Charlestown, KwaZulu-Natal
Encyclopedia
Charlestown is a small town situated at the top of Laing's Nek pass in KwaZulu-Natal
, South Africa
between Newcastle and Volksrust
. It started out as an important railway station and customs post between Natal and Transvaal in 1891 until the Union of South Africa
came into being in 1910, and customs tariffs were abolished. It is named after Sir Charles Mitchell, governor of Natal.
It became a dormitory suburb of Volksrust
, just across the border in the Transvaal
, and many black people bought freehold land in the town. During the 1960s, however, the apartheid policy of the government led to most of the black inhabitants being forcibly removed to Madadeni, near Newcastle, and Charlestown became a ghost town. Now Charlestown has been brought back to those people. Even though the municipality does not consider the situation of this area, which is starting to be a mess, more especially when it comes to development even though this area is a good practical example of what the apartheid was doing to people.
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
between Newcastle and Volksrust
Volksrust
Volksrust is a town in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa on the KwaZulu-Natal provincial border. The town has important beef, dairy, maize, sorghum, wool and sunflower seed industries. It was established near to where the Battle of Majuba, wherein the Transvaal won its independence back...
. It started out as an important railway station and customs post between Natal and Transvaal in 1891 until the Union of South Africa
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...
came into being in 1910, and customs tariffs were abolished. It is named after Sir Charles Mitchell, governor of Natal.
It became a dormitory suburb of Volksrust
Volksrust
Volksrust is a town in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa on the KwaZulu-Natal provincial border. The town has important beef, dairy, maize, sorghum, wool and sunflower seed industries. It was established near to where the Battle of Majuba, wherein the Transvaal won its independence back...
, just across the border in the Transvaal
Transvaal Province
Transvaal Province was a province of the Union of South Africa from 1910 to 1961, and of its successor, the Republic of South Africa, from 1961 until the end of apartheid in 1994 when a new constitution subdivided it.-History:...
, and many black people bought freehold land in the town. During the 1960s, however, the apartheid policy of the government led to most of the black inhabitants being forcibly removed to Madadeni, near Newcastle, and Charlestown became a ghost town. Now Charlestown has been brought back to those people. Even though the municipality does not consider the situation of this area, which is starting to be a mess, more especially when it comes to development even though this area is a good practical example of what the apartheid was doing to people.