Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal

Newcastle Capital of Northern KwaZulu-Natal
From the top: Downtown Newcastle City Skyline from Fort Amiel Museum, Sculpture by Mohau Modisakeng at Entrance 03 of the Newcastle Mall, Newcastle City Hall, Newcastle from Hilldrop and Arcelor Mittal Newcastle Works
Newcastle Show map of KwaZulu-Natal Newcastle Show map of South Africa Newcastle Show map of Africa  Newcastle shown within KwaZulu-Natal
Coordinates: 27°44′47″S 29°55′58″E / 27.74639°S 29.93278°E / -27.74639; 29.93278Coordinates: 27°44′47″S 29°55′58″E / 27.74639°S 29.93278°E / -27.74639; 29.93278
Country	South Africa
Province	KwaZulu-Natal
District	Amajuba
Municipality	Newcastle
Established	1864[1]
Government
• Mayor	Makhosini Nkosi (African National Congress[2])
Area[3]
• Total	75.79 km2 (29.26 sq mi)
Elevation	1,194 m (3,917 ft)
Population (2011)[3]
• Total	56,144
• Density	740/km2 (1,900/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[3]
• Black African	51.9%
• Coloured	3.8%
• Indian/Asian	19.8%
• White	23.6%
• Other	0.9%
First languages (2011)[3]
• Zulu	37.4%
• English	35.4%
• Afrikaans	20.7%
• Sotho	1.0%
• Other	5.5%
Postal code (street)	2940
PO box	2940
Area code	034
Website	www.newcastle.gov.za

Newcastle is the third-largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, with a population of 363,236 citizens as of the 2011 census. 56,144 of these citizens reside in Newcastle West, whilst the balance of the population reside in the main townships of Madadeni and Osizweni, which form Newcastle East.

Set at the picturesque foothills of the northern KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg Mountains, Newcastle is located in the north west corner of the province along the Ncandu River and is one of the country's main industrial centers.

Newcastle's municipal area is 188 square kilometres (73 square miles), consists of 31 wards and a population growth rate of 0.87%, ranking Newcastle as South Africa's tenth-largest city.

The N11 and R34 are the principal roads linking the city to the rest of South Africa.

Newcastle is the seat of the local municipality as well as being the seat to the Amajuba District Municipality.

History

Name controversy

Newcastle has a long illustrious history having changed names on numerous occasions during the country's historic rule. It was initially named Post Halt Number 2 on military maps during the 1840s, as postal coaches stopped here to obtain fresh horses on the journey between Durban (then Port Natal in Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek)^[4] and Johannesburg. It was later known as the Waterfall River Township because of the Ncandu River. Newcastle received her name after the British Colonial Secretary, the fifth Duke of Newcastle, a British aristocrat, and not the city in England as some believe. During the Anglo-Boer War, Newcastle was invaded by Boer forces on 14 October 1899, and the entire district was incorporated into the Transvaal Republic. Newcastle's name lasted for a period of seven months when it was renamed to Viljoensdorp after the commander of the Johannesburg Commando, General Ben Viljoen. However, after relief of Ladysmith under the command of General Redver Buller, the British forces reclaimed the name back to Newcastle.

Establishment

Newcastle (then Post Halt Number 2) was strategically placed in 1854 by the Surveyor General of the Natal Colony, Dr PC Sutherland on the banks of the flooded Ncandu River. In 1864, Newcastle was founded on the site, becoming the fourth settlement to be established in Natal after Durban, Weenen and Pietermaritzburg.

War and British rule

In 1876, Fort Amiel was constructed to ward off the Zulus during the war. In 1873 Newcastle became a separate electoral division.^[5] To commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond (60th) Jubilee the construction of a sandstone town hall started in 1897, and was completed two years later. The town was used as a depot by the British during both the First and Second Boer War. Newcastle functioned as a major transport junction and popular stopover for wagons and post chaises during the late 19th century.

