Mpumalanga

MPUMALANGA

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A wild are with glorious scenery mountains, valleys, rivers, waterfalls, pockets of primeval forest.  A colorful profusion of flowers decorate the landscape.

“Place where the Sun Rises”

The Mpumalanga province is a province with spectacular scenic beauty and an abundance of wildlife, lying in the northeast of South Africa.

Mpumalanga borders the countries of Mozambique and Swaziland to the east and Gauteng (Johannesburg) to the west.  Mpumalanga is predominantly situated on the high plateau grasslands of the Middleveld – rolling eastwards.

The northeast rises with mountain peaks with a dramatic escarpment drop – known as the Lowveld.  The eastern region holds the southern part of the world renowned Kruger National Park.  Immense wildlife is found in this nature reserve.

There are a number of small airports and airstrips sprawled within the Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Kruger Park regions, with some situated within private Game Reserves, such as the Ulusaba strip, Mala Mala airstrip, and the larger Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) situated nearby Nelspruit in the south, Skukuza Airport (closer to the Paul Kruger Gate and Sabi Sands), Hoedspruit (East Gate Airport) serving the Greater Kruger National Park.

Mpumalanga falls predominantly within the grassland biome.  The escarpment and the Lowveld form a transitional zone between this grassland area and the savanna biome. Grasslands change abruptly into thickly forested ravines and breathtaking waterfalls, juxtaposed against the subtropical wildlife splendor of the Lowveld.

The capital of Mpumalanga is Nelspruit, the major city in the Mbombela Local Municipality and the administrative and business hub of the Lowveld.EMalahleni (previously Witbank) is the centre of the local coal-mining industry; Standerton, in the south, is known for its large dairy industry; and Piet Retief in the southeast is a production area for tropical fruit and sugar.

 

Hand-Picked Accommodation in the World Renowned Sabi Sands:

Inyati Private Game Reserve

 

Mpumalanga: quick facts

  • Capital: Mbombela
  • Languages: 27.7% siSwati, 24.1% isiZulu, 10.4% Xistonga, 10.1% isiNdebele
  • Area: 76 495 square kilometres

Malaria advice for travelers

Malaria is endemic in certain areas of South Africa.

Through good malaria control efforts, the disease is now restricted to certain districts in three provinces; namely the north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal, parts of Mpumulanga and Limpopo.  These areas have conditions that are suitable for malaria transmission.

Malaria occurs mainly in low altitude areas but occasionally has been found in high altitude areas within these provinces. On rare occasions malaria is contracted near the Molopo river in the North-West Province and Orange River in the Northern Cape Province (Department of Health, 2009)

It is a seasonal disease. Low transmission periods are between May and September.

Measures to reduce mosquito bites (the malaria mosquitoes are most active from sunset to sunrise) are essential and include application of DEET containing insect repellents to exposed areas, wearing of long pants and socks and sleeping under a mosquito net.

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