King William's Town

Qonce (formerly King William's Town) is a town of 35,000 people (2011) in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. The town is the birthplace of Steve Biko the famous anti-Apartheid activist who died in police custody.

Understand

British Kaffrarian Bank

The city was renamed "Qonce" in Feb 2021. The city and surrounding townships has a population of around 100,000.

The area's economy has depended on cattle and sheep ranching, and the town has a large industrial base producing textiles, soap, candles, sweets, cartons and clothing. Its proximity to the new provincial capital city of Bhisho has brought much development to the area since the end of Apartheid in 1994.

The town is also home to Huberta, one of the farthest-travelling hippopotami in South Africa. It is preserved in the Amathole Museum in the Qonce CBD.

Get in

Qonce is about 60 km from East London, along national route N2. Driving takes about 50 minutes, depending on traffic.

There's no railway station but intercity buses to and from East London usually makes a stop in Qonce/King William's Town, meaning that the city is well-connected with many other larger South African cities.

See

Amathole Museum

• 1 Amathole Museum, Alexandra Rd, ☏ +27 43 642 4506. Features the Xhosa Gallery, which is dedicated to the cultural history of all tribes of the Xhosa nation. The museum is also home to the second largest collection of stuffed mammals in South Africa (updated Dec 2020)
• 2 Steve Biko Centre, 1 Zotshie St. Museum and educational facility focused on the anti-apartheid fighter Steve Biko. (updated Dec 2020)

Sleep

• 1 Hubertha Guest House, 5 Shaw Str, ☏ +27 43 642-1047, fax: +27 43 642-2619, info@hubertha.co.za. (updated Dec 2020)