Port Elizabeth

Port Elizabeth Ibhayi
Aerial view of Port Elizabeth, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
Nickname(s): The Friendly City or The Windy City
Port Elizabeth Location in South Africa
Coordinates:
Country	South Africa
Province	Eastern Cape
Municipality	Nelson Mandela Bay
Founded	1820
Government
- Executive Mayor	Zanoxolo Wayile (ANC)
- Municipal Manager	Graham Richards
Area[1][2]
- City	335 km2 (129.3 sq mi)
- Metro	1,959 km2 (756.4 sq mi)
Population (City: 2001; Metro: 2007)[1][3]
- City	237,500
- Density	709/km2 (1,836.2/sq mi)
- Metro	1,050,930
- Metro density	536.5/km2 (1,389.4/sq mi)
	"City" population is for the Port Elizabeth Main Place in Census 2001; "Metro" population is for the NMB Metro.
Time zone	SAST (UTC+2)
Area code(s)	041
Website	http://www.mandelametro.gov.za/

Port Elizabeth (Xhosa: Ebhayi; colloquial The Bay^[4] or Afrikaans: Die Baai) is one of the largest cities in South Africa, situated in the Eastern Cape Province, 770 km (478 mi) east of Cape Town. The city, often shortened to PE and nicknamed "The Friendly City" or "The Windy City", stretches for 16 km along Algoa Bay, and is one of the major seaports in South Africa. It is also referred to as Africa's Watersport Capital.

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 Xhosa. It now forms part of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality which has a population of over 1.3 million.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Apartheid era 1.2 Post apartheid 1.3 2010 FIFA World Cup 2 Trade and industry 3 Transport 3.1 Road 3.2 Railway 3.3 Air 3.4 Sea 4 Geography and climate 5 Sport 6 Tourism 7 Education 8 Government 9 Famous people 10 See also 11 References 12 External links

History

The area around what is now called Algoa Bay was first settled by hunting and gathering people ancestral to the San at least 100,000 years ago. A little over 2,000 years ago, agriculturalist populations ancestral to the Xhosa migrated into the region from the north, eventually displacing or assimilating the region's indigenes.

The first Europeans to have visited the area were Portuguese explorers Bartolomeu Dias, who landed on St Croix Island in Algoa Bay in 1488,^[5] 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".^[6]

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 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.^[6]

In 1804 the town of Uitenhage was founded^[7] 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 4,000 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 Xhosa people. 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.^[8] 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 port was an important transit point for soldiers, horses and materials headed to the front by railway. While the city itself did not see any conflict, many refugees from the war moved into the city. These included Boer women and children interned by the British in a concentration camp. Following that war, the Horse Memorial was erected to honour the tens of thousands of horses and mules that died during the conflict.

Apartheid era

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.^[6] 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.^[9] Other notable deaths in the city during this time included the Cradock Four.

During the 1960s and 1970s 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. The campus in town was completely inadequate. 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.

Post apartheid

Since the multiracial elections of 1994, Port Elizabeth has faced the same problems as the rest of South Africa, including Urban Decay, 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 R20Billion Industrial Development Zone at Coega.

In 2001, the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan 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 former President Nelson Mandela. The combined metropolitan area has a population estimated at around 1.3 million as of 2006.

2010 FIFA World Cup

The Port Elizabeth harbour, waterfront and city centre are in the process of being upgraded before the 2010 FIFA 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.

Trade and industry

Home of South Africa's motor vehicle industry, Port Elizabeth boasts most vehicle assembly plants, 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.

Transport

Road

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's main bus station is in Market Square. The public bus service is run by The Algoa Bus Company.

The city is in the process of building a bus rapid transport system for the 2010 FIFA world cup.

Railway

Port Elizabeth railway station is 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.^[10]

The Apple Express narrow-gauge tourist train to Avontuur operates from the separate station in Humewood Road near King's Beach. It departs regularly for Thornhill Village via Van Stadens River bridge, the highest narrow-gauge rail bridge in the world.

In preparation for the 2010 World Cup Soccer event the Humerail Station has been extensively cleaned up. Several disused narrow gauge goods wagons were scrapped and removed from the site, several buildings in the area have also been upgraded at the station.

The Apple Express was launched to provide a service to transport fresh produce and wood from the farms along the line to Avontuur. The line was completed in 1914 and the train delivered produce directly from the farms to ships in the Port Elizabeth Harbour.

