Transkei, officially the Republic of Transkei, was an unrecognised state in the southeastern region of South Africa from 1976 to 1994. It was, along with Ciskei, a Bantustan for the Xhosa people, and operated as a nominally independent parliamentary democracy. Its capital was Umtata.
Ciskei was a Bantustan for the Xhosa people, located in the southeast of South Africa. It covered an area of 7,700 square kilometres (3,000 sq mi), almost entirely surrounded by what was then the Cape Province, and possessed a small coastline along the shore of the Indian Ocean.
Lennox Leslie Wongama Ngweyesizwe Sebe was the chief minister of the Xhosa bantustan of Ciskei after its self-rule in 1972, and the nominally independent country's first president from 1983. His praise name (isikhahlelo) was Ngweyesizwe.
King Kaiser Daliwonga Mathanzima, misspelled Matanzima, was the long-term leader of Transkei. In 1950, when South Africa was offered to establish the Bantu Authorities Act, Matanzima convinced the Bunga to accept the Act. The Bunga were the council of Transkei chiefs, who at first rejected the Act until 1955 when Matanzima persuaded them.
Joshua Oupa Gqozo was the military ruler of the former homeland of Ciskei in South Africa.
Bantubonke Harrington Holomisa is a South African Member of Parliament and President of the United Democratic Movement.
Princess Stella Nomzamo Sigcau was a Minister in the South African Government. Sigcau was also the first female Prime Minister of the bantustan of Transkei before being deposed in a military coup in 1987.
The Military Rule Medal was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Transkei to commemorate the bloodless 1987 military coup d'état which overthrew the Transkei government on 30 November 1987.
The Ciskei Defence Force (CDF) was established during March 1981 from the 141 Battalion of the South African Defence Force (SADF). It was the defence force of Ciskei, a bantustan that was controlled by the apartheid regime of South Africa. The CDF functioned as part of the 21 Battalion based near Lenasia, outside Johannesburg.
The Transkei National Independence Party (TNIP) was a political party in the nominally independent South African homeland of Transkei. It was founded by the Matanzima brothers, Kaiser and George. The party advocated cooperation with the South African government. As of 1985, the leader of the party was George Matanzima. The party governed Transkei from 1976 until the 1987 coup d'état by Bantu Holomisa.
King Botha Sigcau was a King in Eastern Pondoland, Transkei, South Africa (1939–1976) and later the figurehead President of Transkei from 1976 to 1978. A graduate of the University of Fort Hare, Sigcau was an early supporter of the Bantu Authorities in Transkei and was rewarded by the South African government when he was appointed chairman of the Transkei Territorial Authority, the parliament before independence.
Chief George Mzimvubu Mathanzima was a leader of the Transkei bantustan in South Africa, a young brother of Kaiser Matanzima and a nephew of Nelson Mandela. He and his brother, Kaiser co-founded and led the Transkei National Independence Party. Mathanzima was appointed as Prime Minister of Transkei after his brother became President. He served as Prime Minister from 20 February 1979 to 24 September 1987. Bantu Holomisa forced his resignation and exile in October 1987. Stella Sigcau succeeded him as Prime Minister, but Holomisa forced her out of office in a coup d'état and took power himself in December 1987.
Qaqambile Matanzima was a South Africa politician and tribal leader. Matanzima had served as a colonel in the former Transkei Defence Force (TDF), the military force the Republic of Transkei, a de facto independent Bantustan which existed from 1976 to 1994. After Transkei was reincorporated into South Africa, Matanzima joined the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), leaving the military as a colonel in 1996. He was nicknamed "Big Q."
The Faithful Service Medal was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Transkei in 1987, for award to all ranks as a long service medal.
Rank comparison charts of armies/land forces of apartheid states and territories in Southern Africa.
Lt. General Xhanti Charles Sebe was leader of the Ciskei Defence Force- the military of the Bantustan of Ciskei, and its Director of State Security. A former Security Branch policeman, he later joined the South African Bureau of State Security (B.O.S.S.) before founding the Ciskei state security apparatus.
The 1987 Transkei coup d'état was a bloodless military coup in Transkei, an unrecognised state and a nominally independent South African homeland for the Xhosa people, which took place on 30 December 1987. The coup was led by the then 32-year-old Major General Bantu Holomisa, the Chief of the Transkei Defence Force, against the government of Prime Minister Stella Sigcau (TNIP). Holomisa suspended the civilian constitution and refused South Africa's repeated demands for a return to civilian rule on the grounds that a civilian government would be a puppet controlled by Pretoria.
The 1990 Ciskei coup d'état was a bloodless military coup in Ciskei, an unrecognised state and a nominally independent South African homeland for the Xhosa people, which took place on 4 March 1990. The coup was led by the then 37-year-old Brigadier Oupa Gqozo, the Chief of Staff Intelligence of the Ciskei Defence Force, against the government of President for Life Lennox Sebe (CNIP), who was on a state visit to Hong Kong at the time. The coup was followed by widespread rioting and looting, prompting Gqozo to request that the South African government send SADF troops to help restore order.
The 1990 Venda coup d'état was a bloodless military coup in Venda, an unrecognised state and a nominally independent South African homeland for the Venda people, which took place on 5 April 1990. The coup was led by the then 48-year-old Colonel Gabriel Ramushwana, the Chief of Staff of the Venda Defence Force, against the government of President Frank Ravele (NPV).
