Mthatha

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title: "Mthatha" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["populated-places-in-the-king-sabata-dalindyebo-local-municipality", "transkei", "capitals-of-former-nations", "populated-places-established-in-1876", "1876-establishments-in-the-cape-colony"] topic_path: "general/populated-places-in-the-king-sabata-dalindyebo-local-municipality" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mthatha" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

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

FieldValue
nameMthatha
other_nameUmtata
image_skylineUmtata.jpg
image_captionMthatha Central Business District
settlement_typeCity
pushpin_mapSouth Africa Eastern Cape#South Africa#Africa
pushpin_relief1
coordinates
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameSouth Africa
subdivision_type1Province
subdivision_name1Eastern Cape
subdivision_type2District
subdivision_name2O.R. Tambo
subdivision_type3Municipality
subdivision_name3King Sabata Dalindyebo
subdivision_type4Main Place
established_titleEstablished
leader_titleCouncillor
area_footnotes
area_total_km291.45
elevation_footnotes
elevation_m698
elevation_ft2290
population_footnotes
population_total96114
population_as_of2011
population_density_km2auto
demographics_type1
demographics1_footnotes
demographics1_title1Black African
demographics1_info194.6%
demographics1_title2Coloured
demographics1_info22.7%
demographics1_title3Indian/Asian
demographics1_info31.2%
demographics1_title4White
demographics1_info41.0%
demographics1_title5Other
demographics1_info50.5%
demographics_type2
demographics2_footnotes
demographics2_title1Xhosa
demographics2_info185.0%
demographics2_title2English
demographics2_info28.6%
demographics2_title3Afrikaans
demographics2_info31.1%
demographics2_title5Other
demographics2_info55.2%
timezone1
utc_offset1+2
postal_code_typePostal code (street)
postal_code5099
postal2_code_typePO box
postal2_code5099
area_code_typeArea code
area_code047
website
::

| name = Mthatha | other_name = Umtata | image_skyline = Umtata.jpg | image_caption = Mthatha Central Business District | settlement_type = City | pushpin_map = South Africa Eastern Cape#South Africa#Africa | pushpin_relief = 1 | coordinates = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = South Africa | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Eastern Cape | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = O.R. Tambo | subdivision_type3 = Municipality | subdivision_name3 = King Sabata Dalindyebo | subdivision_type4 = Main Place | established_title = Established | leader_title = Councillor | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 91.45 | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 698 | elevation_ft = 2290 | population_footnotes = | population_total = 96114 | population_as_of = 2011 | population_density_km2 = auto | demographics_type1 = Racial makeup (2011) | demographics1_footnotes = | demographics1_title1 = Black African | demographics1_info1 = 94.6% | demographics1_title2 = Coloured | demographics1_info2 = 2.7% | demographics1_title3 = Indian/Asian | demographics1_info3 = 1.2% | demographics1_title4 = White | demographics1_info4 = 1.0% | demographics1_title5 = Other | demographics1_info5 = 0.5% | demographics_type2 = First languages (2011) | demographics2_footnotes = | demographics2_title1 = Xhosa | demographics2_info1 = 85.0% | demographics2_title2 = English | demographics2_info2 = 8.6% | demographics2_title3 = Afrikaans | demographics2_info3 = 1.1% | demographics2_title4 = | demographics2_info4 = | demographics2_title5 = Other | demographics2_info5 = 5.2% | timezone1 = SAST | utc_offset1 = +2 | postal_code_type = Postal code (street) | postal_code = 5099 | postal2_code_type = PO box | postal2_code = 5099 | area_code_type = Area code | area_code = 047 | website = Mthatha ( , ), alternatively rendered Umtata, is the main city of the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality in Eastern Cape province of South Africa and the capital of OR Tambo District Municipality. The city has an airport, previously known as the K. D. Matanzima Airport after former leader Kaiser Matanzima. Mthatha derives its name from the nearby Mthatha River which was named after the sneezewood (umtati) trees, famous for their wood and medicinal properties.

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Caesar_Carl_Hans_Henkel02.jpg" caption="1913 panoramic view of Mthatha with the [[Mthatha River]] in the foreground and the [[Drakensberg mountains]] in the distance by [[Caesar Carl Hans Henkel"] ::

The settlement existed in the 1870s as a buffer-zone, in response to reported tensions between Mpondo and neighbouring Thembu groups, and in 1875 a magistrate's office was opened. The first magistrate, appointed that year, was a man named J F Boyes. The settlement developed during the next few years, becoming a military post for the British colonial forces in 1882. The town itself was founded in 1883, along the banks of the Mthatha River. Nearly a century later, the Mthatha Dam was constructed about eight kilometers upstream of the town. Mthatha became the leading administrative centre of the area, having both Anglican and Catholic cathedrals. The town became the headquarters of the Transkeian Territories General Council (known as the Bunga), and the building which served as a parliament was erected in 1903. This was followed by the construction of the town hall in 1908. 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. In 2005, the University of Transkei with the Border Technikon and Eastern Cape Technikon were merged to form 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.

