| Lusikisiki | |
| Pushpin Map: | South Africa Eastern Cape#South Africa |
| Coordinates: | -31.368°N 29.576°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | South Africa |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Eastern Cape |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | O.R. Tambo |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name3: | Ingquza Hill |
| Subdivision Type4: | Main Place |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Leader Title: | Councillor |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 4.09 |
| Population Total: | 4028 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Racial makeup (2011) |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Black African |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 94.0% |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Coloured |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 1.9% |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Indian/Asian |
| Demographics1 Info3: | 1.8% |
| Demographics1 Title4: | White |
| Demographics1 Info4: | 0.7% |
| Demographics1 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics1 Info5: | 1.6% |
| Demographics Type2: | First languages (2011) |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Mpondo |
| Demographics2 Info1: | 81.3% |
| Demographics2 Title2: | English |
| Demographics2 Info2: | 8.3% |
| Demographics2 Title3: | Zulu |
| Demographics2 Info3: | 2.2% |
| Demographics2 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics2 Info5: | 8.2% |
| Timezone1: | SAST |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code (street) |
| Postal Code: | 4820 |
| Postal2 Code Type: | PO box |
| Postal2 Code: | 4820 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Area Code: | 039 |
Lusikisiki is a town in the Ingquza Hill Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The name is onomatopoeic, derived from the rustling sound of reeds in the wind,[2] named by the local Mpondo people. Lusikisiki is inland from and north of Port St Johns. The town is positioned along the R61 (future N2 Wild Coast Toll Route) leading to Mthatha to the west and Port Shepstone to the north-east.
In this era, the AmaMpondo King's kraal occupied what is now the present town village.
By 1894 European settlers started settling in Lusikisiki after Mpondoland was annexed by the Cape Colony and a magistrate took up residence there with a military camp established as well.[3] [4]
In 1953 the South African Apartheid government made attempts to persuade the people of Lusikisiki to accept the rule of Bantu authorities which they had established. The government worked with Paramount Chief King Botha Sigcau to attempt to start a rehabilitation scheme in Pondoland.[5] The scheme was presented to the Lusikisiki community but was rejected. A few days later, the police entered the area.[6] A man called Mngqinga led a large local group to attack the police. This was later known as the Lusikisiki Revolt.
Lusikisiki receives high levels of rainfall, ranging between 874- of rain per annum.[7] Rainfall is considered unseasonal, although Lusikisiki receives the majority of its rainfall during summer.[8] Winter temperatures reach their lowest in July, averaging Celsius at night. The area lies within Forest and Indian Coastal Thicket biomes, and White Milkwood (Sideroxylon inerme) are common.
The Magwa Waterfall lies in the middle of the 1800ha Magwa tea plantation, South Africa's last remaining tea estate just outside Lusikisiki. The curtain of the Magwa Waterfall falls and drops into a narrow canyon.
Other points of interest include the Mkambati Nature Reserve which includes the Mzamba Fossil Beds estimated to be about 60 million years old, the Ntsubane Forest and Lupatana Nature Reserve.[9]
As of 2021, Lusikisiki has ranked number 1 in South Africa in terms of the national crime rate; these crimes include domestic robbery and sexual harassment.[10]