Dannhauser is a former coal mining town situated along the R621 Regional Route in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa. These days, cattle and sheep farming take place in the region.
The town of Dannhauser is situated midway between Durban and Johannesburg on the main railway line, approximately 8 km off the N3 National Road, which connects the two cities.
Dannhauser falls within the Dannhauser Local Municipality, which is part of the Amajuba District Municipality. Dannhauser is the main town and administrative centre/seat of the Dannhauser Local Municipality.
Some of the largest coal-producing mines in KwaZulu-Natal surround it. Numerous rivers flow through the municipal area, the most significant being the Ngagane and uMzinyathi Rivers. The western portion of the municipality features scenic landscapes.
Dannhauser functions as a small rural service centre (providing commercial and service facilities and agricultural industries and services), and is not a large employment generator.
Residents of the municipal area rely on the larger urban centres of Dundee and Newcastle for employment opportunities and higher-order goods and services, and the mining sector also provides employment, which is another contributing factor in terms of the economic growth of the district as well.
History
The town was named after Renier Dannhauser, a German settler, who purchased the farm Palmietfontein from the Natal Government in 1872. It was proclaimed a village in 1937.
Contemporary Dannhauser covers five farms, namely Tweediedale, Gleneagles, Rocky Branch, Cornwall, and Klipkuil. Durnacol housing is relatively cheap now as the coal mines there are redundant.
The town consists of one main street, and the main shops are the post office, bank, pharmacy, and some grocery and hardware stores.
