The South African city officially changing its name to honor the waves

Countries & Cities · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: For decades, it has been known as East London. But following a recent official decision, this coastal hub is embracing a new identity: KuGompo City. Discover the history of a settlement shaped by colonial frontiers, apartheid-era segregation, and a prehistoric fish discovery.

Founded in 1836 by settler John Bailie, the settlement was originally called Port Rex before being renamed in honor of the United Kingdom's capital. The town grew around South Africa's only river port, situated between the Buffalo and Nahoon Rivers. Its development was accelerated in the late 19th century by the construction of railways and harbor infrastructure, and it eventually achieved city status in 1914.

The city's history is marked by significant period of conflict and forced movement. During the 19th-century frontier wars between British settlers and the Xhosa, the area served as a military supply port. Later, under the apartheid regime, the city underwent intense racial engineering. Following the 1950 Group Areas Act, the municipality implemented mandatory segregation, forcibly moving residents from East Bank townships to areas like Duncan Village and later Mdantsane. By 1967, most of the city was proclaimed a White-only area, with specific zones allocated for Coloured and Indian residents.

Despite these turbulent shifts, the region remains an industrial and sporting significant. It is the second-largest city in the Eastern Cape and a major motor industry hub, hosting a large Daimler plant. The area is also famous for the 1938 discovery of a living coelacanth—a prehistoric fish thought to be extinct—near the Chalumna River mouth. In February 2026, the name KuGompo City became official, a name derived from the sound of waves crashing against the sacred Xhosa site, Gompo Rock.

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