Local municipality · Cacadu District
# Makana

Makana is a local municipality of South Africa in Cacadu District, Eastern Cape Province. It had an estimated 80,746 people in 2020 on 4,376 km² (about 18 per km²). 40 named villages and localities are recorded here, and 335 mapped services such as hospitals, banks and schools.
- 80,746 people (2020)
- 4,376 km²
- 335 mapped services
- 443 m typical elevation

## How many people live in Makana?

Makana had an estimated 80,746 people in 2020 — 16.4% of Cacadu District, 120th of 190 local municipalities. There are 1,073 women for every 1,000 men (above the Cacadu District figure of 1,010). Spread over 4,376 km², that is about 18 people per km², 127th of 190 local municipalities.

23.8% of people are children under 15 and 7.2% are 65 or older; the median age is about 30 years (it is 31 across Cacadu District). For every 100 people of working age (15–64) there are 45 children and older people.
- 0–4 6,277
- 5–9 6,670
- 10–14 6,270
- 15–19 6,837
- 20–24 8,075
- 25–29 6,861
- 30–34 6,805
- 35–39 6,380
- 40–44 5,734
- 45–49 4,727
- 50–54 4,098
- 55–59 3,432
- 60–64 2,768
- 65–69 2,206
- 70–74 1,755
- 75–79 1,043
- 80+ 808

Source: Statistics South Africa 2016 Community Survey Population via OCHA HDX, population 2020 (COD-PS, CC BY-IGO).

## Where is Makana?

Makana lies in Cacadu District, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. It borders 5 other local municipalities: Blue Crane Route, Ndlambe, Ngqushwa, Raymond Mhlaba and Sundays River Valley. By area it is the 90th largest of 213 local municipalities in South Africa. It covers 7.5% of Cacadu District. The centre of Makana is about 850 km in a straight line from Pretoria, the capital. The centre point is at 33.2523° S, 26.5124° E. Local names: EC104.

Source: South African Municipal Demarcation Board via OCHA HDX, administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO).

## Things to see in and around Makana

OpenStreetMap lists 26 named sights in Makana: 17 nature reserves; 4 museums; 2 monuments; 2 castles and forts; 1 aquarium.
- Albany History Museum · museum
- Albany Museum · museum
- Amazwi South African Museum of Literature · museum
- Observatory Museum · museum
- Fort Brown 1835 · castle or fort
- Fort Selwyn · castle or fort
- Amakhala Game Reserve · nature reserve
- Andries Vosloo Kudu Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Blaauwkrantz Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Buffalo Kloof Protected Environment · nature reserve
- Coleridge Game Reserve · nature reserve
- Ecca Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Fort Governor's Estate · nature reserve
- Great Fish River Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Khusela Reserve - South Africa · nature reserve
- Kwandwe Private Game Reserve · nature reserve
- Kwantu Private Reserve · nature reserve
- Lalibela Game Reserve · nature reserve
- Lalibela Private Game Reserve · nature reserve
- Pumba Private Game Reserve · nature reserve
- Shamwari Private Game Reserve · nature reserve
- Thomas Baines Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Thomas Bains (Beggars Bush) · nature reserve
- 1820 Settlers Monument · monument
- 1820 Settlers National Monument · monument
- TCP Aquaponics · aquarium

Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract — named settlements.

Named attractions, museums, viewpoints, historic sites and natural features mapped in OpenStreetMap. Places of worship are not listed.

## Know before you go: Makana
- Time zone UTC+2, no daylight saving · Africa/Johannesburg
- Currency Rand (ZAR)
- Country calling code +27
- Languages Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Pedi, English, Tswana
- Plug types Type C, D · 230 V
- Driving side Left
- Postcode format 4 digits (####)

### Nearest airports
- Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport (PLZ) · Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) 117 km
- King Phalo Airport (ELS) · East London 125 km

### Nearest railway station

West Hill (Makana), about 5.7 km from the centre.

