Mtubatuba

Mtubatuba
Mtubatuba Mtubatuba Mtubatuba  Mtubatuba shown within KwaZulu-Natal
Coordinates: 28°25′S 32°11′E / 28.417°S 32.183°ECoordinates: 28°25′S 32°11′E / 28.417°S 32.183°E
Country	South Africa
Province	KwaZulu-Natal
District	uMkhanyakude
Municipality	Mtubatuba
Established	1903
Area[1]
• Total	76.22 km^2 (29.43 sq mi)
Population (2011)[1]
• Total	27,237
• Density	360/km^2 (930/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[1]
• Black African	94.5%
• Coloured	1.2%
• Indian/Asian	1.0%
• White	3.3%
• Other	0.1%
First languages (2011)[1]
• Zulu	88.0%
• English	6.1%
• Afrikaans	1.7%
• S. Ndebele	1.5%
• Other	2.6%
Postal code (street)	3935
PO box	3935
Area code	035

Mtubatuba is a town north of Richards Bay close to the entrance of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park (previously Greater St Lucia Wetland Park) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Town some 55 km south-south-west of Hluhluwe and 28 km west of St Lucia. Administered by a health committee since 1950. The name, formerly spelt Matubatuba, is Zulu for ‘creator of opportunities’, referring to a chief of the Mkwananzi tribe who died here in 1954.^[2]

The town's early years were hampered by flooding. An additional setback occurred during World War I: a ship carrying essential parts of what was to be the town's first sugar mill was torpedoed. The mill was eventually constructed in 1916 at nearby Riverview. Its township is KwaMsane.

References

1. "Main Place Mtubatuba". Census 2011.
2. "Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Public Domain)". Human Science Research Council. p. 322.