Senqu Local Municipality is a Category B municipality in the Joe Gqabi 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: | Joe Gqabi |
| Municipal code: | EC142 |
| Seat: | Lady Grey |
| Number of wards: | 17 |
| Total area: | 7,329 km² (2,830 square miles) |
| Population: | 147,073 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Velile Victor Stokhwe |
About
The Senqu Local Municipality is geographically located in the eastern region of the Joe Gqabi District Municipality.
The municipality is named after the Orange River, whose Sesotho name is Senqu.
Senqu Local Municipality represents the amalgamation and integration that took place between the former municipalities of Barkly East, Lady Grey, Rossouw, Sterkspruit, and Rhodes.
Senqu Local Municipality comprises 17 wards and covers an area of 7,329 km² (2,830 square miles), making it the second-largest of three local municipalities in the Joe Gqabi District, as it accounts for a third of its geographical area.
The administrative headquarters/seat of Senqu Local Municipality is in Lady Grey.
Senqu Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Walter Sisulu Local Municipality to the west
- Elundini Local Municipality to the east
- Emalahleni and Sakhisizwe Local Municipalities in the Chris Hani District Municipality to the south
- The country of Lesotho to the north
- Mohokare Local Municipality in the Xhariep District in the Free State Province to the north
The Senqu Local Municipality is made up of 179 villages, three major urban centres, namely Lady Grey, Sterkspruit, and Barkly East, and 3 small settlements/villages namely Rossouw, Herschel, and Rhodes.
The Municipality has a predominantly rural population that lives in villages. However, the traditional rural landscape is steadily changing with increased urbanisation and less money and time being spent on a subsistence farming lifestyle.
These days villages are rapidly growing towards former urban areas such as Herschel and Sterkspruit.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, Senqu Local Municipality has a population of 147,073 people, compared to 140,720 in 2016 and 134,150 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 0.89%.
According to the 2022 Census, 31.1% of the population is under the age of 15, 59.7% is between 15 and 64, and 9.2% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 97.3% of the population in Senqu Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 1.2% as Coloured, 1.1% as White, and 0.2% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 74.3% of the population speaks isiXhosa as their first language, 20.2% speak Sesotho, 2.4% speak Afrikaans, 1.3% speak English, and 1.8% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of Senqu Local Municipality are finance, general government, community, social and personal services, trade, manufacturing, transport, agriculture, forestry and fishing, and construction.
Municipal council and management
The Senqu municipal council comprises 34 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Seventeen councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 17 wards, while the remaining 17 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 an increased majority of 25 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 25 – EFF: 4 – CIVIC: 2 – DA: 1 – PAC: 1 – UDM: 1 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | Velile Victor Stokhwe |
| Speaker | Ruth Nogoli Gwabini |
| Chief Whip | Simon Mfisa |
| Other Council Members | – Bongeka Mbonjwa (Development and Town Planning Services) – Simon Mfisa (Portfolio Head: Corporate and Support Services) – Luthando Stephen Ndakisa (Portfolio Head: Technical Services) – Nolufefe Mercy Ngendane (Portfolio Head: Community Services) – Nolonwabo Ngendane (Portfolio Head: Finance Services) |
| Municipal Manager | T.A. Mawonga |
| Chief Financial Officer | K Fourie |
| Senior Management | – Sandile Kenneth Chaphi (Director: Development and Town Planning Services) – Zimasa Koyana (Director: Corporate Services) – Nokulunga Nyezi (Director: Community Services) – Ranko Ruiters (Director: Technical Services) |
| Communications Officers | – Thandi Mthiya (Communications Coordinator) – Tanya Van Zyl (Manager: Communications) |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in the Senqu Local Municipality.
- Barkly East
- Herschel
- Lady Grey
- Rhodes
- Rossouw
- Sterkspruit
Contact details
The contact details of Senqu Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | Private Bag X03, Lady Grey, 9755 |
| Physical Address: | 19 Murray Street, Lady Grey |
| Telephone: | – 051 603 1300 – 051 603 1301 |
| Fax: | 051 603 0445 |
| Email: | info@senqu.gov.za |
| Website: | www.senqu.gov.za |
