East London, Eastern Cape

East London at a glance

East London is a city on the southeast coast of South Africa, forming part of the Buffalo City Local Municipality, along with King William's Town, Mdantsane and Bhisho, in the Eastern Cape Province.

The city was originally formed around the only river port in South Africa. In 1914 the town of East London on the West Bank was elevated to city status, and currently has a population of over 400 000, with over 1.4 million in the metropolitan area.

East London is the second largest industrial centre in the province, with the motor industry being the dominant employer. A major Daimler plant is located near the harbour and manufactures Mercedes-Benz vehicles for the local market, as well as for export to the United States. Other industries in East London include clothing, textiles, pharmaceuticals and food processing.
 

Tourism has grown greatly over the years with East London being a gateway to the Sunshine Coast to its south and the Wild Coast to its north. The area boasts a temperate climate, golden sandy beaches and warm oceans, as well as numerous heritage sites. 

East London has more recently been discovered by out of town investors as a prime holiday destination, with buyers streaming in from all over the country to take advantage of the relatively undeveloped areas that are now mushrooming with residential and commercial developments. 

East London remains a popular place to live in, invest in and do business in. It offers a good quality of life and some excellent schools. The quality of life here is very different to that of hustling, bustling metropolis that is Johannesburg.