A local origin story links the name Matatiele to “Matata-ayele”: this is said to have been the phrase uttered when ducks fled at the arrival of people. As a local origin story, this explanation is part of local tradition, not a verified linguistic derivation.
One historical account reports that Rev. Williams Dower and his family spent the night in Matatiele while travelling from Uniondale to No-Man’s-Land. The Basotho chief Mekwai had his kraal there on a mountain. This episode differs from the name tradition: it links Matatiele to named travellers, a journey between two places, and the location of Mekwai’s kraal.
An old building in Matatiele serves as a museum presenting local history. Alongside an origin story and a historical travel episode, there is also a museum presentation of the town’s history.
The historical topics offer different points of interest: a traditional explanation of the name, a journey involving named people, and a museum about local history. If you are considering accommodation in Matatiele, these highlights can help you decide how well the town matches your travel interests.
Natural and cultural heritage in KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal offers a regional perspective on landscape and nature. The uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park is designated an Important Bird Area. The Maloti-Drakensberg Park in KwaZulu-Natal contains an estimated 690 rock art sites. Its rock art forms the largest and most concentrated group of rock paintings in southern Africa south of the Sahara. The park also provides an important refuge for more than 250 endemic plant species.
The archaeological perspective also reaches far back in time. The serial World Heritage Site “The Emergence of Modern Human Behaviour: The Pleistocene Occupation Sites of South Africa” preserves exceptionally well-layered and dated sediment records of early human life from a period of about 162,000 to 38,000 years before present. Its sites in KwaZulu-Natal include Sibhudu Cave.
The historic part of the Phoenix Settlement is closely connected with Mahatma Gandhi’s final decade in South Africa and his development of Satyagraha. KwaZulu-Natal’s Zulu, Indian and colonial heritage is also reflected in historical and cultural walking trails. These regional topics differ: Sibhudu Cave is associated with archaeology, the Phoenix Settlement with Gandhi’s history in South Africa, and the trails with the region’s cultural influences.
The Sardine Run takes place annually on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal. Timing and sightings vary from year to year; its annual return therefore does not mean there is a fixed time for observing it. The Midlands Meander offers another way to orient yourself in the region: the route is 80 kilometres long and runs between Pietermaritzburg and the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Mountains in KwaZulu-Natal.
Discover more destinations: Golela.
Return to the main travel overview: Alfred Nzo.
