Glencoe, KwaZulu-Natal

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Glencoe
Glencoe
 Glencoe shown within South Africa
Coordinates: 28°11′00″S 30°09′00″E / 28.18333°S 30.15000°E / -28.18333; 30.15000Coordinates: 28°11′00″S 30°09′00″E / 28.18333°S 30.15000°E / -28.18333; 30.15000
Country South Africa
Province KwaZulu-Natal
District Umzinyathi
Municipality Endumeni
Area[1]
  Total 26.58 km2 (10.26 sq mi)
Population (2011)[1]
  Total 17,548
  Density 660/km2 (1,700/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[1]
  Black African 83.0%
  Coloured 1.0%
  Indian/Asian 6.9%
  White 8.9%
  Other 0.2%
First languages (2011)[1]
  Zulu 76.6%
  English 11.9%
  Afrikaans 8.5%
  Other 3.0%
Postal code (street) 2930
PO box 2930
Area code 034

Glencoe is situated in the Umzinyathi District District of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

The main economic activity in the area is coal mining while sheep and cattle ranching are also practiced.

History

With coal discovered at Dundee not even 8 km away an efficient way was needed to transport the coal to the factories other than ox wagons. The railway from Durban to Johannesburg reached this point on 4 September 1889. A new village sprung up where a branch line was built from the Durban-Johannesburg line to the eastern Transvaal in 1903. The village was renamed Glencoe, after a mountain valley in Lochaber, Scotland, when it became a town in 1934.

Trivia

  • General French was periodically stationed here during the Second Boer War.
  • Boer President Paul Kruger twice stayed overnight during the Siege of Ladysmith, South Africa.
  • The house of Carl Landman - second in command at the Battle of Blood River can - be found on a farm close to Glencoe.
  • Fort Mistake, a fort designed as a communications link between Ladysmith and Newcastle in 1881 and playing a key role in the Anglo-Boer War is found nearby.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Main Place Glencoe". Census 2011. 


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