Ermelo, Mpumalanga
| Ermelo | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Ermelo Ermelo shown within South Africa
| |
| Coordinates: 26°32′S 29°59′E / 26.533°S 29.983°ECoordinates: 26°32′S 29°59′E / 26.533°S 29.983°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Mpumalanga |
| District | Gert Sibande |
| Municipality | Msukaligwa |
| Established | 1880[1] |
| Area[2] | |
| • Total | 47.46 km2 (18.32 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[2] | |
| • Total | 83,865 |
| • Density | 1,800/km2 (4,600/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011)[2] | |
| • Black African | 82.6% |
| • Coloured | 0.7% |
| • Indian/Asian | 1.8% |
| • White | 14.5% |
| • Other | 0.4% |
| First languages (2011)[2] | |
| • Zulu | 70.8% |
| • Afrikaans | 14.3% |
| • English | 4.8% |
| • Swazi | 4.1% |
| • Other | 6.0% |
| Postal code (street) | 2351 |
| PO box | 2350 |
| Area code | 017 |
Ermelo is the educational, industrial and commercial centre of the 7,750 km² Gert Sibande District Municipality in Mpumalanga province, Republic of South Africa. Mixed farming (maize, cattle, potatoes, beans, wool, pigs, sunflower seeds, lucerne and sorghum) and anthracite, coal and torbanite mining take place here. Ermelo is the crossroads of three national highways, N2, N11 and the N17, only Pretoria and Johannesburg are crossed by more.
History
Some of the earliest inhabitants of the area were the mysterious Leghoya people. Not much is known about them, but ruins of their settlements dating back to c.1400 can found in the area. Modern Ermelo was founded by Dutch Reformed Church Reverend Frans Lion Cachet (1835–1899). Cachet was an outspoken preacher, who had a strong interest in evangelism to Jews, his own family having had a Jewish heritage.[3] Cachet had met and been influenced by Hermanus Willem Witteveen from Ermelo in the Netherlands as a young man, and named the settlement in honour of Witteveen.
A congregation was started at Ermelo by Cachet in 1870, and was recognised by the 5th annual general meeting of the church in April 1872.[4][5]
The town was reduced to a single standing home by the British during the Second Boer War.
Notable people from Ermelo
- Nkosinathi Nhleko, soccer player
- Bashini Mahlangu, soccer player
- Lucky Dube, musician
- Jennifer Ferguson, musician
- Dan Nkosi, musician
- William Papas, journalist
- Mduduzi Manana, parliamentarian
- Tshepo Ngwane, actor
- Sibongile Manana, parliamentarian
- Siphamandla Nkambule, musician
- Eksteen Jacobsz, musician
- Larry Robertson, founder of Capital college and Promat College
- Johann Slee, award winning architect and painter
- Henno Mentz, rugby player
- MJ Mentz, rugby player (brother of Henno)
- Michiel Daniel Overbeek, astronomer
- Happy-cow Nkomo,soccer player
- Jerry "Chippa" Jumbe, soccer player
- Lizelle Lee, Protea Women's Cricket Team
References
- ↑ "Chronological order of town establishment in South Africa based on Floyd (1960:20-26)". pp. xlv–lii.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Main Place Ermelo". Census 2011.
- ↑ SA Association of Municipal Employees (1995). Dictionary of South African Biography Vol 1. Gaffney Group. p. 116.
- ↑ Human Sciences Research Countil (1976). Official South African municipal yearbook. Tafelberg. p. 143. ISBN 0-624-00856-8.
- ↑ ZA Places - Ermelo: The Early Years. http://www.za-places.co.za/mpumalanga/ermelo_the_early_years.html. Accessed 20-Aug-2011
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
.svg.png)