| Middledrift | |
| Other Name: | Middeldrift |
| Native Name: | iXesi |
| Pushpin Map: | South Africa Eastern Cape#South Africa#Africa |
| Coordinates: | -32.8186°N 26.9875°W |
| Subdivision Name2: | Amathole |
| Subdivision Name3: | Raymond Mhlaba |
| Subdivision Type4: | Main Place |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Leader Title: | Councillor |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 1.84 |
| Population Total: | 2140 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Racial makeup (2011) |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Black African |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 95.9% |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Coloured |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 2.1% |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Indian/Asian |
| Demographics1 Info3: | 0.3% |
| Demographics1 Title4: | White |
| Demographics1 Info4: | 0.8% |
| Demographics1 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics1 Info5: | 0.8% |
| Demographics Type2: | First languages (2011) |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Xhosa |
| Demographics2 Info1: | 86.7% |
| Demographics2 Title2: | Afrikaans |
| Demographics2 Info2: | 5.2% |
| Demographics2 Title3: | English |
| Demographics2 Info3: | 3.8% |
| Demographics2 Title4: | Sign language |
| Demographics2 Info4: | 1.0% |
| Demographics2 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics2 Info5: | 3.3% |
| Timezone1: | SAST |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code (street) |
| Postal Code: | 5685 |
| Postal2 Code Type: | PO box |
| Postal2 Code: | 5685 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Area Code: | 046 |
Middledrift, officially known as iXesi (in Xhosa) and also known as Middeldrift (in Afrikaans), is a small town located 90km (60miles) north-west of East London in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is situated in Raymond Mhlaba Municipality in Amathole District in an area that was formerly part of the Ciskei.
The town is on the Keiskamma River, 45 km west-north-west of King William's Town and 16 km east-south-east of Alice. It was founded in 1853 and laid out in 1882. At first known as Beaconsfield, it was renamed after its situation at a ford (Dutch: drift) between two others. Due to corruption and mismanagement of funds it has become a wasteland and most of the residents nearby have to travel to Alice for shopping and services.[2] The town is the birth place of anti-apartheid activist Wilton Mkwayi, advocate Bulelani Ngcuka and scientist Dr Vatiswa Papu Zamxaka.