Ogies

Ogies
Ogies is located in Mpumalanga
Ogies
Ogies
Ogies is located in South Africa
Ogies
Ogies
Coordinates: 26°3′2″S 29°3′9″E / 26.05056°S 29.05250°E / -26.05056; 29.05250
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceMpumalanga
DistrictNkangala
MunicipalityEmalahleni
Area
 • Total
1.95 km2 (0.75 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total
1,230
 • Density630/km2 (1,600/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
 • Black African76.7%
 • Coloured3.4%
 • Indian/Asian2.3%
 • White15.4%
 • Other2.2%
First languages (2011)
 • Zulu33.1%
 • Afrikaans17.0%
 • English9.6%
 • Sotho9.5%
 • Other30.7%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
2230
PO box
2230
Area code013

Ogies is a settlement in Nkangala District Municipality in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa. It is a coal-mining town 29 km south-west of Witbank and 70 km north-east of Springs.

History

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It was laid out in 1928 on the farm Oogiesfontein, 'fountain with many "eyes" or springs'. The name is derived from that of the farm.[2] The town developed around train station built there in 1928.[3]: 303  The original name of the town was Oogies but that changed to the current version in 1939.[3]: 303 

Economy

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Mining

[edit]

African Exploration Mining and Finance Corporation built its first coal mine at Vlakfontein, near Ogies, which was completed in January 2011. It mostly supplies coal to the nearby Kendal Power Station.[4]

Infrastructure

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Transportation

[edit]

Ogies is an important railway junction on the Springs to Witbank rail-line, a line that connects to the Port of Richards Bay.[3]: 303  It has several branches of tracks that service the coal mines close to the town.[3]: 303 

Roads

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The town at the junction of the R555 and R545 routes. The R545 connects southwards to Kriel and northwards to Balmoral. The R555 connects south-west to Springs and north-east to Witbank.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d "Main Place Ogies". Census 2011.
  2. ^ "Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Public Domain)". Human Science Research Council. p. 345.
  3. ^ a b c d Erasmus, B.P.J. (2014). On Route in South Africa: Explore South Africa region by region. Jonathan Ball Publishers. p. 401. ISBN 9781920289805.
  4. ^ "AEMFC readies for second mine as losses mount". Mining MX. 18 October 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2013.