### Daylight

Days are longest in Dec (about 14.3 hours, sunrise around 04:59) and shortest in Jun (about 10.0 hours, sunrise around 07:15, sunset around 17:12).

Source: GeoNames country and time-zone files (CC BY 4.0); Wikidata (CC0) — plug types, mains voltage, driving side; retrieved 2026-11-03; OurAirports (public domain).

Airports with scheduled passenger flights; straight-line distances. Daylight is calculated for the 15th of each month in local standard time. Check entry and visa rules with official government sources before travelling.

## Villages and localities in Makana

Open gazetteers list 40 villages, towns and localities in Makana. The largest with a recorded population: Grahamstown (91,548) and Alicedale (4,639). Settlements here lie between about 65 m and 695 m above sea level (median 443 m).
- Alicedale
- Armistice
- Assegaairivier
- Balcraig
- Botha’s Ridge
- Central
- Committees Drift
- Cradock Heights
- Farmer Field M
- Fingo
- Fort Brown
- Fort England
- Glen Ambrose
- Grahamstown
- Greenlands
- Highlands
- Hill 60
- Howieson’s Poort
- Joza
- Kings Heights
- Kingswood
- Makhanda
- Mitford Park
- Oatlands
- Oatlands North
- Phaphamani
- Rhodes
- Riebeek East
- Riebeek-Oos
- Rosedale
- Salem
- Seven Fountains
- Sidbury
- Somerset Heights
- Sunnyside
- Tantyi
- The Haven
- Trumpeters
- West Hill
- Yarrow

Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features; © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract — named settlements.

## Landscape and landmarks of Makana

Named natural and historic features inside Makana, from the GeoNames gazetteer.

### Water

7 rivers and streams; 3 reservoirs and tanks; 1 lake.
- Brakrivier
- Brakrivier
- Gxetu
- Howieson’s Poort Reservoir
- Jameson Dam
- Koonaprivier
- New Years Dam
- New Years River
- Settler’s Dam
- Steinsrivier
- Swartwatersrivier

### Hills and mountains

13 hills; 9 mountains; 5 mountain passes; 4 valleys.
- Swartwatersberg · 914 m
- Highlands Mountain · 825 m
- Botha’s Hill · 734 m
- Signal Hill · 729 m
- Governors Kop · 686 m
- Makanna’s Kop · 647 m
- Suurberg · 642 m
- Sugarloaf Hill · 630 m
- Hyde’s Hill · 613 m
- Kingo Hill · 580 m
- Helspoortpas · 562 m
- Table Hill · 537 m
- Graskop I · 532 m
- Tafelberg · 516 m
- Graskop · 500 m
- Swartkop · 495 m
- Bankskop · 488 m
- New Signal Kop · 486 m
- Sidbury Hill · 470 m
- Howison’s Poort · 461 m
- Swartwaterspoort · 461 m
- Rietrivierkop · 435 m
- Debruinspoort · 415 m
- Death Valley · 407 m

…and 7 more.

### Forests and nature

1 forest reserve; 1 nature reserve; 1 park.
- Beggars Bush Forest Reserve
- Provincial Nature Reserve
- Pumba Reserve

### History

4 ruins.
- Fort Brown
- Fraaiuitsig
- Old Fort
- Piet Retief se Huis

### Getting around

3 railway stations; 2 airfields; 1 airport.
- Doringkom
- Eagle’s Crag
- Grahamstown
- Highlands
- Kransdrift East
- Kwandwe

Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features.

Places of worship are not listed. Elevations are from the GeoNames terrain model and are approximate.

## Weather in Makana and the best time to visit

Using the climate of Cacadu District, the warmest month is Jan (average 23 °C) and the coolest is Jul (10 °C), after allowing for this place being about 165 m higher than the climate reference point (about 6.5 °C per 1,000 m). About 459 mm of rain falls in a year; the wettest month is Feb (58 mm) and the driest Jun (17 mm). The most comfortable months for a visit are January to December.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
| Month | Average °C | Rain mm |
| Jan | 23 | 52 |
| Feb | 22 | 58 |
| Mar | 20 | 58 |
| Apr | 17 | 40 |
| May | 14 | 22 |
| Jun | 10 | 17 |
| Jul | 10 | 22 |
| Aug | 11 | 31 |
| Sep | 14 | 25 |
| Oct | 17 | 44 |
| Nov | 19 | 43 |
| Dec | 21 | 46 |

Source: NASA POWER climatology, retrieved 2026-10-29.

