Ezibeleni
Encyclopedia
Ezibeleni is a township in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It was established in the 1960s and officially recognised in 1974, when black South Africans were not allowed to live, but only to work, in the white-dominated Queenstown
. In order to pursue the policy of separate development, the apartheid-era government of the time dictated that, due to its location on the map and the predominant Xhosa ethnicity of its people, Ezibeleni would belong to Transkei
, one of ten fragmented batustans, or homelands, scattered across South Africa.
Ezibeleni is the largest township in the Queenstown area. Its original name was Queensdale, named after Queenstown
.
It is divided into zones (1,2,3,Chancele & Themba), with the new units; known as Kwamabuyaze (RDP houses) which is still expanding.
The majority of people resident in Ezibeleni live below the living wage according to government economic classifications. There are about 12 schools in the area, 4 lower primary, 3 senior primary, 3 lower high and 2 senior high schools.
The township is known for being a home to some of the best local and school music choirs in the country, Siyaphakama Adult Choir and Bulelani Senior Secondary School to name but a few. Bulelani has represented Eastern Cape
in the school's music competitions many times in the last 2 decades and has won many of the South African National School's Choir Competitions.
There is a vibrant social life with many church denominations and other social activities.
However, according to Statistics South Africa
, the area still has a very high unemployment rate.
Queenstown, Eastern Cape
Queenstown, named after Queen Victoria, is a town in the middle of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, roughly half way in between the towns of Cathcart and Sterkstroom. It is currently the commercial, administrative, and educational centre of the prosperous surrounding farming district...
. In order to pursue the policy of separate development, the apartheid-era government of the time dictated that, due to its location on the map and the predominant Xhosa ethnicity of its people, Ezibeleni would belong to Transkei
Transkei
The Transkei , officially the Republic of Transkei , was a Bantustan—an area set aside for members of a specific ethnicity—and nominal parliamentary democracy in the southeastern region of South Africa...
, one of ten fragmented batustans, or homelands, scattered across South Africa.
Ezibeleni is the largest township in the Queenstown area. Its original name was Queensdale, named after Queenstown
Queenstown, Eastern Cape
Queenstown, named after Queen Victoria, is a town in the middle of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, roughly half way in between the towns of Cathcart and Sterkstroom. It is currently the commercial, administrative, and educational centre of the prosperous surrounding farming district...
.
It is divided into zones (1,2,3,Chancele & Themba), with the new units; known as Kwamabuyaze (RDP houses) which is still expanding.
The majority of people resident in Ezibeleni live below the living wage according to government economic classifications. There are about 12 schools in the area, 4 lower primary, 3 senior primary, 3 lower high and 2 senior high schools.
The township is known for being a home to some of the best local and school music choirs in the country, Siyaphakama Adult Choir and Bulelani Senior Secondary School to name but a few. Bulelani has represented Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
in the school's music competitions many times in the last 2 decades and has won many of the South African National School's Choir Competitions.
There is a vibrant social life with many church denominations and other social activities.
However, according to Statistics South Africa
Statistics South Africa
Statistics South Africa is the national statistical service of South Africa, with the goal of producing timely, accurate, and official statistics in order to advance economic growth, development, and democracy. To this end, Statistics South Africa produces official demographic, economic, and...
, the area still has a very high unemployment rate.