Where did the new name for East London come from?

Though usually controversial especially on social media, the most recent name change sweep will see the city of East London receive a new official name – the City of KuGompo. https://t.co/tQ0yydWcuB — siv (@sivbreak) January 29, 2026Where did East London get its new name from? For many South Africans, it may not be immediately obvious where the new name originates from, especially as East London already has an isiXhosa name “eMonti.”A 2022 thesis from the Wits University Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment explains exactly where KuGompo originates and why it is significant to the Xhosa population of the former East London. “Gompo was the original name of East London before the arrival of white settlers,” writes author Yolani Kwaza. Over the years, the “KuGompo” name and its proposed change in place of East London has become a banner representing the decolonisation of East London and the people pushing for it.