Matatiele

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title: "Matatiele" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["populated-places-in-the-matatiele-local-municipality"] topic_path: "general/populated-places-in-the-matatiele-local-municipality" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matatiele" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
nameMatatiele
pushpin_mapSouth Africa Eastern Cape#South Africa
image_captionMatatiele's Prominent Sandstone Buildings
coordinates
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameSouth Africa
subdivision_type1Province
subdivision_name1Eastern Cape
subdivision_type2District
subdivision_name2Alfred Nzo
subdivision_type3Municipality
subdivision_name3Matatiele
subdivision_type4Main Place
established_titleEstablished
leader_titleCouncillor
area_footnotes
area_total_km211.20
population_footnotes
population_total12466
population_as_of2011
population_density_km2auto
demographics_type1
demographics1_footnotes
demographics1_title1Black African
demographics1_info183.5%
demographics1_title2Coloured
demographics1_info29.5%
demographics1_title3Indian/Asian
demographics1_info32.6%
demographics1_title4White
demographics1_info44.1%
demographics1_title5Other
demographics1_info50.4%
demographics_type2
demographics2_footnotes
demographics2_title1Xhosa
demographics2_info148.3%
demographics2_title2Sotho
demographics2_info223.5%
demographics2_title3English
demographics2_info314.3%
demographics2_title4Afrikaans
demographics2_info47.5%
demographics2_title5Other
demographics2_info56.4%
timezone1
utc_offset1+2
postal_code_typePostal code (street)
postal_code4730
postal2_code_typePO box
postal2_code4730
area_code_typeArea code
area_code039
websitehttps://www.matatiele.gov.za/
::

| name = Matatiele | pushpin_map = South Africa Eastern Cape#South Africa | image_skyline = | image_caption = Matatiele's Prominent Sandstone Buildings | coordinates = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = South Africa | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Eastern Cape | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = Alfred Nzo | subdivision_type3 = Municipality | subdivision_name3 = Matatiele | subdivision_type4 = Main Place | established_title = Established | leader_title = Councillor | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 11.20 | population_footnotes = | population_total = 12466 | population_as_of = 2011 | population_density_km2 = auto | demographics_type1 = Racial makeup (2011) | demographics1_footnotes = | demographics1_title1 = Black African | demographics1_info1 = 83.5% | demographics1_title2 = Coloured | demographics1_info2 = 9.5% | demographics1_title3 = Indian/Asian | demographics1_info3 = 2.6% | demographics1_title4 = White | demographics1_info4 = 4.1% | demographics1_title5 = Other | demographics1_info5 = 0.4% | demographics_type2 = First languages (2011) | demographics2_footnotes = | demographics2_title1 = Xhosa | demographics2_info1 = 48.3% | demographics2_title2 = Sotho | demographics2_info2 = 23.5% | demographics2_title3 = English | demographics2_info3 = 14.3% | demographics2_title4 = Afrikaans | demographics2_info4 = 7.5% | demographics2_title5 = Other | demographics2_info5 = 6.4% | timezone1 = SAST | utc_offset1 = +2 | postal_code_type = Postal code (street) | postal_code = 4730 | postal2_code_type = PO box | postal2_code = 4730 | area_code_type = Area code | area_code = 039 | website = https://www.matatiele.gov.za/

Matatiele is a town located in the northern part of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. According to the South African National Census of 2011, its 12,466 residents (1,113.44 per km²) and 4,107 households (366.83 per km²) make Matatiele the largest populated town in the Matatiele Local Municipality. Matatiele's area of 11.20 km2 – tucked in the shadows of the Drakensberg Mountains – is predominantly farmland, where 100% organic red meat is on offer, and tourism is a primary source of income. As one of the top 12 towns among South Africa’s popular tourist attractions Route 56, Matatiele provides many activities for fishers, hikers, bikers, bird watchers, etc. Moreover, the Matatiele Museum (a former Dutch Reformed Church that opened in 1993) – displays dinosaur fossils, San peoples (also known as the Bushmen), missionaries, and town's history from its 19th century gun runners and smugglers to a quaint town filled with friendly locals serving authentic Xhosa cuisine. The majority of the town's inhabitants speak a dialect of Xhosa called Hlubi.

