Bhisho

Province

Bhisho (until 2004 Bisho, Xhosa for ' buffalo ') is a city in South Africa and the capital of the Eastern Cape Province. It belongs to the metropolitan municipality of Buffalo City. 2011, the city had 11,192 inhabitants. Bhisho lies 435 meters above sea level. Bhisho is named after the river that flows through the town, named. The city is mainly inhabited by Xhosa and Mfengu. The city is located near the port city of East London and north of the former provincial capital King William 's Town.

History

The town was until 1994 the capital of the former formally independent homelands Ciskei. On September 7, 1992 protested a large crowd for the incorporation of the homelands in the Republic of South Africa and the resignation of Ciskei president. Soldiers of the Ciskei Defence Force shot dead 28 protesters. The event is known as Bisho massacre.