Tourism

BACKGROUND

Intsika Yethu Municipality (IYM) is sharing borders with eight municipalities here in the Eastern Cape Province; these municipalities are as follows Engcobo, Sakhisizwe, Emalahleni, Amahlathi, uMnquma and Enoch Mgijima local municipality. Our municipality is strategically located on R61 between Queenstown and uMthatha. Some of these local municipalities are form part of the Chris Hani District municipality. Arts and craft, Nature, Agriculture, Wildlife and culture are the priority sectors for the local and economic benefits of this area.

VISION

Eastern Cape is rich of the wildlife or adventure, culture and historical. This province has something to offer for all types of visitors with its coastal feel and nature right on its doorstep. But IYLM is domination with nature based tourism and adventure with its historical and cultural visions.

MISSION

Our mission is to become one of the tourist destinations of choice in the Eastern Cape Province, by using local tourism strategy which is the responsible government to ensure sustainable tourism development occur in the Eastern Cape Province.

Tsomo & Cofimvaba Tourist attractions

A number of tourist attractions can be visited between Tsomo and Cofimvaba as they are the only two rural towns that made up Intsika Yethu Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape Chris Hani District.

Mbulu Mission

The church was built in 1902 by the German Anglican man with the name Rev Old and is located in the Tsomo village called Lower Mbulukhweza (Northern region of Intsika Yethu Municipality); even today the church is still operating.

 

Mbulukweza Water Falls

Enjoy nature viewing and scenery beauty of the river water falls, cliffs and some of animal species in Lower Mbulukhweza River. These water falls is about 30 metres down the river.

 

Sigubudwini Rock Art

Rock arts and Bushmen paintings which are located on the mountain cliff of Esigubudwini Village but they are accessible to tourist. This was drawn by bushmen’s who were travelling along Tsomo river from the east to the northern regions of Intsika Yethu Local Municipality.

 

 

 

Eluphindweni Village

Enjoy a scenery beauty of Eluphindweni village surrounded by the Great Kie River and mountain cliffs on the Northern borders of Intsika Yethu Local Municipality and Amahlathi Local Municipality.

 

Lubisi Resort

This is a three star accommodation establishment found with Intsika Yethu Local Municipality. Conference room, single, double and family rooms are available. Lubisi Lodge is about 15 kilometers away from Cofimvaba town.

Chris Hani Development Centre

Chris Hani Development Centre is a multi-purpose center built at Sabalele Chris Hani Birth place

A multipurpose Centre with both library and Chris Hani political Museum

It is part of the Chris Hani Liberation Route

Training Centre for skills development, and a resource Centre

A Centre of Community development- Heritage and Tourism

It I where there is Statue of Chris Hani which was unveiled by the former Eastern Cape Premier Noxolo Kiviet in 2013.

Chris Hani Freedom Marathon

The 25km Chris Hani Freedom Marathon which symbolizes the distance Chris Hani walked to and from school for five schooling days and the same distance he walked to church at Zigudu Mission on Sunday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heritage and Historical Sites

Ntlonze

Ntlonze village was declared as one of the well-known district heritage site found within Intsika Yethu Local Municipality. This serve as a memorial stone to Poqo soldiers who were shot killed at Umngqanga hill in Ntlonze village while they we trying to hide themselves from the security forces.

 

Bilatye

Home to Comrade Dyatyi (1937-1969) joined Umkhonto Wesizwe in 1960, and left the country in 1962. He died at the hands of Rhodesian Security Forces during the Wankie Campaign of 1969. Also a home to Comrade Balisani Trom (1932-1982) was arrested in 1971, and left the country in 1981. He died in the Maseru Raid on 9 December 1982.

 

St Marks

St Marks Anglican Church is located on the St Marks village next to the White Kie River, about 15km west of Cofimvaba town and 40km north-east of Cath-cart. It was founded in 1855 as one of four Anglican Mission stations named after the apostles.

 

Qamata Great Place

During the homeland period, Qamata acquired the additional significant of being the great place of Paramount Chief KD Matanzima, this was a chief for the independent Transkei homeland. KD’s Regional Court at Qamata applied a kind of customary law which exceeds the limits of normal legality. It also serves as the base for ooGcothoza, and Matanzima’s soldiers, and it is said that activists were taken to Qamata, interrogated, beaten and even tortured.

 

Ngqwarhu Hills

After the Abathembu had seized Ngcobo town during the 1880 war, they advanced in the direction of Queenstown. 200 colonial of the Kaffrarian Mounted Volunteers encamped at Snodgrass’s shop under the command of Baron Van Linsingen, one of the German military settles of 1880, and Van Linsingen was killed. This is a shop where APLA and MK use to stay far right the building where meetings were held at Ngqwarhu Hills.

 

Hoyita

Hiding place for king Sarhili at Hoyita, great place for King Sarhili who was be headed by the British troops, and fought many battles defending the land of the Xhosa Kingdom. King Sarhili died in Willowvale after being chased by British troops from Cofimvaba. King Sarhili was commonly known as INAMBA ENKULU EJIKELEZA IHOYITA.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sabalele

Sabalele village is well known district heritage site found within Intsika Yethu Local Municipality and is where Chris Hani was born. Sabalele Heritage site also pays tribute to the late Comrade Thembisile Martin Hani who was shot and killed in Boksburg by two anti-communists on the 10 of April 1993.

Vuyisile Mini’s birth place

  • Birth place of the late vuyisile mini who was hanged by white gov”:
  • Born at Mhlahlane Location in Tsomo
  • An ANC Cadre
  • Jailed and hanged by apartheid Government
  • Lived in Port Elizabeth

 

Intsika Yethu Accommodation Establishment

Lubisi Lodge

Conference Hall

Self-catering family rooms

En-suit bedrooms

 

Kinds of guests who visit

  • Business Tourists
  • Contractors

Contacts

Location: The Lubisi Lodge IS located next to Lubisi at ……. Location.

Accessibility: Lubisi Lodge is very accessible, and everyone is able to go there.