Mtubatuba, which means: ‘He who was pummelled out!' and named after a chief of the Mkwanazi Tribe, originating from the Zulu's. The name is said to mean: "creator of opportunities", in Zulu. It is a small town north of Richards Bay and close to the entrance of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park.
Initially established as a Railway Siding in 1903 in an Area of swampland, comprising of the normal reeds and papyrus! The Town Mtubatuba was almost swept away in 1918 in one of the worst floods the Area had seen in over 100 years. It was only in the late 1920's that efforts to drain the swamp began and Mtubatuba became an official Village in 1950.
Responsible for much of the Town's battle with water is the Mfolozi River. This River meanders across swampy plains before reaching the sea within metres of the St Lucia Estuary, (as seen in the Banner above). However, it joins with the White and Black Mfolozi rivers on the boundary of the Umfolozi Game Reserve, potentially more than doubling its strength and explaining its capacity for flooding. The flip side of this same coin is the fertility of the Mfolozi Flats, giving rise to sugar Farms and a Mill. Mtubatuba has made its way onto the map of South Africa, largely because of its proximity to Lake St Lucia and the Hluhluwe and Umfolozi Game Reserves. Mtubatuba provides a key stopover for tourists and travellers heading Inland or to the Coast.
This is the land of sugar cane and forests and, further North, a Mountainous ridge along the Coast that culminates in a series of giant forested Dunes. The highest of their kind in the World, they provide the backdrop to the medley of Rivers, Lakes, freshwater Pans and a Swamp Forest that is- Lake St Lucia.
The Town has experienced substantial commercial growth and serves as a key service and transport hub for the North Eastern, Zululand Region. Mtubatuba was incorporated into the uMkhanyakude District Municipality in 2000, as part of post-apartheid restructuring. Mtubatuba Local Municipality is one of five municipalities within the uMkhanyakude District Municipality. The Municipality encompasses both Urban and Rural Areas, with a significant portion falling under traditional authorities.
"Mtubatuba is in a strategic location and continues to drive its growth, as a gateway to the region's natural attractions!"