British preparation work for the Pretoria Convention of 1881 was done at Newcastle.^[6]

The Industrial Era

In 1890, the first train arrived in Newcastle, and the town was declared a borough in 1891. The discovery of coal brought a new era of prosperity and several ambitious building projects were planned. In 1920, the Union Steel Corporation built the provinces first steel plant, which later became the ISCOR South Works and subsequently decommissioned the plant after the ISCOR North Works was built, now Arcelor Mittal Newcastle Works today.

Newcastle today

Today, Newcastle is the main commercial and industrial center in northern KwaZulu-Natal, and is the provinces third largest city. Continuous development has seen this city being a leader in its class and the municipality is striving to make the city sustainable by 2030. The city is the gateway to the Zulu Kingdom from the Free State and Mpumalanga.

Newcastle is a far cry from its humble beginnings, from postal community, to a warring town, to a thriving city and one of South Africa's main urban and industrial centers.

Geography and climate

Located at approximately 1,194 metres (3,917 feet) above sea level, Newcastle is found in the North West corner of the province of KwaZulu-Natal at the foothills of the northern Drakensberg mountains. The city has a temperate climate and is classified under the country's 'Cold Interior'. Temperatures in Newcastle often drop below freezing during the winter months, with snowfall often experienced at least twice a decade. Newcastle's summer temperatures have in the recent past exceeded 40 degrees Celsius, due to the 2015 El Niño weather phenomenon, with the region experiencing drought conditions after 28 years.

Climate data for Newcastle
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	38 (100)	36 (97)	37 (99)	32 (90)	30 (86)	27 (81)	25 (77)	28 (82)	39 (102)	40 (104)	43 (109)	38 (100)	43 (109)
Average high °C (°F)	28 (82)	28 (82)	27 (81)	25 (77)	23 (73)	20 (68)	20 (68)	23 (73)	26 (79)	27 (81)	28 (82)	29 (84)	25 (77)
Average low °C (°F)	15 (59)	15 (59)	16 (61)	9 (48)	4 (39)	2 (36)	2 (36)	5 (41)	8 (46)	12 (54)	13 (55)	14 (57)	10 (50)
Record low °C (°F)	9 (48)	10 (50)	5 (41)	2 (36)	−1 (30)	−6 (21)	−5 (23)	−3 (27)	−1 (30)	3 (37)	5 (41)	6 (43)	−6 (21)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	137 (5.39)	111 (4.37)	83 (3.27)	41 (1.61)	13 (0.51)	10 (0.39)	10 (0.39)	24 (0.94)	38 (1.5)	91 (3.58)	105 (4.13)	121 (4.76)	784 (30.87)
Average precipitation days	19	12	10	6	2	2	5	10	6	9	16	18	115
Source: South African Weather Service[7]

Demographics

Newcastle is ethnically diverse, with a cultural richness of mixed beliefs and traditions. Zulus form the largest single ethnic group. Due to its past, Newcastle has a large number of people of British descent, Afrikaners and Indians, with several places of worship and spiritual organizations around the city's suburbs.

The city has since the mid 1980s seen an influx of Chinese nationals. While making up a small percentage of Newcastle's population, they have contributed extensively to the economy. With approximately 200 Chinese-owned businesses, they have left their mark on Newcastle making it a leader in the textile and plastic manufacturing industry. The abolishing of Apartheid has seen the establishment of the Buddhist Light Association's Mediation Center and Chinese School on Victoria Road.

Indian nationals, Pakistan nationals as well as African foreign nationals have since 1995 flocked to the city in search of a better life, now calling Newcastle their home.

Flourishing as one for the benefit of the city, none of the diverse groups have lost their sense of culture. Festivities such as Eid, Diwali, and Christmas to name but a few, speak to how Newcastillians have learned to grow together and respect one another's beliefs.

Economy

From the 1880s, Newcastle experienced constant economic growth. Today, Newcastle has the largest concentration of commerce & industry in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

This city serves the surrounding towns of Utrecht, Vryheid, Dannhauser, Glencoe and Dundee, maize, livestock and dairy farmers and country at large with an extensive amount of resources, products and goods some of which are also for export.

Industry

The city has 4 industrial areas, namely Riverside Industrial, Airport Industrial, Madadeni Industrial Estate & Arcelor Mittal Newcastle Works.

