Mkhondo Local Municipality is a Category B municipality located in the southeastern region of the Gert Sibande District Municipality in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B3 (small towns) |
| Province: | Mpumalanga |
| District: | Gert Sibande |
| Municipal code: | MP303 |
| Seat: | eMkhondo (previously known as Piet Retief) |
| Number of wards: | 19 |
| Total area: | 4,882 km² (1,885 square miles) |
| Population: | 255,411 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Ngelosi Ndlovu |
About
Mkhondo Local Municipality is geographically located in the southeastern corner of the Gert Sibande District Municipality and Mpumalanga Province.
The Municipality was formed by amalgamating two former Transitional Local Councils and two Transitional Rural Councils – the historic towns of Piet Retief and Amsterdam.
Mkhondo Local Municipality covers an area of 4,882 km² (1,885 square miles) making it the fourth-largest local municipality in the Gert Sibande District.
The administrative headquarters/seat of Mkhondo Local Municipality is in eMkhondo which also serves as a gateway to Gauteng, Eswatini, KwaZulu-Natal, and Maputo in Mozambique.
The municipality is divided into 19 wards.
Mkhondo Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality to the northeast
- Msukaligwa Local Municipality to the north
- Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Local Municipality to the west
- eDumbe Local Municipality in the Zululand District in the KwaZulu-Natal Province to the south
- uPhongolo Local Municipality in the Zululand District in the KwaZulu-Natal Province to the southeast
- The country of Eswatini to the east
Mkhondo Local Municipality is a gateway to Eswatini and the province from KwaZulu-Natal. It is also situated halfway between the Gauteng metropolis (Johannesburg and Pretoria) and the Natal coast (Durban and Richards Bay).
The municipality is the main link for both industrial and commercial transport from Gauteng to the import/export harbour at Richards Bay.
Piet Retief, currently known as eMkhondo, is surrounded by forestry and plantations. Much of its economy originates from these resources.
Known as home to an impressive cluster of wood-based industries, Mkhondo is rich in certain resources like timber, coal, and water. As a result, major companies have created an industrial base in Mkhondo.
Three major sawmills, Mondi, Tafibra, and PG Bison, are located just outside of eMkhondo.
Mondi, Sappi, TWK, and Komati Land Forests are the major companies that lead the forestry industry in the area. These play a crucial role in boosting a well-diversified economy, and the other components of manufacturing, tourism, real estate, and personal services.
Several scattered pockets of mining are found in the municipal area of jurisdiction.
Amsterdam/KwaThandeka and its rural nodes in the Mkhondo municipal area are fundamentally agricultural and have forestry support.
Natural conservation and tourist activities also contribute towards the socio-economic conditions of the municipality.
Several South African Heritage Sites are found within the municipality. These include the Entombe Battlefield, Rooikraal, Confidence, Kalkoenvlakte and Heyshope Dam. The Morgestond and Athole Nature Reserves and Amsterdam Conservation are two sites managed by the Mpumalanga Parks Board.
Entombe gives you a very warm welcome. This historical site forms part of the Battlefields Route, a trip through 14 historical towns whose surrounding areas boast the largest concentration of battlefields in South Africa. This same area of land then witnessed clashes between the British Empire. Amsterdam, among the several venues that are worth visiting, excites most of the bird lovers who happen to visit the site which also has special species of flowers.
Golfers are attracted by the local Country Clubs in Piet Retief and surroundings that provide excellent sporting facilities, in particular, while horse riding has a high appeal in the rural villages near KwaNgema and Driefontein. People who like hiking and car racing sports activities find Amsterdam much more convenient and fulfilling.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, Mkhondo Local Municipality has a population of 255,411 people, compared to 189,036 in 2016, and 171,982 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 3.84%.
According to the 2022 Census, 28.9% of the population is under the age of 15, 67% is between 15 and 64, and 4.2% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 94.7% of the population in Mkhondo Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 3.7% as White, 0.8% as Indian/Asian, and 0.5% as Coloured.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 89.1% of the population speaks isiZulu as their first language, 3.5% speak Afrikaans, 2.4% speak English, 1.8% speak siSwati, and 3.2% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of Mkhondo Local Municipality are agriculture, forestry, mining, and transport.
Municipal council and management
The Mkhondo municipal council is comprised of 38 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Nineteen councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 19 wards, while the remaining 19 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 twenty-one seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 21 – EFF: 7 – DA: 4 – INDEPENDENT: 2 – ATM: 1 – IFP: 1 – NFP: 1 – VF PLUS: 1 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | Ngelosi Ndlovu |
| Speaker | Mduduzi Ngwenya |
| Chief Whip | Daniel Thwala |
| Other Council Members | – Thembi Khumalo (MMC: Community and Public Safety) – Jan Mnisi (MMC: Financial and Technical Services) – Mary Thwala (Chairperson: MPAC) – Daniel Thwala (MMC: Planning and Corporate Services) – Mhlaliseni Yende |
| Municipal Manager | MJ Mkhonza (Acting) |
| Chief Financial Officer | Stephan Chavarika (Acting) |
| Senior Management | – Lyzette Botha (SM: HR Management) – Vusi Dube (SM: Solid Waste, Parks and Gardens) – Mandla Gumede (SM: Supply Chain Management) – Vusi Khumalo (GM: Community Services) – Clement Letsoalo (SM: Revenue) – Ralton Lewis (SM: ICT) – Ziphelele Lugongolo (GM: Technical Services) – Wendy Mahlangu (Manager: LED) – Wendy Mahlanu (SM: IDP/LED and Tourism) – Alfred Mambane (SM: Electrical Services) – Comfort Mango (Manager: Risk Management) – Consent Masango (SM: Public Safety) – Thandeka Mazibuko (SM: Water and Sanitation) – Salakwande Mngomezulu (SM: Perfomance Management System) – Thabo Motloung (GM: Planning and Economic Development) – Cedric Mundzelele (SM: Expenditure) – Hank Nel (SM: Roads and Storm Water) – Andreas Ngcobo (SM: Internal Audit) – Buyi Nxumalo (SM: Legal and Properties) – Kevin Segooa (SM: Budget and Finance Reporting) – Mbhekeni Simelane (Manager: Target Groups) – Mdu Thabede (GM: Corporate Services) – Tresure Thabede (Manager: LED Manager) |
| Communications Officers | Robert Kubheka |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in Mkhondo Local Municipality.
- Amsterdam
- eMkhondo (previously Piet Retief)
Contact details
The contact details of Mkhondo Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | PO Box 23, eMkhondo, 2380 |
| Physical Address: | Cnr Market and De Wet Street, eMkhondo |
| Telephone: | 017 004 0197 |
| Fax: | 086 542 1173 |
| Email: | info@mkhondo.gov.za |
| Website: | www.mkhondo.gov.za |
Political assassinations
Mkhondo Local Municipality was described as “the epicentre of political assassinations” after several assassinations.
In 2022, Sbonelo Mthembu accused former mayor Vusi Motha of having assassinated the ANC regional secretary of Gert Sibande District Municipality. Mthembu himself was later assassinated. Motha stated that he had intended to sue Mthembu for defamation.
