The Impendle Local Municipality is a Category B municipality located in the western region of the uMgungundlovu District Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B4 (mostly rural) |
| Province: | KwaZulu-Natal |
| District: | uMgungundlovu |
| Municipal code: | KZN224 |
| Seat: | Impendle |
| Number of wards: | 5 |
| Total area: | 1,610 km² (622 square miles) |
| Population: | 36,648 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Buyisani Mlaba |
About
The Impendle Local Municipality is geographically located in the western region of the uMgungundlovu District Municipality at the foot of the Drakensberg Mountain Range.
During the 18th century, the Griquas (“Abatwas”) used to hide in the mountain in the area because they were accused of stealing livestock from the farmers who decided to fight the Griquas in order to protect their livestock. The Griquas used war spears, and this conflict was called “an outside war”, i.e. impiyasendle or impiendle.
The municipality’s location at the foot of the Drakensberg makes Impendle a highland area and an important source of water within the KwaZulu-Natal Province. It is in the catchment area of the Mkhomazi River in the south and the Umngeni River in the northeast.
The Impendle Local Municipality comprises 5 electoral wards and covers an area of 1,610 km² (622 square miles), making it the third-largest local municipality in the uMgungundlovu District.
The Impendle Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality in the uThukela District Municipality to the northwest
- Mpofana Local Municipality to the north
- uMngeni Local Municipality to the north and east
- Msunduzi Local Municipality to the southeast
- Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma Local Municipality in the Harry Gwala District Municipality to the south and west
- The country of Lesotho to the west and northwest
The administrative headquarters/seat of the Impendle Local Municipality is in the town of Impendle, approximately 75 kilometres west of Pietermaritzburg and 154 kilometres northwest of Durban, the Provincial powerhouse.
The Impendle Local Municipality is extremely diverse in its topography, climate and soils, and has a rich and complex natural environment.
High-density settlements are situated around Impendle Town, in villages such as Similobha, Gomane, Kamensi, and KwaNovuka.
A second layer of relatively dense settlements occurs on the eastern side of the Impendle Mountain, while density decreases sharply towards the west, with a ribbon of small villages running along the Lotheni River.
The Impendle Local Municipality is situated outside the primary and secondary movement systems of the district, and is some distance away from the major trade and tourist routes, although two important roads mark its borders.
The road linking Pietermaritzburg and Underberg that serves as an important access route to the Southern Drakensberg, a popular tourist destination, runs along Impendle’s southern boundary. The link road between Mooi River and Underberg, which is an alternative tourist route, travels along the municipality’s northwestern boundary.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the Impendle Local Municipality has a population of 36,648 people, compared to 29,526 in 2016, and 37,226 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of -0.15%.
According to the 2022 Census, 31.2% of the population is under the age of 15, 60.9% is between 15 and 64, and 7.9% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 98.9% of the population in the Impendle Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 0.5% as White, 0.3% as Coloured, and 0.1% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 93.3% of the population speaks isiZulu as their first language, 1.8% speak English, 1.6% speak Sesotho, 1.2% speak isiNdebele, and 2.1% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of the Impendle Local Municipality are tourism, agriculture, and social services.
Municipal council and management
The Impendle municipal council is comprised of 10 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Five councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 5 wards, while the remaining 5 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 6 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 6 – EFF: 2 – IFP: 2 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | Buyisani Mlaba |
| Deputy Executive Mayor | n/a |
| Speaker | Sizwe Gladman Ndlela |
| Chief Whip | Thabani Hopewell Makaya |
| Other Council Members | – Zibuse Wonderful Dlamini (EXCO Member) – Neliswani Mazwi Ngubane (EXCO Member) |
| Municipal Manager | Zakhele Tshabalala |
| Chief Financial Officer | Nkosinomusa Mkhize |
| Senior Management | – Nana Tshabalala (Director: Corporate Services and acting Director: Community Services) – Terrence Yengwa (Director: Infrastructure and Planning Services) |
| Communications Officers | – Nokulunga Mncwabe – Londeka Nzimande |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in the Impendle Local Municipality.
- Boston
- Impendle
Contact details
The contact details of the Impendle Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | 21 Mafahleni Street, Impendle, 3227, uMngungundlovu |
| Physical Address: | 21 Mafahleni Street, Impendle |
| Telephone: | – 033 996 6000 – 033 996 0771 |
| WhatsApp: | 064 965 0118 |
| Fax: | 033 996 0852 |
| Email: | info@impendle.gov.za |
| Website: | www.impendle.gov.za |
