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Buffalo City
Metropolitan municipality
Official seal of Buffalo City
Seal
Location in the Eastern Cape
Location in the Eastern Cape
Coordinates: 32°59′S 27°52′E / 32.983°S 27.867°E / -32.983; 27.867
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceEastern Cape
SeatEast London
Wards50
Government
[2]
 • TypeMunicipal council
 • MayorPrincess Faku[1] (ANC)
 • Deputy MayorVacant
 • SpeakerHumphrey Maxhegwana
 • Chief WhipMawethu Marata (ANC)
Area
 • Total2,536 km2 (979 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[3]
 • Total755,200
 • Density300/km2 (770/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
[3]
 • Black African85.1%
 • Coloured6.0%
 • Indian/Asian0.8%
 • White7.7%
First languages (2011)
[4]
 • Xhosa78.8%
 • English11.0%
 • Afrikaans7.2%
 • Other3%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Municipal codeBUF

The Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (Xhosa: uMasipala oMbaxa wase Buffalo City) is a metropolitan municipality situated on the east coast of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It includes the towns of East London, Bhisho and Qonce, as well as the large townships of Mdantsane and Zwelitsha.

History

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The municipality was established as a local municipality in 2000 after South Africa's reorganisation of municipal areas, and is named after the Buffalo River, at whose mouth lies the only river port in South Africa. On 18 May 2011, it was separated from the Amathole District Municipality and converted into a metropolitan municipality.

The area has a well-developed manufacturing base, with the auto industry playing a major role. Daimler AG through its wholly owned subsidiary Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA) has a large assembly plant located next to the port of East London, which produces a variety of vehicles for export.

The climate is mild, with year-round sunshine. Average rainfall is 850mm (33.5 inches).

The population of 701,873 (2001) is largely African (85.2%), with White (8.4%) and Coloured (5.7%) minorities. There is also a small Indian community (0.6%).

The previous mayor, Dr Sindisile Maclean (ANC), was elected in 2000. Buffalo City elected its first female mayor on Friday, 17 March 2006. Ntombentle Peter was voted in as Executive Mayor at the inaugural meeting of the new council following the municipal elections.

Main places

The 2011 census divided the municipality into the following main places:

Note:Only the most populated places are reported

Place Code Area (km2) Population
Berlin 260060 38.22 3,048
Bhisho 260032 8.08 11,192
Bulembu 260065 1.63 1,212
Dimbaza 260039 17.28 21,783
Ducats 260102 1.24 3,546
Duncan Village 260114 0.90 16,380
East London 260113 168.86 267,007
Eluxolweni 260062 8.51 15,300
Ententeni 260139 0.84 2,731
eSingeni 260048 2.60 1,343
Ginsberg 260073 2.39 10,766
Gompo 260133 0.53 2,254
Gonubie 260106 10.11 11,471
Goodhope 260137 4.06 2,127
iKhiwane 260165 1.38 1,039
Ilitha 260061 5.64 8,145
Izeleni 260098 2.11 1,187
Jaftas 260106 0.68 442
Kayser's Beach 260178 2.36 697
Kidd's Beach 260160 2.13 499
Qonce 260044 65.52 34,019
Kuni 260136 6.14 2,179
KwaBhonke 260091 1.19 1,174
KwaLini 260074 1.13 1,696
KwaMasingata 260045 1.11 1,204
KwaMlakalaka 260108 0.96 1,279
KwaMpundu 260055 5.19 1,544
KwaNoncampa 260077 1.30 1,552
KwaQongqotha 260118 1.32 1,425
KwaRhayi 260072 0.75 1,144
KwaTshatshu 260085 6.68 4,719
Kwetyana 260054 18.42 5,863
Macleantown 260016 9.94 580
Embekweni 260083 0.53 7,123
Mdantsane 260088 45.55 156,835
Modaka 260036 0.95 1,745
Mzamonhle 260107 2.49 8,338
Nxarhuni Dam Settlement 260078 0.93 131
Ncalukeni 260056 2.13 1,892
Needs Camp 260129 7.41 6,696
Ngxwalane 260075 1.61 1,027
Nkqonkqweni A 260007 1.00 1,546
Nomgwadla 260040 3.15 2,384
Nompumelelo 260112 0.73 7,269
Nkqonkqweni 260066 3.52 1,766
Nxarhuni 260068 2.64 1,481
Pefferville 260114 0.94 16,380
Phakamisa 260103 2.32 6,602
Pirie Mission 21446 0.74 356
Potsdam East 260113 1.25 1,664
Potsdam South 260114 8.02 5,329
Potsdam Village 260103 4.14 5,649
Sandile 260161 2.78 855
Sea Vale 260103 0.17 291
Silverdale 260132 4.00 647
Sunrise-on-Sea 260092 0.68 655
Tshabo 2 260095 2.67 1,114
Tyusha 260103 2.16 1,289
Tyutyu 260043 3.58 2,676
Umzantsi 260050 0.99 1,373
Zabalaza 260037 1.72 1,188
Zwelitsha 260086 4.64 18,189
Remainder of the municipality 260010 1867.19 10,359

Politics

Main article: Buffalo City elections

The municipal council consists of one hundred members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Fifty councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in fifty wards, while the remaining fifty are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 1 November 2021 the African National Congress (ANC) won a majority of seats on the council.

The following table shows the results of the election.[5]

Buffalo City local election, 1 November 2021
Party Votes Seats
Ward List Total % Ward List Total
African National Congress 105,038 109,080 214,118 59.4% 43 18 61
Democratic Alliance 35,195 35,139 70,334 19.5% 7 13 20
Economic Freedom Fighters 21,165 22,301 43,466 12.1% 0 13 13
Independent candidates 8,383 – 8,383 2.3% 0 – 0
United Democratic Movement 1,476 1,990 3,466 1.0% 0 1 1
Pan Africanist Congress of Azania 1,499 1,884 3,383 0.9% 0 1 1
African Transformation Movement 1,667 1,603 3,270 0.9% 0 1 1
African Independent Congress 806 1,756 2,562 0.7% 0 1 1
African Christian Democratic Party 991 1,020 2,011 0.6% 0 1 1
Freedom Front Plus 914 934 1,848 0.5% 0 1 1
18 other parties 2,895 4,558 7,453 2.1% 0 0 0
Total 180,029 180,265 360,294 50 50 100
Valid votes 180,029 180,265 360,294 98.2%
Spoilt votes 2,936 3,571 6,507 1.8%
Total votes cast 182,965 183,836 366,801
Voter turnout 185,525
Registered voters 406,486
Turnout percentage 45.6%

Hospitals

The following hospitals are located in the municipal area:[6]

Town twinning

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in South Africa

Buffalo City's town twins are:

References

  1. ^ "Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipaility > Mandate of the Executive Mayor". Archived from the original on 11 December 2018. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  2. ^ "Contact list: Executive Mayors". Government Communication & Information System. Archived from the original on 14 July 2010. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Statistics by place". Statistics South Africa. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  4. ^ "Statistics by place". Statistics South Africa. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  5. ^ "Election Result Table for LGE2021 — Buffalo City". wikitable.frith.dev. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  6. ^ Eastern Cape Dept of Health official website Archived 29 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Life Healthcare Archived 21 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ Bhisho Hospital webpage Archived 21 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ News article: Mt Coke hospital to get major facelift (published on 27 March 2007)

External links

Municipalities of the Eastern Cape
Categories