Gqeberha: New face of Port Elizabeth on the map of South Africa

You may have already noticed, or perhaps not yet. Travelers and tourists planning a trip to South Africa, pay attention! If you are heading to the Indian Ocean in the Eastern Cape province, to the port city of Port Elizabeth, you will gradually see this name disappear. Although the city was officially renamed “Gqeberha” [kché-ber-cha] in February 2021, changes like this take time. For example, new road signs have only started appearing this year.

You may also encounter the new name with the South African airline CemAir, which now uses both names, while other airlines continue to use the original name, Port Elizabeth. It’s similar to Cape Town, where you can see both Cape Town and Kaapstad used—even on the same stretch of highway leading into the city center.

Mapa Jihoafrické republiky

mapa JAR

Map of South Africa

Why is South Africa changing established place names?

The renaming is part of a broader government program in South Africa aimed at addressing historical injustices from the colonial and apartheid eras.

dopravní cedule Gqeberha(Port Elisabeth)

What are the main reasons?

Decolonization: The city of Port Elizabeth was named after the British colonist Elizabeth Donkin. (You can read more about this remarkable woman in one of my upcoming posts.) The government aims to replace colonial names with ones that hold historical and cultural significance for local African communities.

Heritage Restoration: The name Gqeberha comes from the isiXhosa language and is the original name for the Baakens River, which flows through part of the city.

Promoting National Identity: The goal is also to celebrate African heritage and strengthen a national identity that reflects the diversity and rich history of all South African ethnic groups.