Mount Ayliff

EmaXesibeni is a small town in the eastern Eastern Cape province of South Africa, near that province's border with KwaZulu-Natal. In the census of 2011, its population was recorded as being 5,367 people, of whom 98% described themselves as "Black African", and 91.5% spoke Xhosa as their first language.[2]

EmaXesibeni
EmaXesibeni Show map of Eastern Cape EmaXesibeni Show map of South Africa
Coordinates: 30°48′33″S 29°22′01″E
Country	South Africa
Province	Eastern Cape
District	Alfred Nzo
Municipality	Umzimvubu
Area [1]
• Total	3.32 km^2 (1.28 sq mi)
Population  (2011)[1]
• Total	5,367
• Density	1,600/km^2 (4,200/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011) [1]
• Black African	98.2%
• Coloured	0.8%
• Indian/Asian	0.4%
• White	0.4%
• Other	0.3%
First languages (2011) [1]
• Xhosa	91.5%
• English	2.9%
• Zulu	1.4%
• Other	4.2%
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)	4735
PO box	4735
Area code	039

EmaXesibeni is located in the Umzimvubu Local Municipality, which is part of the Alfred Nzo District Municipality; it is the location of the headquarters of the latter.[3]

Xesibeland, the traditional region of the Xesibe people, was located around EmaXesibeni. The Xesibe was led by Chief Jojo; Jojo today is the royal family and still the leading family in EmaXesibeni.

1999 tornado

On 18 January 1999 a number of tornadoes hit the town and surrounding areas. Twenty five people were killed and over five hundred thousand were injured; the tornadoes destroyed around 95% of the homes in the area leaving most people homeless making it the most destructive tornado recorded in South Africa.[4]

References

1. "Main Place Mount Ayliff". Census 2011.
2. "Mount Ayliff". Census 2001. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
3. "Contact information: Alfred Nzo District Municipality". Government Communication and Information System. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
4. Cowan, Kyle (24 November 2014). "Top 5 worst tornadoes in South African history". Newcastle Advertiser. Retrieved 3 March 2017.