The Okhahlamba Local Municipality is a Category B municipality situated in the western region of the uThukela District Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B4 (mostly rural) |
| Province: | KwaZulu-Natal |
| District: | uThukela |
| Municipal code: | KZN235 |
| Seat: | Bergville |
| Number of wards: | 15 |
| Total area: | 3,971 km² (1,533 square miles) |
| Population: | 143,132 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Vikizitha Richard Mlotshwa |
About
The Okhahlamba Local Municipality was established during the 2000 transformation of local government in South Africa.
Okhahlamba Local Municipality is geographically located in the western region of the uThukela District Municipality in the mountainous region of KwaZulu-Natal, between the Free State Province, Lesotho, and the Inkosi Langalibalele and Alfred Duma Local Municipalities.
The municipality comprises 15 electoral wards and is made up of smallholder settlements, privately owned commercial farmland, three tribal authority areas, and the urban areas of Winterton, Bergville, Geluksberg, and Cathkin Park.
The Okhahlamba Local Municipality covers an area of 3,971 km² (1,533 square miles), making it the largest of three local municipalities in the uThukela District, as it accounts for just over a third of its geographical area.
The Okhahlamba Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Alfred Duma Local Municipality to the north and east
- Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality to the east and south
- The country of Lesotho to the south and west
- Maluti-A-Phofung Local Municipality in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality in the Free State Province to the west and north
The administrative headquarters/seat of the Okhahlamba Local Municipality is in the town of Bergville.
Bergville is an ideally-situated trading and agricultural centre situated less than 50 kilometres from the towering Amphitheatre of Royal Natal.
The town was laid out by a retired sea captain in 1897. Two years later, at the onset of the Anglo-Boer War, British forces built a blockhouse in the settlement. The building is now a museum and monument within the grounds of the Bergville Courthouse.
Bergville is famous for being the gateway to the Northern Drakensberg, with approximately half a million tourists being attracted to the Drakensberg annually. In fact, Bergville hosts an office of the Drakensberg Publicity Association.
The Okhahlamba municipal is relatively well linked through the network of existing provincial roads like the R74 that runs through the municipality and links it to the N3 National Route.
The Okhahlamba Municipality heavily depends on uMnambithi (previously known as Ladysmith) for facilities such as education, medical services, and shopping among others. Large capital expenditure is needed to meet service backlogs in the municipality.
The Tugela River (also known as the uThukela River), KwaZulu-Natal’s principal, largest, and most important river, traverses the Okhahlamba Municipality passing through the town of Bergville.
The Okhahlamba Loca Municipality council manages holiday huts and a caravan park on the bank of the Tugela River.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the Okhahlamba Local Municipality has a population of 143,132 people, compared to 135,132 in 2016, and 132,068 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 0.78%.
According to the 2022 Census, 32.9% of the population is under the age of 15, 61.3% is between 15 and 64, and 5.9% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 97.1% of the population in the Okhahlamba Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 2.1% as White, 0.4% as Indian/Asian, and 0.2% as Coloured.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 93.2% of the population speaks isiZulu as their first language, 2% speak English, 1.2% speak isiNdebele, 1% speak Afrikaans, and 2.6% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of the Okhahlamba Local Municipality are tourism, manufacturing, agriculture, real estate, wholesale and retail trade, insurance, finance, and business services.
Municipal council and management
The Okhahlamba municipal council is comprised of 29 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Fifteen councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 15 wards, while the remaining 14 are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received.
In the elections on 1 November 2021, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) won a plurality of 9 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – IFP: 9 – ANC: 8 – APEMO: 6 – EFF: 2 – NFP: 2 – DA: 1 – NPA: 1 |
| Controlling party | Hung Council |
| Executive Mayor | Vikizitha Richard Mlotshwa |
| Deputy Executive Mayor | Nothile Ernel Tshabalala |
| Speaker | Solomon Zamlandela Khumalo |
| Chief Whip | n/a |
| Other Council Members | n/a |
| Municipal Manager | Nkosingiphile Malinga |
| Chief Financial Officer | Saziso Dlamini |
| Senior Management | – Mike Khulu (Director: Corporate Services) – Hlengiwe Ndaba (Director: Social and Economic Development Services) – Samukelisiwe Zwane (Director: Technical Services) |
| Communications Officers | Suraya Asmal |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in the Okhahlamba Local Municipality.
- Cathkin Park
- Bergville
- Geluksburg
- Moyeni
- Rookdale
- Winterton
Contact details
The contact details of the Okhahlamba Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | P.O. Box 71, Bergville, 3350 |
| Physical Address: | 259 Kingsway Street, Bergville, 3350 |
| Telephone: | 036 448 8000 |
| Fax: | 036 448 1986 |
| Email: | communications@okhahlamba.gov.za |
| Website: | www.okhahlamba.gov.za |
| Emergency Control Centre: | 0800 111 455 |
