41-626: Cofimvaba is a town in Chris Hani District Municipality in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa . The village is 79 km east of Queenstown on the route to Butterworth , in Thembuland . The village of Cofimvaba was probably established in 1877 when the magisterial seat for Thembuland , (which had originally been located at St Marks ), was transferred to a more accessible location. Chris Hani
82-840: A 1.9 km swim, 90 km of cycling and a 21.1 km road run. The event started and finished at the Orient Beach in East London. In November 2021, the Buffalo City Ironman 70.3 event was cancelled in favour of the new Mossel Bay Ironman 70.3 event. Rugby is popular in East London. The provincial team, the Border Bulldogs , currently plays in the First Division of the Currie Cup competition. Most national games in East London are played at
123-416: A cross Gules between in the first and fourth quarters a garb and in the second and third quarters a fleece Or; on a chief Azure a demi-sun Or. A golden anchor was placed behind the shield, no doubt to show that the town was a seaport. The motto was Animo et fide . The arms were improved in the 1950s by the town clerk, H.H. Driffield. He changed the shield from silver to ermine, removed the anchor and devised
164-491: A degree of independence from Britain. The new government merged the three neighbouring settlements of East London, East London East and Panmure in 1873, forming the core of the current municipality, and in 1876 it began construction on the region's railway lines , commencing on the river's east bank. At the same time, it began construction of the East London harbour . This new infrastructure rapidly accelerated development of
205-433: A historic motor racing track that hosted three Formula One South African Grand Prix during the 1930s and 1960s. The circuit is run and managed by Border Motor Sport Club on a shoestring budget. South Africa's only Formula One World Drivers' Champion , Jody Scheckter , started his motor racing career with a Renault Gordini on this track. Golf is another favoured pastime in and around East London. East London Golf Club
246-537: A population of over 267,000 with over 755,000 in the surrounding metropolitan area. John Bailie, one of the 1820 Settlers , surveyed the Buffalo River mouth and founded the town in 1836. There is a memorial on Signal Hill commemorating the event. The city formed around the only river port in South Africa and was originally known as Port Rex. Later it was renamed London in honour of the capital city of
287-402: A third tier for its major intra-city roads. East London railway station offers long-distance passenger services to Cape Town and Johannesburg via Springfontein , and local services. King Phalo Airport is a commercial airport with service to other large South African metropolitan areas. The East London municipality assumed a coat of arms on 29 August 1892. The arms were : Argent,
328-433: Is 3 °C (37.4 °F), and the all-time record high is 44 °C (111.2 °F) on 13 March 2021. The hottest temperatures have been recorded in springtime and autumn, rather than the summer months, due to violent berg (foehn) winds. Temperatures above 38 °C (100 °F) have only been recorded early in the season, from August to December. Berg winds contribute to these high temperatures, as already warm air from
369-458: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Chris Hani District Municipality The Chris Hani District Municipality ( Xhosa : uMasipala weSithili sase Chris Hani ) is a landlocked district municipality situated in the centre of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa and is made up of eight local municipalities . Most of the communities are in rural areas. The landscape ranges from moist uplands and grassland hills to
410-759: Is a highly regarded championship golf course. Some of the other golf clubs in the region are the West Bank Golf Club, Gonubie Golf Club, Olivewood Golf Estate and Fish River Sun Country Club (a Gary Player -designed golf course). East London has also hosted the Africa Open tournament multiple times. Golfers can also hone their skills at the East London Golf Club Driving Range. Rowing is on the Buffalo River. The annual Buffalo Regatta began in 1881 and has become
451-590: Is held in February/March each year, and South Africa's oldest 160 km extreme ultra marathon , the Washie, over a picturesque and undulating coastal route from Port Alfred to the city. Triathlon is a popular sport and in particular hosted the a world-famous Ironman 70.3 South African event which took place annually in January from 2012 to 2021. Ironman 70.3 events follow a race format which consists of
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#1732776029562492-485: Is identified as dualism since it is divided into the first economy of commercial agriculture and the second economy of subsistence farming. In spite of its significant agricultural outputs, the municipalities are importers of processed food. The provision of basic services is particularly limited in the eastern municipalities which are largely rural. Backlogs include the delivery of tap water and adequate sanitation , school infrastructure and tarred roads. The district
533-665: Is situated on the intersections of the N6 from East London to Aliwal North via Komani , the R61 from Komani to Mthatha through Cofimvaba via Ngcobo and the N10 from Middelburg to Aliwal North via Cradock . Evidence of tarred roads in the rest of the district municipality is below the Eastern Cape’s provincial average – resulting in limited public transportation and access to health care facilities in bigger towns. The district municipality
574-469: Is situated on the watershed of four river systems. These are namely the Orange River , Great Fish River , Mbashe River and Great Kei River . Surface water sources supply water for most of the towns in the area while only a few rely on groundwater supplies. In rural areas, communities use water from unprotected springs, streams and boreholes. For the commercial farms in the west, the water supply
