The OR Tambo District Municipality (ORTDM) is a Category C municipality situated in the eastern coastal region of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.
OR Tambo District Municipality
| Type of municipality: | District (Category C) |
| Province: | Eastern Cape |
| Municipal code: | DC15 |
| Seat: | Mthatha |
| Local municipalities: | 5 |
| Total area: | 12,141 km² (4,688 square miles) |
| Population: | 1,501,702 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Mesuli Ngqondwana |
About
The OR Tambo District Municipality is geographically situated on the Indian Ocean coast in the eastern part of the Eastern Cape province.
The district is named after the late Oliver Reginald Kaizana Tambo (27 October 1917 – 24 April 1993), who was a South African anti-apartheid politician and revolutionary who served as President of the African National Congress (ANC) from 1967 to 1991.
The OR Tambo District Municipality covers an area of 12,141 km² (4,688 square miles), about 9.52% of the province’s geographical area.
The district’s headquarters/seat is in Mthatha.
The district is divided into five local municipalities, namely;
- Ingquza Hill Local Municipality
- King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality
- Mhlontlo Local Municipality
- Nyandeni Local Municipality
- Port St Johns Local Municipality
The OR Tambo District Municipality is bordered by Chris Hani District Municipality to the west, Joe Gqabi District Municipality to the northwest, Alfred Nzo District Municipality to the north, the Indian Ocean to the east, and Amathole District Municipality to the southwest.
The district is also host to the village of Mvezo, where the late former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, was born into the Madiba clan of the Thembu royal family. The Nelson Mandela National Museum is situated in Mthatha.
The district covers about 80% of what used to be the former Transkei magisterial districts, the homeland of the Xhosa during the Apartheid era, which had Mthatha as the capital.
The District includes the bulk of the Wild Coast Region and is home to Luchaba Nature Reserve, next to Mthatha Dam, and a string of coastal nature reserves including Hluleka, Mkambati, Silaka, and Indigenous forest reserves including Egosa, Lotana, Mbotyi, Mt Sullivan, Mt Thesiger, Ntlopeni, Ntsubane as well as a proclaimed marine reserve, adjacent to Mkambati.
The OR Tambo District Municipality includes high and moderate rainfall areas, mainly along its sub-tropical coast, but also in pockets of mountainous areas, and has a diversity of vegetation, from grasslands and thicket to forests and bushveld.
OR Tambo is considered to have the richest natural resources and the most fertile areas in South Africa, with good soils and climatic conditions.
The district is classified as a Category C2 municipality, indicating a mostly rural character and low urbanisation rate, as well as insufficient municipal staff and budget capacity.
Apart from King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality, all the other local municipalities in the district are classed as Category B4 rural, reflecting limited institutional capacity and areas characterised by small centres, limited SMMEs, and market opportunities, dependence on public support, and LED activities.
It is also one of the four Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme (ISRDP) nodes in the Eastern Cape province.
Most people in the district (about 66.5%) are living in poverty, with just about 15% being employed.
Map
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the OR Tambo District Municipality has a population of 1,501,702 residents, compared to 1,457,384 in 2016 and 1,366,039 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 0.92%.
According to the 2022 Census, 35.1% of the population is under the age of 15, 58.8% is between 15 and 64, and 6.1% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 99% of the OR Tambo District Municipality population describe themselves as Black African, 0.5% as Coloured, 0.2% as White, and 0.2% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 94.2% of the population speaks isiXhosa as their first language, 2.7% speak English, and 3.1% speak other languages.
Although isiZulu is also spoken in the district, it is not common.
Economy
The district’s main economic sectors are community services (55%), trade (18.5%), finance (16.9%), agriculture (3.5%), transport (3.1%), manufacturing (2.8%), and construction (2.7%).
District council and management
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 18 – EFF: 2 – UDM: 2 – ATM: 1 – DA: 1 |
| Controlling Party | n/a |
| Executive Mayor | Mesuli Ngqondwana |
| Deputy Executive Mayor | Thandekile Sabisa |
| Speaker | Nonkoliso Ngqongwa |
| Chief Whip | Nomvuzo Mlombile-Cingo |
| Other Council Members | – Nontyatyambo Gcingca (MMC: Community Services) – Mandisa Giyose (MMC: Technical Services) – Mvuyisi Mbhede (MMC: Rural Economic Development and Planning) – Thandi Mdledle (MMC: Budget and Treasury and Corporate Services) – Nokuthula Mtuku (MMC: Special Programmes Unit) – Mlamli Ndabeni (MMC: Infrastructure, Water and Sanitation) – Thandekile Sabisa (MMC: Human Settlements) Gcinumzi Tshoto (MMC: IGR and Planning) |
| Municipal Manager | B.P. Mase |
| Chief Financial Officer | n/a |
| Senior Management | – D.S. Gqiba (Director: Infrastructure Water and Sanitation Services) – L.L. Madzidzela (Director: Community Services) – S Mandla (Director: Internal Audit) – S Ndakisa (Director: Budget and Treasury) – S Ndamase (Director: Rural Economic Development and Planning) – L Nombasa (Director: Corporate Services) |
| Communications Officers | – Zimkhita Macingwane (Head: Communications) – Mntuwoxolo Ngudle (Mayoral Spokesperson) |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in the OR Tambo District Municipality.
- Flagstaff
- Libode
- Lusikisiki
- Mqanduli
- Mthatha (previously known as Umtata)
- Ngqeleni
- Port St Johns
- Qumbu
- Tsolo
Contact details
The contact details of the OR Tambo District Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal address: | Private Bag X6043, Mthatha, 5099 |
| Physical address: | O.R. Tambo House, Nelson Mandela Drive, Myezo Park, Mthatha, 5099 |
| Telephone: | 047 501 6400 |
| Fax: | – 047 532 6518 – 047 532 4166 |
| Email: | info@ortambodm.gov.za |
| Website: | www.ortambodm.gov.za |
| SAPS (South African Police Service): | 10111 |
| Medical services (EMS): | – 10177 – 047 532 3386/84 |
| Fire services: | 047 531 6494 |
| Disaster services: | – 047 531 4103 – 047 501 6494 |
