Pondoland

Introduction. Pondoland is the traditional area of the Pondo people, one of the Xhosa speaking peoples. Pondoland area is situated on the South African coast of the Indian Ocean, in the Eastern Cape Province. The boundaries of Pondoland are the Mtamvuna River in the north, which is also the limit between the Eastern Cape Province and Natal (now kwaZulu-Natal Province) and the Mthatha River at the south. The Mzimvubu River divides the area into West Pondoland and East Pondoland. Pondoland lies between the Mthatha River and the Mtamvuna River in the north along a coastal strip that is at a maximum 50 kilometres wide. The area is surrounded by mountains whose main vegetation consisted of thornveld, grassland, as well as subtropical evergreen forests in the wet coastal valleys. Pondoland’s towns are Bizana, Port St Johns, Lusikisiki, Ngqeleni, Tabankulu and Lidobe. Pondoland was separated into seven districts. Eastern Pondoland consisted of four districts: Lusikisiki (Qaukeni) which was and is still regarded as the capital town of Eastern Pondoland, Flagstaff (Spareni), Bizana and Ntabankulu. Western Pondoland consisted of three districts of Ngqeleni, Libode, and Port St Johns (Nyandeni), the capital town of Western Pondoland.