Matatiele

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. Matatiele's area of – 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. Matatiele is the location of a field office of Conservation South Africa, which participates in catchment-management work linked to the Umzimvubu Catchment Partnership Programme in the upper Mzimvubu River basin.