Ngqushwa Local Municipality is a Category B municipality in the southwestern region of the Amathole District Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B4 (mostly rural) |
| Province: | Eastern Cape |
| District: | Amathole |
| Municipal code: | EC126 |
| Seat: | Peddie |
| Number of wards: | 12 |
| Total area: | 2,115 km² (817 square miles) |
| Population: | 68,300 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Sanga Siyabulela Maneli |
About
The Ngqushwa Local Municipality is geographically located in the southwestern region of the Amathole District Municipality. It is bordered by the Keiskamma River to the east and the Great Fish River to the west.
Ngqushwa’s southern boundary of 42 kilometres comprises a part of the coastline of the Indian Ocean and provides for some very interesting and exciting developmental prospects.
The Ngqushwa Local Municipality comprises 12 wards and covers an area of 2,115 km² (817 square miles), making it the second-smallest of six local municipalities in the Amathole District, as it accounts for 10% of its geographical area.
The Ngqushwa Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality to the north and northwest
- Makana Local Municipality in the Sarah Baartman District Municipality to the west
- Ndlambe Local Municipality in the Sarah Baartman District Municipality to the southwest
- The Indian Ocean to the south
- Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality to the east
The Ngqushwa Local Municipality is made up of two main towns, Peddie and Hamburg, and a portion of King Williams Town villages.
The administrative headquarters/seat of Ngqushwa Local Municipality is in Peddie.
The municipality is predominantly rural and consists of 108 villages.
Wards and Villages
| Ward | Towns/Villages |
|---|---|
| 1 | Bhele, Gobozana, Ngqwele, Nxopho, Mtati, Tamara, Tyeni, Zalara |
| 2 | Dlova, Mavathulana, Upper & Lower Mthombe, Mtyholo (Zondeka), Nquthu, Qugqwala, Rode, Tapushe, Tildin, Thyatha |
| 3 | Bongweni A, Bongweni B, Crossman/ Mgwangqa, Gcinisa North, Hlosini, Khalana, Mabongo, Maqosha, Mqwashu, Nomonti, Ntsinekana, Nqwenerhana, Qawukeni, Shushu, and Torr |
| 4 | Machibi, Madliki, Mdolomba, Moni, Upper & Lower Dube, Ngxakaxha, Nxwashu, Phole |
| 5 | Begha, Bell, Bodium, Crossroads, Hoyi, Tyityaba/Ferndale, Leqeni, Lover’s Twist, Tuku A, B & C, Wooldridge (Birha) |
| 6 | Celetyuma, Cisira, Dam-dam, Feni, Makhahlane Mahlubini/Nyaniso, Ncala |
| 7 | Eluxolweni, Glenmore, Gwabeni, Horton, Mankone, Maqosha, Ndlambe, Ndwayana, Qamnyana, Rura |
| 8 | Durban Location, German village, Peddie Town, Peddie Extension, Power |
| 9 | Lewis, Lower Mgwalana (Nyeleni), Mgwalana, Nobumba, Ntloko, Paradise, Pikoli, Runletts, Woodlands |
| 10 | Lower Gwalana, Lower Qeto, Mabaleni, Maxhegweni, Mtati, Newtondale, Ngqowa (eSigingqini), Ntshamanzi, Upper Gwalana, Upper Qeto |
| 1 | Mgababa, Mkhanyeni, Mpheko, Prudhoe |
| 12 | Benton, Bhingqala/Soweto, Daninge, Gcinisa-South, Hamburg, Mqheleni, Nuloets, Qobo-qobo/Nuloets, Tarfield/Nier, Wesley |
Physiography
The Ngqushwa Local Municipality is bounded by major drainage channels. The Keiskamma River and Great Fish River bound it on the east and west, respectively.
The coastal zone that forms the southern boundary of the Municipality contains many estuaries of the minor rivers rising from the area and flowing into the Indian Ocean. The sensitive nature of the coastline requires proper local conservation practices and polices to ensure that the valuable ecological resources in the area are not unnecessarily exploited but are developed sustainably.
The deeply incised Keiskamma and Great Fish Rivers have enabled the development of alluvial terraces. Although the terraces of the Great Fish River are easily accessible (limited to the Tyefu area), the isolated nature of the terraces and the steep scarp zone along the Keiskamma River restrict accessibility to these areas.
Geology and Soils
Geologically, Ngqushwa Local Municipality’s coastal area consists of unconsolidated beach sand and high coastal dunes as well as fixed dunes and semi-consolidated sand overlying the older sedimentary rocks.
