Bhisho facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bhisho Bisho
Bisho Massacre Memorial Site
Bhisho Location in Eastern Cape Show map of Eastern Cape Bhisho Location in South Africa Show map of South Africa Bhisho Location in Africa Show map of Africa
Country	South Africa
Province	Eastern Cape
Municipality	Buffalo City
Area
• Total	8.08 km2 (3.12 sq mi)
Elevation	435 m (1,427 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Total	11,192
• Density	1,385.1/km2 (3,587.5/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
• Black African	98.3%
• Coloured	1.0%
• Indian/Asian	0.2%
• White	0.2%
• Other	0.2%
First languages (2011)
• Xhosa	92.0%
• English	4.0%
• Other	4.1%
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)	5605
PO box	5605
Area code	040

Bhisho, also spelled Bisho, is an important city in South Africa. It is the capital of the Eastern Cape province. This means many government offices are located here. You can find the Premier's office and the Provincial Legislature in Bhisho. The city is close to Qonce (about 3 kilometres away) and East London (about 70 kilometres away). Bhisho is part of the larger Buffalo City area.

History of Bhisho

What's in a Name? The Origin of Bhisho

The name Bhisho comes from the Xhosa language. It means "buffalo." The city is named after the Buffalo River, which flows through the area. A musician named Ben Tyazashe wrote a song about his home, which he called Bisho. Some people also say the name was chosen by a leader named Lennox Sebe. He wanted to include King William's Town in his area, but its Xhosa name, Qonce, was already in use.

Bhisho as Capital of Ciskei

For a while, Bhisho was the capital of a region called Ciskei. This was a "bantustan," a special area set up during Apartheid in South Africa. Ciskei was said to be independent in 1981, but most countries did not agree with this. In the early 1980s, under Lennox Sebe's leadership, Bhisho grew a lot.

The location of Bhisho was chosen carefully. It is just north of King William's Town. This spot was picked because the Ciskei government wanted to have a strong economic link to the nearby white community.

The Bisho Massacre: A Sad Day in History

On September 7, 1992, a very sad event happened in Bhisho. It is known as the Bisho massacre. Many people, about 80,000 to 100,000, marched to Bhisho. They wanted the Ciskei government to change and its leader, Brigadier Oupa Gqozo, to step down. Sadly, the Ciskei Defence Force opened fire. About 28 or 29 people were killed, and 100 were hurt. This event happened during a very important time. People were talking about how to create a new, democratic South Africa.

Bhisho After Apartheid

After the first democratic elections in South Africa in April 1994, Bhisho became part of South Africa again. This happened on August 12, 1994. In October 1994, the leader of the Eastern Cape, Raymond Mhlaba, announced that Bhisho would be the capital city of the Eastern Cape province. Bhisho was chosen because it had good buildings, was easy to reach by major roads, and had space to grow.

Later, in 2004, the official spelling of the city's name was changed from Bisho to Bhisho.

Bhisho Today: A Modern Capital

Today, Bhisho is a busy city with many important buildings. You can find the Eastern Cape government offices here, including the Premier's office. There is also a branch of the University of Fort Hare. Other key places include the Bhisho Hospital, the Bisho massacre Memorial, and the Bhisho Stadium. There's even a radio station called trufm.

Most people who work in Bhisho are public service workers. The city relies on nearby King William's Town and East London for many services. Bhisho is surrounded by several residential areas. These include Bhisho Central, Tyutyu North, Bhisho Gardens, Tyutyu Location/Central, Balasi, and Amatola View.

Climate in Bhisho

Bhisho has a climate that is mostly cool and semi-arid. This means it's often dry, but not extremely hot. It can also be close to a hot semi-arid climate or even a humid subtropical climate.

Notable People

• Ma Nala (born 1994) - a singer-songwriter

See also

In Spanish: Bhisho para niños