KwaDukuza is a town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. In 2006, its official name was changed from Stanger to KwaDukuza; however Zulu people in the area called it "Dukuza" well before this date, and many white South Africans continue to use "Stanger" today . "Stanger" has been used on new road signs in the area.NameThe town was named to honour William Stanger, a surveyor–general in South Africa. In 2006 the Minister of Arts and Culture approved a name change from Stanger to KwaDukuza, and it was published in the Government Gazette on 3 March 2006.HistoryThe town was founded about 1820 by King Shaka, and was named KwaDukuza (Place of the Lost Person) because of the capital's labyrinth of huts. After Shaka was assassinated on 24 September 1828—in a coup by two of his half-brothers, Dingane and Umthlangana (Mhlangane)—the town was burnt to the ground. In 1873 European settlers built a town on the site, naming it Stanger after William Stanger, the surveyor-general of Natal.Stanger became a municipality in 1949, and is the commercial, magisterial and railway center of an important sugar-producing district. A small museum adjoins the site of King Shaka's grave, a grain pit in the town center. The town and its vibrant inhabitants are surrounded by sugar cane fields, bush and the mahogany tree where King Shaka held meetings, which still stands in front of the municipal offices. The Shaka Day festival, a colorful ceremony of 10,000 or more Zulu, is held at the KwaDukuza Recreation Grounds on 24 September every year. The festival is usually attended by dignitaries to mark the significance of the Zulu nation.
