“Whose Idea Was This?”: Man Mocks East London Over Reported Gompo City Name Change, SA Stunned
- A man from Gqeberha went viral on social media for mocking the news that East London might be renamed Gompo City
- The creator poked fun at the situation on TikTok by reminding residents of how they reacted when Port Elizabeth was renamed
- Social media users were left in stitches by the clip, with many debating the name's history while others joined in the laughter
Source: TikTok
The rivalry between Eastern Cape cities reached a new peak following rumours of a major name change after a humorous post shared on January 26, 2026.
In a video shared on TikTok by @nonkemabizela21, the creator displayed a screenshot of an article detailing the rebranding and laughed off the new title.
The man reminded East London residents of how they mocked people from Gqeberha when their city's name was changed from Port Elizabeth. Adding a comedic twist, TikTok user@nonkemabizela21 associated "Gompo" with the popular Amapiano track Magumba, even singing a portion of it while asking citizens how they felt about the change.
East London set to become KuGompo City
South Africa’s government has officially moved forward with several major name changes for towns in the Eastern Cape. According to a report by The Herald, the city of East London is now scheduled to be renamed KuGompo City. This decision was signed off on by Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie, along with 20 other geographical name updates across the country. While the new name has been approved, it will only become official once it is formally published in the government gazette. Other changes include the town of Graaff-Reinet being renamed the Robert Sobukwe City. Although some people are excited about the new names, others are worried about the costs and the impact on local businesses.
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Watch the TikTok video below:
SA debates the origin of Gompo City
The clip received massive views, drawing nearly 800 comments from social media users who debated the name change. A few viewers explained that Gompo was not a new name, stating that it is a small township and historic site near East London. Some residents were in stitches over the man’s laughter, noting that he made the new name even funnier. Others jokingly asked for a petition to contest the new name.
Source: UGC
User @Maphango asked:
"What's the use of changing the name? Can someone please explain why?"
User @meizomboyiya1 explained:
"Gompo is the original name of East London, named in the days of the king. It was named after the sound made by the sea when its water hit the rocks at the place where today it's known as Curve Rocks in East London."
User @nisha shared:
"I sent this video to my cousin in East London, then boom, I was removed from the family group 😂😭."
User @Bonokuhle asked:
"No way. Whose idea was this 😭?"
User @Mrs B Tinta added:
"The laughter is contagious 🤣."
User @Godlwana_M said:
"Same thing with Mbombela, lol. People were up in arms! Now our children don't even know what Nelspruit is. Love, it sana. I'll be landing at King Phalo airport in Gompo. Oh, love it."
3 Briefly News articles about the Eastern Cape
- Four-year-old Zuluboy from the Eastern Cape claimed that Sjava was singing his song Umbayimbayi wrong after his mother corrected his lyrics, leaving social media users in stitches.
- A man from Gqeberha embarked on an incredible walk to Cape Town to raise funds and awareness for his organisation, Broski, earning praise from many social media users.
- A woman shared an emotional video detailing her frustration with the quality of education in village schools in the Eastern Cape, vowing never to send her own children to one.
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Source: Briefly News
