| Cofimvaba | |
| Pushpin Map: | South Africa Eastern Cape#South Africa#Africa |
| Coordinates: | -32.0025°N 27.5806°W |
| Subdivision Name: | South Africa |
| Subdivision Name1: | Eastern Cape |
| Subdivision Name2: | Chris Hani |
| Subdivision Name3: | Intsika Yethu |
| Subdivision Type4: | Main Place |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Leader Title: | Councillor |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 21.19 |
| Population Total: | 8783 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Racial makeup (2011) |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Black African |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 98.3% |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Coloured |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 0.5% |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Indian/Asian |
| Demographics1 Info3: | 0.3% |
| Demographics1 Title4: | White |
| Demographics1 Info4: | 0.0% |
| Demographics1 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics1 Info5: | 0.5% |
| Demographics Type2: | First languages (2011) |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Xhosa |
| Demographics2 Info1: | 93.1% |
| Demographics2 Title2: | English |
| Demographics2 Info2: | 2.6% |
| Demographics2 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics2 Info5: | 4.3% |
| Timezone1: | SAST |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code (street) |
| Postal2 Code Type: | PO box |
| Postal2 Code: | 5380 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Area Code: | 047 |
Cofimvaba is a town in Chris Hani District Municipality in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.[2]
The village is 79 km east of Queenstown on the route to Butterworth, in Thembuland.
The village of Cofimvaba was probably established in 1877 when the magisterial seat for Thembuland, (which had originally been located at St Marks), was transferred to a more accessible location. Chris Hani was born in Cofimvaba.
In September 2022, more than nine people were murdered in and around this small town, within a 30-day period, in which people suspected to be "mapara paras" (thugs) were killed by a group of locals, claiming a lack of policing by the South African Police Service. It has been claimed that the suspects were killed for offences such as stealing television sets, assault and other petty and more serious infractions.
Probably named after the nearby stream which, after rains, froths turbulently and resembles milk. The name is also said to be derived from Zulu: cofa, "press", Zulu: mvaba, "milk-bag" (of goat-skin), done to break lumps of sour milk. Another explanation is that the sound of the water gurgling over the rocks is reminiscent of the splashing of milk in the bag when shaken.[3]
There is a hospital in Cofimvaba called Cofimvaba Hospital. There are also two high schools in town, St. James High School and Cofimvaba High School.