Ingquza Hill Local Municipality is a Category B municipality in the northeastern region of the OR Tambo 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: | OR Tambo |
| Municipal code: | EC153 |
| Seat: | Flagstaff |
| Number of wards: | 32 |
| Total area: | 2,477 km² (956 square miles) |
| Population: | 354,573 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Prudence Pepping |
About
The Ingquza Hill Local Municipality (previously known as Qaukeni Municipality) was established through the amalgamation of the former Lusikisiki and Flagstaff Transitional Local Councils and the surrounding rural areas, which fell under the Transitional Representative Councils.
The Ingquza Hill Municipality is geographically located in the northeastern region of the OR Tambo District Municipality on the Indian Ocean coast.
The Ingquza Hill Local Municipality comprises 32 wards and covers an area of 2,477 km² (956 square miles), making it the third-largest of five local municipalities in the OR Tambo District, as it accounts for almost a quarter of its geographical area.
The administrative headquarters/seat of Ingquza Hill Local Municipality is in Flagstaff.
The Ingquza Hill Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Port St. Johns Local Municipality to the south
- Nyandeni Local Municipality to the west
- Ntabankulu Local Municipality in the Alfred Nzo District Municipality to the west and northwest
- Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Local Municipality in the Alfred Nzo District Municipality to the north and east
- The Indian Ocean to the southeast
The Ingquza Hill Municipality faces enormous challenges relating to huge backlogs in infrastructure, underdevelopment, and severe poverty.
The municipality is predominantly rural, with very low employment rates and thus low income levels, which negatively impacts the municipality’s ability to generate income from service charges and rates.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, Ingquza Hill Local Municipality has a population of 354,573 people, compared to 303,379 in 2016 and 278,481 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 2.35%.
According to the 2022 Census, 38.3% of the population is under the age of 15, 56.3% is between 15 and 64, and 5.4% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 99.2% of the population in Ingquza Hill Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 0.4% as Coloured, 0.1% as White, and 0.1% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 94.6% of the population speaks isiXhosa as their first language, 2.2% speak English, and 3.2% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of Ingquza Hill Local Municipality are construction, finance, electricity, community services, agriculture, manufacturing, and trade.
Municipal council and management
The Ingquza Hill municipal council is comprised of 64 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Thirty-two councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 32 wards, while the remaining 32 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 46 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 46 – EFF: 6 – INDEPENDENT: 4 – CI: 2 – DA: 2 – AIC: 1 – APC: 1 – ATM: 1 – UDM: 1 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | Prudence Pepping |
| Speaker | Sibongile Buyiswa Vatsha |
| Chief Whip | Mbongeni Isaac Nkungu |
| Other Council Members | – N Gagai-Nkungu (Institutional Transformation and Organisational Development) – N Jamjam (Portfolio Head: Good Governance and Public Participation) – Z Mhlongo – BN Mvulana (Portfolio Head: Planning and Local Economic Development) – L Ndziba (Exco Member) – BJ Nkani (Portfolio Head: Budget and Treasury) – Z Sigcu (Exco Member) – V Somani (Portfolio Head: Human Settlement) – K Vava |
| Municipal Manager | V.C. Makedama |
| Chief Financial Officer | M Mhlifili |
| Senior Management | – D Dakwa (Manager: Solid Waste) – M Garane (Director: Community Services) – L Goya-Sihlobo (Manager: LED) – N Hlonti (Acting Manager: Asset) – N Jiki (Chief Audit Executive) – L Keto (Manager: Development Planning) – M Matubatuba (Director: Corporate Services) – ZN Matwasa (Manager: Mayoral Programmes and Support) – A Mbarane (Director: Planning and Development) – N Mdiya (Executive Council Secretary) – M Mfingwana (Acting Manager: Admin and ICT) – P Mkize (Acting Manager: Human Resources) – A Ndabeni (Manager: Budget Reporting) – N Ntloko (Director: Infrastructure and Engineering Services and Director: Technical Services) – B Tshitshi (Manager: Infrastructure) – S Wana (Acting Director: Technical Services) – M Zukulu (Manager: Legal Services) |
| Communications Officers | – Bulelwa Blaze Capa – D Samka |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in Ingquza Hill Local Municipality.
Contact details
The contact details of Ingquza Hill Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | P.O. Box 14, Flagstaff, 4810 |
| Physical Address: | – 135 Main Street, Flagstaff, 4810 Eastern Cape – 66 Main Street, Lusikisiki, 4820 Eastern Cape |
| Telephone: | – 039 252 0131 (Flagstaff) – 039 253 1096 (Lusikisiki) |
| Fax: | 039 252 0699 |
| Email: | info@ihlm.gov.za |
| Website: | www.ihlm.gov.za |
