The Mandeni Local Municipality is a Category B municipality located in the northeastern region of the iLembe 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: | iLembe |
| Municipal code: | KZN291 |
| Seat: | Mandeni |
| Number of wards: | 18 |
| Total area: | 545 km² (210 square miles) |
| Population: | 180,939 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Thabani Mdlalose |
About
Mandeni Local Municipality (formerly eNdondakusuka Local Municipality) is one of the four local municipalities that make up the iLembe District, and the other local municipalities are Maphumulo, KwaDukuza, and Ndwedwe.
The Mandeni Local Municipality is geographically located in the northeastern region of the iLembe District Municipality along the northern coast of KwaZulu-Natal, approximately 80 kilometres southwest of the uMhlathuze Local Municipality and 100 kilometres northeast of eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality.
The municipality covers the area from the Amatikulu River to a line just south of Mtunzini in the north, and to a line south of the Tugela River just north of Darnall in the south. The Tugela River is the largest in KwaZulu-Natal and was the historical border between Natal and Zululand.
The Mandeni Local Municipality comprises 18 electoral wards and covers an area of 545 km² (210 square miles), making it the smallest of four local municipalities in the iLembe District.
The Mandeni Local Municipality is bordered by:
- uMlalazi Local Municipality in the King Cetshwayo District Municipality to the north and west
- KwaDukuza Local Municipality to the southwest and south
- The Indian Ocean to the south and east
The administrative headquarters/seat of the Mandeni Local Municipality is in Mandeni town, the only urban settlement of substance and functions as the service centre for a substantial hinterland.
The transport infrastructure in Mandeni Local Municipality is well developed, with a high standard of road and rail services in the area. This is because the Mandeni Municipality lies along the N2 national and provincial corridor on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal, and is strategically located midway between the economic hubs of Richards Bay and Durban. The municipality is located on the major railway and road transportation routes that link these two major port cities.
This strategic location is also acknowledged in the Provincial Spatial Framework, which has identified Mandeni as the growth node in the north coast corridor.
As such, the municipality is strategically located to provide services to, and derive economic benefits from, these economic hubs (Richards Bay and Durban).
The construction of the new Dube Tradeport and King Shaka International Airport has many economic, social, and employment implications for the Mandeni Municipality because of its location.
The Mandeni Municipality is predominantly rural, with Ingonyama Trust land accounting for most of its landmass.
There are four Traditional Council areas within the Mandeni Local Municipality’s area of jurisdiction, namely:
- Sikhonyane (eLangeni) Traditional Council area, which includes wards 6, 11, and 16. This area is located along the municipality’s northwestern boundary
- Mathonsi Traditional Council area, which covers wards 5, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, and 18
- Macambini Traditional Council area, which covers the electoral wards of 1, 2, 3, 8, and 9. This area is located between the N2 and the coast. It has huge potential for tourism, commercial, and industrial activities, leisure, and upmarket housing development
- Hlomendlini (Ngcobo) Traditional Council, located along the southwestern boundary
Mandeni Local Municipality’s rural settlements are all underdeveloped and have major backlogs in service provision. The municipality cannot supply the whole area with electricity.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the Mandeni Local Municipality has a population of 180,939 people, compared to 147,808 in 2016 and 138,141 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 2.62%.
According to the 2022 Census, 30.5% of the population is under the age of 15, 64.7% is between 15 and 64, and 4.8% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 96.7% of the population in the Mandeni Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 1.7% as Indian/Asian, 1% as White, and 0.5% as Coloured.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 89.9% of the population speaks isiZulu as their first language, 4.6% speak English, 1.2% speak isiNdebele, and 4.3% speak other languages.
Economy
Mandeni Local Municipality includes substantial areas of commercial agriculture, with the bulk of these areas under sugarcane. Agriculture is therefore the main employment sector in the municipality.
Other economic sectors in Mandeni Local Municipality are manufacturing, real estate, finance, insurance, wholesale and retail trade, business services, transport, general government, catering, and accommodation.
Municipal council and management
The Mandeni municipal council is comprised of 35 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Eighteen councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 18 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 reduced majority of 19 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 19 – IFP: 10 – EFF: 4 – AIC: 1 – DA: 1 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | Thabani Mdlalose |
| Deputy Executive Mayor | Bhekithemba Magwaza |
| Speaker | Phindile Sishi |
| Chief Whip | n/a |
| Other Council Members | – Melody Mdunge (Chairperson: Local Public Administration and Human Relations Portfolio Committee) – Ntombizodwa Ntuli (Corporate Services) – Mlungisi Shelembe |
| Municipal Manager | Sizwe Goodman Khuzwayo |
| Chief Financial Officer | Nozipho Mngomezulu |
| Senior Management | – Khetha Gumede (Director: Technical Services) – Lungiswa Kutwana-Gomana (Director: Community Services and Public Safety) – Dumsani Mbongwa (Director: Economic Development, Planning and Human Settlements) – Vusi Zulu (Director: Corporate Services) |
| Communications Officers | Mduduzi Manzi |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in the Mandeni Local Municipality.
- eMacambini
- iSithebe
- Mandeni
- Nyoni
- Tugela
Contact details
The contact details of the Mandeni Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | P.O Box 144, Mandeni, 4490 |
| Physical Address: | 2 Kingfisher Road, Mandeni, 4490 |
| Telephone: | 032 456 8200 |
| Fax: | 032 456 2504 |
| Email: | queries@mandeni.gov.za |
| Website: | www.mandeni.gov.za |
| Electrician Standby: | 079 091 3960 |
| Emergency Number: | 087 285 1153 |
| Accounts: | 032 456 8290 |
| Electricity: | 032 456 8225 |
| Refuse & Waste: | 032 456 8296 |
| Roads: | 032 456 8267 |
| Service Delivery: | 032 456 8226 |
| Water: | 032 456 6171 |
Corruption and assassination
On 31 January 2025, ANC councillor Phendukani Mabhida wrote to the regional executive exposing corruption in the Mandeni Local Municipality. Mabhida was assassinated a few hours before he was due to appear at a meeting to further address these concerns.
