)
43
(109)
Average high °C (°F) 28.4
(83.1)
28.7
(83.7)
28.3
(82.9)
26.5
(79.7)
24.8
(76.6)
23.2
(73.8)
22.8
(73)
23.8
(74.8)
24.6
(76.3)
25.2
(77.4)
26.2
(79.2)
27.8
(82)
25.86
(78.54)
Daily mean °C (°F) 24.2
(75.6)
24.5
(76.1)
23.9
(75)
21.8
(71.2)
19.4
(66.9)
17.3
(63.1)
16.9
(62.4)
18.2
(64.8)
19.6
(67.3)
20.8
(69.4)
21.9
(71.4)
23.5
(74.3)
21
(69.79)
Average low °C (°F) 20.1
(68.2)
20.4
(68.7)
19.5
(67.1)
17.1
(62.8)
14.1
(57.4)
11.5
(52.7)
11.1
(52)
12.6
(54.7)
14.6
(58.3)
16.4
(61.5)
17.7
(63.9)
19.3
(66.7)
16.2
(61.17)
Record low °C (°F) 16
(61)
15
(59)
15
(59)
11
(52)
6
(43)
5
(41)
6
(43)
6
(43)
5
(41)
10
(50)
7
(45)
14
(57)
5
(41)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 118
(4.65)
120
(4.72)
125
(4.92)
72
(2.83)
60
(2.36)
37
(1.46)
33
(1.3)
41
(1.61)
60
(2.36)
92
(3.62)
114
(4.49)
119
(4.69)
991
(39.01)
Source #1: Climate-Data.org (altitude: 60m)[6]
Source #2: Voodoo Skies for record temperatures[7]

Schools

Notable residents

See also

References

  1. "KwaDUKUZA / STANGER – A History". sahistory.org. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Main Place KwaDukuza". Census 2011.
  3. Watson Highway, La Mercy, South Africa (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 2010-12-12.
  4. R 102, Nkwazi, South Africa (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 2010-12-12.
  5. N2, South Africa (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 2010-12-12.
  6. 1 2 "Climate: KwaDukuza - Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table". Climate-Data.org. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
  7. 1 2 "Stanger, South Africa". Voodoo Skies. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
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