The inland area is mostly underlain by sandstone, mudstone, and shale of the Karoo sequence, and the properties associated with this formation are of high erodability and medium to high suitability for foundation.
In terms of soil fertility in the Ngqushwa Municipality, previous agricultural practices have indicated that areas with soils suitable for agricultural purposes are confined to the following areas:
- The alluvial soils are associated with the Keiskamma River terraces. These soils are considered suitable for subtropical fruit production, vegetable, and/or pasture crop production.
- The irrigable soils are located in the lower Tyefu area.
- The moderately high/moderate potential soils are suitable for dry land crop production and are situated in the coastal plain and plateau.
- Soils of various types, suitable for pineapple production, are found in the coastal plain and immediate plateau areas.
Hydrology
The Ngqushwa municipal area is drained by two major rivers, the Keiskamma and Great Fish Rivers and by several small rivers arising from the inland areas and flowing into the Indian Ocean.
Reports indicate that the Lower Great Fish River cannot be used for domestic purposes or irrigation due to its high salinity (Directorate of Planning, 1989). The inland portion of the Keiskamma River, on the other hand, has adequate water of high quality that can be extracted directly from the river for irrigation and/or domestic purposes.
Furthermore, the several smaller rivers flowing into the Keiskamma or Great Fish Rivers provide additional local storage facilities.
Concerning underground water supplies, some irrigation schemes and villages are supplied from boreholes, and these sources remain a vital water source in the areas. The aquifers in the coastal zone are known to contain a large amount of good drinking water that can complement existing surface systems and supplies.
Climate
Being part of the Western Sub-region, the Ngqushwa Municipality has a climate which varies with the elevation from cool, humid sub-topical at the coast to hot and sub-arid inland.
The climate is characterized by variable moderate to low rainfall, ranging between an annual average of 700 mm at the coast and 400 mm at Tyefu with about 60% of rainfall occurring in summer and peaks being in October and February.
The dominant wind directions are south–westerly (winter) and north–westerly (summer), with the coastal area being subject to considerable winds.
Vegetation
The natural vegetation in the Ngqushwa Local Municipality has been immensely transformed by grazing practices, and the condition of the veld correlates strongly with management techniques and agents.
Even though certain parts of the vegetation have been degraded and show evidence of severe veld mismanagement, especially with the presence of “alien plants”, a bigger portion of the region is in an environmentally superior state, and the region is favorable for livestock production.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, Ngqushwa Local Municipality has a population of 68,300 people, compared to 63,694 in 2016 and 64,422 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 0.57%.
According to the 2022 Census, 26.1% of the population is under the age of 15, 60.3% is between 15 and 64, and 13.6% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 99.2% of the population in Ngqushwa Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 0.4% as White, 0.2% as Coloured, and 0.1% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 94.7% of the population speaks isiXhosa as their first language, 2.6% speak English, and 2.7% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of Ngqushwa Local Municipality are tourism and agriculture.
Municipal council and management
The Ngqushwa municipal council is comprised of 23 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Twelve councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 12 wards, while the remaining 11 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 18 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 18 – EFF: 3 – DA: 1 – INDEPENDENT: 1 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | Sanga Siyabulela Maneli |
| Speaker | Daniswa Ncanywa |
| Chief Whip | Anathi Nodikida (Portfolio Head: Community Services) |
| Other Council Members | – Mfundo Gqo (MPAC Chairperson) – Lindiwe Mdabula (Portfolio Head: Budget and Treasury and Portfolio Head: Corporate Services) |
| Municipal Manager | Ndoda Mgengo |
| Chief Financial Officer | Tinashe Fortune Fundira |
| Senior Management | – Theodora Betha (Acting Director: Infrastructure and Technical Services) – Vuyisa Mbangi (Director: Community Services) – Khululwa Notshulwana (Director: Corporate Services) – Simthembile Shaun Nyaniso (Portfolio Head: Budget and Treasury Office – BTO) |
| Communications Officers | Ncumisa Cakwe |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in Ngqushwa Local Municipality.
- Hamburg
- Peddie
Contact details
The contact details of Ngqushwa Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | P.O. Box 539, Peddie, Eastern Cape, 5640 |
| Physical Address: | ERF 313, Main Road, Peddie, Eastern Cape |
| Telephone: | 040 673 3095 |
| Fax: | 040 673 3771 |
| Email: | info@ngqushwamun.gov.za |
| Website: | www.ngqushwamun.gov.za |
| SAPS (Peddie): | – 040 673 3311 / 040 673 3022 – 10111 (Call Centre) |
| Emergency Services (EMS: Ambulance): | 10177 |
| Nompumelelo Hospital: | 040 673 3321 |
