The Harry Gwala District Municipality (previously Sisonke District Municipality) is a Category C municipality situated in the southwest of the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.
Harry Gwala District Municipality
| Type of municipality: | District (Category C) |
| Province: | KwaZulu-Natal |
| Municipal code: | DC43 |
| Seat: | Ixopo |
| Local municipalities: | 4 |
| Total area: | 10,386 km² (4,010 square miles) |
| Population: | 563,893 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Z.D Nxumalo |
About
The Harry Gwala District Municipality is geographically situated in the southwest of KwaZulu-Natal, approximately 250 kilometres south of the major metropolitan area of eThekwini.
The district is named after Harry Themba Gwala (30 July 1920 – 20 June 1995), an educator, trade union organiser, anti-apartheid activist, leader of the African National Congress (ANC) and South African Communist Party (SACP).
The district is divided into four local municipalities namely;
- Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma Local Municipality
- Greater Kokstad Local Municipality
- Ubuhlebezwe Local Municipality
- uMzimkhulu Local Municipality
The Harry Gwala District Municipality covers an area of 10,386 km² (4,010 square miles) and its headquarters/seat is Ixopo.
Harry Gwala District Municipality is bordered by the country of Lesotho to the northwest, Eastern Cape‘s Alfred Nzo District Municipality to the southwest, Ugu District Municipality to the southeast, and uMgungundlovu District Municipality to the northeast.
The Harry Gwala District is characterised by a rural landscape and most of its land is covered by commercial agricultural land, natural vegetation, and traditional human settlement areas.
The district has rich high-quality agricultural soils, abundant water, and climate extremes, which make the area more viable for dairy farming, crop farming, grazing, and sugar cane plantations.
Its natural environment has also proven to be a tourist attraction destination offering ecotourism and adventure tourism.
Key rivers in the district are the UMzimkhulu and Umkomaas rivers.
The Harry Gwala District is also home to uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, which forms part of the World Heritage Site, Maloti-Drakensberg Park.
Map
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the Harry Gwala District Municipality has a population of 563,893 residents, compared to 510,865 in 2016, and 460,526 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 1.97%.
According to the 2022 Census, 33.5% of the population is under the age of 15, 60.5% is between 15 and 64, and 6.0% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 96.7% of the population in the Harry Gwala District Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 1.6% as Coloured, 1.2% as White, and 0.3% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, the first language of 62.7% of the population is isiZulu, while 28.6% speak isiXhosa, 3.2% speak English, 1.3% speak Afrikaans, and 4.2% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of the district are; community services and agriculture (60%).
District council and management
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 8 – EFF: 2 – DA: 1 – IFP: 1 |
| Executive Mayor | Z.D Nxumalo |
| Deputy Executive Mayor | T.N Jojozi |
| Speaker | M.S.D Mdunge |
| Chief Whip | N Mhatu |
| Other Council Members | – SD Bekwa (Executive Member) – KS Dlamini (Executive Member) – Z Tshangase (Executive Member) |
| Municipal Manager | Gamakulu Ma-Art Sineke |
| Chief Financial Officer | Khulani Mthembeni Brian Mzimela |
| Senior Management | – Nkululeko Biyase (Executive Director: Infrastructure Services) – Ntombifuthi Nomvuselelo Fortunate Buthelezi (Executive Director: Social Services and Development Planning) – L Gwala (Director: Water Services) – Thobile Thelma Thiyane-Magaqa (Executive Director: Corporate Services) |
| Communications Officers | N Ngubane |
Main towns
Below are the major towns in the Harry Gwala District Municipality.
- Creighton
- Himeville
- Ixopo
- Kokstad
- Underberg
- uMzimkhulu
Contact details
Contact details of the Harry Gwala District Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal address: | Private Bag X501, Ixopo, 3276 |
| Physical address: | 40 Main Street, Ixopo |
| Telephone: | 039 834 8700 |
| Fax: | 039 834 1701 |
| Website: | www.harrygwaladm.gov.za |
