Bhisho, Eastern Cape
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moved [[Bhisho]] to [[Bhisho, Eastern Cape]]
'''Bhisho''', formerly known as '''Bisho''', is the capital of the [[Eastern Cape Province]] in [[South Africa]]. The Provincial legislature and many other government departments are headquartered in the town. Bhisho lies just north of the former provincial capital [[King William's Town]]. The town is also host to the longest international airport runway in Southern Africa.
Bhisho is the [[Xhosa]] word for [[African Buffalo|buffalo]], which is also the name of the [[river]] that runs through this town.
==Former capital of the Ciskei==
Under its former name of Bisho, it was the capital of the former [[bantustan]] of [[Ciskei]]. Ciskei was nominally granted independence in [[1981]], although this was never recognised outside South Africa, and was reincorporated into South Africa in [[12 august]].
==Bisho massacre==
{{main|Bisho massacre}}
On 7 September 1992, this small town became the scene of what is known as the Bisho Massacre, when about 100 000 people marched on Bisho protesting for the dismantling of the Ciskei, which still maintained a measure of independence, and removal of Ciskei leader [[Oupa Gqozo|Brigadier Oupa Gqozo]]. The Ciskei Defence Force opened fire, shooting dead 29 people. The massacre came at a critical time when negotiations towards democracy were underway.
==External links==
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{{Amatole District Municipality}}
{{Eastern Cape province}}
{{Provincial capitals of South Africa}}
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[[Category:Towns in the Eastern Cape]]
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