Ogies

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Ogies

| pushpin_map = South Africa Mpumalanga#South Africa

| coordinates = {{coord|26|3|2|S|29|3|9|E|region:ZA|display=inline,title}}

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = South Africa

| subdivision_type1 = Province

| subdivision_name1 = Mpumalanga

| subdivision_type2 = District

| subdivision_name2 = Nkangala

| subdivision_type3 = Municipality

| subdivision_name3 = Emalahleni

| subdivision_type4 = Main Place

| established_title = Established

| leader_title = Councillor

| area_footnotes = {{cite web |url=http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/868019 |title = Main Place Ogies |work=Census 2011}}

| area_total_km2 = 1.95

| population_footnotes =

| population_total = 1230

| population_as_of = 2011

| population_density_km2 = auto

| demographics_type1 = Racial makeup (2011)

| demographics1_footnotes =

| demographics1_title1 = Black African

| demographics1_info1 = 76.7%

| demographics1_title2 = Coloured

| demographics1_info2 = 3.4%

| demographics1_title3 = Indian/Asian

| demographics1_info3 = 2.3%

| demographics1_title4 = White

| demographics1_info4 = 15.4%

| demographics1_title5 = Other

| demographics1_info5 = 2.2%

| demographics_type2 = First languages (2011)

| demographics2_footnotes =

| demographics2_title1 = Zulu

| demographics2_info1 = 33.1%

| demographics2_title2 = Afrikaans

| demographics2_info2 = 17.0%

| demographics2_title3 = English

| demographics2_info3 = 9.6%

| demographics2_title4 = Sotho

| demographics2_info4 = 9.5%

| demographics2_title5 = Other

| demographics2_info5 = 30.7%

| timezone1 = SAST

| utc_offset1 = +2

| postal_code_type = Postal code (street)

| postal_code = 2230

| postal2_code_type = PO box

| postal2_code = 2230

| area_code_type = Area code

| area_code = 013

}}

Ogies is a settlement in Nkangala District Municipality in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa. It is a coal-mining town 29 km south-west of Witbank and 70 km north-east of Springs.

History

It was laid out in 1928 on the farm Oogiesfontein, 'fountain with many "eyes" or springs'. The name is derived from that of the farm.{{cite web|title=Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Public Domain)|url=https://archive.org/details/DictionaryOfSouthernAfricanPlaceNames|publisher=Human Science Research Council|page=345}} The town developed around train station built there in 1928.{{rp|303}} The original name of the town was Oogies but that changed to the current version in 1939.{{cite book | title=On Route in South Africa: Explore South Africa region by region | publisher=Jonathan Ball Publishers | author=Erasmus, B.P.J. | year=2014 | pages=401 | isbn=9781920289805}}{{rp|303}}

Economy

=Mining=

African Exploration Mining and Finance Corporation built its first coal mine at Vlakfontein, near Ogies, which was completed in January 2011. It mostly supplies coal to the nearby Kendal Power Station.{{cite news|url=http://www.miningmx.com/page/news/energy/1433254-AEMFC-readies-for-second-mine-as-losses-mount#.UQvAVr9yGE0|title=AEMFC readies for second mine as losses mount|date=18 October 2012|work=Mining MX|access-date=1 February 2013}}

Infrastructure

=Transportation=

Ogies is an important railway junction on the Springs to Witbank rail-line, a line that connects to the Port of Richards Bay.{{rp|303}} It has several branches of tracks that service the coal mines close to the town.{{rp|303}}

=Roads=

The town at the junction of the R555 and R545 routes. The R545 connects southwards to Kriel and northwards to Balmoral. The R555 connects south-west to Springs and north-east to Witbank.

References

Category:Populated places in the Emalahleni Local Municipality, Mpumalanga

Category:Mining communities in South Africa