Mbombela facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mbombela Nelspruit
City
A view of the CBD of the city as seen from the Steiltes suburb
Nickname(s):  eNaspoti, Citrus City, Gateway to the Lowveld
Motto(s):  City of Excellence
Mbombela Location in Mpumalanga Show map of Mpumalanga Mbombela Location in South Africa Show map of South Africa Mbombela Location in Africa Show map of Africa
Country	South Africa
Province	Mpumalanga
District	Ehlanzeni
Municipality	Mbombela
Established	1905
Area
• Total	72.63 km2 (28.04 sq mi)
Population  (2011)
• Total	58,672
• Density	807.82/km2 (2,092.25/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
• White	49.3%
• Black African	41.1%
• Indian/Asian	4.9%
• Coloured	4.1%
• Other	0.6%
First languages (2011)
• Afrikaans	40.7%
• English	22.4%
• Swazi	20.2%
• Tsonga	4.7%
• Other	12.1%
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)	1200
PO box	1200
Area code	013

Mbombela, also known as Nelspruit, is a city in northeastern South Africa. It is the capital city of the Mpumalanga province. The city is located on the Crocodile River. It is about 110 kilometers west of the Mozambique border. Mbombela is also 330 kilometers east of Johannesburg. The city is 82 kilometers north of the Eswatini border. Mbombela was one of the cities that hosted games for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

History of Mbombela

Evidence from ancient rock art and the Iron Age shows that people have lived in this area for a very long time. When the Mpumalanga legislature was built, old farming settlements were found. These included storage pits, burial sites, and pottery. These findings date from the 6th to the 17th century.

The city was started in 1895 by three brothers from the Nel family. They used to graze their cattle in the area during winter. During the Second Boer War, Nelspruit was briefly the government seat for the South African Republic. This was an independent Boer republic.

The settlement was an important stop on the Eastern Railway. This railway was built in the late 1800s. It connected the goldfields of Witwatersrand to Delagoa Bay in Portuguese East Africa (now Maputo, Mozambique). Gold discoveries in Mpumalanga, like at Pilgrim's Rest and Barberton, helped the city grow.

How Mbombela Got Its Name

In October 2009, the South African government changed the city's name to "Mbombela." This is the same name as the local municipality. Some local businesses tried to challenge this decision in court. They said there wasn't enough discussion and that changing signs would cost too much. However, in May 2014, the court decided to keep the name change. In the Siswati language, Mbombela means "many people together in a small space."

Education and Learning in Mbombela

The city has four main public high schools. It also has a TVET college called Ehlanzeni. More schools are being built for all age groups because many students need places.

Mbombela is home to the University of Mpumalanga (UMP). This university started in 2014 with 140 students. By 2020, it had over 4,300 students. The Tshwane University of Technology also has a campus here with over 1,500 students. UNISA has an office that offers online courses.

The city also has important research centers. These include the Agricultural Research Council's Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Crops. The Lowveld National Botanical Garden also does research. Citrus Research International (CRI) has a big facility in the city. The Lowveld College of Agriculture, near UMP, also studies botany.

Getting Around Mbombela

Roads

The Main Road (Old N4; now R104) entering the city

Mbombela is on the Maputo Corridor. This is a major trade route that links Pretoria to Maputo in Mozambique. This corridor, along with the Trans-Kalahari Corridor, creates a transport path across southern Africa. It stretches from Walvis Bay in Namibia on the Atlantic Ocean to Maputo on the Indian Ocean.

The N4 toll route is the main road of the Maputo Corridor. It connects to eMalahleni and Pretoria in the west. It also connects to Maputo in the east.

A new Northern Bypass for the N4 toll route opened in 2010. The old road through the city center (Samora Machel Drive) is now called the R104 route. Other important roads include the R40 route. This road connects to Barberton, a border with eSwatini in the south, and White River in the north. The R37 route connects to Mashishing in the north-west.

Toll Roads The N4 is managed by Trans African Concessions (TRAC). You need to pay a toll to use parts of it. If you are heading east on the N4 towards Maputo, you will pass through the Nkomazi Toll Plaza. This is about 42 kilometers east of Mbombela. If you are heading west on the N4 towards eMalahleni, you will pass through the Machado Toll Plaza. This is about 107 kilometers west of Mbombela.

Trains

Mbombela railway station is on the Pretoria–Maputo railway line.

Airports

Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport is about 27 kilometers northeast of the city. It started operating in October 2002. Flights go to places within South Africa and to other countries like Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. The airport has a 3.1-kilometer runway. It can handle large planes like a Boeing 747. About 250,000 passengers use this airport each year.

Nelspruit Airport is about 9 kilometers southwest of the city. This was the city's first airport. It is owned by the municipality. It mainly handles smaller planes for general aviation. Several companies for aircraft maintenance, firefighting, charter flights, and training are based here.

Neighborhoods in Mbombela

This list includes neighborhoods within Mbombela city. It also includes nearby towns and villages:

Fun Things to Do in Mbombela

The city is a major stop for tourists going to Kruger National Park and Mozambique. Other fun places nearby include Sudwala Caves. There is also God's Window in the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve. This lookout point gives amazing views over the Drakensberg Escarpment.

