# Middledrift

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**Middledrift**, also known as **iXesi**,[1] is a small town located 90 kilometres (60 mi) north-west of [East London](/source/East_London,_Eastern_Cape) in the [Eastern Cape](/source/Eastern_Cape) province of South Africa. It is situated in [Raymond Mhlaba Municipality](/source/Raymond_Mhlaba_Local_Municipality) in [Amathole District](/source/Amathole_District_Municipality) in an area that was formerly part of the [Ciskei](/source/Ciskei).

The town is on the [Keiskamma River](/source/Keiskamma_River), 45 km west-north-west of [Qonce](/source/Qonce) and 16 km east-south-east of [Alice](/source/Alice,_Eastern_Cape).

## History

It was founded in 1853 and laid out in 1882. At first known as Beaconsfield, it was renamed after its situation at a ford (Dutch: *drift*) between two others. Due to corruption and mismanagement of funds it has become a wasteland and most of the residents nearby have to travel to Alice for shopping and services.[2] The town is the birthplace of anti-apartheid activist [Wilton Mkwayi](/source/Wilton_Mkwayi) and advocate [Bulelani Ngcuka](/source/Bulelani_Ngcuka) and author/reporter [Noni Jabavu](/source/Noni_Jabavu).

## Notable people

- [Nosimo Balindlela](/source/Nosimo_Balindlela), politician
- [Nqabayomzi Kwankwa](/source/Nqabayomzi_Kwankwa), politician
- [Ayabonga Khaka](/source/Ayabonga_Khaka), national female cricket team player
- [Mark Joko](/source/Mark_Joko), cricket player[3]
- [Noni Jabavu](/source/Noni_Jabavu), author and journalist
- [Bulelani Ngcuka](/source/Bulelani_Ngcuka), advocate
- [Wilton Mkwayi](/source/Wilton_Mkwayi), anti-apartheid activist
- [Nolusindiso Booi](/source/Nolusindiso_Booi), South African rugby union player
- [Zintle Mpupha](/source/Zintle_Mpupha), South African cricketer and rugby union player

## References

1. ["New names for towns under community spotlight"](https://www.dispatchlive.co.za/news/2016-01-21-new-names-for-towns-under-community-spotlight/) (in en-ZA). *DispatchLIVE*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210302090609/https://www.dispatchlive.co.za/news/2016-01-21-new-names-for-towns-under-community-spotlight/) 2021-03-02 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-01-22.

1. ["Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Public Domain)"](https://archive.org/stream/DictionaryOfSouthernAfricanPlaceNames/SaPlaceNames#page/n309/mode/2up/search/Middeldrift). Human Science Research Council. p. 309.

1. ["Mark Joko"](http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/339096.html). *ESPN Cricinfo*. Retrieved 6 December 2020.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Middledrift](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middledrift) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middledrift?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.