## Nearest hospital, bank and fuel from Makana
| Need | Nearest mapped | Distance | |
| Hospital | Settlers Public Hospital · Makana | 5.6 km | Map |
| Bank | Nedbank · Makana | 5.9 km | Map |
| ATM | ABSA;Standard Bank;Nedbank · Makana | 6.3 km | Map |
| Petrol pump | TotalEnergies · Makana | 6.8 km | Map |
| Hotel | City Of The Saints Guest Cottage · Makana | 4.8 km | Map |
| Mall | Peppergrove mall · Makana | 6.4 km | Map |
| School | Sun City Nursary School · Makana | 4.4 km | Map |
| College | Eastcape Midlands College · Makana | 5.9 km | Map |
| Police station | SAPS Joza Police Station · Makana | 6.5 km | Map |

Source: Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

Straight-line distance from the centre of the division, within 40 km.

## Hospitals, banks and other services in Makana

Places mapped inside Makana in open map data, by type.
- Hospitals 11
- Banks 21
- ATMs 5
- Petrol pumps 7
- Hotels 90
- Shopping malls 4
- Schools 112
- Colleges and universities 22
- Pharmacies 7
- Restaurants 44
- Police stations 10
- Dental clinics 2

Source: Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

Coverage depends on what has been mapped; contact details are not shown.

## Other local municipalities in Cacadu District
- Blue Crane Route
- Dr Beyers Naude
- Kou-Kamma
- Kouga
- Ndlambe
- Sundays River Valley

## Quick answers
- Where is Makana? In Cacadu District, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- What is the population of Makana? 80,746 (2020 estimate)
- What is the median age in Makana? About 30 years (2020 estimate)
- What is the population density of Makana? About 18 people per km²
- What borders Makana? Blue Crane Route, Ndlambe, Ngqushwa, Raymond Mhlaba and Sundays River Valley
- What is there to see in Makana? 1820 Settlers Monument, 1820 Settlers National Monument, Albany History Museum, Albany Museum
- What time zone is Makana in? UTC+2
- What currency is used in Makana? Rand (ZAR)
- What language is spoken in Makana? Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans (main languages nationally)
- How many villages are in Makana? 40 named settlements (GeoNames, OpenStreetMap)
- What is the elevation of Makana? Settlements lie between 65 m and 695 m
- How many reservoirs and tanks are in Makana? 3 named in GeoNames
- What is the highest point in Makana? Swartwatersberg (914 m, GeoNames elevation model)
- What is the best time to visit Makana? January to December
- Where is the nearest hospital to Makana? Settlers Public Hospital, about 5.6 km from the centre
- Where is the nearest bank to Makana? Nedbank, about 5.9 km from the centre
- Where is the nearest ATM to Makana? ABSA;Standard Bank;Nedbank, about 6.3 km from the centre
- Where is the nearest petrol pump to Makana? TotalEnergies, about 6.8 km from the centre
- How many hospitals are in Makana? 11 mapped
- How many banks are in Makana? 21 mapped
- How many ATMs are in Makana? 5 mapped
- How many petrol pumps are in Makana? 7 mapped
- What is the P-code of Makana? ZA2104 (OCHA common operational dataset)

At a glance
- Type: Local municipality
- Area: 4,375.6 km²
- P-code: ZA2104
- District: Cacadu District
- Main town: Grahamstown

---
Canonical: https://wherepedia.org/south-africa/eastern-cape/cacadu/makana/ · Updated 2026-11-03 · Data: national censuses and statistics offices (sources named in each section); © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); Overture Maps; GeoNames; NASA POWER.