Witbank
Witbank | |
|---|---|
City | |
| eMalahleni | |
Aerial view over the suburbs | |
| Coordinates: 25°52′37″S 29°12′04″E / 25.877°S 29.201°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Mpumalanga |
| District | Nkangala |
| Municipality | Emalahleni |
| Established | 1890 |
| Area | |
• Total | 164.27 km2 (63.43 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 108,673 |
| • Density | 660/km2 (1,700/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 48.1% |
| • Coloured | 2.0% |
| • Indian/Asian | 2.5% |
| • White | 46.8% |
| • Other | 0.6% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Afrikaans | 42.4% |
| • Zulu | 17.6% |
| • English | 13.7% |
| • Northern Sotho | 7.6% |
| • Other | 18.7% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal code (street) | 1035 |
| Area code | 01 |
Witbank (/wətbænk/), officially eMalahleni, is a city situated on the Highveld of Mpumalanga, South Africa, within the Emalahleni Local Municipality. The name Witbank is Afrikaans for "white ridge", and is named after a white sandstone outcrop where wagon transport drivers rested. The city is known for its coal-mining in the surrounding region.
Witbank, which was founded in 1890, was renamed to eMalahleni meaning the place of coal in 2006 by the government of Mpumalanga, matching the municipality. Both names are used.