Eshowe
Eshowe | ||
|---|---|---|
PO box 3815 | ||
| Area code | 035 | |
Eshowe is the oldest town of European settlement in Zululand,[citation needed] historically also known as Eziqwaqweni, Ekowe or kwaMondi. Eshowe's name is said to be inspired by the sound of wind blowing through the more than 4 km2 of the indigenous Dlinza Forest, the most important and striking feature of the town. Although the name is most likely to be derived from the Zulu word for the Xysmalobium shrubs, showe or shongwe.
Today Eshowe is a market town, with a 100 km radius
History
In 1860 Cetshwayo, then only a Zulu prince, built a kraal here and named the place Eziqwaqweni (the abode of robbers). A mission station was established at Eshowe in 1861 once permission had been obtained from the Zulu King Cetshwayo by Norwegian missionary, the Reverend Ommund Oftebro. Later the station was called the KwaMondi Mission Station (place of Mondi) after the Zulu name which was given to Oftebro.
Siege of Eshowe
During the
After the British left, Eshowe was burned down by the Zulus.
Capital of Zululand
After the war Eshowe was established as the capital of Zululand and the home of the British resident in Zululand, Melmoth Osborne. The nearby town of Melmoth is named after him.
In 1887 Eshowe became the capital of Zululand and was officially declared a township in 1891.
In 1947 the British Royal Family (
Eshowe served as the seat of the first Black Diocesan Bishops in
Nearby nature conservation areas
- iSimangaliso Wetland Park
- Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve
- Itala Game Reserve
- Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area
Notable people
- Malusi Gigaba - politician, former national minister
- Dawn Thandeka King - actress
- Culoe De Song - music producer, DJ, recording artist
- Linda Sibiya (Mr. Magic) - former radio DJ, motivational speaker, TV personality, businessman
- Phindile Gwala - actress
References
- hdl:2263/26503.
- ^ a b c d "Main Place Eshowe". Census 2011.
- ^ The Siege of Fort KwaMondi, Battlefields Route
External links
Municipalities and communities of King Cetshwayo District Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal | ||
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District seat: Richards Bay | ||
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