Mqanduli is a town in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, situated approximately 26 km north-east of Elliotdale, 32 km south of Mthatha, and 13 km south-east of Viedgesville.
Mqanduli is located inland from the Wild Coast at approximately 31.817°S 28.750°E. The town covers an area of about 9.88 km².
Mqanduli lies on the DR08031 coastal route, which runs south-east from Viedgesville towards
Coffee Bay.
The name Mqanduli is of Xhosa origin and is said to derive from a nearby hill; local tradition reports the meaning as “grindstone-maker”, named for a person associated with the place.
Mqanduli falls within the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality and the OR Tambo District Municipality.
Mqanduli functions as a local service centre for the surrounding rural villages. The local economy is predominantly rural and community-oriented, with services, small-scale retail, and subsistence agriculture in the wider area.
Bantu Holomisa, a prominent South African politician, and Thandiswa Mazwai, a singer and songwriter, are from Mqanduli.
