Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape
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| Port Elizabeth Ibhayi Xhosa |
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| Nickname: The Friendly City | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
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| Country | South Africa | ||
| Province | Eastern Cape | ||
| Municipality | Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality | ||
| Founded | 1820 | ||
| Incorporated (Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality) | 2001 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Executive Mayor | Nondumiso Maphazi | ||
| - Municipal Manager | Graham Richards | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 1,845 km² (712.4 sq mi) | ||
| - Metro | 1,845 km² (712.4 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2005) | |||
| - Urban | 737,600 | ||
| - Metro | 1,244,900 | ||
| - Metro Density | 813/km² (2,106/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | SAST (UTC+2) | ||
| Area code(s) | 041 | ||
| Website: http://www.mandelametro.gov.za/ | |||
Port Elizabeth (Xhosa: Ibhayi; colloquial Afrikaans: Die Baai) or known as Madiba Bay is a city in South Africa, situated in the Eastern Cape Province at , 770km east of Cape Town. The city, often shortened to PE and nicknamed "The Friendly City" or "The Windy City", stretches for 16km along Algoa Bay, and is one of the major seaports in South Africa.
Port Elizabeth was founded as a town in 1820 to house British settlers as a way of strengthening the border region between the Cape Colony and the warlike Xhosa tribe. It now forms part of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality which has a population of over 1 million. The city is in a friendship partnership with the Swedish City of Gothenburg and is a sister city to the American cities of Jacksonville, Florida and Palm Desert, California.
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[edit] History
The area around what is now called Algoa Bay was first settled by indigenous tribes countless centuries ago. It is said that the San and Khoisan people were amongst the first inhabitants, and the Xhosa tribe came later. However, little is known as no written records are believed to exist from that time.
The first Europeans to have visited the area were Bartolomeu Dias, who landed on St Croix Island in Algoa Bay in 1488[1], and Vasco da Gama who noted the nearby Bird Island in 1497. For centuries, the area was simply marked on navigation charts as "a landing place with fresh water". [2]
The area was part of the Cape Colony, which had a turbulent history between its founding by the Dutch East India Company in 1652 and the formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910.
In 1799, during the first British occupation of the Colony during the Napoleonic Wars, a stone Fort was built, named Fort Frederick after the then Duke of York. This fort, built to protect against a possible landing of French Troops, overlooked the site of what later became Port Elizabeth and is now a monument.[2]
In 1804 the town of Uitenhage was founded along the Swartkops River, a short distance inland from its estuary at Algoa Bay. Uitenhage formed part of the district of Graaff-Reinet at that time. The city of Uitenhage was incorporated in the new Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality together with Port Elizabeth and the town of Despatch in 2001.
From 1814 to 1821 the Strandfontein farm, which later became the Summerstrand beach suburb of Port Elizabeth, was in possession of Piet Retief, who later became a Voortrekker leader and was killed in 1837 by Zulu king Dingane during negotiations about land. An estimated 500 men, woman and children of his party were massacred. After Retief the Strandfontein farm was owned by Frederik Korsten after whom another suburb of Port Elizabeth is named today.
In 1820 a party of 4000 British settlers arrived by sea, encouraged by the government of the Cape Colony as a settlement would strengthen the border region between the Cape Colony and the warlike Xhosa tribe. At this time the seaport town was founded by Sir Rufane Shaw Donkin, the Acting Governor of the Cape Colony, who named it after his late wife, Elizabeth. The town expanded, building a diverse community comprising European, Cape Malay and other immigrants, and particularly rapidly so after 1873 when the railway to Kimberley was built [3]. The Apostolic Vicariate of Cape of Good Hope, Eastern District, was established in the city in 1847. In 1861 the town was granted the status of autonomous municipality.
During the Second Boer War, the British built a concentration camp here to house Boer women and children. Following that war, the Horse Memorial was erected to honour the tens of thousands of horses and mules which died during the conflict.
The effects of the apartheid regime were not lost on Port Elizabeth. Forced relocation of the non-white population under the Group Areas Act began in 1962, causing various townships to be built. The whole of the South End district, being a prime real estate location, was forcibly depopulated and flattened in 1965; relocations continued until 1975.[2] In 1977 Steve Biko, the black anti-apartheid activist, was interrogated and tortured by the security police in PE, before being transported to Pretoria where he died. [4]
Since the free elections of 1994, Port Elizabeth has faced the same problems as the rest of South Africa, including HIV/AIDS and a surge in violent, often drug-related, crime. However, thanks to the booming tourism and real estate industries, development continues apace both in the city and nearby, for example in the new Industrial Development Zone at Coega.
