Middledrift, officially Xesi,[2] is a small town located 90 kilometres (60 mi) north-west of East London in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.

It is situated in Raymond Mhlaba Municipality in Amathole District in an area that was formerly part of the Ciskei.

At first known as Beaconsfield, it was renamed after its situation at a ford (Dutch: drift) between two others.

Due to corruption and mismanagement of funds it has become a wasteland and most of the residents nearby have to travel to Alice for shopping and services.

[3] The town is the birthplace of anti-apartheid activist Wilton Mkwayi and advocate Bulelani Ngcuka.