Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality is a Category B municipality located in the northeastern region of the Gert Sibande District Municipality in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B4 (mostly rural) |
| Province: | Mpumalanga |
| District: | Gert Sibande |
| Municipal code: | MP301 |
| Seat: | Carolina |
| Number of wards: | 25 |
| Total area: | 5,559 km² (2,146 square miles) |
| Population: | 247,664 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | MP Magubane |
About
Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality is geographically situated in the northeastern part of the Gert Sibande District Municipality.
The municipality is named after anti-apartheid activist, politician, traditional leader, and President-General of the African National Congress, Albert John Luthuli.
Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality covers an area of 5,559 km² (2,146 square miles) making it the second-largest local municipality in the Gert Sibande District.
The administrative headquarters/seat of Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality is in Carolina.
The municipality is divided into 25 wards.
Emfuleni Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Msukaligwa Local Municipality to the south
- Mkhondo Local Municipality to the southeast
- Steve Tshwete Local Municipality in the Nkangala District to the west
- Emakhazeni Local Municipality in the Nkangala District to the north
- The City of Mbombela Local Municipality in the Ehlanzeni District to the northeast
- The country of Eswatini to the east
The N17 cuts through the southeastern part of the municipality, as well as other regional mobility routes, namely the R36, R33 and R38.
The majority of rural settlements occur in the eastern part of the municipality, with access provided by the R541, N17 and various secondary routes.
Other key features include forestry areas in the central and southern areas of the Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality, a river system, and the Nooitgedacht and Vygeboom Dams, as well as the edge of a greater wetland region.
The economic activities that are dominant spatially in the municipality include agriculture, forestry and mining. Retail and services are concentrated in Carolina and also in smaller centres such as Elukwatini and eManzana (previously Badplaas).
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality has a population of 247,664 people, compared to 187,629 in 2016, and 186,010 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 2.78%.
According to the 2022 Census, 30.7% of the population is under the age of 15, 63.6% is between 15 and 64, and 5.7% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 97.6% of the population in Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 1.6% as White, 0.4% as Indian/Asian, and 0.2% as Coloured.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 57% of the population speaks siSwati as their first language, 34.8% speak isiZulu, 2% speak English, 1.6% speak Afrikaans, and 4.6% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality are mining, agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, and forestry.
Municipal council and management
The Chief Albert Luthuli municipal council is comprised of 49 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Twenty-five councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 25 wards, while the remaining 24 are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received.
In the 2021 South African municipal elections the African National Congress (ANC) won a majority of thirty-nine seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 38 – EFF: 8 – APC: 1 – DA: 1 – IFP: 1 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | MP Magubane |
| Deputy Executive Mayor | n/a |
| Speaker | Sibongile V Gininda |
| Chief Whip | Lindiwe Masuku-Sidu |
| Other Council Members | – ES Dhlamini (MMC: Finance) – SN Dube (MMC: Technical Services) – JT Mathebula (MMC: Corporate Services) – RD Motaung (MPAC Chairperson) – SP Nkosi (MMC: PED) – NG Thomo (MMC: PMU) – GG Zulu (MMC: Community Services) |
| Municipal Manager | M.E Thabethe |
| Chief Financial Officer | M.M Sekgobela |
| Senior Management | – Lukhele (Director: Planning and Development) – MP Magubane (Director: Technical Services) – JW Shabangu (Director: Community and Public Safety) – SS Sibeko (Director: Corporate Services) |
| Communications Officers | – E Nethomo – D Nhlabathi – Thapelo Phetla |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality.
- Carolina
- Ekulindeni
- Empuluzi
- eManzana
Contact details
The contact details of Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal address: | PO Box 24, Carolina, 1185 |
| Physical address: | 28 Kerk Street, Carolina |
| Telephone: | 017 843 4000 |
| Toll-free number: | 0800 0144 890 |
| Police: | 017 843 2108 |
| Ambulance: | 017 843 1183 |
| Fire department: | – 017 843 4011 – 078 801 9745 |
| Local traffic: | 017 843 4016 |
| Email: | mm@albertluthuli.gov.za |
| Website: | www.albertluthuli.gov.za |