The Newcastle economy is strong, being dominated by heavy industry, clothing & textile, services and engineering industry. There is also considerable coal mining in the area.

Although the Arcelor Mittal steelworks, the Natal Portland Cement (NPC) slagment cement plant, the LANXESS Chrome Chemical Plant and the Karbochem synthetic rubber plant (which covers 500,000 square metres (5,381,955 square feet) of manufacturing space) dominate the Newcastle industrial portfolio, there is a wide range of manufacturing undertakings sharing in the success of the region. Heavy Engineering Works such as DCD Venco and Boschpick Engineering supply ancillary services to these large concerns and undertake work throughout the region and country as a whole. Newcastle has welcomed many Chinese and Taiwanese into the region with the addition of over a hundred textile factories located in Riverside Industrial and Madadeni Industrial Estate.

In 2011 Independent Power South Africa (IPSA) converted the old Ngagane Power Station into the Newcastle Cogeneration Plant, an 18 MW gas fired powerstation that provides a dedicated power supply to the Karbochem Plant.

An indication of the industrial future of Newcastle is reflected in the chrome chemical plant, which was completed in Newcastle during 2002. This joint venture project between Karbochem and German speciality chemical manufacturing giant LANXESS has made Newcastle the largest producer of chrome chemicals in Africa. The company announced an investment of €40 million in 2012 towards the construction of an innovative CO2 plant (Cansolv chemical process) at its site.

Arcelor Mittal Newcastle produces over 1.5 million tons of long steel products annually, and as part of its commitment to Newcastle undertook a major reline on the N5 Blast Furnace in 2015 to the tune of R1.8 billion.

In mid 2014, a portion of Airport Industrial was renamed to Newcastle Chemical Park, this being the home of African Amines (Pty) Ltd, Karbochem (Pty) Ltd, KC Energy (Pty) Ltd, LANXESS (CISA) (Pty) Ltd, Newcastle Co-generation (IPSA) and South African Calcium Carbide (Pty) Ltd.

Other large operations include firms such as Formosa Plastics and Nova Clothing both of who manufacture goods for the country's leading retailers, a diamond cutting works, various engineering concerns, building industry related services such a brick manufacturing, roofing systems and steel reinforcement.

Entertainment

The Blackrock Casino & Hotel provides much entertainment to Newcastle and surrounding areas, hosting a variety of shows & concerts on a regular basis.

The Victorian Mall, home to Victorian Theatres is popular amongst the city's moviegoers, screening both Hollywood & Bollywood movies.

Retail

Newcastle has a very strong local trade, which is boosted from the surrounding towns of Utrecht, Vryheid, Dannhauser, Glencoe, Dundee and Ladysmith.

Despite the development of decentralized shopping malls and centers around Newcastle, it's CBD still continues to trade strongly. The city has various major shopping facilities spread throughout, the most notable being the award winning Newcastle Mall adjacent to the Blackrock Casino, Amajuba Mall, Victorian Mall, Village Walk and Theku Plaza.

Buildings and roads

Current development in Newcastle include the new multi-storey Civic Center; the multi-storey Newcastle Justice Complex; the newly completed expansion of the Victorian Mall; the Meadowlands Estate in Madadeni; the Vulintaba Country Estate in the Drakensberg outside Newcastle, more development at the corner of Allen Street and Memel Roads - Newcastle Corner, and on Newcastle's mixed-use precinct - the Equarand.

Constant roadworks are undertaken to ensure free traffic flow around the city. Recently the D96 was rebuilt, the Allen Street Bridge and widening of Allen Street along Trim Park was completed, Link Road extension Phase 1 completed, and Albert Wessels Drive extension Phase 1 completed. Phase 2 of the latter are currently in planning stages.

Proposed future projects include the Newcastle Technology Hub, the Amajuba Hydroponic Technopark next to the airport, the Heartlands Dry Port next to the train station, expansion of the Newcastle Airport, and the re-alignment of the N11 bypass south of Newcastle by SANRAL.

