Piet Retief, Mpumalanga




Place in Mpumalanga, South Africa


































































































Piet Retief

Typical colonial building in central Piet Retief
Typical colonial building in central Piet Retief




Piet Retief is located in Mpumalanga

Piet Retief

Piet Retief




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Piet Retief is located in South Africa

Piet Retief

Piet Retief




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Coordinates: 27°0′S 30°48′E / 27.000°S 30.800°E / -27.000; 30.800Coordinates: 27°0′S 30°48′E / 27.000°S 30.800°E / -27.000; 30.800
Country South Africa
Province Mpumalanga
District Gert Sibande
Municipality Mkhondo
Established 1882
Area
[1]

 • Total 66.00 km2 (25.48 sq mi)
Elevation

1,251 m (4,104 ft)
Population
(2011)[1]

 • Total 57,428
 • Density 870/km2 (2,300/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
[1]

 • Black African
88.2%
 • Coloured
1.3%
 • Indian/Asian
2.1%
 • White
8.0%
 • Other 0.4%

First languages (2011)
[1]

 • Zulu
82.8%
 • Afrikaans
7.8%
 • English
5.0%
 • Other 4.4%
Time zone
UTC+2 (SAST)

Postal code (street)
2380
PO box
2380
Area code 017

Piet Retief is a town situated in a timber-growing region in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. It is the seat of the Mkhondo Local Municipality. It is located not far from the Eswatini border.




Contents






  • 1 History


  • 2 Climate and economy


  • 3 Name change


  • 4 People


  • 5 References


  • 6 External links





History


The town was founded by the Voortrekkers in 1883 and named it after the Voortrekker leader, Piet Retief, who was killed by the Zulus under their King Dingane's orders, after a negotiation for land failed.


In 1886, the inhabitants of the town declared the Klein Vrystaat (Little Free State), which contained a population of only 72. This republic existed until 1891, when it was incorporated into the South African Republic.


The town became a municipality in 1932. Its main tourist attraction is the Dutch Reformed Church that was designed by the architect Gerard Moerdijk and built in 1921.



Climate and economy


The area has an annual rainfall of 1000 mm. Its main economic activities are timber, paper and wattle bark production as well as mica, kaolin and iron mining.



Name change


On 2 February 2010, South African Arts and Culture minister Lulu Xingwana approved a state decision for Piet Retief to be renamed to eMkhondo.[2] Like many other post-apartheid name changes in South Africa, the incident remains controversial. Most residents are uncertain what the new name means, and have argued that "Piet Retief" did not evoke widespread public offence, as did Verwoerdburg. Prominent Afrikaner groups, including the Freedom Front Plus, have promised to contest the change.



People




  • Jack Diamond, architect, born in Piet Retief


  • Sandra Laing, woman who was born to white parents but reclassified as coloured during the apartheid era in South Africa, born in Piet Retief


  • Jabulani Mbatha, lifetime Chief, died in Mkhondo in 1945


  • Ntokozo "K.O" Mdluli, musician (rapper), Teargas member


  • Pretty Yende, opera soprano



References





  1. ^ abcd "Main Place Piet Retief". Census 2011..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}


  2. ^ http://www.mg.co.za/article/2010-02-02-xingwana-approves-28-geographical-name-changes




External links






  • Town's website







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