Holly Country

Place in Free State, South Africa
26°55′55″S 27°55′01″E / 26.932°S 27.917°E / -26.932; 27.917CountrySouth AfricaProvinceFree StateDistrictFezile DabiMunicipalityMetsimaholoArea • Total1.39 km2 (0.54 sq mi)Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total586 • Density420/km2 (1,100/sq mi)Racial makeup (2011) • Black African21.5% • Indian/Asian2.2% • White75.8% • Other0.5%First languages (2011) • Afrikaans64.5% • English10.5% • Sotho6.6% • Northern Sotho3.4% • Other15.0%Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)Postal code (street)
1946

Holly Country, known as the Coalbrook Mining Village until 1996,[2] is a town in Fezile Dabi District Municipality in the Free State province of South Africa.

History

The settlement, located some 5 km from Sasolburg, is a former colliery, and was originally named Coalbrook, probably named after Coalbrookdale in England. It was the scene of the Coalbrook mining disaster on 21 January 1960; 435 workers were buried alive when the mine collapsed.[3]

Richard Hse, a Taiwanese businessman, bought out the old mine village in October 1996, renamed it and turned the place into a hub of factories including clothing, shoes, stoves, wood and paper factories and a sportsfield.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Main Place Holly Country". Census 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Monument pays tribute to miners". News24 South Africa. 4 November 2000. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  3. ^ "Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Public Domain)". Human Science Research Council. p. 118.


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