East London (Afrikaans: Oos-Londen, Xhosa: eMonti) is a city on the southeast coast of South Africa, situated in the Eastern Cape Province at 32.97°S and 27.87°E.. The city is situated on the Indian Ocean coast, between the Buffalo River, and the Nahoon River, and is the country's only river port. East London today has a population of 250,000, with over 700,000 in the metropolitan area.
History
A British fort, Fort Glamorgan, was built at the site of the city in 1847, and annexed to the Cape Colony that same year. Three villages grew around the fort, and were eventually combined to form the town of East London, which was elevated to city status in 1914.
During the early to mid-1800 Frontier wars, East London served as a supply port to service the military headquarters at nearby King William’s Town. With later development of the port came the settlement of permanent residents, including German settlers, most of whom were bachelors. In 1857 the British Government took pity on them and a cargo of 157 Irish girls arrived to help lift morale.
The existing port, in the mouth of the Buffalo River, adjoining the Indian Ocean, has been operating since 1870. The advent of the railway on the east bank in 1876 added momentum to ongoing development of the area into today’s thriving city of East London.
The unusual double-decker bridge over the Buffalo River was completed in 1935 and to this day, is the only bridge of its type in South Africa. Modern day attractions include the East London Museum housing the coelacanth, a prehistoric fish, thought to be extinct, discovered live there by fishermen in 1938, and numerous memorial statues. The city is well-known as a surfing mecca, and its beaches are among the best in the country.
In 1959, the Prince George Circuit race circuit opened; it hosted three Formula One South African Grand Prix races in the 1960s. In 2000, East London became part of the municipality of Buffalo City, also consisting of King William's Town and Bhisho.
In 1961, areas on either side of East London were declared Bantu homelands. Ciskei to the west and Transkei to the East. East London finding herself almost surrounded, except to the north, became very unsettled during the Apartheid era. With the volatility of the 1970s and 1980s, the government decided to dissolve the harbour for fear of the vital river port falling into the hands of the Xhosa People. Cranes were removed and sold to Argentina for a ridiculous price at that stage. This move nearly crippled the city's harbour which has never truly been able to recover. Fortunately with enormous investment in recent years by a few corporations like Daimler Chrysler, the harbour has had some development like the new car terminal.
Economy
East London is the second largest industrial centre in the province. The motor industry is the dominant employer. A major DaimlerChrysler plant is located near the harbour, manufacturing Mercedes-Benz vehicles for the local market, as well as exporting to the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan. Other industries include clothing, textiles, pharmaceuticals and food processing.
From the 1960s until 1994, the apartheid government created tax and wage incentives to attract industries in the former black independent states, including nearby Ciskei. Investment thus flowed into surrounding areas such as Fort Jackson and Dimbaza, leaving East London in relative isolation. The militant union activity of the time was not conducive to productivity or good labour relations. Infrastructure deteriorated and port activity wound down.
To encourage investment in East London, the East London Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) has been established on the West Bank, close to both the port and airport. 1500ha of land has been made available, and the site is one of four duty-free development areas in South Africa.
East London has good transport links with the rest of South Africa. The N2 highway connecting Cape Town and Durban bypasses the city, while the N6 highway joins East London with the inland city of Bloemfontein. The East London Airport, 10km from the city centre, has daily flights to all major South African cities.
Tourism
East London's tourism industry has grown greatly over the past few years. The City is being marketed as Buffalo City though, causing many to be confused. Apart from this obstacle local businesses are thriving, with a great deal of investment in the area, drawing visitors from around the world. East London is relatively small so there are only a few hotels, making a perfect gap in the market for bed & breakfasts to offer accommodation.
The East Coast Resorts (up the coast toward Durban) are a fantastic collection of small villages with many people living there (only 20min to East London on the highway) but a very tranquil setting for a family holiday.
Resorts include:
Yellowsands, Glen Eden, Queensbury Bay, Cintsa (now spelt "Chintsa") West and Cintsa East.
Attractions
Beaches
East London is a family city; many tourists from inland (fondly known as "Vaalies" because most are from the old Transvaal) come to East London to enjoy the mild temperatures and the fantastic beaches, surf spots and fishing.
Demographics
The main languages spoken in East London are English, Xhosa and Afrikaans. The city is home to a large number of retirees, thanks to the mild climate and holiday atmosphere.
Municipal Demarcation Board statistics
The Municipal Demarcation Board provides extensive demographics about all urban areas, which include the following demographics about Buffalo City. These figures exclude people whose status is unknown:
;General
;Age breakdown
;Employment
;Occupation
;Annual individual income ('000)
Governance
East London forms a constituent part of the Buffalo City Local Municipality and is the seat of that municipality.
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