Giyani is a town situated in the north-eastern part of Limpopo Province, South Africa. It is the administrative capital of the Mopani District Municipality and a former capital of the defunct Gazankulu Bantustan. The town of Giyani has seven sections: Section A, Section D1, Section D2, Section E, Section F, Kremetart, and Giyani CBD. Risinga View and Church View are new residential areas in Giyani,but they fall under the local traditional leaders. The Giyani CBD is nicknamed Benstore, and this name is commonly used by residents of the region. Giyani is surrounded by a number of villages with rich Tsonga cultural activities, administered by the Greater Giyani Local Municipality.
Prof. Hudson Ntsanwisi, the former Chief Minister of Gazankulu, played a vital role in establishing the town. Giyani is situated at the intersection of R578 (South Africa) and R81. It is located in the heart of the Limpopo Bushveld, on the northern bank of the Klein Letaba River [1], west of Kruger National Park. Situated in the northern portion of the former Gazankulu, Giyani was established in the 1960s as the administrative center for the Tsonga people. Giyani lies 470 km north-east of Johannesburg by road, 104 km from Tzaneen, 105 km from the Phalaborwa Gate of the Kruger National Park, and 35 km from Malamulele.
In 1969, the Gazankulu government named a new ward at Elim Hospital 'Giyani Ward' in honor of the Gazankulu capital.
History
Giyani was established during the 1960s as the capital city of Gazankulu, on land belonging to the Homu Royal Family. The Risinga Community (under headman Chabalala) originally came from the Elim district, next to the township of Waterval.
The Old Parliament Buildings in Giyani, the ministerial houses, and the Palace of the Chief Minister of Gazankulu were built on what used to be the Chief's Kraal and headquarters of the Risinga Community. Across the main road, the Risinga Community used to drive their herds of cattle for grazing at a place known today as Giyani Golf Course. Giyani Section E, Section A, Sections D1 and D2, and the CBD of Giyani, known as Bendstore, were villages of the Risinga Community. The Risinga Community was forcefully removed from their land during the 1960s in order to make way for the new capital of Gazankulu, and they were relocated to the foothills of Man'ombe Mountain in Homu Block 14 and Makoxa Village with their chief, Hosi Homu Chabalala.
Land claims
The Risinga Community, under Hosi Homu Chabalala, successfully claimed back their land, which includes Giyani Section E, Section A, Sections D1 and D2, and some parts of Section F. The whole of Man'ombe Mountain Nature Reserve and the entire Giyani CBD were given back to Hosi Homu Chabalala under the settlements scheme with the government. While the other Chabalala headman, Hosi Siyandhanim, successfully claimed some parts of Giyani Section E and Section F and the western portion of Giyani CBD, Mapuve, Jim Nghalalume, and Siyandhani as host villages,
Hosi Maswanganyi (Mavhusa) also successfully claimed back their land, which includes: Gandlanani, Basani, N'wamankena, Dingamadzi, Sikhunyani, Kremetart, Dzingidzingi A, B, and C, Bode A and B, Mencisi, and Maswanganyi Village. Hosi Khakhala also successfully claimed back their land, which includes: Muyexe Block 01, Mninginisi Block 02, Mninginisi Block 03, N'wadzekudzeku Block 04, Shivulani Block 05A, Mbatlo Block 05B, Mavalani Block 06, Thomo Block 07, Khakhala Block 08A, Mhlava Block 08B, and Gawula Block 09 Village.
Culture
Most residents of Giyani speak Xitsonga as their first language. The Tsonga women perform the xibelani dance'and called the dance Xigaza, while the men enjoy mpuluto and makhwaya. The Tsonga people also engage in a custom dance called mchongolo. Xibelani is an African skirt designed to make the wearer's hips look bigger so that the hip movement during the xibelani dance can be more apparent. The Tsonga people have their own distinct music when the xibelani dance is performed.
The staple diet in Giyani is maize porridge (vuswa or pap in Afrikaans) and rice, often eaten with meat, chicken, and vegetables (matsavu).
"Giyani" is one of the tracks on the album "Third World Child" by Johnny Clegg and his band Savuka, written about leaving the stress of Johannesburg to get some peace and quiet in Giyani.
Climate
Giyani is situated within the sub-tropical zone.It can be very hot in the summer, reaching a maximum temperature of 41 °C in the summer and 25 °C during the winter. Winters are mild during the day and cold during the night.
The rainy season is between September and March, while the winter season is from April to August.