Tallest structures

Industrial

• Arcelor Mittal

Arcelor Mittal has a number of tall structures exceeding 50 metres (160 feet) in height. The most notable on Newcastle's skyline are: The 2 Stacks are 140 metres (460 feet) tall. The N5 Blast Furnace is 110 metres (360 feet) tall. The Coke Ovens are 70 metres (230 feet) tall.

• Newcastle Co-generation Plant

The 2 stacks are 120 metres (390 feet) tall. The 4 cooling towers are 94 metres (308 feet) tall.

• Natal Portland Cement

The lift structure for the main 4 silos is 78 metres (256 feet) tall.

• Newcastle Chemical Park

This facility has several tall industrial structures and stacks above 50 metres (160 feet) in height.

Telecommunications

The Signal Hill Tower is 72 metres (236 feet) tall.

Buildings

• Arcelor Mittal Head Office Building: 10 storeys - Structural Height is 50 metres (160 feet) & Top of Antennae is 70 metres (230 feet).
• DBM Building: 9 storeys - Structural Height is 44 metres (144 feet) & Top of Antenna is 54 metres (177 feet).
• Newcastle Civic Center: 9 storeys - Structural Height is 40 metres (130 feet).

Tourism

As Newcastle is on the alternate route to travellers from Gauteng to Durban, attempts have been made to capture some of the potential tourist spend by enticing travelers to visit the scenic and historic Battlefields Route where war once raged Battlefields Route Website. Apart from a few hotels, there are many Guest Houses and Bed & Breakfast providing luxurious accommodation. Historic Places of Interest in Newcastle on this route include:

• Newcastle City Hall
• The Carnegie Art Gallery
• Haggards Hilldrop House
• The Armoury
• Newcastle Cemetery
• Hindu Shiva Temple
• Chief Albert Luthuli and the Blaauwbosch Methodist School and Church
• King Dinuzulu & the Old Prison
• Maharaj House
• Fort Amiel Museum
• O'Neills Cottage
• Majuba Mountain

Visitor attractions

Blackrock Casino & Hotel

Blackrock is the only Casino in the region, and is the place to be. The Casino, owned by Tsogo Sun hosts a variety of shows and concerts on a monthly basis and is flocked by gamblers from the city and region at large Blackrock Casino Website.

Oval Track

If you feeling adventurous, head out to the Oval Track for a day of family fun. Relaxing with a picnic basket or braai, you will enjoy the thrilling atmosphere of motoring enthusiasts racing around the track Facebook Page

Signal Hill

If you looking to escape the hustle and bustle, heading up to Signal Hill to see the 'city lights' is ideal. A great way to explore the vastness of Newcastle.

Newcastle Air Show

Hosted annually, the Newcastle Air Show draws aviation enthusiasts from all over South Africa Official Website.

Hot Air Balloon Championships

Annually, watch beautiful balloons take to Newcastle's skies. Apart from competitors vying for the grand prize, spectators and visitors alike can enjoy rides over the city and northern Drakensberg mountain range. The event is covered by national media Official website/

Newcastle Paintball Gods

Friends and family can enjoy an action packed day out at Newcastle Paintball Gods. The reshaped paintball field promises to be fun for everyone Facebook Page.

Vodacom Newcastle Winter Festival

Previously known as the Newcastle Show, the Vodacom Newcastle Winter Festival is a must for Newcastillians annually. Hosted at the Newcastle Showgrounds by Vodacom, citizens can look forward to rides, food, displays, competitions and live performances by national and inter-national artists Official Website.

Cinemas

Being the only cinema complex within a 250 km (155 mi) radius, Victorian Theatres draws moviegoers from all over Northern KwaZulu-Natal Facebook Page.

Shopping

Newcastle is the hub of shopping in the region, with all of the countries main national chains represented around the city. Newcastle Mall is the areas Regional Shopping Center Newcastle Mall Website.

Wining, Dining, Pubs and Nightlife

Newcastle is well represented with the countries leading restaurants chains and franchises. With an ever-increasing choice, there is much to choose from if you feeling peckish.

Newcastle has a number of pubs, bars and night clubs catering for the party-goer, most than any in the region. These are often packed to the brim over a sporting weekend.

