The Elundini Local Municipality is a Category B municipality located in the far east of the Joe Gqabi District Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B4 (mostly rural) |
| Province: | Eastern Cape |
| District: | Joe Gqabi |
| Municipal code: | EC141 |
| Seat: | Nqanqarhu (Maclear) |
| Number of wards: | 17 |
| Total area: | 5,019 km² (1,938 square miles) |
| Population: | 141,762 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Patience Semakaleng Mamello Leteba |
About
Elundini Local Municipality is geographically located in the eastern region of the Joe Gqabi District Municipality, at the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains in the northeastern region of the Eastern Cape Province, also known as the Eastern Cape Highlands region.
The municipality is named after the Drakensberg Mountains, which are referred to as Elundini in isiZulu.
The Elundini Local Municipality comprises 17 wards and covers an area of 5,019 km² (1,938 square miles), making it the smallest of three local municipalities in the Joe Gqabi District, as it accounts for a quarter of its geographical area.
The administrative headquarters/seat of Elundini Local Municipality is in Nqanqarhu (previously known as Maclear).
Elundini Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Senqu Local Municipality to the west
- Sakhisizwe Local Municipality in the Chris Hani District Municipality to the southwest
- Dr AB Xuma Local Municipality in the Chris Hani District Municipality to the south
- King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality in the OR Tambo District Municipality to the south
- Mhlontlo Local Municipality in the OR Tambo District Municipality to the south and east
- Umzimvubu Local Municipality in the Alfred Nzo District Municipality to the east
- Matatiele Local Municipality in the Alfred Nzo District Municipality to the north and northeast
- The country of Lesotho to the northwest
The Elundini Local Municipality is one of the most attractive and scenic areas in the Eastern Cape Province, with significant potential lying in its deep, fertile soils and high rainfall.
Compared to the other municipalities in the Joe Gqabi District, Elundini has prospects of significant growth and upliftment in the quality of life for its residents due to its relative abundance of natural resources.
The urban areas and commercial farming district are the highest employers, where residents have secured employment in the commercial, agricultural, and service sectors.
However, there is high unemployment in the rural areas because of a lack of a strong economic base, and partly because most residents are involved in subsistence-related activities with little to no surplus being produced for economic profit.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, Elundini Local Municipality has a population of 141,762 people, compared to 144,929 in 2016 and 137,045 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 0.33%.
According to the 2022 Census, 30.9% of the population is under the age of 15, 59.9% is between 15 and 64, and 9.2% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 98.1% of the population in Elundini Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 1% as Coloured, 0.7% as White, and 0.1% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 70.1% of the population speaks isiXhosa as their first language, 24.8% speak Sesotho, 1.7% speak Afrikaans, 1.6% speak English, and 1.8% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of Elundini Local Municipality are social services/government, agriculture, wholesale, and retail trade.
Municipal council and management
The Elundini municipal council comprises 34 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Seventeen councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 17 wards, while the remaining 17 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 twenty-eight seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 28 – EFF: 2 – ATM: 1 – DA: 1 – SARKO: 1 – UDM: 1 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | Patience Semakaleng Mamello Leteba |
| Speaker | Vangiwe Victoria Hokwana |
| Chief Whip | Bandile Nicholas Nqodi |
| Other Council Members | – Thozama Victoria May (Portfolio Head: Community Services) – Temba Patrick Tsoaeli (Portfolio Head: Finance) |
| Municipal Manager | Jack Thando Mdeni |
| Chief Financial Officer | Baliswa Mbana-Gantsho |
| Senior Management | – Ntomboxolo Eddie (Director: Planning and Economic Development) – Lungiswa Gomana-Kutwana (Director: Community Services) – Siqalo Mrengqwa (Director: Infrastructure Planning and Development) – Zibele Xuba (Director: Corporate Services) |
| Communications Officers | N Sokutu |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in Elundini Local Municipality.
- Nqanqarhu (formerly known as Maclear)
- Tlokoeng ( formerly known as Mount Fletcher)
- Ugie
Contact details
The contact details of Elundini Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | P.O. Box 1, Nqanqarhu, 5480 |
| Nqanqarhu Municipal Offices: | 1 Seller Street, Nqanqarhu, 5480, Eastern Cape |
| Tlokoeng Site Office: | 272 Back Street, Tlokoeng, 4770, Eastern Cape |
| Ugie Site Office: | 530 Van Dyk Drive, Ugie, 5470, Eastern Cape |
| Telephone: | – 045 932 8100 (Nqanqarhu) – 039 257 2200 (Tlokoeng) – 045 933 8000 (Ugie) |
| Email: | communications@elundini.gov.za |
| Website: | www.elundini.gov.za |
