Balfour | |
|---|---|
  Balfour  Balfour | |
| Coordinates: 32°32′24″S26°40′23″E / 32.54000°S 26.67306°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Eastern Cape |
| District | Amathole |
| Municipality | Raymond Mhlaba |
| Area | |
• Total | 7.98 km2 (3.08 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) [1] | |
• Total | 3,102 |
| • Density | 389/km2 (1,010/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 96.9% |
| • Coloured | 3.0% |
| • Other | 0.1% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Xhosa | 95.2% |
| • Afrikaans | 3.2% |
| • Other | 1.5% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal code (street) | 5740 |
| PO box | 5740 |
Balfour is a town in Raymond Mhlaba Municipality, Amathole District Municipality, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.
The village, which lies at the foot of the Katberg, was established as a mission station of the Glasgow Missionary Society in 1828 by John Ross and McDiarmid, and named after Robert Balfour, the first secretary of the society. [2]
Throughout the nine Frontier Wars, the town experienced some heavy fighting. [3] Today, tobacco, citrus, wool and beef farming are practised in the area. [3]