615-622: Is the seat of the Metro. East London has an oceanic climate ( Köppen Cfb ), bordering on a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa ), with the warm temperatures and moderation typical of the South African coastline. Although it has no true dry season, there is a drying trend in the winter, with the wettest times of year being spring and autumn. There is also a shorter and lesser dry period in December and January. The all-time record low
656-494: Is the second largest industrial centre in the province. The motor industry is the dominant employer. A major Daimler plant is located next to the harbour, manufacturing Mercedes-Benz and other vehicles for the local market, as well as exporting to the United States and Brazil . Other industries include clothing, textiles , pharmaceuticals and food processing . The period of international sanctions that followed in
697-663: Is usually groundwater from boreholes. East London, Eastern Cape East London ( Xhosa : eMonti ; Afrikaans : Oos-Londen ) is a city on the southeastern coast of South Africa , in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality , Eastern Cape Province . The city lies on the Indian Ocean coast, largely between the Buffalo River and the Nahoon River , and hosts the country's only river port . As of 2011 , East London had
738-713: The Blackburn Rovers , prior to its sudden dissolution in 2014. Motocross is also popular and many national events are held in the area surrounding East London, due to the challenging terrain there and in Transkei . East London is home to the ELMCC (East London Motor Cycle Club), which organises most of the motorcycle events in the area. East London is home to the Prince George Race Circuit , opened in 1959 (renamed East London Grand Prix Circuit),
779-478: The Buffalo City Stadium , which holds around 15000 people and was a host stadium during the 1995 Rugby World Cup . East London schools have produced many fine rugby players, including (in recent times) André Vos , Keith and Mark Andrews , Christiaan Scholtz , Brent Russell , Rory Kockott , Akona Ndungane and Odwa Ndungane . Football is also very popular in the city. East London was home to
820-652: The Chalumna River mouth near East London by fishermen in 1938, and numerous memorial statues. In 1948, the National Party came to power in South Africa, and began to implement the policy of apartheid . Apartheid as a doctrine envisaged the total segregation of races in South Africa, and East London was no different. In 1950, the Group Areas Act was placed upon the statute books making absolute segregation in all urban areas mandatory. In 1951,
861-510: The Transkei or Ciskei , which were former homelands during Apartheid , designed to separate different ethnic groups. This area is still characterised by its rural settlements and typical subsistence agriculture activities. Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality and Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality are lying in the west. These areas were originally part of the Republic of South Africa during Apartheid. The district’s agricultural industry
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#1732776029562902-640: The United Kingdom , hence the name East London. This settlement on the West Bank was the nucleus of the town of East London, which was elevated to city status in 1914. During the early to mid-19th century frontier wars between the British settlers and the local Xhosa inhabitants, East London served as a supply port to service the military headquarters at nearby King William's Town , about 50 km (31 mi) away. A British fort , Fort Glamorgan,
943-557: The arid Karoo scrubland. In 2016, the region reported a population of 840 000 people, accounting for 1.5% of South Africa's total population and 12% of the Eastern Cape's total population. Most of the district municipality's employment is based on unskilled labour. In the east are Emalahleni , Dr AB Xuma (previously Engcobo), Intsika Yethu , Sakhisizwe Local Municipality and a section of Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality . These local municipalities were originally part of
984-621: The 1980s damaged the economy of East London's harbour. Enormous investment in recent years, by corporations such as Daimler AG , has resulted in the harbour being developed to include a new car terminal. From the 1960s until the 1990s, the apartheid government created tax and wage incentives to attract industries to the then black "independent states", including nearby Ciskei . Investment thus flowed into surrounding areas such as Fort Jackson and Dimbaza , leaving East London in relative isolation. Transport infrastructure deteriorated and port activity wound down. To encourage investment in East London,
1025-642: The Amalinda area was zoned as a White Group Area by Government Gazette Proclamation number 21. This meant that the municipality's plans to extend the area in order to accommodate the Black African population were abandoned. In 1953, residents in the East Bank were forcibly moved to the new township of Mdantsane . In February 1966, the South African government defined Mdantsane as a separate homeland township. In 1956, Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd , who
1066-622: The East London Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) was established on the West Bank in 2004, 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. Cricket is popular around East London. A combined Border/Eastern Province cricket side known as the Warriors take part in the top provincial competition. Former Proteas wicketkeeper Mark Boucher who as of July 2023 holds
1107-638: The Land Tenure Advisory Board, the body created to enforce the act, conducted initial investigations into the reallocation of space along racial lines in East London. Residential segregation had long been practised in East London prior to the advent of apartheid. In 1941, the East London Municipality moved residents from East Bank townships to the newly built township of Duncan Village . In 1951, all inter-racial property exchanges were prohibited in East London. In 1955,
