Hlabisa

For the president of the Inkatha Freedom Party, see Velenkosini Hlabisa.

Hlabisa
Hlabisa Show map of KwaZulu-Natal Hlabisa Show map of South Africa
Coordinates: 28°8′S 31°52′E
Country	South Africa
Province	KwaZulu-Natal
District	Umkhanyakude
Municipality	Big Five Hlabisa
Area [1]
• Total	1.81 km^2 (0.70 sq mi)
Population  (2011)[1]
• Total	2,469
• Density	1,400/km^2 (3,500/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011) [1]
• Black African	96.9%
• Coloured	0.6%
• Indian/Asian	0.4%
• White	0.8%
• Other	1.3%
First languages (2011) [1]
• Zulu	90.0%
• Sign language	3.7%
• English	1.9%
• S. Ndebele	1.0%
• Other	3.3%
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)
PO box	3937
Area code	035

Hlabisa is a settlement in Umkhanyakude District Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. The village lies between the Hluhluwe and Umfolozi game reserves, some 40 km north-west of Mtubatuba. It is named after the Hlabisa tribe of Zulus,^[2] and also known as kwaHlabisa.^[3]

Neighbouring localities include Somkele (37 km); Nongoma (40 km); Kwamsane (43 km); Mtubatuba (47 km); Hluhluwe (48 km); Mahlabatini (50 km).^[4]

In 2007, researchers studied local healthcare habits and how long it took people in Hlabisa sub-district to go to a hospital after they had been bitten by a snake.^[5]

Notable people

• Beauty Ngxongo (born 1953), is a master weaver of Zulu baskets; she lives in Hlabisa.^[6]
• Sim Tshabalala (born 1967), is a lawyer and businessman. He is the group CEO of Standard Bank Group since 2013.
• DJ Tira (born 1976; also known as Mthokozisi Khathi), DJ and producer; his birthplace and early childhood home is Hlabisa.^{[citation needed]}
• Misuzulu Zulu (born 1974), King of the Zulus, and was born in Hlabisa.^[7]
• Zwelikhethabantu Ngema, father of playwright Mbongeni Ngema (1955–2023), was born in Hlabisa, and the children of the family lived there for some time.^[3]

References

1. "Main Place Hlabisa". Census 2011.
2. "Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Public Domain)". Human Science Research Council. p. 210.
3. Khumalo, Fred (27 August 2020). "'The whole wide world could see what South Africa was truly like'—Read an excerpt from Heart of a Strong Woman: A Memoir by Xoliswa Nduneni-Ngema, as told to Fred Khumalo". The Johannesburg Review of Books. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
4. Travel distances from Hlabisa
5. Sloan, Derek J.; Dedicoat, Martin J.; Lalloo, David G. (28 November 2007). "Healthcare-seeking behaviour and use of traditional healers after snakebite in Hlabisa sub-district, KwaZulu Natal: Healthcare seeking after snakebite". Tropical Medicine & International Health. 12 (11): 1386–1390. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3156.2007.01924.x. PMID 18045265.
6. Chemaly, Tracy Lynn (7 July 2021). "Beauty Ngxongo: Woven in Time". TLmagazine. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
7. Singh, Kaveel. "Royal house confusion as Zulu regiments and prince Misuzulu interrupt Zikalala's SOPA". News24. Retrieved 29 March 2022.