Makhanda, South Africa

Makhanda
Grahamstown
Clockwise from top: Makhanda seen from Fort Selwyn, City Hall, St Andrews College Tower, High Street, Cathedral of St Michael and St George
Flag of Makhanda
Makhanda is located in Eastern Cape
Makhanda
Makhanda
Makhanda is located in South Africa
Makhanda
Makhanda
Makhanda is located in Africa
Makhanda
Makhanda
Coordinates: 33°18′36″S 26°31′36″E / 33.31000°S 26.52667°E / -33.31000; 26.52667
Country South Africa
ProvinceEastern Cape
DistrictSarah Baartman
MunicipalityMakana
Established1812[1]
Area
 • Total65.1 km2 (25.1 sq mi)
Elevation
580 m (1,900 ft)
Population
 (2011)[2]
 • Total67,264
 • Density1,000/km2 (2,700/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
 • Black African78.9%
 • Coloured11.3%
 • Indian/Asian0.7%
 • White8.4%
 • Other0.6%
First languages (2011)
 • Xhosa72.2%
 • Afrikaans13.7%
 • English10.8%
 • Other3.4%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
6139
PO box
6140
Area code046

Makhanda, formerly known as Grahamstown, is a town[a] of about 75,000 [4]people in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is situated about 110 kilometres (70 mi) northeast of Gqeberha and 130 kilometres (80 mi) southwest of East London. It is the largest town in the Makana Local Municipality, and the seat of the municipal council. It also hosts Rhodes University, the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court, the South African Library for the Blind (SALB), a diocese of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, and 6 South African Infantry Battalion. Furthermore, located approximately 3 km south-east of the town lies the world renowned Waterloo Farm, the only estuarine fossil site in the world from 360 million years ago with exceptional soft-tissue preservation.[5]

The town's name-change from Grahamstown to Makhanda was officially gazetted on 29 June 2018.[6][7] The town was officially renamed to Makhanda in memory of Xhosa warrior and prophet Makhanda ka Nxele.[8]

  1. ^ Robson, Linda Gillian (2011). "Annexure A" (PDF). The Royal Engineers and settlement planning in the Cape Colony 1806–1872: Approach, methodology and impact (PhD thesis). University of Pretoria. pp. xlv–lii. hdl:2263/26503.
  2. ^ a b c d Sum of the Main Places Rhini and Grahamstown from Census 2011.
  3. ^ "DISA - Letter from the Town Clerk of the City of Grahamstown to the Secretary of the National Council of African Women". disa.ukzn.ac.za. 26 September 1952. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  4. ^ "Grahamstown population". World Population Review. 29 May 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  5. ^ Gess, Robert W. (2002). "The Palaeoecology of a coastal Lagoon of the Witpoort Formation (Upper Devonian, Famennian) in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa". Fort Hare University, South Africa. 1: 1–14.
  6. ^ Chabalala, Jeanette (29 June 2018). "Grahamstown to be renamed Makhanda after Xhosa warrior". News24. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  7. ^ Kubheka, Thando. "Grahamstown to be renamed after late Xhosa warrior & philosopher Makhanda". EWN Eyewitness News. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  8. ^ "Here's why Grahamstown has been renamed Makhanda". IOL. Retrieved 5 December 2018.


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