About East London

East London sits at the mouth of the Buffalo River and is South Africa's only city built around a river port, a legacy of its 19th-century role as a British settler and trading harbour. The East London Museum holds the world-famous coelacanth, the "living fossil" fish first identified here in 1938 after being caught off the coast, one of the twentieth century's great zoological discoveries. Surf beaches like Nahoon and Gonubie draw a strong local surfing and outdoor culture, and the city has long been an industrial centre, anchored by a major Mercedes-Benz manufacturing plant. Today it forms part of the Buffalo City Metro, blending Eastern Cape coastal life with township communities such as Mdantsane on its outskirts.

East London's spring calendar is heavy on Entertainment and Sport, with well over 100 upcoming listings keeping the city busy through the end of the year. KuGompo Colour Splash brings families out to Sisa Dukashe Stadium this week, while theatre fans still have time to catch Esther: Game of Queens at the Guild Theatre. Old Boys grounds hosts both the Round Table Festival 2026 and Round Table Survive the Race 2026 the same weekend, and wine lovers can look forward to Sip, Savor & Celebrate later in October. The Guild Theatre rounds out the month with a jazz turn from Mlungisi Gegana Nonet. It's a calendar swinging comfortably between festivals, theatre and live music heading into summer.