Harding is a town situated in the Mzimkulwana River Valley along the N2 National Route on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa, between Kokstad and Izingolweni.
Harding lies at the foot of the Ingeli Range, 58 km east of Kokstad, 41 km north-west of Izingolweni, and 80 km north-west of Port Shepstone.
Harding is the main town and administrative centre/seat of the uMuziwabantu Local Municipality, which is part of the Ugu District Municipality.
History
Harding was established as a military outpost following the British annexation of East Griqualand in 1874. It was named after Sir Walter Harding (c. 1812–1874), who in 1858 became the first Chief Justice in Natal. It was declared a township in 1911.
Economy
Timber and dairy farming form the backbone of the economy in Harding, with extensive timber plantations surrounding the town and the nearby town of Weza, located approximately 16 km to the south-west.
The abandoned 122 km narrow gauge Alfred County Railway used to serve the farming areas, linking Harding with Port Shepstone.
Healthcare
Harding is home to St Andrew’s Hospital, a 210-bed district hospital situated east of the Central Business District. The hospital primarily serves Harding and Weza, as well as surrounding rural communities within the uMuziwabantu Local Municipality and the neighbouring uMzimkhulu Local Municipality, and nearby rural communities in the Eastern Cape Province, including Mbizana.
Transport
Roads
Harding is bypassed by the N2 National Route, routing traffic heading east from Kokstad towards Izingolweni and Port Shepstone.
Harding can be accessed by turning off the N2 onto two main access points, namely Murchison Street (from the east and west) and Hawkins Street (from the north). Hawkins Street continues further south towards Mbizana in the Eastern Cape Province as a small rural road named the P59.
