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Witbank |
| Witbank | |
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | South Africa |
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| Province | Mpumalanga |
| District Municipality | Nkangala |
| Local Municipality | Emalahleni |
| Time zone | SAST (UTC+2) |
Witbank is situated on the highveld of Mpumalanga, South Africa, within the Emalahleni Local Municipality.1 The name Witbank is Afrikaans for White Ridge and is named after a white sandstone outcrop where wagon transport drivers rested. In March 2006, the town was renamed Emalahleni, the Nguni word for "the place of black rock" (there is no true Nguni word for coal). A move from "white bank" to "black rock" is still seen by many as a rastist move. eMalahleni (Witbank) is in the coal mining area with 22 collieries in an area no more than 40 km in any direction. There are a number of power stations (such as the Duvha Power Station), as well as a steel mill, Highveld Steel and Vanadium Corporation, nearby which all require coal. The farm land surrounding Witbank and near by Middelburg is fast being eaten up by coal mines which are a blight on the horizon. With the increase in mining activity polution has become a major problem with many wet lands, streams and rivers now clogged with coal dust.
Witbank was established in 1890 and early attempts to exploit the coal deposits failed until the railway from Pretoria reached the area in 1894. It was proclaimed a town in 1903 and became a municipality in 1914 .
In the 1994 AWB invasion of Bophuthatswana Witbank was one of the right- wing strongholds where AWB commandos were called in from.citation needed
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Municipalities and Communities of Nkangala District Municipality, Mpumalanga District Seat: Middelburg |
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| Local municipalities |
Delmas • Emalahleni • Steve Tshwete • Highlands • Thembisile Dr JS Moroka |
| Cities and towns |
Middelburg • Witbank |
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This Mpumalanga location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
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