Mdantsane | |
|---|---|
 The township near East London, Eastern Cape | |
 | |
| Country |  South Africa |
| Province |  Eastern Cape |
| Municipality | Buffalo City |
| Main Place | East London |
| Established | 1940 |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 154,576 |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black | 70.1 % |
| • Coloured | 30.1 % |
| • Indian/Asian | 0.1 % |
| • White | 0.1 % |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Xhosa | 90.0 % |
| • English | 20.1 % |
| • Afrikaans | 16.1 % |
| • Other | 3.8% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal code (street) | 5219 |
| PO Box | 5219 |
 Art by Amitabh Mitra |
Mdantsane is a South African urban township situated 15 km away from East London and 37 km away from Qonce in the Eastern Cape. It is the second largest township in Eastern Cape and 17th largest in the Top 20 largest townships in South Africa.[1]
The name Mdantsane was derived from a stream that ran from the Nahoon River down to the Buffalo River. Some believe the stream was called Dontsane. Soon after the stream was named, a “white farm” which was at the entrance of Mdantsane [now known as Zone 1] was also named after the stream Dontsane or Umdanzani.[2]
The township is part of the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in the Eastern Cape. The Mdantsane township is the second largest township in the Eastern Cape, by population.
- ^ Staff Writer. "These are the biggest townships in South Africa – BusinessTech". Retrieved 2020-07-19.
- ^ Charter, Luke. "Mdantsane a name without meaning". Daily Dispatch. Retrieved 25 July 2017.