| Weenen | |
| Pushpin Map: | South Africa KwaZulu-Natal#South Africa |
| Coordinates: | -28.85°N 30.0667°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | South Africa |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | KwaZulu-Natal |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | uThukela |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name3: | Inkosi Langalibalele |
| Subdivision Type4: | Main Place |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Established Date: | 1839[1] |
| Leader Title: | Councillor |
| Area Footnotes: | [2] |
| Area Total Km2: | 71.98 |
| Population Total: | 3126 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Racial makeup (2011) |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Black African |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 83.4% |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Coloured |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 2.8% |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Indian/Asian |
| Demographics1 Info3: | 6.4% |
| Demographics1 Title4: | White |
| Demographics1 Info4: | 7.0% |
| Demographics1 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics1 Info5: | 0.4% |
| Demographics Type2: | First languages (2011) |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Zulu |
| Demographics2 Info1: | 80.4% |
| Demographics2 Title2: | English |
| Demographics2 Info2: | 11.6% |
| Demographics2 Title3: | Afrikaans |
| Demographics2 Info3: | 4.2% |
| Demographics2 Title4: | S. Ndebele |
| Demographics2 Info4: | 1.3% |
| Demographics2 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics2 Info5: | 2.5% |
| Timezone1: | SAST |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code (street) |
| Postal2 Code Type: | PO box |
| Postal2 Code: | 3325 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Area Code: | 036 |
Weenen (Dutch for "wept") is the second oldest European settlement in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is situated on the banks of the Bushman River. The farms around the town grow vegetables, lucerne, groundnuts, and citrus fruit.
The plots was laid out in 1839 at the site of a massacre by the Zulus following Voortrekker settlements in the area near the royal kraal of Dingane. The Voortrekkers had arrived in the area a year earlier and the town's Dutch name (place of weeping) originates from the massacre of 100 men and women, 185 children and 200 coloured servants. The settlement was officially surveyed and established in 1841. The Bushman River was bridged by the Jubliee Bridge in 1898. In 1910, it became governed by a local board. A now-closed narrow gauge railway was built in 1907 to connect the town to Estcourt, 47 kilometres to the west until 1983 and provided an outlet for its produce and was thus called the "Cabbage Express'.
The museum (also from 1838) houses a collection of Voortrekker artefacts and was constructed by Voortrekker leader Andries Pretorius whose waterwheel is one of the exhibits.[3] It has previously done service as a magistrate's office, post office and a prison.[3]
See main article: article and Weenen Game Reserve. The 6,500 ha game reserve is administered by KZN Wildlife and covers an area of typical inland KwaZulu-Natal acacia grassland with occasional thickets. The reserve offers extensive game viewing facilities, guided walks, environmental education, and three picnic sites. More than 230 species of birds have been recorded (there are two hides overlooking a dam) and the park is a good example of the successful rehabilitation of severely degraded habitat. Mammals in the reserve include rhinoceros, giraffe, hyaena, jackal, bushbuck, reedbuck, steenbok and porcupine. The game reserve has a small two-bedroom cottage with BBQ facilities and its own trail and waterhole. There are 12 caravan and camping sites and a picnic site. A guided walk of 8 km can be taken, and three self-guided trails which pass dams.
The major summer activity is white-water rafting, and the most exciting time to do this is between November and May. The 30 km stretch of river known as the canyon provides some of the most thrilling white water in the country. The South African leg of the Camel White-Water Challenge took place at Zingela in Weenen.