The Independence of the Transkei

● In the latter part of October 1976, crowds gathered at Umtata, the capital of the Transkei, for celebrations and ceremonies. At midnight of October 25, to the salute of 101 guns, the South African flag was lowered for the last time and the’ new Transkei flag was unfurled. The Transkei had officially become Africa’s fiftieth independent state. It is the first of South Africa’s “homelands” (large territories set aside for each African tribe) to achieve that distinction.

Located in the southeastern part of South Africa, the Transkei is about the size of Denmark (44,000 square kilometers or almost 17,000 square miles) with a population of about 1³⁄₄ million, including some 10,000 whites. Most of the country’s blacks speak Xhosa (related to Zulu) but belong to various tribal groups, such as the Mpondo, Tembu, Bomvana and Fingo. The land is fairly fertile and well watered. Its southern boundary is the Great Kei River, whence the name “Transkei.”

Xhosa-speaking tribesmen have been established in the territory since about the fifteenth century. In the eighteenth century conflict developed between black tribesmen and white farmers, resulting in a long series of wars. Finally, in the late nineteenth century the whites predominated and the British government annexed the territory to the Cape Colony. Since 1910 the Transkei has formed part of first the Union of South Africa and then the Republic.

Following the evolution of South Africa’s policy of separate development, partial self-government was granted in 1963. The Parliament has 150 members, including 75 traditional chiefs and 75 elected members. In a recent election Paramount Chief Kaiser Matanzima’s party won by an overwhelming majority. He is now the country’s leader or prime minister. The new country will follow a policy of nonracialism; there will be no segregation. But economically it will be very dependent on South Africa. Recently the U.N. voted against recognition of the Transkei, and to date no country except South Africa has recognized the new state.