Lesseyton

Lesseyton
Lesseyton  Lesseyton shown within Eastern Cape
Coordinates: 31°49′59″S 26°45′58″E / 31.833°S 26.766°ECoordinates: 31°49′59″S 26°45′58″E / 31.833°S 26.766°E
Country	South Africa
Province	Eastern Cape
District	Chris Hani
Municipality	Lukhanji
Area[1]
• Total	2.53 km^2 (0.98 sq mi)
Population (2011)[1]
• Total	2,715
• Density	1,100/km^2 (2,800/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[1]
• Black African	99.4%
• Indian/Asian	0.1%
• Other	0.4%
First languages (2011)[1]
• Xhosa	97.5%
• English	1.1%
• Other	1.4%

Lesseyton is a town in Lukanji Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, located 14 km northwest of Queenstown. Almost all residents are Xhosa speakers. Lesseyton has two schools: the Lesseyton Primary School and Ndlovukazi Public High School.

Lesseyton was established as a mission station of the Wesleyan Missionary Society in 1847. The people were all Thembu, who mostly retained their customary cultural and religious beliefs. In 1851, a war broke out between the Xhosas and the Cape colonial authorities, and many Thembus joined the hostilities against the colonial government. The Thembus at Lesseyton, however, remained loyal to the British, and fought the rebellion as part of the "Lesseyton Volunteers".^[2]

References

1. "Main Place Lesseyton". Census 2011.
2. The Progress of His Royal Highness, Prince Alfred Ernest Albert, Through the Cape Colony, British Kaffraria, the Orange Free State, and Port Natal, in the Year 1860. S. Solomon. 1861. p. 71.