all about barberton
The Town of Barberton is MANAGED BY THE UMJINDI MUNICIPALITY SITUATED IN THE EASTERN PART OF MPUMALANGA.
(TOWN HALL. GPS: 25°47'24.14"S - 31°03'06.81"E)
Gold Mining and Farming are the major sectors of the economy.
Sub Tropical Climate. The annual rainfall is approximately 755 mm occurring in the summertime. The average temperature in summer is 28ºC with a pleasant winter average temperature of 12ºC. Only 75 km from the Kruger Park.
Barberton, centre of the Umjindi Municipality, is linked by tarred roads to Nelspruit (R40) (45 km), Badplaas (R38) (78 km) and Kaapmuiden (R38) (54 km). The roads to Nelspruit and Kaapmuiden link up with the Maputo Development Corridor (N4). A 42 km tarred road connects Barberton with Swaziland. This road is tarred, from Highlands, on top of Saddle Back Pass to the Josefsdal/Bulembu border posts. The road from Bulembu border post to Pig's Peak Casino will also be upgraded. The road will ultimately extend eastwards into Mozambique.
A rail link runs from Barberton to Kaapmuiden which can be utilised both for tourism (steam train rides) and transport of goods for the Maputo harbour (Mozambique) (250 km) or Gauteng (Johannesburg) (400 km). The backbone of the economy is Mining and Agriculture. This strategically situated and growing Town has excellent prospects for Business development.
Shopping facilities include a large number of national retailers catering for most of the needs of the community. Banks, insurance companies, attorneys and other professional services such as auditors, consultants and engineering professionals are available. Medical facilities include a private and government hospital, doctors, dentists, optometrists, para-medical services, ambulance and clinics. A tuberculosis hospital (SANTA) and St Johns Mission Hospital for HIV/Aids patients, provide an excellent service to the community.
Barberton has an adequate supply of high quality water, excellent standard of services, a well-developed communication system and has its own Community Radio Station. A variety of moderately priced houses, as well as residential stands, are available. An ideal place to retire to.
Sports facilities are available for most major sporting codes, including an excellent golf course, micro-flying and paragliding opportunities, and a sport stadium.
There are more than 30 church denominations servicing the community, including a mosque.
Government services include the departments of Home Affairs, Labour, Police, a Magistrates Court, serving the whole Magisterial District, and Correctional Services who have a prison farm on the town’s border housing some 3 500 maximum/medium security prisoners and a town prison where the juvenile offenders are housed. There are also State Vet/Agricultural services, Barberton Commando, a Provincial Hospital and Education Department Circuit office.
The Umjindi Jewellery Project, in partnership with African Pioneer Mining (Pty) Ltd, will entail manufacturing and marketing of jewellery and collectors coins. The items will be exclusively manufactured from gold and silver mined in the Barberton Mountain Land. For the first time these precious metals will be available in native form, hand crafted into highly collectable pieces, on site at the Umjindi Jewellery Project, situated in the Barberton Iron and Steel Building (BIAS), next to the museum.
Barberton also finds itself engaged in various tourism initiatives, which will impact greatly on not only the economic development of the town, but that of the region as a whole, including its close neighbour Swaziland and even further into Mozambique. The road project between Barberton and Swaziland will also focus on the development, promotion and support of sustainable, collaborative and internationally competitive initiatives between Swaziland and Mpumalanga.
THE TOWN OF BARBERTON IS LOCATED IN THE DE KAAP VALLEY
The valley consists mainly of Lowveld savannah with semi and sour bushveld, surrounded by low mountain ranges, the Magudu's, part of the Mpumalanga Drakensberg range, ranging from 900 to 1900m. The valley is traversed by 3 rivers. South, Northkaap and Queens, and in the Magudu's, the Lomati. Except for the latter they spring from the Highveld grassland sponge reservoir and drain into the two main river systems, the Crocodile and the Lomati. Numerous ecosystems and habitats evolve from the varying terrain, resulting in a great bio-diversity of fauna and flora. The Vertebrates, excluding the class Aves (birds) are made up of 20 orders, 5 sub orders and 60 families.
CLIMATE
Sub Tropical. Temperate. September & October is spring. November to March is summer. April & May is autumn. June to August is Winter. Spring to Autumn temperatures are warm to hot. Day time: 25-32c. Mostly sunny days. Night time: 15-20c. Rains during the summer months. Average: 755 mm. Autumn to spring temperatures are moderate to warm. Day time: 18-26c. Mostly sunny days. Night time: 7-15c. Limited rain during Winter. Weather: Mostly mild except summer months during thunderstorm activity. Air quality is good. Limited pollution.