fish, thought to be extinct, discovered live at Chalumna Mouth near East London by fishermen in 1938, and numerous memorial statues. The city is well known as a surfing mecca, and its beaches are among the best in the country.
In 1959, the Prince George Circuit race circuit opened; it hosted three Formula One South African Grand Prix races in the 1960s.
In 1961, areas on either side of East London were declared Bantu homelands. Ciskei to the west and Transkei to the East. East London finding herself almost surrounded, except to the north, became very unsettled during the Apartheid era. The editor of the local newspaper, the Daily Dispatch, was Donald Woods. This newspaper broke the story of the murder of Steve Biko, a Pan Africanist leader and author of the book I Write What I Like, at the hands of South African security police in Port Elizabeth, in September 1977. The story of Donald Woods was recorded in the Hollywood film Cry Freedom. A prominent statue of Biko now stands outside the East London City Hall.
The period of international sanctions which followed in the 1980s damaged the economy of East London's harbour. Enormous investment in recent years, by corporations such as Daimler Chrysler, has resulted in the harbour being developed to include a new car terminal.
In 2000, East London became part of the municipality of Buffalo City, also consisting of King William's Town and Bhisho
