Pongola, KwaZulu-Natal

Province

Pongola (also uPhongolo, from isiZulu Phongolo for trough ') is a city in the South African province of KwaZulu -Natal. It is located about ten kilometers south of the border to Swaziland in the north of Zululand District Municipality. The place is the economic center of the municipality uPhongolo and seat of their administration. 2011 Pongolo had 2,034 inhabitants.

Geography

Pongola is located on the river of the same, like the city is also called uPhongolo. The name refers to its trough-like shores. The city is situated at a height of 240 meters above sea level.

History

Until 1994 Pongola belonged to the province of Transvaal, which extended into a long, narrow strip south of Swaziland.

Economy

The economy of Pongola and the surrounding areas very heavily based on agriculture. The town itself is surrounded by about 50 km ² sugar cane and citrus plantations. In the 1930s, larger irrigation systems were created. In addition to the plantation economy, the commercial harvesting of wild ungulates plays an important economic role in the region.