| Golela | |
| Pushpin Map: | Eswatini#South Africa |
| Coordinates: | -27.3183°N 31.8913°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  South Africa |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | KwaZulu-Natal |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Zululand |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name3: | uPhongolo |
| Subdivision Type4: | Region |
| Subdivision Name4: | Shiselweni |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Leader Title: | Councillor |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Black African |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Coloured |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Indian/Asian |
| Demographics1 Title4: | White |
| Demographics1 Title5: | Other |
| Timezone1: | SAST |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code (street) |
| Postal Code: | 3990 |
| Postal2 Code Type: | PO box |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Area Code: | 034 |
Golela is a border town straddling both Kwa-Zulu Natal Province, South Africa and Eswatini, east of Pongola and south of Lavumisa. The Golela border post was recently rebuilt to meet the increasing movement of people and goods between South Africa and Eswatini.
The border crossing is situated on the southern border of Eswatini, 145 km southeast of Piet Retief. The name is of Zulu origin, said to be named after Golela kaMantsholo Thabede who was a noble man of the Mahlalela clan who were living along uPhongolo river, below Ubombo mountains. Locals say that Golela used to confront the apartheid government authorities who were stationed at the border and was opposed to the border restrictions by the apartheid government of Transvaal. Before it was constructed by the Transvaal government, the border was long used by people many years ago before the arrival of European settlers. This was the hunting ground of the Mahlalela clan in former times. They would organize hunting expeditions and invite the neighboring Ntshangase, Nyawo, Mngomezulu and Buthelezi clans. Other hunters would come even as far as Zombodze in Eswatini. The portion of the town across the border, in Eswatini, was renamed Lavumisa.[1]
It is served by a railway station on the line connecting South Africa and Eswatini.