Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality is one of the 8 metropolitan Municipalities in South Africa and one of the two in the Eastern Cape Province. It is located 1000 kilometres from Cape Town, on the South East coast of, South Africa.
East London is nicknamed "Buffalo City" due to its location at the mouth of the Buffalo River.
The Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality is actively pursuing a name change for East London, with the proposed new name being 'Gompo'. "Gompo" is the Xhosa name for the area around Cove Rock, a 14-meter-high sandstone rock formation near East London, South Africa. (LINK IN FURTHER READING) This initiative is part of a broader effort to standardize geographical names within the Municipality and promote a sense of ownership and pride among residents! (LINK IN FURTHER READING) The process involves extensive public consultations to ensure community input and consensus. The Buffalo River flows through the City and empties into the Indian Ocean, making it a significant geographical feature and a defining characteristic of the area. The name "Buffalo City" is also used to refer to the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, which includes East London, (the seat of Buffalo City) and surrounding Towns like: Bhisho and King William's Town.
The main towns are Bhisho, King William’s Town and East London, the seat of Buffalo City. East London contains South Africa’s only River Port on the Indian Ocean coast. The manufacture of motor vehicles has contributed greatly to the economy of East London with names such as: DaimlerChrysler running plants within the City. (LINK IN FURTHER READING)