Komatipoort is the last town in South Africa before the main road enters Mozambique at Lebombo. In the early days, it was just a campsite by the river crossing but as soon as the railway arrived in 1890, it quickly developed into a permanent settlement. Travelling from Lourenço Marques (today Maputo), this was the only place where the railway could pass through the Lebombo Mountains. The Nkhomati Accord was signed here in March 1984 between Samora Machel, President of Mozambique and PW Botha, Prime Minister of South Africa. The accord intended to promote peace and co-operation between the two countries but met with limited success as Mozambique, along with the rest of Africa, was still a staunch opponent to the Apartheid regime and supported sanctions. Not far from here on the Komati flats is the Machel Memorial, which is a national monument marking the site where President Samora Machel died in a plane crash in 1986. Joaquim Chissano succeeded him and his widow, Graca Machel, went on to marry Nelson Mandela a few years later.
Today, the town is an important marshalling yard for the railways and a popular centre for supplies for visitors to Kruger National Park (Crocodile Gate is only 9 km away). Lying at the foot of the Lebombo Mountains at the confluence of the Komati and Crocodile rivers and little over 60 km from the Indian Ocean, the climate here is tropical and humid, with high summer temperatures and rainfall. Fortunately, the streets are shaded by poinciana and jacaranda trees, which provide essential shade. There are supermarkets in the town centre along Rissik Street.
WMahatma Gandhi was imprisoned in Komatipoort in 1907, before escaping to the coast.
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