Umzimkhulu

Umzimkhulu is a town in Harry Gwala District Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.

Umzimkhulu
Umzimkhulu Show map of KwaZulu-Natal Umzimkhulu Show map of South Africa
Coordinates: 30.263°S 29.940°E / -30.263; 29.940
Country	South Africa
Province	KwaZulu-Natal
District	Harry Gwala
Municipality	Umzimkhulu
• Councillor	(ANC)
Area [1]
• Total	4.55 km2 (1.76 sq mi)
Population  (2011)[1]
• Total	8,399
• Density	1,850/km2 (4,780/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011) [1]
• Black African	95.1%
• Coloured	3.5%
• Indian/Asian	0.5%
• Other	0.9%
First languages (2011) [1]
• Zulu	47.2%
• Xhosa	41.5%
• English	5.5%
• Afrikaans	1.3%
• Other	4.5%
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)	3297
PO box	3297
Area code	039

The town lies 243 km north-east of Mthatha, 18 km south-west of Ixopo, and 108 km south south-west of Pietermaritzburg, the provincial capital. It developed from a trading-post and was laid out in 1884. Takes its name from the Mzimkulu River on which it is situated; Zulu and Xhosa for 'big place', 'large home' of the waters.^[2]

Until 1 March 2006, the town was part of an exclave of the Eastern Cape, before being transferred to KwaZulu-Natal as part of the Twelfth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa.

During the KwaZulu-Natal riots of July, 2021, more than 50 people died in a furniture store in the town that was set alight while looters were robbing it.^[3]

Law and Government

Umzimkhulu is situated within the Umzimkhulu Local Municipality, forming part of the Harry Gwala District Municipality and functions as the municipal seat for the Umzimkhulu Local Municipality which governs Umzimkhulu, Rietvlei and its surroundings.

Transport

Umzimkhulu lies on the R56 which connects the town with eXobho and Pietermaritzburg to the north-east and with Kokstad to the south-west.