Transport

Road

Newcastle is well connected to Gauteng & the provinces coastal ports of Durban and Richards Bay on two main routes. The N11 is the principal road running through the city connecting it south to the N3 to Durban and north to the N4 to Gauteng, and through the provinces of Mpumalanga & Limpopo, and eventually to the border at Groblersbrug.

The R34 connects Newcastle to Gauteng via the N3 and the Free State to the West, and Easterly to the port of Richards Bay via Vryheid and Empangeni.

Rail

Newcastle lies on the main passenger and goods railway line between Johannesburg and Durban. The city has a large rail siding and cargo facility.

Airport

Newcastle has one Airport which is located approximately 7 kilometres (4.3 miles) away from the city center. Chartered flights commute daily and a full service with one of the country's airlines is in the pipeline.

Taxis and buses

Mini bus taxis are the most affordable and quickest form of transport for the majority of the population for those residing in Newcastle East. These are owned by Taxi Associations, and in the recent years inter-operator violence has flared up from time to time, especially as turf wars over lucrative taxi routes resulting in the deaths of many Taxi Bosses.

Apart from the thousands of taxis that traverse the city streets daily, Transnat Coach Lines & Stabus (subsidiaries of Tans Africa Holdings (Pty) Ltd) are the largest bus operators in Newcastle. Their fleets range from Mini-buses to Super Luxury Coaches transporting 1 000's of local commuters daily.

In the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup, Transnat Coach Lines provided the bus that transported the South African and German National Teams. Today this bus still boasts the graphics of 2010 as a memento, and is seen in Newcastle on special occasions.

Other

Ni-Da & Dero Logistics are one of South Africa's largest long haul company's. Both own an extensive fleet of trucks, and are proudly Newcastle based businesses.

Society and culture

Galleries

• The Carnegie Art Gallery, represents South African artists as well as local artists. This historic building falls within city's Civic Precinct.

Museums, monuments and memorials

• Fort Amiel Museum, which is a typical Victorian frontier fort is a National Heritage Site.^[8]

Music

Newcastle is home to the Northern KwaZulu-Natal Youth Choir^[9] – a provincial choir of international repute.

The annual Vodacom Winter Festival^[10] aka 'Newcastle Show', provides a platform for South African bands and singers and attracts visitors from the entire region.

Local bands, whether in Newcastle or surrounding areas, have the opportunity to showcase their talents at Melo's Pub and Grill in Hutten Heights. Aspiring bands come from as far as Johannesburg and Durban to entertain the crowded venue.

Organisations for the aged

Newcastle takes care of its older citizens through the means of care organization. Two of the most notable in the city are Newcastle Organization for the Aged (NOFTA) and New Age of Newcastle (NAON). Both undertake amazing work, keeping the aged occupied through community activity, arranging weekly socials, and tours around the country and world.

Places of worship

https://www.google.co.za/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fdarululoomnewcastle.co.za%2Fwp-content%2Fgallery%2Fold-classrooms%2Fdarul-uloom-newcastle-old-classrooms-019.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fdarululoomnewcastle.co.za%2F&docid=v6L7UrVFV1Gn5M&tbnid=mLvtaJqS-X4XPM%3A&w=1024&h=799&bih=512&biw=360&ved=0ahUKEwjhouahspfPAhVoIcAKHfESDX8QMwgaKAAwAA&iact=mrc&uact=8 Newcastle has all of the countries religious organizations represented. Churches, Temples and Mosques can be found all around the city. Famous landmarks include the NG Kerk on York Street, and the Hindu Shiva Temple on Kirkland Street. Built in 1903, the temple is reputed to have the largest cella dome of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. It is claimed that in 1913, Mahatma Gandhi prayed here while leading the march from Newcastle to Transvaal.

The Darul Uloom on St Thomas Street, an institute of Higher Islamic studies is yet another landmark in Newcastle's diverse community with a modern Mosque on the premises. The Darul Uloom is the oldest in the country

Sport

Newcastle remains a venue for major sports competitions and conferences because of the facilities the city has to offer. A variety of rugby, cricket, soccer, squash, tennis, swimming and other sport facilities has contributed to its ability to host both national and international events.

