The Mkhambathini Local Municipality is a Category B municipality situated in the southeastern region of the uMgungundlovu District Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B3 (small towns) |
| Province: | KwaZulu-Natal |
| District: | uMgungundlovu |
| Municipal code: | KZN226 |
| Seat: | Camperdown |
| Number of wards: | 7 |
| Total area: | 868 km² (335 square miles) |
| Population: | 61,660 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Nhlakanipho Ntombela |
About
The Mkhambathini Local Municipality is geographically located in the southeastern region of the uMgungundlovu District Municipality.
The name Mkhambathini is an isiZulu word derived from eMkhambathini meaning “the place of acacia trees”.
The Mkhambathini Local Municipality covers an area of 868 km² (335 square miles), making it the second-smallest of seven local municipalities in the uMgungundlovu District.
The municipality is comprises 7 wards, with a large part of the municipality being rural in nature and underdeveloped.
The Mkhambathini Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Richmond and Msunduzi Local Municipalities to the west
- uMshwathi Local Municipality to the north
- eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality to the east
- Umdoni Local Municipality in the Ugu District Municipality to the south
The administrative headquarters/seat of the Mkhambathini Local Municipality is in Camperdown, approximately 55 kilometres northwest of Durban, the provincial economic hub.
The Mkhambathini Municipality is 63.7 kilometres away from Pietermaritzburg the Capital city of KwaZulu-Natal , 61 kilometres from the Pietermaritzburg Airport and 125 kilometres from King Shaka International Airport.
Mkhambathini Local Municipality has several comparative advantages emanating from its location near Pietermaritzburg and Durban and adjoining Cato Ridge, which is an industrial node. The N3 National Route runs east-west through the central part of the municipal area and that stretch of the highway has been identified in the Spatial Growth and Development Strategy as a Provincial Corridor.
Significant portions of the Mkhambathini Local Municipality fall within the Valley of a Thousand Hills (with Table Mountain a major landmark), an area with high potential for ecotourism, and in the Midlands Mist Belt, which has a well-established agricultural economy.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the Mkhambathini Local Municipality has a population of 61,660 people, compared to 57,075 in 2016, and 64,528 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of -0.44%.
According to the 2022 Census, 27% of the population is under the age of 15, 66.9% is between 15 and 64, and 6.1% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 94.8% of the population in the Mkhambathini Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 3.7% as White, 1% as Indian/Asian, and 0.3% as Coloured.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 84.8% of the population speaks isiZulu as their first language, 5.1% speak isiXhosa, 4.9% speak English, 1.9% speak Sesotho, and 3.3% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of the Mkhambathini Local Municipality are tourism and agriculture.
Municipal council and management
The Mkhambathini municipal council is comprised of 14 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Seven councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 7 wards, while the remaining 7 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 9 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 9 – EFF: 2 – IFP: 2 – DA: 1 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | Nhlakanipho Ntombela |
| Deputy Executive Mayor | Thembalikho Gwala |
| Speaker | n/a |
| Chief Whip | Siphiwe Ngidi |
| Other Council Members | – Mhlengi Cele – Lindiwe Lembethe – Makhosi Lushaba – Nkosinathi Maphumulo – Sbongile Mdladla – Menzi Mkhize – Senzo Mkhize – Ronica Mofokeng – Nkosinathi Ndlovu – Musa Ngcongo – Siphiwe Ngidi |
| Municipal Manager | Sanele Mngwengwe |
| Chief Financial Officer | Thokozane Excellent Gambu |
| Senior Management | – Nonhlanhla Mkhize (Director: Community Services) – Phumelele Ngubane (Director: Corporate Services) – Sipho Zulu (Acting Director: Technical Services) |
| Communications Officers | B.K Mthiyane |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in the Mkhambathini Local Municipality.
- Camperdown
- Eston
- Mid Illovo
Contact details
The contact details of the Mkhambathini Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | Private Bag X04, Camperdown, 3720 |
| Physical Address: | 18 Old Main Road, Camperdown, 3720 |
| Telephone: | 031 785 9300 |
| WhatsApp/SMS Line: | 060 712 0866 |
| Fax: | 031 785 2121 |
| Email: | communications@mkhambathini.gov.za |
| Website: | www.mkhambathini.gov.za |
| Police Services: | 10111 |
| ER24: | 084 124 |
| KwaZulu-Natal Health Call Center: | 0800 00 5133 |
| Provincial Disaster Management Center: | 0800 000 953/4 |
| uMgungundlovu District Municipality: | 0800 864 911 |
| Corruption Watch: | – Cell No: 060 712 0866 – Email: fraudhotline@mkhambathini.gov.za |
| Netcare: | 082 911 |
| Rates queries: | income@mkhambathini.gov.za |
| Learners licensing: | mkhizez@mkhambathini.gov.za |
| Motor licensing: | dlungwanen@mkhambathini.gov.za |
| Library: | mthombenis@mkhambathini.gov.za |
