Margate, South Africa

Resort town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Place in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Margate

Margate's main beach

Margate

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Margate

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Coordinates: 30°51′00″S 30°22′00″E﻿ / ﻿30.85000°S 30.36667°E﻿ / -30.85000; 30.36667
Country|  South Africa
Province|  KwaZulu-Natal
District| Ugu
Municipality| Ray Nkonyeni
Area

[1]

• Total

| 29.21 km2 (11.28 sq mi)
Population

(2011)[1]

• Total

| 26,785
• Density| 920/km2 (2,400/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)

[1]

• Black African| 47.3%
• White| 46.9%
• Indian/Asian| 3.1%
• Coloured| 2.2%
• Other| 0.6%
First languages (2011)

[1]

• English| 35.8%
• Xhosa| 22.5%
• Afrikaans| 19.8%
• Zulu| 18.4%
• Other| 3.5%
Time zone| UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)|

4275

PO box|

4275

Area code| 039

Margate is a coastal resort town in the KwaZulu-Natal province, about 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) south-west of Port Shepstone and 127 kilometres (78.9 mi) south-west of Durban. The river which flows into the sea at Margate is called "Nkhongweni" (place of entreaty) as the original inhabitants of the area were reputed to be so mean resulting in travellers begging for hospitality.[2]: 329

Located on the Hibiscus Coast, part of the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, Margate is one of the major hubs for tourists who are looking to visit the eastern coastline of South Africa.

## History

[edit]

In 1908, Henry Richardson, an English surveyor laid out the town and named it Margate after another seaside resort on the northern coast of the county of Kent, in the United Kingdom.[2]: 329

Margate hit the world headlines in 1922 (although this date is often disputed and stated as 1924) when an enormous, white, furry creature (dubbed "Trunko" due to it having an elephantine trunk) was washed up on the beach. The "Margate monster" was too decomposed to be identified.[2]: 329

## Geography

[edit]

### Topography

[edit]

Margate’s terrain is relatively undulating, rising westward to its highest point at Margate Airport (152 m/499 ft). The town is bordered by Manaba Beach to the north and Ramsgate to the south, forming a continuous coastal stretch.

### Suburbs

[edit]

The 2011 census divided the urban area of Margate into 14 “sub places” including:[3]

* Beacon Rocks
* Lawrence Rocks
* Manaba Beach
* Margate (Proper)
* also encompasses Margate Ext. 3 and Ext. 7, Gayridge Agricultural Holdings and the KwaMasinenge Informal Settlement
* Margate Beach
* Margate North Beach
* Ramsgate
* Ramsgate Beach
* Ramsgate South
* Shelly Beach
* St Michael's-on-sea
* Uvongo
* Uvongo Beach
* Windsor-on-Sea

## Economy

[edit]

### Retail

[edit]

#### Shopping centres

[edit]

* Emoyeni Centre
* Hibiscus Mall – primary shopping centre in Margate
* Margate Centre
* Margate Mall (also known as Shoprite Centre)

For a wider variety, residents often visit Shelly Beach, home to two of the South Coast's largest malls: Shelly Centre and Southcoast Mall.

### Tourism

[edit]

Margate Central Business District

Margate is largely a tourist town, owing to its subtropical climate, beaches, and hospitality industry with the bulk of the town's earnings coming from tourism. There is a wide range of holiday accommodation in the area including hotels such as Margate Hotel and Desroches Hotel, holiday apartments along the coast, self-contained units and holiday houses for rent.[4][5]

Margate is popularly known for its good beaches, especially its main beach, which is accredited with the international Blue Flag status. The Margate Central Business District (CBD) situated between the main road, Marine Drive and the main beach is a lively area filled with many restaurants, pubs, and nightclubs.[6]

Margate is busiest during school and public holidays when inland residents travel to the coast. Christmas and Easter are especially busy times, with Marine Drive often clogged with heavy traffic during these times.

