White River, Mpumalanga
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White River
Witrivier- Afrikaans | ||
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White River | ||
PO box | 1240 |
White River (
History
Early history
Archaeological evidence from surrounding areas suggests the land that later became White River has been occupied for thousands of years. Remains of settlements from the 6th-century point to
Colonial Era
In 1905, after the
Apartheid Era
Under
Region
White River lies 20 km north of Mbombela, and 46 km south of Hazyview, not far from the border with Kruger National Park. It is 15 km west-north-west of the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport.[11] The town includes a residential, commercial, and industrial areas while agricultural holdings are on the outskirts of the town. The town features a library, municipal buildings, car dealerships, filling stations, lodges and hotels, churches, a mosque, a police station, and retail centers.[11] It is a popular holiday destination for those looking to visit the Crocodile River Valley, Panorama and Lowveld Legogote Tourism Routes and the Kruger National Park.[11] The town itself has a reputation for its arts and crafts. The Casterbridge Lifestyle Centre situated on the outskirts of the city is a popular tourist stop. Once a mango plantation, the centre now has a cinema, a vintage motor museum and restaurants and hosts art exhibitions, plays and concerts.[12]
Government
White River is in the Mbombela A Municipal Zone, falling under Ward 30 and is governed by the Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa's official opposition party.
Agriculture
The White River area is one of the most fertile in the province and farming continues to be a central part of the local economy. After a 26 km canal to channel water from the river was built, new farmers planted fruit trees and established new cultivation methods. Today, agriculture involves largely the production of tropical fruits, macadamia nuts, vegetables, flowers and timber. The farms tend to be relatively small and the agriculture is intensive. Farms are irrigated by nearby dams such as Longmere, Witklip and Klipkoppie.
Education
- Acek Academy
- Flamboyant School
- Hoërskool Rob Ferreira High School
- Laerskool White River Primary School
- Metropolitan College
- Uplands Preparatory and College
- The King’s School
Climate
White River is located in the low altitude subtropical Lowveld climatic zone. Savannah and woodland scattered with granite outcrops form the indigenous habitat. Compared to other parts of South Africa, the climate is mild with good rainfall. Nevertheless, like the rest of South Africa, White River and its surrounding farms are being adversely impacted by climate change. The area is especially prone to frost, veld fires and droughts that pose food production threats and economic risks to farmers.[13]
Climate Data for Mbombela | ||||||||||||
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Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Average high °C (°F) | 27.5 (81.5) | 27.4 (81.3) | 26.5 (79.7) | 25.2 (77.4) | 23.4 (74.1) | 21.7 (71.1) | 21.1 (70.0) | 23.1 (73.6) | 24.7 (76.5) | 26.1 (79.0) | 26.3 (79.3) | 27.0 (80.6) |
Average low °C (°F) | 17.0 (62.6) | 16.9 (62.4) | 15.8 (60.4) | 13.6 (56.5) | 9.6 (49.3) | 7.1 (44.8) | 6.6 (43.9) | 8.6 (47.5) | 11.0 (51.8) | 13.7 (56.7) | 15.2 (59.4) | 16.4 (61.5) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 171 (6.7) | 156 (6.1) | 124 (4.9) | 57 (2.2) | 24 (0.9) | 13 (0.5) | 15 (0.6) | 14 (0.5) | 37 (1.5) | 77 (3.0) | 130 (5.12) | 150 (5.9) |
Housing and Land
In 2003, 6 000 hectares of land on the outskirts of White River and surrounding areas were redistributed to the Matsafeni trust when the state purchased the land from Hall & Sons for R63 million under the South African national land reform program.[15] As of 2016, Mbombela, the municipality that White River falls under, had a housing backlog of 34 000 units, impacting low income families especially hard.[11] The persistence of Apartheid-era spatial planning means that land close to the town is expensive and privately owned. This, combined with the economic opportunities and employment, mainly in White River and Mbombela mean that informal settlements around Rocky Drift (Msholozi and Phumlani) and other nearby areas have been established in recent years.[11]
Districts
- Parkville
- Kingsview
- Colts Hill
- Yaverland
Media
The town's local newspaper, the White River Post was established in 2006 has a distribution of 5000 copies every two weeks.[16] Larger local papers, such as the Lowvelder and Mpumalanga News also cover news in White River.
External links
References
- ^ a b c d e "Main Place White River". Census 2011.
- ^ "Prehistory of the Nelspruit area | South African History Online". www.sahistory.org.za. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- JSTOR 3888664.
- ^ a b Van Wyk Rowe, Christine (2019). "Phase 1 Archeological / Heritage Impact Assessment For The Proposed Establishment of Macadamia Plantations on Portion 1 of the Farm Peebles 31-JU White River, Mpumalanga Province" (PDF). sahra.org.za.
- ^ "The African Rock Art Digital Archive". www.sarada.co.za. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- ^ a b c "South Africa - Surplus People Project Survey 1980-1981". www.datafirst.uct.ac.za. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
- ^ "White River, Mpumalanga". www.artefacts.co.za. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-925022-83-4.
- ^ Delius, Peter (2007). Mpumalanga History and Heritage. Scotsville South Africa: University of KwaZulu-Natal Press. pp. 303–304.
- JSTOR 30113490.
- ^ a b c d e Khanyisa Joint Venture (2016). "White River Precinct Plan" (PDF).
- ^ Casterbridge. "Casterbridge Lifestyle Centre. Shopping, restaurants, hotel, cinema and art in White River". casterbridge.co.za. Archived from the original on 29 April 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
- .
- ^ "Climate: White River – Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table – Climate-Data.org". en.climate-data.org. Archived from the original on 12 May 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
- ^ "Mpumalanga's R63m land deal is questioned". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- ^ "White River Post « Local News Network". Retrieved 18 August 2021.