On 1 August 1973, Mthatha High Court was opened.

In 1973, a summit meeting of the black homeland leaders was held at Umtata, when they decided to federate their respective states after independence. In 1976, Transkei was granted independence as a bantustan, a nominally independent state not recognised outside South Africa. Mthatha served as the capital under the name "Umtata". Under the Transkei regime, an airport named after the then ruler of Transkei KD Matanzima was built. On 21 May 2012, the airport was formally handed over to Lindiwe Sisulu, then Minister of Defence, by Noxolo Kiviet, then Premier of the Eastern Cape. However, the South African National Defence Force relinquished its control of the airport in 2013. The airport was renamed Mthatha Airport.

Many of South Africa's black leaders – including Walter Sisulu, Sabelo Phama, Bantu Holomisa and Nelson Mandela — come from this area, and Nelson Rholihlahla Mandela lived out his retirement in his home village of Qunu, a few kilometres south of Mthatha. Mthatha is a focal point of the Nelson Mandela Route which celebrates the life of Nelson Mandela. There are three Nelson Mandela Museums. Spread across three sites, they collect, interpret and exhibit key aspects of the story of the life and times of Nelson Mandela. The three historical sites of the museum are at Mvezo, Qunu and the Bunga Building in Mthatha. 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 2 March 2004, Umtata was renamed "Mthatha".

Business

Mthatha has 2 major taxi businesses: Uncedo Taxi Association and Border Taxi Association. These associations had a feud over the R61 road from Mthatha to Libode and Port St. Johns. This feud resulted in taxi ranks being closed by the Government. Over 60 fatalities were reported during the period of the feud. In 2018, the Minister of Police Bheki Cele closed all taxi ranks in Mthatha and demanded that the taxi associations negotiate with the police and merge to form one association but they refused. As a result, some taxis were impounded by the police. Sagas ranks were opened in Mthatha but the ranks that were not opened triggered riots with people protesting and police firing rubber bullets and tear gas affecting a nearby school (St John's College).

In 2019, two final year students, from the Walter Sisulu University developed affordable prosthetics. These students, Siphosethu Mgwili and Zanodumo Godlimpi, were awarded the first ever WSU vice-chancellor's award for most innovative prototype.

Religion

The city is the episcopal see of both the Roman Catholic Diocese of Mthatha and the Anglican Diocese of Mthatha.

Economy

Mthatha falls under OR Tambo District Municipality which is the poorest district in the Eastern Cape by all poverty measures. It has the lowest HDI (0.45) and the highest poverty gap (2.231 million) in the Eastern Cape. The number of people living in poverty is also high in this district (64.6%), unemployment is at 65.5% and the literacy rate 42.2%.

In 2006, it was reported the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality was owed R250 million by residents in unpaid service fees. It counts among its creditors the South African Revenue Service (to which it owes R18 million), the Public Investment Commission (R84 million), the national water affairs and forestry department (R46 million) and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (R13 million). According to SA Delivery, The average annual income of a black Mthatha resident is R15,762. The town has also been plagued by complaints about the state of its roads and the collapse of its utilities and infrastructure. It's widely reported that the general decline into dysfunction and societal fragility is caused by endemic political corruption, municipal incompetence and widespread criminality. Despite all that, a new dawn is beckoning for Mthatha with the construction of infrastructure like BT Ngebs Mall and Mayfair Hotel.

Facilities

The Sinawe Thuthuzela Care Centre, a rape crisis centre launched in 2001, sees between 60 and 120 patients a month, from up to 200 km away. It won an award for being "the best-run care centre in South Africa". Sinawe means "we are with you" in Xhosa.

