Former state given nominal independence by South Africa in 1976, part of the Eastern Cape province since 1994 (8)

I believe the answer is:

transkei

(Other definitions for transkei that I've seen before include "Homeland for South Africans no longer" , "former homeland" , "part of Eastern Cape" , "somewhere in old Africa" , "Old apartheid state" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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