Nyandeni Local Municipality is a Category B municipality in the central region of the OR Tambo 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: | OR Tambo |
| Municipal code: | EC155 |
| Seat: | Libode |
| Number of wards: | 32 |
| Total area: | 2,474 km² (955 square miles) |
| Population: | 304,856 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | n/a |
About
The Nyandeni Local Municipality is geographically located in the central region of the OR Tambo District Municipality, approximately 30 kilometres east of Mthatha and 50 kilometres west of Port St Johns.
The municipality stretches southwards to the Indian Ocean coast and is bordered by a 20-kilometer stretch of the coastal belt on the southeastern part and the Umzimvubu River on the western part.
The Nyandeni Local Municipality covers an area of 2,474 km² (955 square miles), making it the second-smallest of five local municipalities in the OR Tambo District, as it accounts for almost a quarter of its geographical area..
The Nyandeni Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Ntabankulu Local Municipality in the Alfred Nzo District Municipality to the north
- Mhlontlo Local Municipality to the north and northwest
- King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality to the west and south
- The Indian Ocean to the south and southeast
- Port St Johns Local Municipality to the east
- Ingquza Hill Local Municipality to the northeast
The Nyandeni Local Municipality comprises 32 wards and two magisterial towns, Ngqeleni and Libode. The municipality’s urban population is mainly located in these two towns.
The administrative headquarters/seat of Nyandeni Local Municipality is in Libode.
The entire municipal area of Nyandeni falls within the former Transkei Bantustan area.
The Nyandeni Local Municipality is dominated by scattered, low-density rural settlements, with 79% of households residing in traditional or village-type settlements. These settlements are loosely scattered throughout the entire municipal area and are surrounded by arable and communal grazing lands. The majority of residential structures are self-built.
There is very little sign of any significant economic activity within the rural settlements of the municipality, apart from a few trading stores.
Most households in the municipality’s rural areas are poverty-stricken, with almost zero income or incomes of less than R800 per month.
The majority of the educational institutions in Nyandeni Local Municipality provide lower-level schooling. Of the 426 schools in the Nyandeni area, about 64% are overcrowded or highly overcrowded, according to the OR Tambo District office.
The municipality is burdened by the severe spread of HIV/AIDS. In 2009, the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate was as high as 50%-60% among tested cases; these cases were mainly females who participated in voluntary testing during their regular pregnancy visits to local clinics.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, Nyandeni Local Municipality has a population of 304,856 people, compared to 309,702 in 2016 and 290,390 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 0.47%.
According to the 2022 Census, 36.7% of the population is under the age of 15, 57.2% is between 15 and 64, and 6% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 99.4% of the population in Nyandeni Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 0.3% as Coloured, 0.1% as White, and 0.1% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 95.3% of the population speaks isiXhosa as their first language, 2% speak English, and 2.7% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of Nyandeni Local Municipality are trade, finance, and community services.
Municipal council and management
The Nyandeni municipal council is comprised of 64 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Thirty-two councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 32 wards, while the remaining 32 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 51 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 51 – ATM: 5 – EFF: 4 – UDM: 2 – CI: 1 – DA: 1 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | n/a |
| Speaker | Mcebisi Robert Mtobela |
| Chief Whip | Nomnikelo Yehana |
| Other Council Members | – PM Diniso – P Godogwana – M Magxala – T Matika-Mcube – Z Mevana -r W Ngaveli – N Thiyeka – VB Zondani |
| Municipal Manager | – GN Cekwana (Acting) – S Mvunelo |
| Chief Financial Officer | Bongani Benxa |
| Senior Management | – Q Madikida (Senior Manager: Infrastructure Development) – Zamangwane Masumpa (Senior Manager: Community Services) |
| Communications Officers | BV Ndamase |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in Nyandeni Local Municipality.
- Libode
- Ngqeleni
Contact details
The contact details of Nyandeni Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | Private Bag X504, Libode, 5160 |
| Physical Address: | Municipality Building, B.N. Nomandela Drive, Libode 5160 |
| Telephone: | 047 555 5000 |
| Fax: | 047 555 0202 |
| Email: | nyandeni@nyandenilm.gov.za |
| Website: | www.nyandenilm.gov.za |
