Main Place

Empangeni

Quick Fact
  • 110,340

  • 29,292

  • 15,8%

  • 50,5%

  • 91,4%

  • 50,2%

Empangeni is a name of Zulu origin, and has said to refer to a type of plant. Another explanation for the name is that that it is derived from a word meaning 'grab' or 'rob', probably referring to the river that 'robs' people of their crops when in flood, or possibly to cattle-thieves. The town was laid out in 1885. The town was also the stalking ground of the serial killer Simon Mpungose, nicknamed 'the Hammerman', who - during 1983 and 1984 - broke into a number of homes, bludgeoning the occupants to death with a hammer. (GPS coordinates: 28.8183 S, 31.8214 E).

Character(s) left.
  • Raper PE. 2004. New dictionary of South African Place Names. Jonathan Ball Publishers.
  • http://www.wikipedia.org
  • http://mg.co.za/article/1994-02-04-serial-killing-rare-in-sa

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Key Statistics 2011

Characteristics
Total population110,340
Young (0-14)28,2%
Working Age (15-64)68,2%
Elderly (65+)3,6%
Dependency ratio46,7
Sex ratio88,6
Population density714 persons/km2
No schooling aged 20+7,1%
Higher education aged 20+15,8%
Matric aged 20+40,4%
Number of households29,292
Average household size3,5
Female headed households45,7%
Formal dwellings88,4%
Housing owned/paying off49,5%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage50,2%
Weekly refuse removal49,1%
Piped water inside dwelling50,5%
Electricity for lighting91,4%

Place names

uMhlathuze Municipality