1148-610: The Test record for most dismissals by a wicketkeeper hails from East London. Buffalo Park Stadium in East London hosted a match during the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2003 and two matches of the 2009 Indian Premier League . The Buffalo Road Running Club of East London has created two established events that have gained international recognition. They are the Old Mutual Buffalo 42,2 km marathon , which
1189-460: 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 Gately House, City Hall, Cape Railways, Nahoon Museum, East London Museum housing the coelacanth , a prehistoric fish, thought to be extinct, discovered live at
1230-439: The arid interior is further heated through compression as it drops over the escarpment to sea level. Although temperatures have never dropped below freezing since records began, East London has recorded snowfall in 1985 and 1989. East London is the second-largest city in the Eastern Cape with a population of 474,000 as of 2016. English is the first spoken language in the city and Xhosa is the second language spoken. East London
1271-684: The city prompting petitions and letters of complaint from numerous organisations including the Black Sash , trade unions and various Black community groups. In 1967, the East London Municipality proclaimed the majority of the city an area for White occupancy, with the exception of a broad sector of land encompassing the Parkside, Parkridge and Buffalo Flats areas which was zoned for Coloured residence. Certain parts of Duncan Village were abolished and its African residents removed, new coloured and Asian locations were built and proclaimed upon land in 1973. In
Cofimvaba - Misplaced Pages Continue
1312-477: The largest in South Africa: in 2018 there were 1000 competitors participating in 200 events over three days. Surfski is ideally suited to East London. The Port Elizabeth to East London Challenge organized by East London's Border Canoe club is 244 km long, often in extremely challenging conditions, takes place every second year, attracting competitors from around the world. It began in 1972 to see who
1353-604: The nearby stream which, after rains, froths turbulently and resembles milk. The name is also said to be derived from cofa , "press", mvaba , "milk-bag" (of goat-skin), done to break lumps of sour milk. Another explanation is that the sound of the water gurgling over the rocks is reminiscent of the splashing of milk in the bag when shaken. There is a hospital in Cofimvaba called Cofimvaba Hospital. There are also two high schools in town, St. James High School and Cofimvaba High School. This Eastern Cape location article
1394-567: The same year, the newly constructed location of Braelynn was proclaimed an Indian area while Buffalo Flats Extension and Pefferville were proclaimed as Coloured areas. The construction/ extension of Coloured areas and the Duncan Village were suspended in 1983. At the end of apartheid in 1994, East London became part of the province of Eastern Cape . In 2000, East London became part of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality , also consisting of King William's Town , Bhisho and Mdantsane and
1435-665: The suburb of Nahoon is a famous South African surf spot and is the site of the annual Nahoon Surf Pro (formerly Buffalo City Surf Pro). The city has also hosted the South African Surfing Championships on numerous occasions and even the ISA World Surfing Championship. There are also a few private colleges. Other points of interest include: East London is serviced by two national roads: the coastal N2 highway connects it to Qonce , Makhanda , Gqeberha and Cape Town to
1476-496: The vicinity of East London such as Stutterheim and Berlin . Today, German surnames such as Gehring, Salzwedel and Peinke are still common in East London, but the descendants of the settlers rapidly became Anglicised. The existing port, in the mouth of the Buffalo River , adjoining the Indian Ocean , began operating in 1870. In 1872, the Cape Colony, under the leadership of its first Prime Minister John Molteno , attained
1517-577: The west and Mthatha and Durban to the east. It is the southern end of the N6 , which runs north via Komani and Aliwal North to Bloemfontein . Older sections of the N2 have been renumbered the R102. The R72 is an alternative route to Port Elizabeth , via Port Alfred . The R346 is an alternative route to King William's Town . East London, like South Africa's other major cities, uses Metropolitan (or M) routes as
1558-546: Was born in Cofimvaba. In September 2022, more than nine people were murdered in and around this small town, within a 30-day period, in which people suspected to be "mapara paras" (thugs) were killed by a group of locals, claiming a lack of policing by the South African Police Service . It has been claimed that the suspects were killed for offences such as stealing television sets, assault and other petty and more serious infractions. Probably named after
1599-556: Was built on the West Bank in 1847, and annexed to the Cape Colony that same year. This fort is one of a series of British-built forts, including Fort Murray, Fort White , Fort Cox , Fort Hare , Fort Jackson and Fort Beaufort , in the border area that became known as British Kaffraria . With later development of the port came the settlement of permanent residents, including German settlers, most of whom were bachelors. These settlers were responsible for German names of some towns in
1640-455: Was faster, ultra-distance runner John Ball over land, or surf lifesaver John Woods over water. John Ball won. Surfing is popular in East London. It is home to some of South Africa's top surfers, including Greg Emslie, former World Championship Tour surfer, ISA World Masters Champion, five-time South African Men’s Champion and coach to Olympic silver medalist Bianca Buitendag, Andre Malherbe, and up-and-comer Zoe Steyn. Nahoon Reef, located in
1681-425: Was the architect of apartheid, forbade the East London municipality from extending the existing Duncan Village township and sanctioned the building of Mdantsane. In 1961, these plans provided for the allocation of a distinct wedge of the city for Asian and Coloured residence, which "incorporated the areas of North End and the recently proclaimed Buffalo Flats location. This plan occasioned tremendous resentment in