Nkandla is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

in the uThungulu district of

KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN) is a Provinces of South Africa, province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the government merged the Zulu people, Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu language, Zulu) and ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

. It is the seat of the

Nkandla Local Municipality Nkandla Local Municipality is an administrative area in the King Cetshwayo District of KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa. The town of Nkandla (seat of the municipality) is the home town of the former President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma. ...

, and the district in which the residence of the former

President of South Africa The president of South Africa is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of South Africa. The president directs the executive branch of the government and is the commander-in-chief of the South African National Defence F ...

Jacob Zuma Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma (; born 12 April 1942) is a South African politician who served as the fourth president of South Africa from 2009 to 2018. He is also referred to by his initials JZ and clan names Nxamalala and Msholozi. Zuma was a for ...

, is located. The residence is located 40 kilometres to the south of the town of Nkandla, beyond the Nkandla Forest and on the road to

Kranskop Kranskop is a small town that is situated on the edge of the Thukela River valley in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1894 as Hopetown but following confusion with another town of the same name in the Great Karoo, Northern Cape, t ...

. The Nkandla region encompasses nearly 115,000 inhabitants, spread relatively sparsely over a large area. Nkandla is mainly a rural area and is in the top five of the poorest places in

province. Poverty is prevalent, with 44% unemployment. The majority of the population are

Zulus Zulu people (; ) are a native people of Southern Africa of the Nguni. The Zulu people are the largest ethnic group and nation in South Africa, living mainly in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. They originated from Nguni communities who took p ...

. The Nkandla Local Municipality is a Category B municipality situated within the King Cetshwayo District in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. It is one of the five municipalities that make up the district. Nkandla has a claim to be the ‘cradle' of Zulu history. From Malandela to Shaka, to Dingane and Cetshwayo, Nkandla has been at the centre stage of the Zulu nation's history. The graves of King Malandela and Cetshwayo and Inkosi Sgananda are at Nkandla. The area is located approximately 50 km southwest of UMthonjaneni Local Municipality, 70 km from UMlalazi Local Municipality, and approximately 50 km away from Isandlwana battlefields. A 2004 documentary, '' The Orphans of Nkandla'', by the BBC and Truevision, recounted the hardships and poverty of orphans in Nkandla. The land is owned by the Ingonyama Trust, which, through Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini, administers KwaZulu-Natal's traditional lands on behalf of the state for the benefit of its occupants. Zuma's property comprises 3.83 hectares. Zuma was joined by

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

to open Mnyakanya High School in 2004.

Geographic location

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nkandla, Kwazulu-Natal Populated places in the Nkandla Local Municipality