Balele Mountains
Mountain massif in the KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa
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The Balele Mountains (Balelesberg or sometimes Belelasberg in Afrikaans) are a mountain massif largely located in the KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa.
PeakVaalkop
Elevation1,845 m (6,053 ft)
| Balele Mountains | |
|---|---|
| (Balelesberg / Belelasberg) | |
Balele Mountains rising behind Utrecht | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Vaalkop |
| Elevation | 1,845 m (6,053 ft) |
| Listing | List of mountain ranges of South Africa |
| Coordinates | 27.5453°S 30.1392°E |
| Geography | |
  Balele Mountains | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Geology | |
| Rock type | dolerite |
Geography
The Balele Mountains stretch north of the town of Utrecht, which lies at their foot, south-east of Wakkerstroom and Volksrust (in Mpumalanga), and north-east of the Newcastle region. Vaalkop is the highest point.[1]
Geology
History
Early in the 20th century, the Utrecht Collieries Company began mining coal in the Balele Mountains. In 1906, the governor of Natal decided to build a railway line between Utrecht and Newcastle. The line was inaugurated in 1910 by the then governor Lord Methuen.[3]