Margate is one of the most visited tourist destinations in South Africa and had the third highest inflow of new visitors in December 2019 in South Africa after Plettenberg Bay and Mossel Bay, both in the Western Cape Province meaning that Margate had the highest inflow of new visitors in December 2019 in the KwaZulu-Natal Province.[7]

## Education

[edit]

### Public Schools

[edit]

* Hibiscus Primary School[8]
* Margate Middle School[9]
* Margate Primary School[10]

### Private Schools

[edit]

* South Coast Academy[11]
* Hibiscus International Academy

## Healthcare

[edit]

### Private healthcare

[edit]

Established in 2001, Netcare Margate Hospital is the main healthcare facility serving the Margate community. As part of Netcare Limited, one of South Africa’s largest private healthcare providers, it offers 24-hour emergency services. Conveniently situated on Wartski Drive, it lies just a short distance from the CBD.[12]

### Public healthcare

[edit]

Margate Clinic is a government-funded municipal clinic operated by the Ugu District Municipality, located near the Margate CBD. For public hospitals, residents of Margate usually use the Port Shepstone Regional Hospital in Port Shepstone.

## Transport

[edit]

### Air

[edit]

Margate Airport, located in Margate Ext. 3 on the town’s western outskirts is a small, regional airport with easy and quick access. It offers a scheduled domestic route to Johannesburg operated by CemAir. For broader travel options, King Shaka International Airport near Durban is approximately 166 kilometres (103 mi) north-east of Margate.

### Roads

[edit]

Margate is mainly accessed via the R61 (future N2 Wild Coast Toll Route) linking the town to Port Shepstone in the north and Port Edward in the south. The main arterial route is the R620 (Marine Drive), connecting Margate to Uvongo to the north and Ramsgate to the south. Additionally, the P200 (Izotsha Road) provides a link to Gamalakhe and Izotsha to the north-west.

## Sport

[edit]

The Margate Country Club is an 18-hole golf course, par 71 course designed by Peter Matkovich which is set high on the western outskirts of Margate overlooking the Indian Ocean from a distance.[13]

## See also

[edit]

* Black December

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d "Main Place Margate". Census 2011.
2. ^ a b c Vic Mayhew, ed. (1980). Illustrated guide to Southern Africa. Cape Town: Reader's Digest Association South Africa in association with T.V. Bulpin. ISBN 978-0-620-04650-3.
3. ^ "Census 2011: Main Place: Margate". census2011.adrianfrith.com. Retrieved 2022-11-04.
4. ^ "The Margate Hotel". Retrieved 2020-06-11.
5. ^ "DESROCHES HOTEL - Prices & Lodge Reviews (Margate, South Africa)". Tripadvisor. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
6. ^ Lodge, Margate Beach (2017-11-03). "South Coast hosts 5 of the 6 Blue Flag beaches". Margate Beach Lodge. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
7. ^ "These are the beach towns South Africans flock to for seaside holidays". The South African. 2020-02-26. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
8. ^ "KZN Education officially opens Hibiscus Primary School". ECR. Retrieved 2021-09-19.
9. ^ "Margate Middle School". Skools. 2018-10-22. Retrieved 2021-09-19.
10. ^ "Margate Primary School". Retrieved 2021-09-19.
11. ^ Academy, South Coast. "South Coast Academy". South Coast Academy. Retrieved 2021-09-19.
12. ^ "Netcare Linkwood Hospital". www.netcarehospitals.co.za. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
13. ^ "KZN South Golf Courses - Margate Country Club, Golfing at its best". Margate Country Club offers Golf, Snooker, Event and Function Venues, Bridge Club and Line Dancing Lessons. Retrieved 2023-06-14.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Margate, KwaZulu-Natal.

Margate (KwaZulu-Natal) travel guide from Wikivoyage

* Margate, South Coast Accommodation and Adventure Guide
* 360 degree Virtual Tour of Margate Beach

## See also

[edit]

* Margate Airport

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Ugu District Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal

District seat: Port Shepstone

Ray Nkonyeni|

* Anerley
* Gamalakhe
* Hibberdene
* Izingolweni
* Mahlabathini
* Marburg
* Margate
* Munster
* Palm Beach
* Port Edward
* Port Shepstone
* Ramsgate
* Shelly Beach
* Southbroom
* Trafalgar
* Umtentweni
* Umzumbe
* Uvongo

Ugu District within South Africa

Umzumbe|

* Mathulini
* St. Faith's

uMuziwabantu|

* Harding
* Weza

uMdoni|

* Amahlongwa
* Amandawe
* Bazley
* Ifafa Beach
* Kelso
* KwaCele
* Mayfield
* Umtalumi (Mtwalume)
* Nkwifa
* Park Rynie
* Pennington
* Scottburgh
* Sezela
* Umzinto

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