The Big 5 Hlabisa Local Municipality is a Category B municipality within the uMkhanyakude District Municipality in the northeastern region of the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B3 (small towns) |
| Province: | KwaZulu-Natal |
| District: | uMkhanyakude |
| Municipal code: | KZN276 |
| Seat: | Hlabisa |
| Number of wards: | 13 |
| Total area: | 3,466 km² (1,338 square miles) |
| Population: | 131,755 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Comfort T Khumalo |
About
The Big 5 Hlabisa Local Municipality was established in August 2016, by merging The Big 5 False Bay and Hlabisa local municipalities.
The Big 5 Hlabisa Local Municipality comprises 13 electoral wards and is geographically located in the northeastern region of KwaZulu-Natal Province.
The Big 5 Hlabisa Local Municipality covers an area of 3,466 km² (1,338 square miles), making it the second-largest of four local municipalities in the uMkhanyakude District as it accounts for a quarter of its geographical area.
The Big 5 Hlabisa Local Municipality is bordered by:
- uMhlabuyalingana and Jozini Local Municipalities to the north
- Nongoma and Ulundi Local Municipalities in the Zululand District Municipality to the west
- Mthonjaneni and uMfolozi Local Municipalities in the King Cetshwayo District Municipality to the south
- Mtubatuba Local Municipality and the Indian Ocean to the east
The administrative headquarters/seat of the Big 5 Hlabisa Local Municipality is in Hlabisa, which is situated approximately 94 kilometres northwest of Richards Bay.
The Big 5 Hlabisa Local Municipality is easily accessible off the N2 National Route, it comprises part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park (previously known as the Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park) and is the starting point of the MR4 (LSDI Corridor), which links Hluhluwe to the Republic of Mozambique.
The town of Hluhluwe, which contains major shopping and light servicing facilities, as well as the municipal offices, services the municipality.
A large portion of the municipal area is used for game lodge activities and agriculture and is sparsely settled. The northeastern parts of the municipality are occupied by fairly densely settled rural traditional communities (Mnqobokasi, Nibela, and Makhasa).
A major attraction to the Big 5 Hlabisa Local Municipality is the tourism industry which is centred on the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, located 280 kilometres north of Durban and the oldest proclaimed park in Africa.
The Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park consists of 960km² of hilly topography in central Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal, and is famous for its rich wildlife and conservation efforts. The park is the only state-run park in KwaZulu-Natal where all the Big Five game occur.
Due to conservation efforts, the park now has the largest population of white rhino in the world.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the Big 5 Hlabisa Local Municipality has a population of 131,755 people, compared to 116,622 in 2016, and 107,147 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 2.01%.
According to the 2022 Census, 34.9% of the population is under the age of 15, 59.8% is between 15 and 64, and 5.3% is over 65.
Economy
The main economic sectors of the Big 5 Hlabisa Local Municipality are tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, finance, transport, and wholesale.
Municipal council and management
The Big 5 Hlabisa municipal council is comprised of 25 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Thirteen councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 13 wards, while the remaining 12 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 Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) won a majority of 15 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – IFP: 15 – ANC: 9 – EFF: 1 – INDEPENDENT: 1 – NFP: 1 |
| Controlling party | IFP |
| Executive Mayor | Comfort T Khumalo |
| Deputy Executive Mayor | Hlengiwe Nkosi |
| Speaker | G.R Mchunu |
| Chief Whip | n/a |
| Other Council Members | – Ndwandwe – T.N Ngema – F.Z Nkwanyane |
| Municipal Manager | C.T Khumalo |
| Chief Financial Officer | J.M Nkosi |
| Senior Management | – S.N Mbambo (Technical, Planning and Infrastructure) – L.M Mthombeni (Corporate Services) – L.N.P Ndebele (Manager: Human Resources) – B.N Ngwane (Manager: Human Resources) – L.N Phakathi (Deputy Director: Office of the MM) – M.B Shange (Community Services) |
| Communications Officers | – M.S Jele – M.W Khumalo (Deputy Director: Communication Services) – M.B Shange (Director: Communication Services) |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in the Big 5 Hlabisa Local Municipality.
- Hlabisa
- Hluhluwe
Contact details
The contact details of the Big 5 Hlabisa Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | P.O. Box 387, Hlabisa, 3937 |
| Physical Address: | Lot 808, Off Masson Street, Hlabisa |
| Telephone: | 035 838 8500 |
| WhatsApp: | 064 870 3418 |
| Fax: | 035 838 1015 |
