Qonce, formerly King William’s Town, is a town in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, in the Eastern Cape province in South Africa.
Overview
| Country: | South Africa |
| Province: | Eastern Cape |
| Municipality: | Buffalo City |
| Established: | 1835 |
| Total Area: | 65.52km² (25.30 sq mi) |
| Population: | 34,019 (2011) |
| Population Density: | 519.2/km² (1,345/sq mi) |
| Time Zone: | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal Code (street): | 5601 |
| PO Box: | 5600 |
| Area Code: | 043 |
About Qonce
Qonce is located along the banks of the Buffalo River, about 60 km (37 miles) northwest of the Indian Ocean port of East London and just 3 km to the west of the Bhisho, the provincial capital city.
Qonce lies 389 m (1,276 ft) above sea level at the foot of the Amathole Mountains in an area known for its agriculture.
Qonce has one of the oldest post offices in South Africa developed by missionaries led by Charles Brownlee.
Originally named after King William IV of England, the town’s name was changed from King William’s Town to Qonce in February 2021 by the Eastern Cape government.
For thousands of years, the area was roamed by Bushman bands, and then was used as grazing by the nomadic Khoikhoi, who called the Buffalo River Qonce. Xhosa people lived alongside the Khoikhoi eventually taking over the land after Queen Hoho lost the war with King Ngqika kaMlawu.
King William’s Town was founded by Sir Benjamin d’Urban in May 1835 during the Xhosa War of that year.
Qonce’s economy depends on cattle and sheep ranching. The town also has a large industrial base producing soap, textiles, candles, clothing, cartons, and sweets.
Qonce is served by a nearby local airport, Bhisho Airport, which also serves Bhisho. The airport lies on the right side of the N2 National Road towards Peddie.
Racial makeup
According to the 2011 Census, 65.3% of the population in Qonce describes themselves as Black African, 25.6% as Coloured, 5.6% as White, 2.5% as Indian/Asian, and 0.9% as the remaining minority races.
Languages
According to the 2011 Census, the first language of 54.5% of the population is Xhosa, while 27.3% speak Afrikaans, 13.7% speak English, and 4.4% speak other languages.
Suburbs and areas in Qonce
- Balassi Valley
- Berlin
- Breidbach
- Club View
- Dale View
- Dimbaza
- Echovale
- Fort Hill
- Frankfort
- Ginsberg
- Headlands
- Kaffrarian Heights
- Kei Road
- King Williams Town Central
- King Williams Town Ext 24
- King Williams Town Ext 30
- King Williams Town Industrial
- King Williams Town Rural
- KwaTshatshu
- Llitha
- Ndevana
- Phakamisa
- Schornville
- Sweetwaters
- Sweetwaters Industrial
- West Bank
- Zwelitsha
