Gazankulu

Gazankulu was a bantustan, or homeland, created by South Africa’s apartheid government for Tsonga-speaking communities. Located in the northeastern part of what is now Limpopo Province, it encompassed parts of the Limpopo River valley and bordered Mozambique to the east. The capital of Gazankulu was Sibasa. The population was predominantly Tsonga-speaking, with communities spread across the territory.

Administration and governance: Gazankulu operated with its own self-governing institutions, including a legislative assembly and a premier, but real sovereignty remained limited and under the overall control of the apartheid state. Residents were subject to the broader system of racial segregation and oversight that defined the bantustan policy.

Economy and society: The region was largely rural, with agriculture forming the economic backbone. Towns functioned as local markets and service centers, connected by transport routes to other parts of the bantustan network and South Africa.

Dissolution and legacy: Following the end of apartheid, the bantustan system was dissolved in 1994. Gazankulu’s territory was incorporated into Limpopo Province as part of South Africa’s democratic reorganization. Today, the area forms part of several Limpopo districts, and Tsonga language and culture remain prominent in the region.