Laing's Nek
| Laing's Nek | |
|---|---|
KwaZulu Natal, South Africa | |
| Range | Drakensberg |
Laing's Nek, or Lang's Nek is a
Majuba Hill east to the Buffalo River. Before the opening of the railway in 1891, the road over the nek was the main artery of communication between Durban and Pretoria
. The railway crosses the pass via a 2,213 ft (675 m) tunnel.
History
There are two possible explanations for its name. It could be named after Henry Laing, owner of a farm at its foot, or after William Timothy Lang, who bought a farm in 1874 at its base.[1]
When the Boers rose in revolt in December 1880, they occupied Laing's Nek to oppose the entry of British reinforcements into the Transvaal. On 28 January 1881, a small British force endeavoured to drive the Boers from the pass but was forced to retire after the Battle of Laing's Nek.
References
- ISBN 9781868425501.
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Laing's Nek". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 84.
