East London runs on UTC+2 (SAST) every day of the year, with no daylight saving time.
East London and your time
East London at a glance
| Country | South Africa |
|---|---|
| Region | Eastern Cape |
| Time zone | Africa/Johannesburg |
| Abbreviation now | SAST |
| UTC offset now | UTC+2 |
| Daylight saving time | Not observed |
| Coordinates | 33.02° S, 27.91° E |
Which time zone East London uses
Local time in East London is UTC+2 year round, under the Africa/Johannesburg rules. Clocks have not changed for the seasons here since at least 1970.
East London is on the same time as the rest of South Africa, including the capital, Pretoria.
Clock changes in East London, 2026 and 2027
No clock changes are scheduled in East London for 2026 or 2027.
Time difference between East London and other cities
A 9:00 AM start in East London is 2:00 AM in New York, 6:00 PM in Sydney and 11:00 PM (previous day) in Los Angeles.
| City | Time now | Difference now | In January | In July | Shared office hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York (United States) | --:-- | 7 h behind | 7 h behind | 6 h behind | 1 h |
| Los Angeles (United States) | --:-- | 10 h behind | 10 h behind | 9 h behind | None |
| London (United Kingdom) | --:-- | 2 h behind | 2 h behind | 1 h behind | 6 h |
| Paris (France) | --:-- | 1 h behind | 1 h behind | Same time | 7 h |
| Dubai (United Arab Emirates) | --:-- | 2 h ahead | 2 h ahead | 2 h ahead | 6 h |
| Mumbai (India) | --:-- | 3 h 30 min ahead | 3 h 30 min ahead | 3 h 30 min ahead | 4 h 30 min |
| Singapore | --:-- | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead | 2 h |
| Tokyo (Japan) | --:-- | 7 h ahead | 7 h ahead | 7 h ahead | 1 h |
| Sydney (Australia) | --:-- | 9 h ahead | 9 h ahead | 8 h ahead | None |
| UTC | --:-- | 2 h behind | 2 h behind | 2 h behind | 6 h |
Because East London keeps one offset all year, any change in the gap comes from the other city’s daylight saving time. Compare the January and July columns.
Shared office hours counts the time when the clock reads between 9 AM and 5 PM in both cities on the same day.
Sunrise and sunset in East London
Today
| Sunrise | --:-- |
|---|---|
| Sunset | --:-- |
| Day length | -- |
| Solar noon | --:-- |
In East London, the days are longest around the December solstice (14 hours 20 minutes) and shortest around the June solstice (9 hours 58 minutes).
Daylight through the year in East London
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | March 20 | 6:11 AM | 6:20 PM | 12 h 8 min |
| June solstice | June 21 | 7:11 AM | 5:09 PM | 9 h 58 min |
| September equinox | September 23 | 5:57 AM | 6:05 PM | 12 h 9 min |
| December solstice | December 21 | 4:56 AM | 7:17 PM | 14 h 20 min |
Clock time and sun time in East London
Clock time and sun time line up fairly well in East London: solar noon falls at about 12:10 PM on standard time.
Cities near East London
All the places listed below keep the same time as East London.
| City | Distance | Time now | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mdantsane | 16 km (10 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Bhisho | 48 km (30 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Queenstown | 158 km (98 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Mthatha | 179 km (111 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Motherwell | 233 km (145 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Port Elizabeth | 238 km (148 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Uitenhage | 247 km (154 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
Same time now, different rules
These places read the same time as East London today but follow different rules, so they can drift apart when clocks change.
More cities in South Africa
All time zones and cities in South Africa
Tools for time in East London
- Convert a time to or from East London: pick a date and time and see it in every city on your list.
- Add East London to your world clock to keep it next to your own time.
- Find a meeting time that falls inside office hours in East London and the other cities you work with.
- Open a full-screen clock for your own time zone.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is East London in?
East London uses the Africa/Johannesburg time zone, which is UTC+2 (SAST) all year.
Does East London use daylight saving time?
No. East London stays on UTC+2 all year, so the time difference to places without daylight saving time never changes.
What is the time difference between East London and New York?
East London is 7 hours ahead of New York in January and 6 hours ahead of New York in July, because New York moves its clocks for daylight saving time and East London does not.
Is East London on the same time as Pretoria?
Yes. East London and Pretoria both use UTC+2 right now.
How long is the longest day in East London?
About 14 hours 20 minutes, around the December solstice. The shortest day, around the June solstice, has about 9 hours 58 minutes of daylight.
Time zone rules: IANA tz database, version 2026e. Place names and coordinates: GeoNames. Sunrise and sunset are calculated from the coordinates and can differ by a minute or two from local almanacs.