Stadia

Newcastle has numerous multi-purpose stadia around the city, which are mostly used to host local sport competitions, school sports and inter-school sports. These accommodate, Soccer, Cricket and Rugby, Squash Courts, Tennis Courts and Volleyball Courts.

The most notable of these are the Newcastle Swimming Pool, Arbor Park Grounds, Paradise A & B, and the Madadeni Sports Stadium.

Swimming

The Olympic-sized Newcastle Swimming Pool in Sunnyridge (previously Ferrum Swimming Pool) has in the recent past hosted the All-Africa Development Gala.

Newcastle has 5 public swimming pools.

Sports complex

Located in Arbor Park, this modern complex has indoor and outdoor facilities, with a bowling green.

Wrestling

Newcastle Wrestling Academy is one of the top wrestling clubs in the province of Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Fishing

Newcastle is home to the Challengers Angling Club. An annual angling competition is held to assist local charities.

Rugby

The local rugby club is the Newcastle Highlanders Rugby.

Soccer

On the soccer front, Newcastle is home to Stella Football club which over the years has produced players to represent the province and country.

Cricket

Newcastle has a local cricket league, and matches are hosted at various stadiums around the city.

Golf

Newcastle has 2 Golf Courses, Newcastle Golf Club with mashie course, and Vulintaba Country Estate.

Horse riding

Newcastle has a Horse Riding Club and training course.

Parks and recreation

Ntshingwayo Dam

Established in 1975, Ntshingwayo Dam (previously Chelmsford Dam) is the third largest in the province. Located approximately 25 km (16 mi) South West of Newcastle on the Ngagane River, Ntshingwayo Dam is Newcastle's main source of water supply. The surrounding reserve covers an area of 6 500 ha. and is managed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.

The 1 500 ha Game Park has a range of highveld game and bird viewing s popular. The Park also features the largest population of the rare Oribi in South Africa. Guided game drives are provided subject to prior arrangement with management.

Sailing, power boating, water-skiing and swimming are all popular past times on the 3 400 ha. dam. The dam is renowned as a fishing destination, both hobby and competition, with carp, barbel and scaly the most popular being caught.

The view of the dam is majestic from the N11, with the Northern Drakensberg mountains creating the perfect backdrop.

Amcor Dam

This small dam lies on the Ncandu River and is in the suburb of Ncandu Park. Amcor dam has various recreation facilities, from playgrounds, swimming pools to braai areas, and is popular on public holidays and weekends. It is also home to the Newcastle Caravan Park.

Newcastle Golf Course

The Newcastle Golf Course is located in the suburb of Barry Hertzog Park. The course offers a mashie course, driving range, has 18 holes, a Clubhouse and Restaurant.

Ncandu State Forest

The Ncandu State Forest Reserve is located 32 km (20 mi) West of Newcastle and is the second biggest indigenous forest in the province, and is filled with grassy plains and Yellowwood gorges. There are many little streams running through the forest that meet the Ncandu River where trout is plentiful. This is the ideal place for a scenic stroll or relaxing horse ride. Many trails run through the reserve, taking you through sandstone cliffs, the majestic waterfalls and allow fabulous birding opportunities. Access to the view points are either by boat or boardwalks where the views are simply stunning.

Parks

The city has many parks within its suburbs offering a breakaway from city life, the most notable being Trim Park and The Gardens on Hospital Street.

Trim Park located north of the CBD along the Ncandu River, is a popular spot for relaxing. It is often frequented on weekends and holidays, and is a popular place for hosting picnics and braais.

The Gardens on Hospital Street offers a large grassy garden with large shady trees, and is located in the suburb of Newcastle Central. The park is popular on any day of the week, where Newcastillians walk their pets and play in a free environment. The Gardens are very popular on wedding occasions as they offer beautiful backdrops for photographs to be taken.

Urban play parks

Newcastle is on a drive to create safe playing facilities for the youth, by converting negative public spaces within the city urban fabric into secure, green, soft play zones on an annual basis. Kids can play unsupervised by the parent as they are under the watchful eye of park security. State-of-the-art equipment is used within beautifully landscaped spaces.

