King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality is the largest town in the former Transkei, home to Mthatha, in the OR Tambo District of the Eastern Cape. The 2022 census recorded 476,558 people across 3,019 km². Mthatha is the seat, named after the Xhosa king and anti-colonial leader.
Towns and Villages in King Sabata Dalindyebo
| Town | Type | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Mthatha | Seat town | 164,848 (2011) |
| Mqanduli | Town | 3,171 (2011) |
| Qunu | Village | 213 (2011) — Nelson Mandela’s boyhood home |
The rest of the municipality is rural, with well over 300 villages recorded by the national gazetteer. The 250 largest by record are listed below (true total exceeds 300):
- Bacela
- Bakeni
- Bashee Bridge
- Belekana
- Bellrock
- Bhaziya
- Bityi
- Black Rock
- Buwa
- Caba
- Cefane
- Centuli
- Cezu
- Chizele
- Chumbi
- Cibini
- Cicira
- Cirira Opleidingskool
- Coffee Bay
- Crocodilevlei
- Cunstula
- Cwecwe
- Dankeni
- Darabe
- Dikeni
- Diova
- Dlakatweni
- Dulwini
- Dwaleni
- Fama
- Fort Gale
- Futye
- Gazini
- Gengqe
- Golomi
- Gotyibeni
- Gqabati
- Gqubeni
- Griebdale
- Guduse
- Hely Grove
- Hlabatshane
- Hole in the Wall
- Ironstone
- Jabula
- Jojweni
- Kambi
- Kohlo
- Komkhulu
- Kongeni
- Kotishini
- Ku-Buka
- Ku-Canti
- Ku-Duka
- Ku-Gengqe
- Ku-Hlope
- Ku-Lozulu
- Ku-Magubu
- Ku-Malongwe
- Ku-Mankazana
- Ku-Mapahla
- Ku-Mhlabubomvu
- Ku-Mvezo
- Ku-Ncengana
- Ku-Ndlunkulu
- Ku-Njombela
- Ku-Nokana
- Ku-Nongcwengana
- Ku-Nqwati
- Ku-Nyokinala
- Ku-Raxa
- Ku-Sigiba
- Ku-Sinxuzula
- Kubeka
- KuBeke
- KuGqangushe
- KuGunjana
- Kujonga
- KuLudondolo
- KuLuxomo
- KuMayibe
- KuMbozwana
- KuMgawuli
- KuNcalolo
- KuNgqovu
- KuNqwati
- KuSikulume
- KuXenge
- Kwa-Dukatole
- Kwa-Gcaleka
- Kwa-Gomatana
- Kwa-Herman
- Kwa-Kahla
- Kwa-Maradede
- Kwa-Mbanyaru
- Kwa-Mlawu
- Kwa-Ndinja
- Kwa-Ninwayo
- Kwa-Ntabezulu
- Kwa-Ntshoma
- Kwa-Pahla
- Kwa-Tshezi
- Kwa-Xego
- Kwaaiman
- KwaCawu
- KwaDilatashe
- KwaGomatana
- KwaGubevu
- KwaMhaga
- KwaMiya
- KwaMlawu
- KwaQiya
- KwaSaba
- KwaSidumo
- KwaXokoshe
- Kwenxura
- Lalini
- Lands End
- Lindini
- Lower-Ngqwara
- Lubalekweni
- Ludaka
- Lukwetu
- Lulwalweni
- Lupondweni
- Luxeni
- Lwandlana
- Mabehana
- Madakeni
- Madwaleni
- Magontsini
- Mahlungulu
- Malindini
- Mampingeni
- Mampondweni
- Manangeni
- Mancam
- Mancotsheni
- Mandileni
- Mandlaneni
- Mangqabasheni
- Mantshilibeni
- Manyosini
- Manzotweni
- Mapuzi
- Maqadini
- Maqanyeni
- Maqhinebeni
- Maqomeni
- Maqwambini
- Masana
- Mateko
- Matshongwe
- Matyeni
- Mavundleni
- Maxwele
- Mazizini
- Mbanyaru
- Mbholompo
- Mbozisa
- Mcata
- Mdeni
- Mdiliweni
- Mgweni
- Mhlahlane
- Mhlangura
- Mjikweni
- Mmangweni
- Mmelwane
- Mncwasa
- Mnqanda
- Monarch
- Mount Blazes
- Moyeni
- Mpafeni
- Mpako
- Mpambu
- Mpandela
- Mpapela
- Mpeko
- Mpindweni
- Mpunzana
- Mputi
- Mqekezweni
- Mqemeni
- Mqokrweni
- Msukeni
- Mtentu
- Mthentu
- Mvasini
- Mvezo
- Mxambule
- Mzinya
- Nayisifili
- Ncambedlana
- Ncambele
- Ncanaseni
- Ncise
- Ndibela
- Ndlovana
- Ndokwane
- Ndundumeni
- Nenga
- New Brighton
- Ngangelizwe
- Ngaphezulu
- Ngcatembeni
- Ngcenduna
- Ngcilibanzi
- Ngcwanguba
- Ngingqini
- Ngqakayi
- Ngqumane
- Ngqungf
- Ngqungu
- Ngqwara
- Ngumngum
- Ngwangweni
- Ngwevana
- Ngxingweni
- Njeni
- Nkalweni
- Nkwalini
- Nomcama
- Nooitgedacht
- Nqati
- Nqcekuma
- Ntabeliza
- Ntabeni
- Ntilini
- Ntlakwedlela
- Ntlanjeni
- Ntlekiseni
- Ntlukuhla
- Ntsitshana
- Oakancu
- Old Morley
- Orange Grove
- Phangindela
- Qawukeni
- Qelane
- Qingqolo
- Qiya
- Qokolweni
- Qolombana
- Qolweni
- Qota
- Qozeleni
- Qubeni
- Relegwini
History
Mthatha was founded in 1869 as the capital of Thembuland, later becoming capital of the Transkei Bantustan from 1976 to 1994. The municipality is named after King Sabata Dalindyebo, the last Thembu king to rule before South Africa’s democratic transition, who opposed the apartheid Bantustan system and was stripped of state recognition for it. Nelson Mandela, himself of Thembu royal lineage, was born in Mvezo and raised in Qunu, both within this municipality, and is buried in Qunu.
Geography
King Sabata Dalindyebo covers the middle Mthatha River valley and a stretch of Wild Coast around Coffee Bay and the Hole in the Wall rock formation. It borders Mhlontlo and Nyandeni within OR Tambo District.
Demographics
Population grew from 450,287 at the 2011 census to 476,558 in 2022. Xhosa is the first language of 92.8% of residents, and 98.5% of the population is Black African.
Economy and Local Life
Mthatha functions as the commercial and administrative hub of the whole OR Tambo region, hosting government offices, Walter Sisulu University and a regional hospital. Coffee Bay and Mqanduli draw Wild Coast tourism, and Qunu, Nelson Mandela’s childhood village, is a heritage-tourism stop.
Getting There
The N2 runs through Mthatha, linking it to East London roughly 220 km southwest and Kokstad to the north. Mthatha Airport, just outside town, has scheduled flights to Johannesburg and Cape Town.
FAQ
What is the seat of King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality? Mthatha.
What is the population? 476,558 people at the 2022 census.
How big is the municipality? 3,019 km².
Which district is it in? OR Tambo District Municipality.
Who was King Sabata Dalindyebo? A Thembu king and anti-apartheid leader the municipality is named after.
Where is Qunu? A village in this municipality, Nelson Mandela’s childhood home.