Information on Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Estcourt is a town in the uThukela District of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. The main economic activity is farming with large bacon and processed food factories situated around the town. The N3 freeway passes close to the town, linking it to the rest of South Africa.

Estcourt is located at the confluence of the Bushmans and the Little Bushmans River. It is also on the main Durban - Johannesburg railway line some 160 km north of Durban and 25 km south of the Tugela River crossing. In earlier years the main road, later to become the N3, passed through the town. The town itself is 1196 m above sea level and lies in the hilly country that dominates most of the Natal Midlands. The Drakensberg lies some 40 km to the west of the town.

During the Apartheid era, Esctourt was a predominantly white and Asian town. The nearby Wembezi township was home to a large black population. In 1995, these two areas were incorporated into a transitional local council prior to the setting up of the uMtshezi Municipality. The new council continues to display the old Estcourt coat of arms on its letterheads.