The Mtubatuba Local Municipality is a Category B municipality situated in the southeastern region of the uMkhanyakude 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: | uMkhanyakude |
| Municipal code: | KZN275 |
| Seat: | Mtubatuba |
| Number of wards: | 23 |
| Total area: | 1,970 km² (761 square miles) |
| Population: | 215,869 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Mxolisi Mthethwa |
About
Mtubatuba Local Municipality was established in 2000 in terms of the Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (Act No. 117 of 1998).
The municipality was named after the inkosi Mtubatuba of the Mkhwanazi Clan.
Mtubatuba Local Municipality is geographically located in the southeastern region of the uMkhanyakude District Municipality along the northern coastal belt of KwaZulu-Natal Province.
The Mtubatuba Municipality comprises 23 electoral wards and covers an area of 1,970 km² (761 square miles), making it the smallest of four local municipalities in the uMkhanyakude District.
Mtubatuba Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Big 5 Hlabisa Local Municipality to the north and west
- uMfolozi Local Municipality in the King Cetshwayo District Municipality to the southwest and south
- The Indian Ocean to the east
The two main towns in the municipality are Mtubatuba and St Lucia.
The administrative headquarters/municipal offices of Mtubatuba Local Municipality are in Mtubatuba Town, which is located approximately 230 kilometres northeast of Durban and 50.5 kilometres northeast of the Richards Bay/Empangeni metropole along the N2 National Route which almost divides the Municipality into Mtubatuba East and Mtubatuba West.
To the west of Mtubatuba town are rural villages of Mpukunyoni Traditional Council (previously with Mtubatuba Municipality) administered by the Ingonyama Trust Board, to the southwest lies KwaMsane Township, to the northeast lies the World Heritage Site of iSimangaliso Wetland Park, and is bordered by Umfolozi River to the South.
Mtubatuba town is ideally located as a base from which to explore the rich culture of the Zulu Nation, the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and KwaZulu-Natal’s world-renowned game reserves.
Mtubatuba has developed from a railway siding into a strong sub-regional commercial, service, transport and administrative centre for the entire north-eastern Zululand region.
There has been substantial commercial growth in Mtubatuba, lending it the status of being an economic hub of northern KwaZulu-Natal.
Mtubatuba Local Municipality is one of the most urbanised municipalities within the uMkhanyakude District.
St Lucia town is a tourism and service center for the surrounding rural area of Mpukunyoni and a scenery belt serving the passing R618 Regional Route which links the town of Mtubatuba and St Lucia.
The vast majority of the municipality falls under traditional authority – indicating a high proportion of people residing in scattered, rural villages under the jurisdiction of traditional authorities while about 15% of the municipality falling under urban areas.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the Mtubatuba Local Municipality has a population of 215,869 people, compared to 202,176 in 2016, and 175,425 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 2.01%.
According to the 2022 Census, 33.7% of the population is under the age of 15, 61.5% is between 15 and 64, and 4.8% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 98.1% of the population in the Mtubatuba Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 1.1% as White, 0.4% as Coloured, and 0.3% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 93.1% of the population speaks isiZulu as their first language, 2.9% speak English, 1.3% speak isiNdebele, and 2.7% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of the Mtubatuba Local Municipality are agriculture, community services, wholesale and retail.
Municipal council and management
The municipality is under S139 administration, effective from March 2019.
The Mtubatuba municipal council is comprised of 45 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Twenty-three councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 23 wards, while the remaining 22 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, no party obtained a majority.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – IFP: 21 – ANC: 14 – EFF: 4 – ACDP: 1 – AIC: 1 – DA: 1 – INDEPENDENT: 1 – NFP: 1 – UDM: 1 |
| Controlling party | Hung Council |
| Executive Mayor | Mxolisi Mthethwa |
| Deputy Executive Mayor | n/a |
| Speaker | Sibongile Jullie Shezi |
| Chief Whip | n/a |
| Municipal Manager | T.V Xulu |
| Chief Financial Officer | B Shandu |
| Senior Management | – S.J Khoza (General Manager: Community Services) – S.S Masuku (Chief Operations Officer) – S.F Mchunu (General Manager: Technical and Infrastructure Development) – Dr T.V Mkhize (General Manager: Corporate Services) – B Shandu (CFO) – Z.R Thwala-Zulu (General Manager: Planning and Sustainable Development) |
| Communications Officers | Khulekani Trinity Msweli (Manager: Communications) |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in Mtubatuba Local Municipality.
- Mtubatuba
- Shikishela
- St Lucia
Contact details
The contact details of Mtubatuba Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | P.O. Box 52, Mtubatuba, 3935 |
| Physical Address: | Lot 105, Inkosi Mtubatuba Road, Mtubatuba, 3935 |
| Telephone: | 035 550 0069 |
| Fax: | 035 550 0060 |
| Email: | info@mtubatuba.gov.za |
| Website: | www.mtubatuba.gov.za |
