Dutywa, also known as Idutywa, is a town situated at the intersection of the N2 National Route and R408 Regional Route in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.
Dutywa falls within the Mbhashe Local Municipality and the Amathole District Municipality. Dutywa is the main town and administrative centre/seat of Mbhashe Local Municipality.
The town is the birthplace of former South African President, Thabo Mbeki.
History
Dutywa was founded in 1858 as a military fort after a dispute between a Natal Colony raiding party and its local people.
The town is named after the Dutywa River, a tributary of the Mbhashe River. The name means “place of disorder” in the Xhosa language; its spelling was officially changed from “Idutywa” to “Dutywa” on 16 July 2004.
The settlement was laid out in 1884 and was made a municipality in 1913.
