Mount Ayliff

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Mount Ayliff

| native_name = eMaxesibeni

| pushpin_map = South Africa Eastern Cape#South Africa

| coordinates = {{coord|30|48|33|S|29|22|01|E|region:ZA|display=inline,title}}

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = South Africa

| subdivision_type1 = Province

| subdivision_name1 = Eastern Cape

| subdivision_type2 = District

| subdivision_name2 = Alfred Nzo

| subdivision_type3 = Municipality

| subdivision_name3 = Umzimvubu

| subdivision_type4 = Main Place

| established_title = Established

| leader_title = Councillor

| area_footnotes = {{cite web |url=http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/296152 |title = Main Place Mount Ayliff |work=Census 2011}}

| area_total_km2 = 3.32

| population_footnotes =

| population_total = 5367

| population_as_of = 2011

| population_density_km2 = auto

| demographics_type1 = Racial makeup (2011)

| demographics1_footnotes =

| demographics1_title1 = Black African

| demographics1_info1 = 98.2%

| demographics1_title2 = Coloured

| demographics1_info2 = 0.8%

| demographics1_title3 = Indian/Asian

| demographics1_info3 = 0.4%

| demographics1_title4 = White

| demographics1_info4 = 0.4%

| demographics1_title5 = Other

| demographics1_info5 = 0.3%

| demographics_type2 = First languages (2011)

| demographics2_footnotes =

| demographics2_title1 = Xhosa

| demographics2_info1 = 91.5%

| demographics2_title2 = English

| demographics2_info2 = 2.9%

| demographics2_title3 = Zulu

| demographics2_info3 = 1.4%

| demographics2_title4 =

| demographics2_info4 =

| demographics2_title5 = Other

| demographics2_info5 = 4.2%

| timezone1 = SAST

| utc_offset1 = +2

| postal_code_type = Postal code (street)

| postal_code = 4735

| postal2_code_type = PO box

| postal2_code = 4735

| area_code_type = Area code

| area_code = 039

}}

Mount Ayliff, officially eMaxesibeni,{{Cite web|url=https://www.enca.com/news/watch-crossing-rickety-bridge-daily-nightmare-ec-villagers|title=WATCH | Crossing rickety bridge a daily nightmare for EC villagers | eNCA}} is a small town in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, near that province's border with KwaZulu-Natal.

Mount Ayliff is located in the Umzimvubu Local Municipality, which is part of the Alfred Nzo District Municipality; it is the location of the headquarters of the latter.{{cite web |url=http://www.gcis.gov.za/gcis/directory.jsp?dir=15&cat=64&org=1918 |title=Contact information: Alfred Nzo District Municipality |work=Government Communication and Information System |access-date=30 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725043026/http://www.gcis.gov.za/gcis/directory.jsp?dir=15&cat=64&org=1918 |archive-date=25 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}

Xesibeland, the traditional region of the Xesibe people, was located around Mount Ayliff. The Xesibe was led by Chief Jojo; Jojo today is the royal family and still the leading family in EmaXesibeni.

History

It was possibly named in 1878 after either William Ayliff, a Cape government official for native affairs or John Ayliff, a mission station founder.{{Cite book |last=Erasmus |first=B. P. J. |url=http://archive.org/details/onrouteinsouthaf0000eras |title=On Route in South Africa |publisher=Jonathan Ball Publishers |others=Internet Archive |year=1995 |isbn=978-1-86842-026-1 |location=Johannesburg |pages=209}}

= 1999 tornado =

On 18 January 1999, a number of tornadoes hit the town and surrounding areas. Twenty five people were killed and over 500 were injured; the tornadoes destroyed around 95% of the homes in the area leaving most people homeless making it the most destructive tornado recorded in South Africa.{{Cite news|url=http://newcastleadvertiser.co.za/39940/top-5-worst-tornadoes-south-african-history/|title=Top 5 worst tornadoes in South African history|last=Cowan|first=Kyle|date=2014-11-24|work=Newcastle Advertiser|access-date=2017-03-03|language=en-US}}

= Mount Ayliff Christmas Day Massacre =

The town was the scene of a mass shooting incident between a group of Mpeni and Nokhatshile men on Christmas Day 2020 in-which at least seven people died and at least six were injured. Following a search for suspects led by the South African National Defence Force, seven people, all injured in the incident, were arrested. The incident was the result of a conflict between competing mini-bus taxi operators in the area.{{Cite web|last=Mthethwa|first=Cebelihle|title=Mount Ayliff killings: Accused in court for Christmas Day attack where 7 died|url=https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/mount-ayliff-killings-accused-in-court-for-christmas-day-attack-where-7-died-20201228|access-date=2021-01-27|website=News24|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Mthethwa|first=Cebelihle|title=Mount Ayliff Christmas unrest: SANDF joins search for killers after 'taxi violence' leaves 7 dead, 6 injured|url=https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/mount-ayliff-christmas-clash-7-killed-6-injured-in-brawl-between-two-groups-of-men-20201225|access-date=2021-05-26|website=News24|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Seleka|first=Ntwaagae|title=Mount Ayliff killings: Six people arrested for deadly Christmas Day clash between rival groups|url=https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/mount-ayliff-killings-six-people-arrested-for-deadly-christmas-day-clash-between-rival-groups-20201226|access-date=2021-05-26|website=News24|language=en-US}}

Geography

Mount Ayliff is located in a mountainous valley, hence the word "Mount". It is located just 26 km south-west of the KwaZulu-Natal border and is also located 34 km south of Kokstad and 144 km north-east of Mthatha. The nearest city to Mount Ayliff is Durban which is 283 km north-east of the town.{{Cite web|title=Google Maps|url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/-30.7977461,29.3660336/Durban/data=!4m10!4m9!1m1!4e1!1m5!1m4!1s0x1ef7aa0001bc61b7:0xcca75546c4aa6e81!8m2!3d-29.858680399999997!4d31.0218404!3e0|access-date=2020-12-04|website=Google Maps|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Google Maps|url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/-30.7977461,29.3660336/%27-30.561519,29.429113%27/data=!4m9!4m8!1m1!4e1!1m4!1m3!8m2!3d-30.561518999999997!4d29.4291125!3e0|access-date=2020-12-04|website=Google Maps|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Google Maps|url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/N2,+Mount+Ayliff,+Mount+Ayliff/-30.6235747,29.4728402/data=!4m10!4m9!1m5!1m4!1s0x1ef579abe30dc991:0x99e23c237513c580!8m2!3d-30.798266299999998!4d29.3659662!1m1!4e1!3e0|access-date=2020-12-04|website=Google Maps|language=en}}

Demographics

In the census of 2011, its population was recorded as being 5,367 people, of whom 98% described themselves as "Black African", and 91.5% spoke Xhosa as their first language.{{cite web |url=http://census.adrianfrith.com/place/23816 |title=Mount Ayliff |work=Census 2001 |access-date=17 January 2014}}

References

Category:Populated places in the Umzimvubu Local Municipality