Bizana is a town in the

Eastern Cape The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha. The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in ...

province of

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

. It is the seat of the Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Local Municipality.

Winnie Mandela Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (born Nomzamo Winifred Zanyiwe Madikizela; 26 September 1936 – 2 April 2018), also known as Winnie Mandela, was a South African anti-apartheid activist and politician, and the second wife of Nelson Mandela. She se ...

, ex-wife of

Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ...

, was born here in 1936. Oliver Reginald Tambo (popularly known as OR Tambo which the international airport in Johannesburg is named after) was also born and grew up in this town. The town has many surrounding villages. Bizana has a provincial hospital, named St Patrick's Hospital. There is also a hospital called Greenville hospital in the eTyeni area of Imizizi Administrative area.

Entertainment and nature

The Wild Coast Sun casino and hotel by Sun international group is in the Bizana District, situated 56,6 kilometres from the town. The Wild Coast Sun has hosted Idols SA theatre week in 2016 and 2017. Bizana is in the Wild coast area and has beautiful beaches. One of them is silver beach where the hotel complex is located and a very beautiful and peaceful beach in the Xholobeni area. Xholobeni is also endowed with some mineral resources hence the recent fights about possible mining in the area which has led to court cases between the people and the government, as the Bizana community doesn't want their land to be touched and be left in ruins. Bizana is on the border between Kwa-Zulu Natal and Eastern cape province. The predominant race group is the

Xhosa people The Xhosa people, or Xhosa language, Xhosa-speaking people (; ) are African people who are direct kinsmen of Tswana people, Sotho people and Twa people, yet are narrowly sub grouped by European as Nguni people, Nguni ethnic group whose traditi ...

like the rest of the Eastern Cape province as it is the homeland of the Xhosa people.

Education

Bizana has many primary and secondary schools to serve the community. Mr Clement Sandile Nteta, who is one of the unsung heroes of the struggle for liberation was a key incognito ANC operative. Nteta clandestinely ensured a safe passage for many of the ANC stalwarts into exile. During the periods of the 1970s and 1980s Clement Nteta continued his fight against apartheid by creating and instilling a culture of education in the region. He was instrumental in developing schools and an education system which delivered quality education to learners. Many of his students are prominent members of government as a consequence of the foundation he built. He was the Chairman of the Retired Teachers Association at the time of his death in 2017. He was leading the fight for teachers to be paid for their years of service and pensions they have not received since retirement. His influence has culminated in there being a new Further Education and Training institution called Ingwe TVET College (Sithetho Campus) located at Mhlanga, a small village in Bizana.

1986 bombing

On 18 April

1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. **Spain and Portugal ente ...

, two people were killed and several others injured when a bomb, set up by Phumzile Mayaphi, exploded at the Wild Coast Casino near Bizana. Mayaphi was charged and convicted of murder and sabotage, and was sentenced to death on 12 May 1989. The

African National Congress The African National Congress (ANC) is a Social democracy, social-democratic political party in Republic of South Africa, South Africa. A liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid, it has governed the country since 1994, when ...

denied responsibility for the attack.

Culture

* Mbizana Cultural Village

Notable people

Babalo Madikizela Babalo Madikizela is a South African urban planner and politician who served as the Eastern Cape MEC for Public Works from May 2019 to July 2022 and as a Member of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature from November 2018 to August 2022. Madiki ...

- Eastern Cape MEC for Public Works *

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (born Nomzamo Winifred Zanyiwe Madikizela; 26 September 1936 – 2 April 2018), also known as Winnie Mandela, was a South African anti-apartheid activist and politician, and the second wife of Nelson Mandela. She ser ...

- Anti-Apartheid Movement activist, president of the African National Congress Women's League & former wife of

Oliver Tambo Oliver Reginald Kaizana Tambo (27 October 191724 April 1993) was a South African anti-apartheid politician and revolutionary who served as President of the African National Congress (ANC) from 1967 to 1991. Biography Higher education Oliv ...

- Anti-Apartheid Movement activist & President of the

* Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya - footballer

References

External links

{{Alfred Nzo District Municipality Populated places in the Mbizana Local Municipality