Vulintaba Country Estate

Vulintaba, meaning 'Open the Mountains', is an estate nestled in a picturesque amphitheatre of mountains in northern Drakensberg. Located 18 km (11 mi) West of the city, Vulintaba Country Estate is accessed from the D96. This new suburb of Newcastle offers property for sale in the Drakensberg with serenity, beauty and an expansive tract of unmatched scenery. It also happens to be the closest Berg Lifestyle Estate to Gauteng.

Vulintaba Country Estate boasts a tranquil lifestyle surrounded by nature’s beauty, pristine blue sky and rolling green hills are punctuated by pure, fresh dams.

Vulintaba Country Estate allows residents and visitors alike to explore, relax and experience to awaken our senses. The Estate features a 9-hole Golf Course with clubhouse & driving range, 582 Freehold Stands, abundant wildlife and over 320 indigenous bird species, over 50 km (31 mi) of world-class mountain-biking trails, a variety of walking and running trails, fly fishing in a variety of dams, Hotel with indoor pool, Wedding Chapel, Equestrian area with stables and a variety of community facilities with a magnificent mountain amphitheatre as your backdrop.

As the Estate develops, it will include a Retail Node with Boutique Stores, Sports Fields & Clubhouse, 180 Sectional Title Shared Ownership Units, Spa & Wellness Center and a fully equipped Conference Center.

The Estate is proudly developed and owned by local business giant Ni-Da.

Education

Primary and secondary education

The city is home to numerous major Primary and High Schools, both government and private. With private schooling on the increase in South Africa, there has been a recent influx of private schools varying in size.

Newcastle High School^[11] and St. Dominic's Academy Newcastle^[12] are two of the city's most prestigious schools.

Meridian Newcastle - a leading independent school (part of Curro Schools) has been established in Madadeni, a township of Newcastle to cater for the increased need of quality education to the East of the city.

Newcastle's schools are home to several buildings that have been declared National Monuments, the most famous being The Pavilion at St. Dominic's, which was designed by Brother Nivard Streicher and built in 1912. It was declared a monument in 1977 by Dr. Piet Koornhof.^[13][14]

Newcastle High School is the oldest school in the area, now in its 134th year. The original school buildings are still in use today as the school's administration block.

Ferrum High School is a culturally diverse parallel medium school. Both the Newcastle Brass Band and the Northern KwaZulu-Natal Youth Choir are home to Ferrum.

Zama High School is one of the few schools in Osizweni which are considered to be the best schools in the whole of Amajuba District when it comes to learning and teaching.

Newcastle's main townships of Madadeni and Osizweni are home to schools such as St. Lewis Bertrands High School, Bethamoya High School, Phendukani High School, Siyamukela High School, Thubelihle High School, Ikhwezi High School and Sabela Senior Secondary School being the only high school situated at Madadeni Section 5, which is mostly popular for athletics as the school main sporting code.

Other schools in Newcastle include Newcastle Islamic Collage, Amajuba High School, Tugela High School, St Oswald's Secondary the oldest school of Indian origin which is 104 years old and Lincoln Heights Secondary School. Some junior schools are Hutten Park Primary, Drakensberg Primary, Newcastle Senior Primary, Busy-Bee and Arbor Park Primary, Lennoxton Primary, S.E. Vawda Primary, Suryaville Primary and Chelmsford Primary.

Tertiary Education

Majuba FET College has 5 separate campuses around Newcastle, and one in the surrounding town of Dundee.

Qualitas Career Academy, a national private college has a campus in the CBD. It caters for full-time and part-time studies for students as well as corporate training and consulting services for businesses and government departments.

UNISA, Damelin and Boston City Campus & Business College have satellite campuses in Newcastle.

Medical

Newcastle has three hospitals (two government & one private), Newcastle Provincial Hospital (186 bed), Madadeni Hospital (1620 authorized beds; 1154 usable beds)^[15] and Mediclinic Newcastle (254 authorized beds; 186 operational beds). There are also several clinics and specialist physicians in almost every field.

In addition, the La Gratitude Home for the Aged provides retirement and care facilities for the elderly folk.

There are also 16 government clinics in Osizweni and Madadeni,^[15] improving the health of the broader community.

