The Chris Hani District Municipality (CHDM) is a Category C municipality situated in the northern region of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.
Chris Hani District Municipality
| Type of municipality: | District (Category C) |
| Province: | Eastern Cape |
| Municipal code: | DC13 |
| Seat: | Komani |
| Local municipalities: | 6 |
| Total area: | 36,407 km² (14,057 square miles) |
| Population: | 828,387 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Lusanda Sizani |
About
The Chris Hani District Municipality is geographically situated in the northern part of the Eastern Cape, strategically located as a link to all the regions in the province.
The district is named after the late Martin Thembisile Hani, popularly known as Chris Hani, the anti-apartheid stalwart who was born there.
The Chris Hani District Municipality covers an area of 36,407 km² (14,057 square miles) and is the second-largest district in the Eastern Cape, making up almost a third of the province’s geographical area.
The headquarters/seat of the district is in Komani (formerly known as Queenstown).
The district is divided into six local municipalities, namely;
- Dr AB Xuma Local Municipality
- Emalahleni Local Municipality
- Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality
- Intsika Yethu Local Municipality
- Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality
- Sakhisizwe Local Municipality
The Chris Hani District Municipality is bordered by the district municipalities Sarah Baartman and Amathole to the south, OR Tambo to the east, Joe Gqabi to the north, and Northern Cape‘s Pixley ka Seme to the west.
Although the district has some urban settlements, it is predominantly rural with relatively high poverty levels.
The district’s landscape ranges from moist uplands and grassland hills to the arid Karoo scrubland.
Map
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the Chris Hani District Municipality has a population of 828,387 residents, compared to 840,055 in 2016 and 806,478 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 0.26%.
According to the 2022 Census, 29.9% of the population is under the age of 15, 60.5% is between 15 and 64, and 9.7% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 93.3% of the Chris Hani District Municipality population describe themselves as Black African, 4.1% as Coloured, 2% as White, and 0.2% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 88.6% of the population speaks isiXhosa as their first language, 6.1% speak Afrikaans, 2.6% speak English, and 2.7% speak other languages.
Economy
The district’s main economic sectors are community services (52%), trade (15%), finance (14%), transport (6%), agriculture (4%), manufacturing (4%), and electricity (2%).
District council and management
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 12 – DA: 2 – EFF: 1 – THE INDEPENDENTS: 1 – UDM: 1 |
| Controlling Party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | Lusanda Sizani (Acting) |
| Deputy Executive Mayor | Noncedo September Caba |
| Speaker | Jongumzi Cengani |
| Chief Whip | Nobantu Macingwane |
| Other Council Members | – Thumeka Bikwana (Portfolio Head: Corporate Services) – Thembisile Bobo (Portfolio Head: SPU) – Sinomtha Lali (Portfolio Head: Finance) – Bongeka Nobuntu (Portfolio Head: Engineering) – Nosipho Papiyana (Portfolio Head: Local Economic Development) |
| Municipal Manager | G Mashiyi |
| Chief Financial Officer | Christopher Mapeyi |
| Senior Management | – Zolile Duze (Director: IPED and Acting: Strategic Manager) – N Mnyengeza (Director: Health and Community Services) – Moses Shasha (Director: Engineering) – Thokozani Skefile (Director: Corporate Services) |
| Communications Officers | Thobeka Mqamelo (Manager: Information and Communications Technology) |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in the Chris Hani District Municipality.
- Cacadu (previously known as Lady Frere)
- Cala
- Cofimvaba
- Cradock
- Dordrecht
- Engcobo
- Hofmeyr
- Indwe
- Khowa (previously known as Elliot)
- Komani (previously known as Queenstown)
- Middelburg
- Molteno
- Mount Zebra National Park
- Sada
- Sterkstroom
- Tarkastad
- Tsomo
- Whittlesea
Contact details
The contact details of the Chris Hani District Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal address: | Private Bag X7121, Komani, 5320 |
| Physical address: | 15 Bells Road, Central Komani, Eastern Cape |
| Telephone: | 045 808 4600 |
| Fax: | 045 838 1556 |
| Email: | communications@chrishanidm.gov.za |
| Website: | www.chrishanidm.gov.za |
| Fraud & corruption hotline: | 0800 701 701 |