In 2001, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality was formed as an administrative area covering Port Elizabeth, the neighbouring towns of Uitenhage and Despatch and the surrounding agricultural areas. The name was chosen to honour Nelson Mandela; there is little to no historical connection between him and the region. The combined metropolitan area has a population estimated at around 1.3 million as of 2006.
The Port Elizabeth harbour, waterfront and city centre are in the process of being upgraded before the 2010 Football World Cup, and are expected to rival the popular Cape Town waterfront. The city is one of the venues for World Cup games, and many more visitors are expected. To this end, there are calls for Port Elizabeth Airport to be upgraded, to ease the journey time and effort both for World Cup teams and spectators, and also more generally for tourists.[citation needed]
During the 1960's and 1970's the character of Port Elizabeth was changed and its face marred by two projects. The university was removed from the historical and picturesque old part of Port Elizabeth on a hill overlooking the city centre and harbour to a sandy area on the outskirts of town. At that time students were seen as a potential source of subversive activity. Since this removal the old centre of Port Elizabeth has seen a slow decline. This decline was augmented by a second project, namely the building of a series of highways, viaducts and interchanges directly along the coast and over the roof of the central station thereby severing the old town from the station and harbour, destroying much of its history, integrity, allure and safety. The same system of highways also added to the damage already done by industries to the beautiful and fragile wetland area of the Swartkops estuary, one of Port Elizabeth's main natural assets.
[edit] Trade and Industry
Home of South Africa's motor vehicle industry, Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage host General Motors, Volkswagen, Ford, Continental Tyres and many more automotive companies. Most other industries in the NMMM are geared towards the motor vehicle industry, providing parts such as wiring harnesses, catalytic converters, batteries and tyres to the vehicle manufacturers.
Port Elizabeth is also a major seaport, with the most significant ore loading facilities in the southern hemisphere. As part of the ongoing development, a new Industrial Development Zone with expanded port facilities is being built at Coega.
[edit] Transport
[edit] Road and Rail
Port Elizabeth lies on the N2 road. To the west the road travels the picturesque Garden Route to George and Cape Town; to the east, the road runs through the so-called Border Country through Grahamstown, to East London then on to Durban, finally terminating in Ermelo in Mpumalanga. Regional roads also connect PE with the Transkei.
The city has a bus station, in Market Square.
Port Elizabeth is also served by South Africa's rail network. Local commuter services are operated by Metrorail, while the Shosholoza Meyl long-distance passenger service links PE with Johannesburg via Bloemfontein where it is possible to connect with other long-distance routes. [5]
[edit] Air
Port Elizabeth Airport (IATA airport code PLZ, ICAO airport code FAPE) serves the city for both passenger and cargo traffic.
International visitors to the city must currently fly to either Johannesburg or Cape Town and then take a domestic flight to Port Elizabeth. An upgrade to the terminal building, completed in 2004, created the necessary facilities to handle international flights [6] although none are scheduled as yet.
In preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup the runway is being extended with a view to accommodating international flights[citation needed].
The general aviation sector is well represented in PE, with a number of facilities on-field able to provide aircraft charter and rental, handling, maintenance and training to commercial level. There are also a few smaller airfields in the vicinity.
[edit] Sea
Port Elizabeth has a harbour in Algoa Bay, and construction of a second seaport is underway. The newer international harbour at Coega will support an increase in the size of the city's industries and the addition of new industries.
[edit] Geography and climate
Port Elizabeth has a subtropical climate with light rain throughout the year. The area lies between the winter rainfall, Mediterranean climate zones of the Western Cape and the summer rainfall regions of eastern South Africa. Winters are cool but mild and summers are warm but considerably less humid and hot than more northerly parts of South Africa's east coast.
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[edit] Sport
The city has a wealth of fine sporting facilities, catering for cricket , rugby union, association football, hockey and many other sports. Its coastal location also makes it a base for many watersports.
Port Elizabeth is the location of the St George’s Park cricket ground, which holds test cricket matches. St George's Park is also the oldest cricket ground in South Africa. Its official name is now Sahara Oval St George's.
The headquarters of the controversial Southern Spears rugby franchise are in Port Elizabeth. The long-standing Eastern Province Rugby Union, now usually known as the Mighty Elephants , has been based in the city's Boet Erasmus Stadium and would form the basis of the Spears franchise together with East London's Border Bulldogs.
[edit] Tourism
Located at the end of the picturesque Garden Route along the Cape, the city is one of South Africa's major destinations for tourists, many of whom come simply to enjoy the many fine beaches in and near the city.
