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Matatiele | |
|---|---|
  Matatiele  Matatiele | |
| Coordinates: 30°20′32″S 28°48′22″E / 30.34222°S 28.80611°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Eastern Cape |
| District | Alfred Nzo |
| Municipality | Matatiele |
| Area | |
| • Total | 11.20 km2 (4.32 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
| • Total | 12,466 |
| • Density | 1,100/km2 (2,900/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 83.5% |
| • Coloured | 9.5% |
| • Indian/Asian | 2.6% |
| • White | 4.1% |
| • Other | 0.4% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Xhosa | 48.3% |
| • Sotho | 23.5% |
| • English | 14.3% |
| • Afrikaans | 7.5% |
| • Other | 6.4% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal code (street) | 4730 |
| PO box | 4730 |
| 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.[2] Matatiele's area of 11.20 square kilometres (4.32 sq mi) – 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. [3]
- ^ a b c d "Main Place Matatiele". Census 2011.
- ^ "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
- ^ de la Harpe, Jean (2004-10-01). "Community management in Alfred Nzo District Municipality, South Africa". Waterlines. 23 (2): 20–21. doi:10.3362/0262-8104.2004.052. ISSN 0262-8104.