Balfour is a developing gold mining and maize farming town in Mpumalanga, South Africa.

Balfour
Skyline photo of central Balfour
Skyline photo of central Balfour
Balfour is located in Mpumalanga
Balfour
Balfour
Balfour is located in South Africa
Balfour
Balfour
Coordinates: 26°39′S 28°35′E / 26.650°S 28.583°E / -26.650; 28.583
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceMpumalanga
DistrictGert Sibande
MunicipalityDipaleseng
Area
 • Total12.06 km2 (4.66 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total3,201
 • Density270/km2 (690/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
 • Black African50.2%
 • Coloured1.4%
 • Indian/Asian9.4%
 • White38.4%
 • Other0.6%
First languages (2011)
 • Afrikaans5.6%
 • Zulu60.7%
 • English15.4%
 • Sotho40.3%
 • Other10.7%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
2410
PO box
2410
Area code+27 17 773

History

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The town and post office, some 80 kilometres (50 mi) southeast of Johannesburg, was established on the farms Vlakfontein No. 101 and No. 108 which belonged to Frederick Stuart McHattie, and named McHattiesburg after him in 1897. Proclaimed on 16 February 1898, it was renamed Balfour on 15 February 1905, after Arthur James Balfour, Prime Minister of Great Britain, 1902–1905, who visited South Africa in that year.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Main Place Balfour". Census 2011.
  2. ^ Raper, Peter E. (1987). Dictionary of Southern African Place Names. HSRC. p. 68.

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