Matatiele is popular with upscale families looking to live in a small town with renowned schools and facilities. Matatiele is also a gateway to the Kingdom of Lesotho, which is less than a thirty minutes away from the town. Matatiele is the location of a field office of Conservation South Africa, which participates in catchment-management work linked to the Umzimvubu Catchment Partnership Programme in the upper Mzimvubu River basin.

History

Evidence of Stone Age inhabitants in the form of art adorning rocks is found throughout the area.

Once dominated by wetlands and marshes, Matatiele derives its name from a portmanteau word of the Sotho language words “matata”, meaning wild ducks, and “ile”, meaning gone and the Phuthi language words "mati" meaning water and "ayile" meaning dried out. When taken together, Matatiele conveys a message that “ducks have flown” because of a "dried out wetlands and marshes". In Phuthi language, the town name is pronounced “Matatiyela”. The common informal name for the town in any of the languages mentioned, including English, is “Matat”. And those born here call it “Sweet Matat”.

In the early 1860s, the Griquas settled here after migrating across the Drakensberg from Philippolis. The town was the centre of cattle rustling and gun-running, and order was only restored in 1874 by the Cape Mounted Riflemen. The town became a municipality in 1904.

During Apartheid, white inhabitants lived in the town proper while black and coloured inhabitants lived in the adjacent townships of Harry Gwala Park, Maloti and Itsokolele and surrounding villages. Maloti and Harry Gwala Park were zoned for black inhabitants and Itsokolele was zoned for both coloured and black inhabitants. In recent years, middle-class families have sprung up in Itsokolele and Harry Gwala Park and affluent black families have moved into the town proper and into an affluent planned community called Mountain View whose construction began in the 2000s. Many still live in the affluent suburbs in the town like Buxton Park, West End and New Jay. Harry Gwala Park, Itsokolele and Maloti now fall under Matatiele Local Municipality.

The town was a part of the Cape Province until it was transferred to the Natal in 1978. In 2005, the municipality was moved from the KwaZulu-Natal province to the Eastern Cape as part of the Twelfth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa, over the objections of the majority of residents, some of whom in response founded the African Independent Congress. On 18 August 2006, the Constitutional Court ruled that the part of the Twelfth Amendment dealing with the transfer of Matatiele from KwaZulu-Natal to the Eastern Cape was invalid due to insufficient consultation with stakeholders. The situation was eventually resolved, and Matatiele was confirmed as part of Eastern Cape province under the Thirteenth Amendment.

Education

Matatiele is held in high regard for having some of the best schools in the Alfred Nzo District Municipality, King Edward High School, which performs well academically and in terms of sport and was founded in 1890s. Students from all over Alfred Nzo District Municipality come to King Edward High School, which is very selective about the students it admits. The town also has other schools held in high regard like Saint Monica's Diocesan School, Bergview College, Khanya Public Combined School and Bokamoso Primary School.

Suburbs

  • Buxton Park
  • West End
  • New Jay
  • Mountain View
  • Mount Lake
  • Maloti
  • Itsokolele
  • Harry Gwala Park
  • Masakala
  • Tshepisong

Picture Gallery

Notable people of Matatiele

Popular culture

  • Matatiele is a South African television drama series.

References

References

  1. "Main Place Matatiele". Census 2011.
  2. "A Geo-referenced Census Frame of Dwellings for the 2011 census of the Republic of South Africa." United Nations Statistics Division (Census Knowledge Base ). Retrieved 8 November 2011. http://unstats.un.org/unsd/censuskb20/KnowledgebaseArticle10237.aspx {{Webarchive. link. (2021-10-27)
  3. de la Harpe, Jean. (2004-10-01). "Community management in Alfred Nzo District Municipality, South Africa". Waterlines.
  4. "South Africa".
  5. "Umzimvubu Catchment Partnership Programme". South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.
  6. [https://www.matatiele.gov.za/] Matatiele Local Municipality Government Home Page]
  7. [https://matatiele.co.za/quick-facts-about-matatiele/] Matatiele Local Municipality government quick facts]
  8. King, Rachel. (2019). "'Waste-howling wilderness': The Maloti-Drakensberg as Unruly Landscape". Springer International Publishing.
  9. "Matatiele redemarcation invalid: South Africa: Politics: News24".
  10. "No. 23 of 2007: Constitution Thirteenth Amendment Act of 2007".

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