Due to modern transport methods and containerisation and refrigerated containers and trucks the Apple Express and its services became redundant. Fortunately due to interventions this classic rail system has been saved and refurbished to provide train trips to various destinations along the line.

Air

Port Elizabeth Airport (IATA airport code PLZ, ICAO airport code FAPE) serves the city for both passenger and cargo traffic. It is the fourth busiest airport in South Africa after Johannesburg International, Durban International and Cape Town International.

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^[11] 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.

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. Port Elizabeth has one of the best flight schools in Africa.

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.

Geography and climate

Port Elizabeth
Climate chart ()
J F M A M J J A S O N D     36   25 18     40   25 18     54   25 17     58   23 14     59   22 12     62   20 9     47   20 9     64   20 10     62   20 11     59   21 13     49   22 15     34   24 16 average max. and min. temperatures in °C precipitation totals in mm source: SAWS[12]
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     1.4   77 64     1.6   77 64     2.1   77 63     2.3   73 57     2.3   72 54     2.4   68 48     1.9   68 48     2.5   68 50     2.4   68 52     2.3   70 55     1.9   72 59     1.3   75 61 average max. and min. temperatures in °F precipitation totals in inches

"The Windy City" has a subtropical climate with light rain throughout the year. Under the Koppen climate classification, Port Elizabeth has an oceanic climate. 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.^[13]

Climate data for Port Elizabeth
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Source: South African Weather Service[12]

Sport

The city has a wealth of fine sporting facilities, catering for cricket, rugby union, association football, field 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. The Warriors, a top Cricket Team in South Africa, is based in Port Elizabeth.

The headquarters of the controversial Southern Spears rugby franchise was in Port Elizabeth. The long-standing Eastern Province Rugby Union, now usually known as the Mighty Elephants, has been based in the city's EPRU Stadium and would form the basis of the Spears franchise together with East London's Border Bulldogs.

The city's main football club is Bay United. They have previously played in the Premier Soccer League, but currently play in the National First Division. They currently use the EPRU Stadium for their home games.

The new FIFA World Cup stadium, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, has also been built in the city.

The Algoa Bay Yacht Club operated out of Port Elizabeth harbour.

Tourism

Located at the end of the picturesque Garden Route along the Cape coast, 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). The CBD also boasts the towering Eastern Cape post office headquarters.

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, 72 km 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. More tourism information available at www.nmbt.co.za.

Education

The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) was formed in 2005 by the amalgamation of the University of Port Elizabeth, Port Elizabeth Technikon, and the Port Elizabeth campus of Vista University. It is the largest university in the Eastern and Southern Cape, with around 24,000 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, including Grey High School, which is one of the top schools in Africa.^[14]

Government

Port Elizabeth forms part of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, and serves as the seat for the surrounding Cacadu District Municipality. Port Elizabeth is a seat of the Eastern Cape High Court, as well as a Magistrate's Court. 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.

Famous people

• Johan Botha - Cricketer
• Schalk Burger - Rugby union player; 2004 IRB International Player of the Year
• Adrienne Camp - Singer/Songwriter
• Danie Gerber - Rugby union player
• Danny Jordaan - 2010 FIFA world cup organising committee boss
• Len Killeen - Rugby union player
• Zolani Mahola - Actress/Singer/Songwriter - Freshlyground
• Joe van Niekerk - Rugby union player
• Wayne Parnell - Cricketer
• Robin Peterson - Cricketer
• Shawn Phillips - International Recording Artist
• Graeme Pollock - Cricketer
• Peter Pollock - Cricketer
• Ashwell Prince - Cricketer
• Mzwandile Stick - Rugby union player; former captain of the national sevens team

See also

• Red Location Museum

References

External links

• Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
• Port Elizabeth Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth) Tourism Board
• Port Elizabeth Business and Tourism Resources

	Municipalities and Communities of Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, Eastern Cape District Seat: Port Elizabeth
Cities and towns	Port Elizabeth • Uitenhage • Despatch

Eastern Cape Province of South Africa Capital Bhisho Regions Amatola | Northern | Western | Wild Coast Cities Port Elizabeth | East London | Mthatha Largest towns Uitenhage | Port Alfred | Bhisho | Graaff-Reinet | Jeffreys Bay | Grahamstown Metropolitan Municipalities Nelson Mandela Bay District Municipalities Cacadu | Amatole | Chris Hani | Ukhahlamba | O.R. Tambo | Alfred Nzo