Weenen

2025-10-27T07:53:34Z

41.56.80.104:

{{Refimprove|date=April 2007}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Weenen
| pushpin_map = South Africa KwaZulu-Natal#South Africa
| coordinates = {{coord|28|51|00|S|30|04|00|E|region:ZA|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = [[South Africa]]
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| subdivision_name1 = [[KwaZulu-Natal]]
| subdivision_type2 = District
| subdivision_name2 = [[uThukela District Municipality|uThukela]]
| subdivision_type3 = Municipality
| subdivision_name3 = [[Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality|Inkosi Langalibalele]]
| subdivision_type4 = Main Place
| established_title = Established
| established_date = 1839<ref name=established>{{cite thesis |last=Robson |first=Linda Gillian |title=The Royal Engineers and settlement planning in the Cape Colony 1806–1872: Approach, methodology and impact |date=2011 |type=PhD thesis |publisher=University of Pretoria |chapter=Annexure A |chapter-url=https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/26503/05back.pdf?sequence=6&isAllowed=y#page=31 |url=https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/26503 |hdl=2263/26503 |pages=xlv–lii}}</ref>
| leader_title = Councillor
| area_footnotes = <ref name="census2011">{{cite web |url=http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/570002 |title = Main Place Weenen |work=Census 2011}} </ref>
| area_total_km2 = 71.98
| population_footnotes = <ref name="census2011" />
| population_total = 3126
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_density_km2 = auto

| demographics_type1 = Racial makeup (2011)
| demographics1_footnotes = <ref name="census2011" />
| demographics1_title1 = [[Bantu peoples of South Africa|Black African]]
| demographics1_info1 = 83.4%
| demographics1_title2 = [[Coloureds|Coloured]]
| demographics1_info2 = 2.8%
| demographics1_title3 = [[Indian South African|Indian]]/[[Asian South African|Asian]]
| demographics1_info3 = 6.4%
| demographics1_title4 = [[White South African|White]]
| demographics1_info4 = 7.0%
| demographics1_title5 = Other
| demographics1_info5 = 0.4%

| demographics_type2 = [[First language]]s (2011)
| demographics2_footnotes = <ref name="census2011" />
| demographics2_title1 = [[Zulu language|Zulu]]
| demographics2_info1 = 80.4%
| demographics2_title2 = [[South African English|English]]
| demographics2_info2 = 11.6%
| demographics2_title3 = [[Afrikaans]]
| demographics2_info3 = 4.2%
| demographics2_title4 = [[Southern Ndebele language|S. Ndebele]]
| demographics2_info4 = 1.3%
| demographics2_title5 = Other
| demographics2_info5 = 2.5%


| timezone1 = [[South African Standard Time|SAST]]
| utc_offset1 = +2
| postal_code_type = [[List of postal codes in South Africa|Postal code]] (street)
| postal_code =
| postal2_code_type = [[Post-office box|PO box]]
| postal2_code = 3325
| area_code_type = [[Telephone numbers in South Africa|Area code]]
| area_code = 036
}}
'''Weenen''' (Dutch for "wept") is the second oldest [[Europe]]an settlement in [[KwaZulu-Natal]], [[South Africa]]. It is situated on the banks of the [[Bushman River]]. The [[farm]]s around the town grow [[vegetables]], [[alfalfa|lucerne]], [[Macrotyloma geocarpum|groundnuts]], and [[citrus fruit]].

==History==
The plots was laid out in 1839 at the site of a [[Weenen massacre|massacre]] by the [[Zulu people|Zulu]]s following [[Voortrekker]] settlements in the area near the royal [[kraal]] of [[Dingane]].<ref name=Pam01/>{{rp|20}} The Voortrekkers had arrived in the area a year earlier and the town's Dutch name (place of weeping) originates from the massacre of 100 men and women, 185 children and 200 Khoikhoi servants.<ref name=Pam01/>{{rp|20}} The settlement was officially surveyed and established in 1841.<ref name=Pam01/>{{rp|20}} The Bushman River was bridged by the Jubliee Bridge in 1898.<ref name=Pam01/>{{rp|21}} In 1910, it became governed by a local board.<ref name=Pam01/>{{rp|21}} A now-closed [[Two foot gauge railways in South Africa#Estcourt – Weenen|narrow gauge railway]] was built in 1907 to connect the town to [[Estcourt]], 47 kilometres to the west until 1983 and provided an outlet for its produce and was thus called the "Cabbage Express'.<ref name=Pam01/>{{rp|22}}
===Weenen Museum===
The museum (also from 1838) houses a collection of [[Voortrekker]] artefacts and was constructed by Voortrekker leader [[Andries Pretorius]] whose waterwheel is one of the exhibits.<ref name="Pam01">{{Cite journal|last=Edwards |first=Cynthia |date=March 1975 |title=Weenen "pantry of Natal" |url=http://archive.org/details/sim_south-african-panorama_1975-03_20_3 |journal=Panorama |volume=20 |issue=3 |via=Information Service of South Africa }}</ref>{{rp|22}} It has previously done service as a magistrate's office, post office and a prison.<ref name=Pam01/>{{rp|22}}

==Parks and greenspaces==
===Weenen Game Reserve===
{{Main article|Weenen Game Reserve}}
The 6,500 ha game reserve is administered by [[Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife|KZN Wildlife]] and covers an area of typical inland KwaZulu-Natal acacia grassland with occasional thickets. The reserve offers extensive game viewing facilities, guided walks, environmental education, and three picnic sites. More than 230 species of birds have been recorded (there are two hides overlooking a dam) and the park is a good example of the successful rehabilitation of severely degraded habitat. Mammals in the reserve include [[rhinoceros]], [[giraffe]], [[hyaena]], [[jackal]], [[Cape bushbuck|bushbuck]], [[reedbuck]], [[steenbok]] and [[porcupine]]. The game reserve has a small two-bedroom cottage with BBQ facilities and its own trail and waterhole. There are 12 caravan and camping sites and a picnic site. A guided walk of 8 km can be taken, and three self-guided trails which pass dams.
==Sports==
===White water rafting===
The major summer activity is white-water rafting, and the most exciting time to do this is between November and May. The 30 km stretch of river known as the canyon provides some of the most thrilling white water in the country. The South African leg of the Camel White-Water Challenge took place at Zingela in Weenen.

==See also==
*[[Weenen massacre]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Uthukela District Municipality}}

[[Category:Populated places in the Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1839]]
[[Category:1839 establishments in Africa]]

Vero - Wikipedia - User contributions [en]

Weenen