The area surrounding the CBD has a number of historic attractions, many of which are linked by the Donkin Heritage Trail. These include the Campanile (bell tower), built in 1923 to commemorate the arrival of the 1820 Settlers and offering a great viewpoint over the city; the city hall (1862); the Donkin Reserve park and monument; and the old stone Fort Frederick itself (1799).
Other attractions include the gardens at St George's Park, the King George VI Art Gallery, the museum and oceanography room at Humewood, and the new Boardwalk waterfront complex.
The wider area surrounding PE also features a number of game viewing opportunities, including the famous Addo Elephant Park, 72km to the north near the Zuurberg mountain range and National Park.
Port Elizabeth is known commonly as the watersports capital of South Africa and boasts an ever increasing number of watersports events annually. Algoa bay is home to scuba diving, game fishing charters, surfing, windsurfing, kiteboarding to name but a few. There are many cruises offered from the harbour from sunset cruises to view dolphins to whale watching tours.
[edit] Education
The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) was formed in 2005 by the amalgamation of the University of Port Elizabeth, Vista University and the Port Elizabeth Technikon. It is the largest university in the Eastern and Southern Cape, with around 20,000 students in seven faculties spread over eight campuses.
As well as government-funded schools, PE and the surrounding area also offer a number of private schooling opportunities.
[edit] Government
Port Elizabeth forms part of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality, and serves as the seat for the surrounding Cacadu District Municipality. Port Elizabeth is a seat of the High Court of South Africa, as well as a Magistrates Office. As a result of the presence of a High Court, several other related organs of state such as a Masters Office and a Director of Public Prosecutions are present in the city. A few other Government (mostly provincial) departments maintain branches or other offices in Port Elizabeth.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census of 2001[7], there are 1,005,776 people and 260,798 households in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality.
In that same census, 58.90% of respondents described themselves as Black African, 23.48% Coloured, 16.51% White and 1.12% Indian/Asia.
| Black African | Coloured | White | Indian/Asia |
|---|---|---|---|
| 58.90% | 23.48% | 16.51% | 1.12% |
The largest religious groupings are Christian (89.4% of residents), No Religion (6.1%), Muslim (1.5%), Jewish (0.4%) and Hindu (0.3%).
| Christian | No Religion | Muslim | Jewish | Hindu |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 89.4% | 6.1% | 1.5% | 0.4% | 0.3 |
57.3% of the residents speak IsiXhosa as their mother tongue. Afrikaans is the mother tongue of 29.7%, and English, 12.1%.
| Afrikaans | IsiXhosa | English | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29.7% | 57.3% | 12.1% | 0.9% |
- 16.0% of all households are single-person.
- The average household size is 3.86.
- The median age is 26 years.
- For every 100 females there are 91.2 males.
- 28.2% of the population aged 15–65 is unemployed.
- The median annual income of working adults aged 15–65 is ZAR 21 837 ($3,282).
[edit] Notes
- ^ 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica article. Love To Know.
- ^ a b c Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism - Historical information. Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism.
- ^ Info Please article. Info Please.
- ^ Biography of Steve Biko. about.com African History.
- ^ Shosholoza Meyl. Spoornet.
- ^ Introduction and History of Port Elizabeth Airport. Airports Company of South Africa.
- ^ Census 2001 home page. Statistics South Africa.
[edit] External links
- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
- 2010 FIFA World Cup™ Host City
- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (Port Elizabeth) on South African Cities Network
- Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism - Accommodation and Attractions list from the official local tourism body
- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
- Port Elizabeth on MeetSOUTHAFRICA.NET - Photos of Port Elizabeth
- MyPE - Web-based community for the Port Elizabeth area
- Port Elizabeth article in the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Sunday Times article on creation of Nelson Mandela Metropole…
- Ubuntu Education Fund - an NGO working with orphans and vulnerable children in Port Elizabeth.
- Port Elizabeth - Information Portal
- Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape is at coordinates Coordinates:
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Municipalities and Communities of Cacadu District Municipality, Eastern Cape District Seat: Port Elizabeth |
|---|---|
| Local municipalities |
Makana • Kouga • Ndlambe • Camdeboo • Sunday's River Valley • Blue Crane Route • Kou-Kamma • Baviaans • Ikwezi • Aberdeen Plain |
| Cities and towns |
Nieu-Bethesda • Graaff Reinet • Pearston • Aberdeen • Jansenville • Klipplaat • Steytlerville • Willowmore • Somerset East • Cookhouse • Joubertina • Storms River • Kareedouw • Humansdorp • Jeffreys Bay • St. Francis Bay • Kirkwood • Paterson Addo • Riebeeck East • Alicedale • Grahamstown • Bathurst • Alexandria • Port Alfred • Kenton-on-Sea • |
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