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Witbank was founded in 1890 and early attempts to exploit the coal deposits failed until the railway from Pretoria reached the area in 1894. It was proclaimed a town in 1903 and became a municipality in 1914.
Witbank attained town status in 1910 and city status in 1994. The city has grown rapidly around heavy industry, and a power plant at the Witbank Dam supplies electricity to a wide area. The dam, its catchment, and neighbouring nature reserve host a variety of recreational activities.
Jun 5, 2019 · It was established over a century ago back in the 1890s when about 20 underground mines or collieries were operating, and at the same time looking for more coal. From coal mines, it became a town and soon progressed to being named a city.
EMalahleni, city, Mpumalanga province, South Africa, east of Pretoria. Established in 1890 as Witbank, it is at the centre of a coal-mining area in which more than 20 collieries operate.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
The Boers established the town in 1890 and named it after the ridge. The early years of Witbank were marked by the discovery of coal in the area. This led to the development of the coal mining industry, which quickly became the town's main source of income.
The city was thrust into the annals of history when Winston Churchill, a young soldier-journalist, sought refuge in a colliery near Witbank following his escape from Pretoria. By 1910, Witbank had achieved town status and continued its meteoric rise to attain city status by 1994.
A Brief Overview. Witbank was established as a town in 1903 when the rush for coal became greater, the coal mines were built before 1890, the people failed to take the coal to market. The town only began to function properly when the Pretoria/Delagoa Bay railway was built.