Media

Print

Caxton Community Newspapers is a major printer and publisher of newsprint materials in the region. Major newspapers include the Newcastle Advertiser, Newcastle Sun, Amajuba Eyethu, Agrieco, and the Northern Natal Get It Magazine.

Other popular local publications are Tabloid Media's Newcastle Express.

Broadcasting

Newcastle Community Radio is an independent local radio station broadcasting to Newcastle from their studio in Madadeni on 103.7fm Newcastle Community Radio Website.

Suburbs

Newcastle is made up of a number of suburbs, and like any other city, Newcastle has its fair share of rich, middle-class and poor, green leafy suburbs to dry townships. The city is on a drive to improve living standards in the 'previously disadvantaged suburbs', with new tarred roads, lighting, and planting to name but a few.

Former 'white' residential

• Amajuba Park
• Amiel Park
• Arbor Park
• Aviary Hill
• Barry Hertzog Park
• Hutten Heights
• Ingagane
• Kilbarchan
• Ncandu Park
• Newcastle Central
• Pioneer Park
• Schuinshoogte
• Signal Hill
• Sunnyridge

Former 'indian' residential

• Fernwood
• Ghandi Park
• Lennoxton
• Paradise
• Richview
• Sunset View
• Suryaville

Former 'coloured' residential

• Fairleigh
• Lenville

Former 'black' townships

• Blaauwbosch
• Cavan
• Claremont
• Dicks Halt
• Eastbourne
• Fulathela
• Inverness
• Jakkalspan
• Kwamathukuza
• Lekkerwater
• Leslie
• Madadeni - Sections A to P
• Mndozo
• Osizweni - Sections A to F

Mixed-use areas

• Equarand
• Newcastle CBD
• Vlam
• Vulintaba

Industrial zones

• Airport Industrial
• Arcelor Mittal North Works
• Madadeni Industrial Estate
• Riverside Industrial

Notable people

• H. Rider Haggard – Writer
• Sathyandranath Ragunanan "Mac" Maharaj – ANC member, politician, Presidential spokesperson and businessman
• Arthur Thamsanqa Zwane - Former ANC Regional Chairperson (Emalahleni), Brown Leaf Ltd (Pty) Owner.
• Margaret H. Marshall – former Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
• Siphiwe Nyanda – former Minister of Communications in South Africa
• Moulana Cassim Mohammed Sema – Muslim educator,founder of the first Darul Uloom (Islamic studies institute) in South Africa
• Zethembe Michael "Dolce" Mkhize - Former Regional chair of COSAS (Emalahleni), YCLSA chairperson (Unizulu), Young Politician and Political Science student.
• Brett Shuttleworth - Male model for Wilhelmina in New York.
• Shannon Smuts - Winner of MasterChef South Africa 2013.

Music

• Lucky Dube – Musician (1964–2007)
• Fanie de Jager - Tenor, was born in Newcastle in April 1949

Sport

• John Philip "Bakkies" Botha – Rugby union player
• Fani Madida – Former football player, current Amazulu assistant coach
• Helman Mkhalele – Football player
• Sizwe Motaung – Football player
• Siyabonga Nkosi – Football player
• Jan Kgang Zwane - Former Orlando Pirates Goalkeeper (1962-1968)

International relations

Newcastle has since the Industrial Era been internationally connected, and is today home to many international industries, the most popular being steel giant Arcelor Mittal, chrome chemical companies Bayer & Lanxess, synthetic rubber manufacturer Karbochem, and heavy engineering firm DCD Venco.

Further to this, Newcastle has since the late 1980s built a strong relationship with mainland China and subsequently Taiwan following the influx of Chinese nationals in the mid 1980s. To date, China has invested in approximately 100 factories in Newcastle, employing 1000s of workers.

Twin Towns / Sister Cities

Newcastle is part of a global community of Newcastles Newcastles of the World Website, being the third largest Newcastle in the world by population. Newcastle is twinned with:

• Nanchang, China (since 2010)^[16]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal.

• Newcastle Community Website
• Newcastle Municipality Website
• Amajuba District Municipality Website
• KZN Tourism Website