Mpophomeni

Mpophomeni
Mpophomeni  Mpophomeni shown within KwaZulu-Natal
Coordinates:
Country	South Africa
Province	KwaZulu-Natal
District	UMgungundlovu
Municipality	uMngeni
Established	{{#property:P571}}
Area
• Total	4.58 km2 (1.77 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	25,732
• Density	5,600/km2 (15,000/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
• Black African	99.6%
• Coloured	0.2%
• Indian/Asian	0.1%
• Other	0.1%
First languages (2011)
• Zulu	90.2%
• English	5.6%
• Other	4.2%
Postal code (street)	3290
PO box	3291
Area code	033

Mpophomeni is a town in Umgungundlovu District Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.

History

File:Nokulunga Wall of Reconciliation.jpg

Mpophomeni wall to remember those who died during struggle

In 1968 the South African government built in an open field a township called Mpophomeni to relocate the black people living in the surroundings of Howick, a picturesque little town in the Natal Midlands. Mpophomeni (which means the place of the waterfall in isiZulu) derives its name from the well known Howick waterfall.

In 1985 the management of SARMCOL (South African Rubber Manufacturing Company Limited) summarily dismissed a thousand workers, many of them Mpophomeni residents, after a strike. This plunged hundreds of families into poverty.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s there was a fight between the people of Mpophomeni and the people living in the rural areas of Kwa Shifu, Haza and Mahlangeni. The community of Mpophomeni were ANC (African National Congress)supporters and the rural areas were strongly behind the opposing IFP (Inkatha Freedom Party). The death of Nokulunga Gumede, a five-year-old girl who was run down by a military vehicle (Casper) during the violence taking place in the township at the time was a catalyst for change – no-one stopped the violence when they had the chance.

Reconciliation only truly started between the township and the rural occupants in 1993 and 1994. A memorial was built in remembrance of this and named after Nokulunga Gumede - the youngest victim of the violence as well as commemorating the 120 people that died.

There are three high schools, Mpophomeni High, Asibemunye and Umthombo as well as five primary schools namely, Sifisesihle, Zamuthule, Qhamukile, Isibongo and Nhlanhleni.

Activities include: annual dog show; Zulu Mpophomeni Tourism Experience; Enviro-clubs; AIDS Ministry; ThinkQuest Competition; Mpophomeni Computer Centre and SchoolNet; Centre for Criminal Justice.