In 1913, after the formation of the Union of South Africa the reserves were declared inalienable. Provision was made for partial consolidation in 1936, but it was not until 1975, when the Ciskeian Parliament negotiated an exchange of land, that it became possible to consolidate the territory into a single unit.

Topography
This A-shaped inland-pointing country of rolling green hills and fertile river valleys is separated from its semi-arid Hewu district on the interior high-lying region by the striking, forest-clad Amatola Mountains.

The Great Fish River forms the western boundary of the territory.
The Keiskamma runs like a blue ribbon down the centre, while eastwards is the Buffalo River, the mouth of which accommodates the port of East London in a tongue of South African territory separating Ciskei from Transkei.
On the coast is a forest-free low-land enjoying copious rains, which is tailor-made for pineapple crops.

Continued in next column

An intermontane plateau with large cattle herds and thousands of tiny maize and sorghum fields constitutes the territory’s traditional heartland and its developmental hub.
On the deeply-incised northern fringes of this plateau, in the foothills of the Amatolas, are a number of fertile river valleys, ideal for irrigation.

Constitutional Development
The ‘new country’ is a natural consequence of the South African policy of political independence and economic interdependence for the subcontinent’s various peoples that has been evolved over the past 20 years.

Though there were abortive earlier efforts to grant self-rule, the first real step towards independence was taken in 1961 with the inauguration of a pyramidal, chief-based form of government, with tribal, regional and territorial authorities.
The first territorial authority only had executive powers, but a Legislative Assembly was constituted in 1972, and in 1973 Dr Sebe (1926 - 1994) won the first one man one vote general election with a 70 per cent plus poll.

During the 1973 - 78 period many opposition members crossed the floor and in 1978 Sebe’s Ciskei National Independence Party scored a landslide victory.
By 1980 Ciskei had become a one-party state.

After studying the report of the prestigious, economically orientated Quail Commission, Ciskei drew up a document entitled Ciskei Independence within the RSA and presented it to the Prime Minister of South Africa.

An important breakthrough was achieved in South African politics when the Ciskeian and South African Governments agreed to enter into a confederal agreement. The agreement was to be signed concomitantly with the attainment of independence.

Bisho, the new capital, was at time under construction on the outskirts of King King William’s Town.

Source
Ciskei Booklet published by INTERSAPA (1979)