Mthatha

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mthatha (formerly Umtata) is the main town of the King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality in Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The town has an airport, previously known by the name K D Matanzima Airport after former leader Kaiser Matanzima.

It was a military post for the colonial forces in 1882, and the town itself was founded in 1883, along the banks of the Mthatha River. The Mthatha Dam was constructed about eight kilometre upstream of the town. Mthatha became the leading administrative centre of the area, having both an Anglican and Catholic cathedral. It also became the seat of the traditional authorities and a parliament building for this purpose known as the Bunga, was erected.

A branch of the University of Fort Hare was established in the town, and after the "independence" of the Transkei in 1977 it became the University of Transkei, which has since been integrated into the Walter Sisulu University for Technology and Science. The campus was the base for the region's first community radio station, UCRFM, which started in 1996 and has become a significant community broadcaster.

From 1976 to 1994, Mthatha served as the capital of the Transkei bantustan, under the name of Umtata. Its status as the capital of nominally independent Transkei made Umtata a haven for anyone wishing to access films or other material that was banned just across the border in South Africa proper.^{[citation needed]} In addition to adult movies, this included cinema releases like Cry Freedom about the death in state detention of black consciousness leader Steve Biko. Many South African men also took up residence in Transkei to avoid being conscripted by the South African Defence Force.^{[citation needed]}

Mthatha has now lost its status as the home of the affluent black people. After the end of apartheid many businesses left the town leaving the municipality close to economic collapse, but a number of construction projects offer some hope for renewal.^[1]

Many of South Africa's black leaders — including Walter Sisulu and Nelson Mandela — come from this area, and the retired Mandela still lives in his home village of Qunu some miles south of Mthatha. Mthatha is the home of one of the three Nelson Mandela Museums. Spread across three sites, it collects, interprets and exhibits key aspects of the story of the life and times of Nelson Mandela in context. The three historical sites of the museum are all in the locality at Mvezo, Qunu and the Bunga Building in Mthatha itself. In the Bunga Building is the story of the Long Walk to Freedom and an exhibition of the many gifts received by Nelson Mandela on behalf of the South African people.

[edit] References

1. ^ Mthatha in dire straits, Mail&Guardian, accessed 26 October 2006]

edit Eastern Cape Province of South Africa

Capital Bhisho Regions Amatola | Northern | Western | Wild Coast Cities Port Elizabeth Largest towns East London | Uitenhage | Port Alfred | Bhisho | Graaff-Reinet | Jeffreys Bay | Mthatha | Grahamstown Municipalities Metropolitan: Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality District: Cacadu | Amatole | Chris Hani | Ukhahlamba | O.R. Tambo | Alfred Nzo Local: Camdeboo | Blue Crane Route | Ikwezi | Makana | Ndlambe | Sunday's River Valley | Baviaans | Kouga | Kou-Kamma | Mbhashe | Mnquma | Great Kei | Amahlathi | Buffalo City | Ngqushwa | Nkonkobe | Nxuba | Inxuba Yethemba | Tsolwana | Inkwanca | Lukanji | Intsika Yethu | Emalaheni | Engcobo | Sakhisizwe | Elunduni | Senqu | Maletswai | Gariep | Mbizana | Ntabankulu | Qaukeni | Port St. Johns | Nyandeni | Mhlontlo | King Sabata Dalindyebo | Umzimvubu | Matatiele