Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Eastern Cape October 31st, 2022

Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Eastern Cape

The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality includes: "Port Elizabeth; Uitenhage; Despatch and Colchester". named after Nelson Mandela, who is South Africa's iconic humanitarian and freedom fighter. This area is regarded as the "official" gateway to the scenic Eastern Cape Province and the world-renowned Garden Route. It is sometimes referred to as the "friendly city" or the "water sports capital of Africa".

For animal lovers, Nelson Mandela Bay is also well-known because both the Mohair and Bottlenose Dolphins frequent the seawaters.The Bay is home to the largest breeding colony of African Penguins! It is the only city that boasts the Big 7 (Elephant, Buffalo, Rhino, Lion, Leopard, Southern Right Whale, and Great White Shark) within its municipal boundaries. Port Elizabeth is known for its over 40km of coastline that boasts a multitude of blue flag beaches and hours of sunshine to enjoy them in. After a fun day out, enjoy the fun and entertainment of the Nelson Mandela Bay nightlife.

Situated on the shores of the Indian Ocean, overlooking Algoa Bay, this bustling seaport city flaunts warm, dry summers and mild winter temperatures. (This entices water sports lovers to Algoa Bay throughout the year.) In this bay you will find some of the world's best sailing venues and first-rate scuba diving. With colourful coral species, beautiful reefs and shipwrecks. There are often near-perfect conditions for wind-surfing, angling, snorkeling, kite-surfing, fly-fishing, and canoeing. Nelson Mandela Bay has received the "Cleanest Metro in South Africa Award" and "Blue Flag Status" has again been awarded to most of the beaches. (This is an international award only given to those beaches that meet excellence in safety, amenities, cleanliness, and environmental standards!)

The metro "townships" that came into being because of the Apartheid Laws are steeped in history, tradition, and culture. From their humble beginnings, they have flourished into hubs of activity and social life. The feeling of "Ubuntu" (meaning "Humanity" in Xhosa) surrounds their very existence. Visitors may choose from a selection of exciting social, historical, or traditional twilight tours on offer. Stand next to the figure of Madiba at the head of the voting line, whilst craning your neck to look up at the largest South African flag in the world. All of these can be viewed along Route 67. "This truly celebrates the convergence of colonial and struggle histories in a single inspiring walking route!"

In addition, around the city is a wide selection of attractions, the sheer diversity of which will excite and delight anyone. These include a rich historical heritage as well as nature-based eco-offerings, activities, and experiences. The area supports the most diverse array of vegetation types in South Africa; six of the country's seven terrestrial biomes (biogeographical areas) are represented in the Eastern Cape! Nelson Mandela Bay is also the gateway to more than a million hectares of the malaria-free game reserves of the Eastern Cape. This includes the Addo Elephant National Park as well as numerous private and upmarket reserves offering the "big five" experience. The city that boasts the Big 7 (Elephant, Buffalo, Rhino, Lion, Leopard, Humpback Whale, and Great White Shark) all within 45 minutes of the city.

A deep-water port is currently under construction 20km east of the Bay at Coega. It is the centre of the country's motor vehicle manufacturing industry. The port has the ability to import large volumes of containerized components and materials for various industries. The automotive, auto component, food, pharmaceutical, tourism, agriculture, textile, and rubber industries now account for the majority of employment in the metro.Nelson Mandela Bay has been dubbed the "Detroit of South Africa". While Uitenhage is host to Volkswagen SA, Port Elizabeth is home to General Motors and Ford Motor Corporation.

Article Courtesy of www.sahistory.org.za/place/nelson-mandela-bay-municipality-eastern-cape