Umtata

Mthatha Umtata
The Nelson Mandela Museum in Mthatha
Mthatha Show map of Eastern Cape Mthatha Show map of South Africa Mthatha Show map of Africa  Mthatha shown within Eastern Cape
Coordinates: 31°34′00″S 28°46′00″E / 31.56667°S 28.76667°E / -31.56667; 28.76667Coordinates: 31°34′00″S 28°46′00″E / 31.56667°S 28.76667°E / -31.56667; 28.76667
Country	South Africa
Province	Eastern Cape
District	O.R.Tambo
Municipality	King Sabata Dalindyebo
Established	1876
Area
• Total	54.97 km2 (21.22 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	96,114
• Density	1,700/km2 (4,500/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
• Black African	94.6%
• Coloured	2.7%
• Indian/Asian	1.2%
• White	1.0%
• Other	0.5%
First languages (2011)
• Xhosa	85.0%
• English	8.6%
• Afrikaans	1.1%
• Other	5.2%
Postal code (street)	5099
PO box	5099
Area code	047

Mthatha, formerly Umtataⁱ/uːmˈtɑːtɑː/, is the main town of the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality in Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The town has an airport, previously known by the name K. D. Matanzima Airport after former leader Kaiser Matanzima.

The settlement existed in the 1870s as a buffer-zone, in response to reported tensions between Pondo and neighboring groups, and in 1875 a magistrate's office was opened, the first magistrate appointed that year being 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 center of the area, having both Anglican and Catholic cathedrals. It also became the seat of the traditional authorities and a parliament building for this purpose known as the Bunga, was erected.