Despatch, South Africa

Despatch

Despatchers/Klipgooiers
Despatch Despatchers/Klipgooiers
	Despatch Despatch
	Coordinates: 33°48′5.57″S 25°28′36.41″E / 33.8015472°S 25.4767806°E
Country	South Africa
Province	Eastern Cape
Municipality	Nelson Mandela Bay
Area
• Total	19.65 km2 (7.59 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	39,619
• Density	2,000/km2 (5,200/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
• Black African	36.9%
• Coloured	17.8%
• Indian/Asian	0.2%
• White	44.7%
• Other	0.4%
First languages (2011)
• Afrikaans	59.7%
• Xhosa	33.2%
• English	5.1%
• Other	2.0%
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)	6220
PO box	6219
Area code	041

Despatch is a small town in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa situated between Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage with an estimated population of 40 000. It forms part of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality which includes Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage, and has collectively a population of over 1.3 million.

History

The town of Despatch is situated on rich clay soil and was the site of a thriving brick industry in the late 1800s. Despatch's name comes from this brick industry, as bricks were dispatched from the original railway siding. Many older buildings in Uitenhage and Port Elizabeth were constructed using these bricks, which can be identified by the word 'Despatch' imprinted on the top and bottom. The town's only remaining reminder of its brick industry past is a chimney built in 1882, which was part of the Brick Works. This chimney, located in a field on the northern outskirts of town next to the railway lines, has recently been restored to its former glory, now featuring supports that give it the appearance of a space rocket.

In 1903 the remains of an Algoasaurus were discovered near Despatch.^[2]

The township of Despatch was originally developed in 1942 to offer cheaper homing alternative for its fast growing neighbours of Uitenhage and Port Elizabeth. The town obtained official municipal status in 1945 and in 2001 it jointed with Uitenhage, Port Elizabeth and surrounding areas to form the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality.

Transport

Roads

Despatch lies just off the R75 highway (serves as a southern bypass) heading north–south from Graaff-Reinet to Port Elizabeth. However, the main route through the town is the M19 (Botha Street; Main Street) heading south-east from Despatch to Swartkops. The M6 (serves as a northern bypass) connects the R75 interchange in the east to Uitenhage in the west. The M10 bypasses Despatch to the west, heading north–south from Uitenhage Industries to Bethelsdorp.

Notable residents

Johan Botha - cricketer
Rassie Erasmus - rugby coach
Adri Geldenhuys—rugby player
Danie Gerber - rugby player
Rynard Landman - rugby player
Rudi Koertzen - cricket umpire
Charl Mattheus - Comrades Marathon runner
Elric van Vuuren - rugby player
Daniel du Plessis - rugby player
Arnold Vosloo - Hollywood actor

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Main Place Despatch". Census 2011.
^ Broom, R. (1915). Catalogue of types and figured specimens of fossil vertebrates in the American Museum of Natural History. II.–Permian, Triassic and Jurassic reptiles of South Africa. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 25(2):105–164.

External links

http://www.nelsonmandelabay.gov.za/

[census2011-1] "Main Place Despatch". Census 2011.

[2] Broom, R. (1915). Catalogue of types and figured specimens of fossil vertebrates in the American Museum of Natural History. II.–Permian, Triassic and Jurassic reptiles of South Africa. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 25(2):105–164.

[1]

[2]

v t e Municipalities and communities of Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, Eastern Cape
District seat: Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
Cities and towns	Beachview Bethelsdorp Colchester Despatch Gqeberha Ibhayi Motherwell New Brighton Redhouse Seaview Skoenmakerskop Swartkops Uitenhage (Kariega) Van Stadensriviermond	Nelson Mandela Bay within South Africa

Authority control databases
National	Israel
Geographic	MusicBrainz area