R31 million tourism investment in Eastern Cape complete
· The South African
A new lodge and conference centre recently opened in the Eastern Cape town of KwaMaqoma.
Visit goldparty.lat for more information.
Called the Mthontsi Lodge and Conference Centre, it is described as a “strategic investment of more than R31 million” for the region.
Deputy Minister of Tourism Makhotso Sotyu and Eastern Cape Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane opened the lodge in early July 2026.
The hope is that it will boost the area’s economic well-being while also providing a way for people to engage with its history.
The Mthontsi Lodge investment
The Mthontsi Lodge and Conference Centre has 13 chalets and backpackers’ accommodation. It also has conferencing facilities and a restaurant.
Speaking at the opening, the Deputy Minister Sotyu said the goal is “to build an economic future for the community in KwaMaqoma.”
The construction already expresses some of this return. Her department reports that 28 jobs were created during construction.
For local economic development, they claim the lodge now employs 5 permanent and 10 temporary staff members.
Projects like this lodge contribute to the Tourism Growth Partnership Plan (TGPP). This is the department’s five-year strategy to position tourism as a driver of economic growth and job creation.
Highlighting the region’s history
A key attraction of the lodge is the area’s historic significance. It was the epicentre of the War of Mlanjeni, also known as the Eighth Xhosa War.
“Transforming this historic site of conflict into a place of remembrance, healing, and economic opportunity, the Lodge restores the dignity of the fallen heroes who resisted colonialism and lays a foundation for inclusive growth in the region,” Executive Mayor of Amathole District Municipality Anele Ntsangani said.
Deputy Minister Sotyu also notes that this project is allowing more people to benefit from tourism.
Tourism in the Eastern Cape
Tourism continues to be an economic driver in South Africa. This new lodge is part of a plan, according to the South African Government News Agency, to show the Eastern Cape as a “prime destination for nature and history enthusiasts”
In their visitors’ guide to the Eastern Cape Provincial Nature Reserves, the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency highlights many of the current attractions to the area.
They include the Baviaanskloof, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Cape Floristic Region protected area, and the Great Fish River.