The Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality is a Category B municipality located in the western region of the Chris Hani District Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B3 (small towns) |
| Province: | Eastern Cape |
| District: | Chris Hani |
| Municipal code: | EC131 |
| Seat: | Nxuba |
| Number of wards: | 9 |
| Total area: | 11,663 km² (4,503 square miles) |
| Population: | 77,578 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Noncedo Zonke |
About
The Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality (previously known as Cradock Local Municipality) is geographically located in the western part of the Chris Hani District Municipality, approximately 240 kilometres north of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality.
Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality covers an area of 11,663 km² (4,503 square miles), making it the second-largest of six local municipalities in the Chris Hani District, as it accounts for a third of its geographical area.
The Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality to the east
- Walter Sisulu Local Municipality in the Joe Gqabi District Municipality to the northeast
- Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality in the Amathole District Municipality to the southeast
- Blue Crane Route Local Municipality in the Sarah Baartman District Municipality to the south
- Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality in the Sarah Baartman District Municipality to the west
- Umsobomvu Local Municipality in the Pixley ka Seme District in the Northern Cape Province to the north
- Ubuntu Local Municipality in the Pixley ka Seme District in the Northern Cape Province to the northwest
The administrative headquarters/seat of Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality is in Nxuba (previously known as Cradock).
The Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality comprises 9 wards and two urban centres, Cradock and Middelburg.
Cradock and Middelburg are fairly similar, with well-developed CBDs and fair infrastructure.
The rural areas of both towns (Cradock and Middelburg) are mainly commercial farms, with small settlements in the rural areas of Rosmead, Mortimer, and Fish River.
The N10 National Road, which is an essential economic link between Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) and the north, runs through Cradock and skirts Middelburg.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality has a population of 77,578 people, compared to 70,493 in 2016 and 65,560 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 1.63%.
According to the 2022 Census, 27.1% of the population is under the age of 15, 65.2% is between 15 and 64, and 7.7% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 56.2% of the population in Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 32.2% as Coloured, 10.5% as White, and 0.3% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 50% of the population speaks isiXhosa as their first language, 44.6% speak Afrikaans, 3.1% speak English, and 2.3% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality are community services, finance, trade, agriculture, transport, manufacturing, and construction.
Municipal council and management
The Inxuba Yethemba municipal council is comprised of 18 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Nine councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 9 wards, while the remaining 9 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 10 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 10 – DA: 7 – PA: 1 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | Noncedo Zonke |
| Speaker | Thembakazi Mbotya |
| Chief Whip | Lena Davids |
| Other Council Members | – Sibongile Victor Masawe (Portfolio Head: Budget and Treasury) – Ncumisa Mongo (Portfolio Head: Community Services) – Silizwe Ndondose (Portfolio Head: IPED) |
| Municipal Manager | Mkhululi Whitey Mbebe |
| Chief Financial Officer | Vuyokazi Singeni |
| Senior Management | – Similo Dayi (Director: Corporate Services) – Noluthando Majiba (Director: Community Services) – Ntombi Makwabe (Director: IPED) – Landela Mpotulo (ICT Officer) – Sonwabile Nomandela (Director: Technical Services) – Lwandokazi Ntloko (Supply Chain Management) |
| Communications Officers | Lindokuhle September |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality.
- Lingelihle
- Middelburg
- Michausdal
- Mount Zebra National Park
- Nxuba (formerly known as Cradock)
- Rosmead
Contact details
The contact details of Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | PO Box 24, Nxuba, 5880 |
| Physical Address: | Cradock Main Building, 1 J.A. Calata Street, Nxuba |
| Telephone: | 048 801 5000 |
| Fax: | 048 881 1421 |
| Email: | info@iym.gov.za |
| Website: | www.iym.gov.za |
| Law Enforcement: | – 10111 – 048 881 7000 |
| Fire Services: | 076 538 3448 (Always standby) |
| Traffic Services: | 078 335 914 |
| Ambulance / Medical Services: | – 10117 – 911 |
| Electricity Issues: | – 082 768 0142 (Nxuba) – 083 461 5657 (Middelburg) |
