East London, officially renamed KuGompo City, is a port city on the southeastern coast of South Africa, in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, Eastern Cape Province.
Overview
| Country: | South Africa |
| Province: | Eastern Cape |
| Municipality: | Buffalo City |
| Established: | 1847 |
| Total Area: | 168.86 km² (65.20 sq mi) |
| Nickname: | Buffalo City |
| Population: | 267,007 (2011) |
| Population Density: | 1,581.2/km² (4,095.4/sq mi) |
| Time Zone: | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal Code (street): | 5200 |
| PO Box: | 5201–5499 |
| Area Code: | 043 |
About East London
East London, also known as Buffalo City by the locals, is located 1,000 km from Cape Town on the South East coast of South Africa.
East London is known as eMonti in Xhosa and Oos-Londen in Afrikaans.
Lying between the Nahoon River in the north and the Buffalo River to the south, East London is the only river port in South Africa. The shores are lapped by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, and with its sub-tropical climate, it is a sought-after tourist destination for local South Africans and international tourists alike.
East London is at the northern end of a 300 km stretch of coastline referred to as the “Sunshine Coast”, which has St Francis Bay at the Southern end. The Sunshine Coast is renowned for its stretches of beautiful, unpolluted, and uncrowded beaches.
East London is the seat of the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa’s third-largest metropolitan municipality by area.
East London has wide, straight streets and gardens, and is known for its beautiful white beaches that make it a popular destination for vacationers, tourists, and surfers.
Fishing is important to East London’s economy, and cars are manufactured there as well.
British settlers landed at the mouth of the Buffalo River in 1836. They hoisted their flag at a place they called Port Rex. In 1846, the British used the site as a base during their seventh border war with the Xhosa people. The British built Fort Glamorgan (now a prison) there in 1847. That year, the settlement became a part of the British Cape Colony. It was renamed the Port of East London. East London grew after German settlers arrived in the late 1850s. It became a town in 1873 and a city in 1914.
In 1938, a strange fish was caught near East London. A scientist named J.L.B. Smith identified it as a coelacanth. It was an important discovery because scientists had thought that coelacanths were extinct.
Racial makeup
According to the 2011 Census, 70.1% of the population in East London describes themselves as Black African, 16% as White, 11.6% as Coloured, 1.8% as Indian/Asian, and 0.5% as the remaining minority races.
Languages
According to the 2011 Census, the first language of 61.8% of the population is Xhosa, while 21.2% speak English, 13.3% speak Afrikaans, and 3.8% speak other languages.
Name Change
In January 2026, it was announced that East London would be renamed KuGompo City, following approval of several town name changes in the province.
The Eastern Cape Provincial Government had indicated as early as 2024 that the renaming of East London was a priority.
The name change follows the sign-off of 21 geographical name changes across South Africa by Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie. The approvals were confirmed by the South African Geographical Names Council (SAGNC).
Council chair Johnny Mohlala stated that the new names had been signed off by the minister. However, they still needed to be formally gazetted before becoming official.
The renaming of East London followed a public consultation process led by the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality. Meetings were held in Qonce (formerly known as King William’s Town), Mdantsane, and nearby coastal areas during March and April 2025.
The name KuGompo was previously rejected because a township already carried the same name. This was resolved by adding “City” to distinguish the metro area.