Mbombela is the closest big South African city to Maputo, Mozambique's capital. Because of this, many tourists from Mozambique visit the city. The city is also home to the Lowveld National Botanical Garden. It covers 154 hectares along the Crocodile River. It has about 500 types of plants that grow naturally in the area.

Sports in Mbombela

Mbombela Stadium

Alkmaar Raceway

The Alkmaar Raceway is a motocross track. It hosted the 2008 FIM Motocross World Championship South African Motocross Grand Prix.

Mbombela Stadium

Mbombela Stadium was built for association football and rugby union games. It was used for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The stadium was finished in November 2009 and cost 1.2 billion ZAR. It can hold 43,500 people. The stadium hosted four 2010 FIFA World Cup matches. It is now the home stadium for the Pumas rugby team.

In 2013, it hosted two rugby test matches. These were between the Italy and Samoa teams. Later, the South Africa and Scotland teams played there. The stadium often hosts Premier Soccer League matches. Teams like Bidvest Wits, Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, and Mpumalanga Black Aces play there regularly.

Mbombela Golf Club

The Mbombela Golf Club was known as the Nelspruit Golf Club until 2017. Its name was changed, and the club also committed to having more black staff. They also decided to pay caddies a basic salary.

Media in Mbombela

Print Media

Lowveld Media is a big company that prints and publishes newspapers in the region. Major newspapers include the Lowvelder, Mpumalanga News, and Nelspruit Post. African Eye News Service is a news agency in the city. It writes articles for national newspapers and websites.

Radio and TV

The SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) has a regional office in the city. Jacaranda FM has a studio near the Emnotweni Casino.

Ligwalagwala FM is the largest SABC-owned radio station in the city. It is also the largest in the Mpumalanga Province. It is a public broadcaster that mainly broadcasts in the Swazi language.

RISE FM (which used to be called MPowerFM) is an independent commercial radio station. It broadcasts in English from studios in Mbombela and eMalahleni. It covers the Mpumalanga province. There is also an Afrikaans local community radio station, Radio Laeveld 100.5fm. It broadcasts to the Lowveld area from the city.

The town is mentioned in the TV show The Chelsea Detective S2 E3.

Culture and Entertainment

The city has several places for entertainment. The most well-known is the Emnotweni Casino complex. The city also has a civic center, built in 1994. It has a large theater that can be rented by performers.

Lowveld National Botanical Garden

Mbombela has its own version of "concert in the park." Musicians perform annually in the Lowveld National Botanical Gardens.

Mbombela's Economy

The international grilled-chicken fast food chain Galito's was started in Mbombela. Its main office is also in the city.

Finance

The city is the main financial and banking center of Mpumalanga.

Retail and Shopping

Mbombela has a strong retail industry. This means there are many shops. Tourists from neighboring Mozambique and Swaziland help this industry a lot. There are several big shopping centers. These include the Riverside and Ilanga malls. Newer developments include the Crossing Shopping Center and the City Center.

Industry

The city is home to the Manganese Metal Company (MMC) and Delta EMD. Together, they form one of the world's largest manganese processing facilities. There are also many medium-sized industries. These industries support the farming and forestry sectors.

Agriculture and Farming

The city is a key center for processing farm products in northeastern South Africa. The macadamia nut industry is centered here. In 2017/18, the area produced 26,400 tons of macadamia nuts. There are many citrus farms. Processing and packaging citrus fruit and other produce is a big business. The fertile soil and warm, wet climate are perfect for growing citrus and tropical fruits. These include mango, banana, avocado, papaya, and macadamia nuts.

Sugar is also a big business in the region. TSB, which makes Selati sugar, is located a few kilometers east of the city. The low-lying areas in the region have many sugarcane farms.

Forestry

The economy also relies heavily on the forestry sector. SAPPI has a paper mill in the small town of Ngodwana. This is about 44 km southwest of the city. It was recently updated to make cellulose fibers for different uses. Mbombela is the global headquarters of KISHUGU. This company owns Working on Fire. KISHUGU is also a major player in the forestry sector. The region has several timber-related businesses. These include lumber and saw mills. There are also companies that make furniture, crates, and cartons.

International Connections

Mbombela is a sister city with:

• Maia, Portugal

Mozambique has a consulate office in the city.

Climate of Mbombela

The city has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa). This means it has mild winters and hot summers. Summers are hot and a bit humid, with lots of rain. Winters in the city are dry. Days are relatively warm, but nights can be chilly.

Famous People from Mbombela

• Beth Diane Armstrong, a sculptor
• Matthew Clay, a swimmer who won a gold medal in 2006
• Faf de Klerk, a Springbok rugby player
• Cliff Drysdale, a professional tennis player and TV presenter
• Robert Gumede, a businessman
• Anton Haig, a professional golfer
• Janneman Malan, a Proteas cricket team player
• Pieter Malan, a South Africa national cricket team player
• Rebecca Malope, a gospel music personality
• Mandisa Mashego, a member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature
• Heyneke Meyer, a Springbok rugby coach
• Nicholas Nkuna, an actor
• Ray Phiri, a musician
• Monique Smit, a professional golfer
• Renske Stoltz, a South Africa national netball team player
• Lucas Thwala, a South Africa national football team player
• Duane Vermeulen, a Springbok rugby player
• Pedrie Wannenburg, a Springbok rugby player
• Costa Titch, a Hip Hop personality

See also

In Spanish: Mbombela para niños