Tongaat
| Tongaat | |
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Aerial view of Tongaat | |
  Tongaat  Tongaat  Tongaat
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Location within Durban  Tongaat | |
| Coordinates: 29°34′00″S 31°07′00″E / 29.56667°S 31.11667°ECoordinates: 29°34′00″S 31°07′00″E / 29.56667°S 31.11667°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | KwaZulu-Natal |
| Municipality | eThekwini |
| Established | 1945 |
| Area[1] | |
| • Total | 11.72 km2 (4.53 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
| • Total | 42,554 |
| • Density | 3,600/km2 (9,400/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011)[1] | |
| • Black African | 41.1% |
| • Coloured | 1.2% |
| • Indian/Asian | 56.7% |
| • White | 0.4% |
| • Other | 0.5% |
| First languages (2011)[1] | |
| • English | 59.3% |
| • Zulu | 32.3% |
| • Xhosa | 3.6% |
| • S. Ndebele | 1.0% |
| • Other | 3.8% |
| Postal code (street) | 4399 |
| PO box | 4400 |
| Area code | 032 |
Tongaat is a sugarcane growing township in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, that is situated on the banks of the Tongati River about 37 km north of Durban and 28 km south of Stanger. It now forms part of eThekwini, the Greater Durban metropolitan area. Its population is predominantly people of Indian descent. Aesthetically English colonial but distinctly cosmopolitan in flavour, Tongaat, part of the Sugar Coast, now supports one of the largest sugar-producing districts in the world.
History
Tongaat was established in 1945 and its name was corrupted from the river's name, Tongati, the Zulu word for the Strychnos mackenii trees that flourish on its banks.
Commerce
The town is the centre for the Tongaat Hulett Sugar and the Moreland Molasses Companies. Maidstone Sugar Mill, one of the country's first mills, completed in 1850. Some original sugar-crushing methods are still employed.
Places of worship
Mosques
- Railway street mosque. 16 Railway St, Tongaat, KWAZULU NATAL, South Africa
- Ghandi's hill mosque.... Gopalall Hurbans Road, Gandhis Hill, Tongaat 4399
Churches
- Tongaat hosts the Tongaat branch of the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa, founded by Rev John G. Lake in 1908.
- The Tongaat South Methodist Church was opened on 26 September 1979.
- The Anglican church of All Saints can be found in the historic Tongaat Sugar Company village of Maidstone.
Temples
- The Jugannath Puri Temple which is a heritage landmark and National Monument and tourist attraction. It was built in 1901 by the late Pandit Shrikishan Maharaj. There is said to be only one other of its kind in India.
- Sri Siva Soobramaniar Temple, which hosts what is arguably South Africa's largest Kavadi Festival, involving some of the oldest religious rituals in recorded history. also the Habibia Soofie Musjid which is 101 years old...
- The Vishwaroop Temple and Dharmashala was formally established in 1903.The temple hall is named after Mr Gopal Krishna Gokhale who visited Tongaat and the Temple during his visit to South Africa on advise from Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
- The Brake Village Temple located in central Tongaat hosts the biggest Kavady festival on the continent during autumn.
- Tongaat South Vishnu Temple, 9 Marigold Pl, Chelmsford Heights in Tongaat,
- SHREE VEERABOGA EMPERUMAL TEMPLE - 483 Gopalall Hurbans Road, Gandhis Hill, Tongaat 4399
- Sandfields Siva Subramaniar Temple.
Activities
Crocodile Creek, a crocodile farm where feedings can be viewed. Ndolondolo reptile park. Where you can view many different types of reptilian.
Scenic drives. Many drives in the area are picturesque including the road from Verulam, the parks and gardens of Amanzimyama on the approach into Tongaat. Westbrooke beach about 10 mins from tongaat. For shopping purposes, visit Ballito, almost like a smaller version of umhlanga. Just 7 minutes to ballito. - Ballito is Lined with many shopping centres and beautiful beaches. An atrraction for many tourists. Tongaat is 15 minutes away from Umhlanga. Tongaat is very close to the airport. Roughly 5–7 minutes from Tongaat..
Accommodation - Rain farm lodge. Picturesque. And with different game/wildlife on the property.... And Many other hotels and guests houses in ballito or umhlanga
Notable people
The award winning scientist Quarraisha Abdool Karim was born here inn 1960.[2] There is a statue of Dr. Ansuyah Ratipul Singh near the town hall in Tongaat.[3]
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Main Place Tongaat". Census 2011.
- ↑ Gerald M. Oppenheimer; Ronald Bayer (4 June 2007). Shattered Dreams: An Oral History of the South African AIDS Epidemic. Oxford University Press, USA. pp. 247–. ISBN 978-0-19-530730-6.
- ↑ "Ansuyah Ratipul Singh" South African History Online" (2011).
Communities of eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal | |||||||||||||||
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Seat: Durban | |||||||||||||||
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| Suburbs of Durban |
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