Ibhayi

Etymology

iBhayi (sometimes eBhayi) is a Xhosa word meaning "the bay". Although iBhayi is the name used for the collection of predominantly black townships north of Gqeberha, it is also used as a name for the city amongst Xhosa-speaking people.

Geography

iBhayi is a collection of predominantly black townships situated north of the city of Gqeberha, similar to how Soweto, south-west of Johannesburg is also a collection of predominantly black townships.

Most of iBhayi lies east of the R75 except for its northern extensions of KwaDwesi, New KwaDwesi and Masibulele which lie west of the R75.

iBhayi is surrounded by the predominantly Coloured township of Bethelsdorp and the neighbourhood of Algoa Park in the west, Redhouse and Perseverance in the north-east, Swartkops in the east and Deal Party in the south-east.

The main roads in iBhayi are the R75 to Uitenhage and Despatch in the north and Gqeberha in the south and the R367/M19 to Despatch in the north and Swartkops in the south.

New Brighton has been in existence since the region was still farmland and is one of the biggest and oldest settled townships in Ibhayi, while KwaMagxaki township, which was established in 1985, is the second-highest income black suburb. KwaMagxaki is home to a diversified group of professionals, businesspeople and civil servants.

Subdivisions

• Joe Slovo
• KwaDwesi / New KwaDwesi
• KwaMagxaki
• KwaZakhele
• Masibulele
• New Brighton
• Soweto on Sea
• Struandale Industrial
• Zwide
• Motherwell The Ubuntu Education Fund is based in Zwide, and operates a community centre which opened in 2010.

Industries

The Struandale industrial area is a popular industrial node in Nelson Mandela Bay located east of New Brighton and is often considered part of New Brighton.

Notable companies in Struandale include Distell Distribution, DSV Pharmacare, BASF, MW Wheels, Eveready, and most importantly the Isuzu automotive manufacturing plant and Ford engine manufacturing plant.

Continental Tyre and PPC Cement have manufacturing plants in New Brighton.

Demographics (2011)

• Area: 36.06 sqkm
• Population: 237,799: 6594 PD/sqkm
• Households: 63,474: 1760 /sqkm

Source: |1985|220548 |1991|257054 |2001|255826 |2011|237799

References

References

1. "Main Place iBhayi". Census 2011.
2. Staff Writer. "These are the biggest townships in South Africa – BusinessTech".
3. (2023-01-30). "South Africa birthday party shooting: Eight killed in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape". BBC News.
4. "Ibhayi - definition of Ibhayi in A Dictionary of South African English - DSAE".
5. TimesLIVE. (2017-07-06). "Controversial 'Ibhayi' name may be canned".
6. "Zwide Map {{!}} South Africa Google Satellite Maps".
7. "Touring Nelson Mandela Bay Townships".
8. "Census 2011: Main Place: iBhayi".
9. Bixler, Lily. (6 October 2010). "Local architects design South African community center". Half Moon Bay Review.
10. (July 2025). "Struandale Area Profile {{!}} Broll".
11. "Isuzu trucks in successful relocation to new premises".
12. "Struandale Engine Plant".
13. "Distell Ltd, Liquor Producers & Distillers, Port Elizabeth, ...041 402 3".
14. "MW Wheels SA (PTY) LTD Company Profile".
15. (July 2025). "Mobile Emissions Catalyst Division".
16. "Eveready (PTY) LTD on M2North".
17. "Contact General".
18. "PPC Cement, Cement Manufacturers & Suppliers, Port Elizabeth, ...041 486 2".
19. [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/299005 "Main Place iBhayi"] ''Census 2011''
20. [http://www.citypopulation.de/SouthAfrica-PortElizabeth.html#Stadt_alpha Nelson Mandela Bay: Metropolitan Municipality & Main Places] - Statistics & Maps on City Population