Golela is a
border town
A border town is a town or city close to the boundary between two countries, states, or regions. Usually the term implies that the nearness to the border is one of the things the place is most famous for. With close proximities to a different cou ...
in
Kwa-Zulu Natal
KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN and known as "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu) and Natal Province were merged. It is locate ...
Province,
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
, 45 km east of
Pongola on the border with
Eswatini. The Golela border post was recently rebuilt to meet the increasing movement of people and goods between South Africa and Eswatini.
Overview
The border crossing is situated on the southern border of Eswatini, 145 km southeast of
Piet Retief. The name is of Zulu origin, said to be named after
Golela kaMantsholo Thabede who was a noble man of the
Mahlalela clan who were living along uPhongolo river, below Ubombo mountains. Locals say that Golela used to confront the apartheid government authorities who were stationed at the border and was opposed to the border restrictions by the apartheid government of
Transvaal Transvaal is a historical geographic term associated with land north of (''i.e.'', beyond) the Vaal River in South Africa. A number of states and administrative divisions have carried the name Transvaal.
* South African Republic (1856–1902; af, ...
. Before it was constructed by the Transvaal government, the border was long used by people many years ago before the arrival of European settlers. This was the hunting ground of the
Mahlalela clan in former times. They would organize hunting expeditions and invite the neighboring
Ntshangase,
Nyawo,
Mngomezulu and
Buthelezi clans. Other hunters would come even as far as
Zombodze Zombodze is a village in Shiselweni, Eswatini. Its population as of the 2007 census was 16,067.
Zombodze is a royal village; many Swazi royals are buried on the burial hill there. King Mswati III
Mswati III (born Makhosetive; 19 April 19 ...
in
Eswatini. The portion of the town across the border, in Eswatini, was renamed
Lavumisa
Lavumisa is a town located in the Shiselweni district of southern Eswatini.
It is a border crossing point to the neighbouring town of Golela in South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernm ...
.
Transport
It is served by a railway station on the
line connecting South Africa and Eswatini.
References
External links
Golela border post construction information
Eswatini–South Africa border crossings
Populated places in the uPhongolo Local Municipality
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