Amahlathi Local Municipality is a Category B municipality located in the central region of the Amathole District Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B3 (small towns) |
| Province: | Eastern Cape |
| District: | Amathole |
| Municipal code: | EC124 |
| Seat: | Stutterheim |
| Number of wards: | 15 |
| Total area: | 4,505 km² (1,739 square miles) |
| Population: | 115,703 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Nomakhosazana Nongqayi |
About
The Amahlathi Local Municipality is geographically located in the central region of the Amathole District Municipality.
The name Amahlati is an isiXhosa word that means “a place where many trees are grouped together, a forest”. Forests are a key feature of the region.
Amahlathi Local Municipality comprises 15 wards and covers an area of 4,505 km² (1,739 square miles), making it the second-largest of six local municipalities in the Amathole District.
The administrative headquarters/seat of Amahlathi Local Municipality is in Stutterheim.
Amahlathi Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality to the west
- Mnquma and Great Kei Local Municipalities to the east
- The Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality to the south
- Enoch Mgijima and Intsika Yethu Local Municipalities in the Chris Hani District Municipality to the north
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, Amahlathi Local Municipality has a population of 115,703 people, compared to 101,826 in 2016 and 101,035 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 1.32%.
According to the 2022 Census, 27.8% of the population is under the age of 15, 62.7% is between 15 and 64, and 9.5% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 96.5% of the population in Amahlathi Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 2% as White, 1.2% as Coloured, and 0.1% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 93.4% of the population speaks isiXhosa as their first language, 2.9% speak English, 2% speak Afrikaans, and 1.7% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of Amahlathi Local Municipality are community services, finance, manufacturing, trade, agriculture, construction, and transport.
Municipal council and management
The Amahlathi municipal council is comprised of 30 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Fifteen councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 15 wards, while the remaining 15 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, the African National Congress (ANC) won a majority of 23 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 23 – DA: 3 – EFF: 2 – APC: 1 – INDEPENDENT: 1 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | Nomakhosazana Nongqayi |
| Speaker | Nokuzola Mlahleki |
| Chief Whip | Pateka Qaba |
| Other Council Members | – Thamsanqa Balindlela (Portfolio Head: Community Services) – Nobathembu Angeline Kato-Manyika (Portfolio Head: Budget and Treasury Office) – Xola Moses Tokwe (Portfolio Head: Engineering Services) – Busisa Xongwana (Portfolio Head: Development and Planning) |
| Administrator | Dr Sindisile Maclean |
| Municipal Manager | Dr Zamuxolo Shasha |
| Chief Financial Officer | Charles Samuels |
| Senior Management | – Nonkqubela Dlova (Director: Engineering) – Simphiwe Mnweba (Director: Development and Planning) – Andiswa Noholoza (Director: Community Services) – Nozuko Nqulo (Director: Corporate Services) |
| Communications Officers | – Pamella Gavini (Secretary to Municipal Manager) – Sandy Kleinhans (Secretary to the Speaker) – Siyabulela Mbi (Secretary to the Mayor) – Anathi Nyoka |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in Amahlathi Local Municipality.
- Cathcart
- Kei Road
- Keiskammahoek
- Stutterheim
Contact details
The contact details of Amahlathi Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | Private Bag X2, Stutterheim, 4930 |
| Physical Address: | Cnr Hill and Maclean Street, Stutterheim, Eastern Cape, 4930 |
| Telephone: | 043 683 5000 |
| Fax: | 043 683 2577 |
| Email: | info@amahlathi.gov.za |
| Website: | www.amahlathi.gov.za |
