Estcourt

Estcourt is a medium sized town officially situated in the Battlefields area of KwaZulu-Natal but because of its central location it serves the Midlands area as well. The area was originally occupied by Bushmen until the Bantu tribes from the north displaced them and they moved into the nearby Drakensberg Mountains. Then the Boers arrived and the town played a major role during the Anglo-Zulu Wars in the 1840’s. In his bid to negotiate land grants from Dingane, the Zulu king, the Boer, Piet Retief, was murdered in 1838. However, the Boers had their revenge at the Battle of Blood River and Dingane was deposed.

The turbulence continued when the British arrived and attempted to displace the Boers who eventually fought back and the area became a major battleground in the Anglo-Boer War of 1899. The British named the town after Thomas Henry Sotheron Estcourt, a British parliamentarian who promoted British settlement in the area. Fort Durnford was built in 1874 as a base for the Natal Mounted Police in response to the threat of attack by the Zulu king Cetswayo.

With its checkered history of strife and conflict it is not surprising that Estcourt is the gateway to the Battlefields of KwaZulu-Natal. It is also, however, the main industrial and commercial hub of the region and the gateway to the central Drakensberg.

Apart from being so close to the Drakensberg, there are a number of nature reserves and hiking trails in the surrounding area.

For the ultimate guide to Durban visit ShowMe Durban