Notable people from Mthatha

Climate

|open = 1 |location = Mthatha |metric first = 1 |single line = 1 |temperature colour = |Jan record high C = 42 |Feb record high C = 40 |Mar record high C = 40 |Apr record high C = 36 |May record high C = 34 |Jun record high C = 30 |Jul record high C = 30 |Aug record high C = 33 |Sep record high C = 44 |Oct record high C = 38 |Nov record high C = 41 |Dec record high C = 41 |year record high C = 44 |Jan high C = 27 |Feb high C = 27 |Mar high C = 26 |Apr high C = 25 |May high C = 23 |Jun high C = 21 |Jul high C = 21 |Aug high C = 22 |Sep high C = 23 |Oct high C = 23 |Nov high C = 25 |Dec high C = 27 |year high C = 24 |Jan low C = 16 |Feb low C = 16 |Mar low C = 15 |Apr low C = 12 |May low C = 8 |Jun low C = 4 |Jul low C = 4 |Aug low C = 7 |Sep low C = 9 |Oct low C = 11 |Nov low C = 13 |Dec low C = 15 |year low C = 11 |Jan record low C = 9 |Feb record low C = 9 |Mar record low C = 7 |Apr record low C = 1 |May record low C = -1 |Jun record low C = -3 |Jul record low C = -3 |Aug record low C = -1 |Sep record low C = 1 |Oct record low C = 2 |Nov record low C = 4 |Dec record low C = 7 |year record low C = -3 |rain colour = green |Jan rain mm = 87 |Feb rain mm = 89 |Mar rain mm = 83 |Apr rain mm = 58 |May rain mm = 18 |Jun rain mm = 11 |Jul rain mm = 18 |Aug rain mm = 15 |Sep rain mm = 35 |Oct rain mm = 73 |Nov rain mm = 75 |Dec rain mm = 88 |year rain mm = 650 |Jan rain days = 15 |Feb rain days = 14 |Mar rain days = 13 |Apr rain days = 8 |May rain days = 5 |Jun rain days = 3 |Jul rain days = 3 |Aug rain days = 5 |Sep rain days = 8 |Oct rain days = 13 |Nov rain days = 13 |Dec rain days = 14 |unit rain days = 1 mm |year rain days = 113 |source 1 = South African Weather Service, 1961-1990{{cite web |url = http://old.weathersa.co.za/Climat/Climstats/UmtataStats.jsp |title = Climate data: Umtata: standard normal 1961 to 1990 |publisher = South African Weather Service |access-date = 16 July 2010 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://archive.today/20100308015435/http://old.weathersa.co.za/Climat/Climstats/UmtataStats.jsp |archive-date = 8 March 2010 |df = dmy-all |date=August 2010 Mthatha has a warm oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb) closely bordering on both a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) and a semi-arid climate (BSh/BSk).

Mthatha is prone to severe thundersoms, some of which are tornadic in nature. Mthatha has been hit by several tornadoes between 1995 and 2023, the most recent being the EF3 tornado that damaged residential areas near the airport, including the airport itself.

Floods

On 10 June 2025, seven people died in flooding in Mthatha and at least 79 in the Eastern Cape province. Houses and cars were left submerged, with reports of missing people in some areas. Residents were trapped on top of the roofs of their houses, with some clinging to trees while schools were closed, and flights to Mthatha Airport were cancelled due to bad weather. A minibus carrying high school pupils was swept away by floodwaters and a number of the passengers were reported missing. This was after disruptive rain and snowy weather in the Eastern Cape and the neighbouring KwaZulu-Natal. The death toll has since risen to 90.

References

References

  1. "Main Place Mthatha". Census 2011.
  2. . (December 5, 2023). ["Mthatha"](https://www.britannica.com/place/Mthatha). *February 14, 2024*.
  3. Jenkins, Elwyn. (2007). "Falling into place: the story of modern South African place names". David Philip Publishers.
  4. "K D Matanzima Airport".
  5. "Umtata". South African Venues.
  6. (October 2001). "Situation analysis of water quality in the Umtata River catchment". Water SA.
  7. "Umtata South Africa". Britannica.
  8. (April 2020). "A High Court is established in Umtata, capital of the Transkei.". South African History Online.
  9. (27 October 2004). "E Cape in name change spotlight".
  10. (November 25, 2019). "Walter Sisulu University students' groundbreaking inventions to save amputees millions".
  11. "Mthatha". Olive Leaf Foundation.
  12. Mgibisa, Mbuyisa. (25 October 2006). "Mthatha in dire straits". Mail & Guardian.
  13. Harrison, Karen. "Can Mthatha turn the corner?". SA Delivery.
  14. Tafirenyika, Masimba. (20 July 2021). ""We are with you": In South Africa, care centres for rape survivors give hope as cases rise".
  15. "Flooding crisis in Eastern Cape prompts emergency response". SowetanLIVE.
  16. Mntambo, Nokukhanya. "7 killed in Eastern Cape floods".
  17. "At least 7 killed, schoolchildren swept away as floods and snow hit South Africa".
  18. "Principal's car swept away, people trapped in trees, houses under water in Mthatha". TimesLIVE.
  19. (2025-06-11). "Severe weather {{!}} Search for children missing near Mthatha resumes".
  20. Seydamirova, Ilknur. "At least 7 dead and children missing as floods hit South Africa".
  21. "Principal's car swept away, people trapped in trees, houses under water in Mthatha". TimesLIVE.
  22. "EC floods erupt chaos across the province". AlgoaFM South Africa.
  23. "Death toll in Eastern Cape floods rises to 86".
  24. (2025-06-15). "[Developing] Eastern Cape floods death toll rises to 88".
  25. Naki, Eric Mthobeli. (2025-06-23). "Eastern Cape residents say they've been ignored by government after floods".

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populated-places-in-the-king-sabata-dalindyebo-local-municipalitytranskeicapitals-of-former-nationspopulated-places-established-in-18761876-establishments-in-the-cape-colony