Ixopo

Ixopo Stuartstown
SAR Class NG G11 no. NG55arriving at Ixopo station
Ixopo Ixopo
Coordinates:30°09′26″S30°03′53″E
Country	South Africa
Province	KwaZulu-Natal
District	Harry Gwala
Municipality	Ubuhlebezwe
Area
• Total	10.85 km2(4.19 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	12,461
• Density	1,100/km2(3,000/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
•Black African	90.6%
•Coloured	5.6%
•Indian/Asian	1.9%
•White	1.4%
• Other	0.5%
First languages(2011)
•Zulu	74.8%
•English	10.6%
•Xhosa	7.6%
•Sotho	2.2%
• Other	4.8%
Time zone	UTC+2(SAST)
Postal code(street)	3276
PO box	3276
Area code	039

Ixopo,also known asStuartstown,is a town situated on a tributary of theuMkhomazi Riveralong theR56highway in the midlands ofKwaZulu-Natal,South Africa.

Background

The town was laid out in 1878 and named after M Stuart, Resident Magistrate of the surrounding district, who was killed at theBattle of Ingogoin 1881.Its name is derived from theZuluonomatopoeicword,eXobo,describing the sound made ascattlesquelch through mud.The 'x', in Zulu, is pronounced as alateral click.

The town is most famously described byAlan Patonin the opening lines ofCry, The Beloved Country:"There is a lovely road which runs from Ixopo into the hills. These hills are grass covered and rolling, and they are lovely beyond any singing of it."

Until the mid-1980s, Ixopo was served by a railway station on the 610 mm (2 ft 0 in) narrow gaugeUmzinto - Donnybrook narrow gauge railway.

Notable people

• Thabo Nodada(Footballer)
• Purity Nomthandazo Malinga(Bishop)
• Ray Zondo(Chief Justice,Constitutional Court of South Africa)

References

3.R56 informationRoute 56 - Ixopo