The AbaQulusi Local Municipality is a Category B municipality situated in the western region of the Zululand District Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B3 (small towns) |
| Province: | KwaZulu-Natal |
| District: | Zululand |
| Municipal code: | KZN263 |
| Seat: | Vryheid |
| Number of wards: | 23 |
| Total area: | 4,314 km² (1,666 square miles) |
| Population: | 247,263 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Mncedisi Maphisa |
About
The AbaQulusi Local Municipality was established in 2001, by merging the former Vryheid Transitional Local Council (TLC), Louwsburg TLC, and other parts of the AbaQulusi and Usuthu Sub-regions.
AbaQulusi Local Municipality is geographically located in the western region of the Zululand District Municipality in the northern part of KwaZulu-Natal Province.
The municipality is named after the abaQulusi, a Zulu clan whose descendants live in the vicinities of Utrecht, Vryheid, Louwsburg, and Paulpietersburg (eDumbe).
The AbaQulusi Local Municipality covers an area of 4,314 km² (1,666 square miles), making it the largest of five local municipalities in the Zululand District, as it accounts for a third of its geographical area.
The AbaQulusi Local Municipality is bordered by:
- eDumbe Local Municipality to the north
- uPhongolo Local Municipality to the north and east
- Nongoma Local Municipality to the east
- Ulundi Local Municipality to the east and south
- Nquthu Local Municipality in the uMzinyathi District Municipality to the south and west
- eMadlangeni Local Municipality in the Amajuba District Municipality to the west
The AbaQulusi Local Municipality comprises 23 electoral wards and is centered around the town of Vryheid.
Vryheid is the adminstrative centre of AbaQulusi Local Municipality and it houses the municipal offices.
Vryheid is also Zululand’s main industrial, business, and commercial, centre, with a fairly well-developed physical, social and institutional infrastructure. The town is located at the intersection of the major transport routes, the R34 and R69 Provincial Routes, that traverse the region.
Approximately 60% of the population of the AbaQulusi Municipality live in rural areas, most of which live in scattered homesteads known as imizi in tribal areas. Homesteads are of a mixed nature, including both traditional thatched huts and modern dwellings.
The remainder of the municipality’s population lives as tenants in towns or on farm, dormitory townships and shacks in the settlements around towns.
The AbaQulusi Municipality is adorned with rich culture, vibrant beauty, picturesque landscapes, unparalleled diversity, and and untapped possibilities.
The municipality thrives on the unique tapestry of its people and the scenic wonders that define its landscape.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the AbaQulusi Local Municipality has a population of 247,263 people, compared to 243,795 in 2016, and 214,714 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 1.37%.
According to the 2022 Census, 32% of the population is under the age of 15, 62.3% is between 15 and 64, and 5.7% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 95.4% of the population in the AbaQulusi Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 3.5% as White, 0.5% as Coloured, and 0.4% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 91.2% of the population speaks isiZulu as their first language, 3% speak Afrikaans, 2.5% speak English, 1% speak isiNdebele, and 2.3% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of the AbaQulusi Local Municipality are agriculture, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, transport, finance, general government, forestry, mining, communication, storage, tourism, community and social services.
Agriculture
Presently, the agricultural sector contributes the highest proportion of the Gross Geographic Product (GGP) of the AbaQulusi Municipality, even though the area is ranked as having low agricultural potential.
According to a land potential analysis of the municipality, just 16% of agricultural land can be described as having high agricultural potential. There is extensive, but not intensive agriculture. A small number of farms in the municipality are irrigated.
Current products farmed include soya beans, maize, fruits, groundnuts, sorghum, and sunflowers.
Products produced in the municipal are field crops, timber, and livestock.
Mining
Historically, coal mining provided a crucial force in the local economy of northern KwaZulu-Natal.
However, over the past 18 years, several mines in the region shutdown operation, negatively impacting the economy of the region. AbaQulusi Local Municipality was specifically affected by the discontinuation of the Mnyathi, Coronation, and Hlobane mines in 1997 and 1998.
Recently, the coal mining sector seems to have regained some momentum and it is coming back to dominate the economic sector.
Manufacturing
Manufacturing in the AbaQulusi Local Municipality includes clothing and textiles, food and beverages, paper and paper products, leather products, metal products, printing and publishing, machinery and equipment.
Tourism
The AbaQulusi municipal area is home to wetlands of national importance with Blood River Vlei being the most significant. This wetland is homw to over 360 species of birds, animals, insects, reptiles, amphibians and plants, creating a significant potential for ecotourism in the municipality.
Municipal council and management
The AbaQulusi municipal council is comprised of 45 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Twenty-three councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 23 wards, while the remaining 22 are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received.
In the election of 1 November 2021, no party obtained a majority. The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) obtained a plurality of 21 seats.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – IFP: 21 – ANC: 14 – NFP: 4 – EFF: 3 – DA: 2 – VF PLUS: 1 |
| Controlling party | Hung Council |
| Executive Mayor | Mncedisi Maphisa |
| Deputy Executive Mayor | M.A Mazibuko |
| Speaker | M.B Khumalo |
| Chief Whip | n/a |
| Other Council Members | – R Ally – I.A De Kock (Exco Member) – L Dube – J.J Jones – T.A Khumalo – M.B Khumalo (Exco Member) – M.M Kunene – N.A Kunene – M.T Lushaba – N.B Manana – M.C Maphisa (Exco Member) – A.M Masondo – T.Z Mavundla – M.A Mazibuko – P.N Mazibuko (Exco Member) – N.N Mdlalose (Exco Member) – L.R Mhlungo – M.M Mhlungu – P.M Mtshali – S.N Ndlela – T.D Ndlovu – T.Z Nkosi (Exco Member) – B Ntombela – K.M Ntuli – M.N Ntuli – Z.H Nxumalo – C.J.Q Radebe – P.P Selepe (Exco Member) – M.J Sibiya (Exco Member) – S.S Siyaya – M Viktor |
| Administrator | Sibusiso Mkhize |
| Municipal Manager | Z.G Dhlamini |
| Chief Financial Officer | H.A Mohamed |
| Senior Management | Msizi Kunene (Manager: LED) |
| Communications Officers | Z Ndamini |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in the AbaQulusi Local Municipality.
- Alpha
- Bhekuzulu
- Boschhoek
- Brakfontein
- Calvert
- Coronation
- eMondlo
- Esigodini
- Glückstadt
- Hlobane
- Hlahlindlela
- Kandaspunt
- Lenjanedrif
- Louwsburg
- Mondlo
- Ngobeni
- Ngome
- Scheepersnek
- Steilrand
- Stilwater
- Swart Umfolozi
- Thakazele
- Vryheid
- Zungwini
Contact details
The contact details of the AbaQulusi Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | P.O. Box 57, Vryheid, 3100 |
| Physical Address: | Cnr. Mark and High Street, Vryheid, Kwazulu Natal, 3100, South Africa |
| Telephone: | – 034 982 2133 – 080 020 0102 (Call Centre Number) |
| Fax: | 034 980 9637 |
| Email: | – information@abaqulusi.gov.za (General Email) – records@abaqulusi.gov.za (Records Email) – municipalmanager@abaqulusi.gov.za (Municipal Manager’s Email) |
| Website: | www.abaqulusi.gov.za |
