Languages Swati Re-integrated into South Africa 27 April 1994 Area 3,000 km² Date dissolved 1994 | Self-government 1981 1980 est. 161,160 Founded 1981 Political structure Bantustan | |
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Capital KaNyamasane (Louieville)
Schoemansdal (de facto) 1980 3,000 km² (1,158 sq mi) | ||
KaNgwane was a bantustan in South Africa, intended by the apartheid government to be a semi-independent homeland for the Swazi people. It was called the "Swazi Territory" before it was granted nominal self-rule in 1981. Its capital was at Louieville (formerly KaNyamasane). It was the least populous of the ten homelands, with an estimated 183,000 inhabitants.
An attempt to transfer parts of the homeland, along with parts of the Zulu homeland KwaZulu, to the neighbouring country of Swaziland in 1982 failed following protests. The homeland's territory had been claimed by King Sobhuza of Swaziland as part of the Swazi monarchs' traditional realm, and the South African government hoped to use the homeland as a buffer zone against guerrilla infiltration from Mozambique. This would have given land-locked Swaziland access to the sea. South Africa responded to the failure of the transfer by temporarily suspending the autonomy of KaNgwane, then restoring it in 1984.
Unlike the other homelands in South Africa, KaNgwane did not adopt a distinctive flag of its own but flew the national flag of South Africa.
KaNgwane ceased to exist on 27 April 1994 when the Interim Constitution dissolved the homelands and created new provinces. Its territory became part of the province of Mpumalanga.
Districts in 1991
Districts of the province and population at the 1991 census.