The uMfolozi Local Municipality is a Category B municipality situated in the northeastern region of the King Cetshwayo 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: | King Cetshwayo |
| Municipal code: | KZN281 |
| Seat: | KwaMbonambi |
| Number of wards: | 18 |
| Total area: | 1,300 km² (502 square miles) |
| Population: | 159,668 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | XM Bhengu |
About
The municipality was originally named Mbonambi Local Municipality. The name “Mbonambi” refers to the Mbonambi Local Tribal Authority, which covers most of the municipal area.
The municipality was then renamed to Mfolozi Local Municipality on 21 May 2009, and renamed again to uMfolozi Local Municipality on 12 February 2015.
The name Mfolozi/uMfolozi refers to the Umfolozi River which forms the northern boundary of the municipality.
The municipality was enlarged at the time of the 2016 South African municipal elections, when part of the disbanded Ntambanana Local Municipality was merged into it.
The uMfolozi Local Municipality is geographically located in the northeastern region of the King Cetshwayo District Municipality, on the eastern coastline of KwaZulu-Natal, stretching from the Indian Ocean to the edge of the Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park.
The uMfolozi Local Municipality comprises 18 electoral wards and covers an area of 1,300 km² (502 square miles), making it the second-smallest of five local municipalities in the King Cetshwayo District.
The uMfolozi Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Mthonjaneni Local Municipality to the northwest
- The City of uMhlathuze Local Municipality to the west and south
- The Indian Ocean to the east
- Mtubatuba and Big 5 Hlabisa Local Municipalities in the uMkhanyakude District Municipality to the north
The uMfolozi Local Municipality is also bordered by the Mhlana Tribal Authority to the west and the Umfolozi River to the north.
The administrative headquarters/seat of the uMfolozi Local Municipality is in KwaMbonambi, a town situated between Mtubatuba and Richards Bay. KwaMbonambi is located about 24 kilometres north of Richards Bay, the district economic powerhouse and approximately 28 kilometres south of Mtubatuba.
KwaMbonambi town is also located approximately 196 kilometres northeast of Durban, the provincial economic hub and approximately 362 kilometres south of Maputo in Mozambique.
KwaMbonambi town is also in close proximity to the City of uMhlathuze, another economic powerhouse, as well as being situated alongside one of the country’s major highways, the N2 National Route, which runs from Cape Town in the Western Cape Province, passing through the uMfolozi Municipality and ends in Ermelo in the Mpumalanga Province.
The N2 carries both business and tourist traffic while connecting the uMfolozi Municipality to major towns such as Durban and Richards Bay. The significance of this road to the municipality is that it serves as the major economic corridor in the municipal area.
The biggest proportion of land within the uMfolozi Municipal area is owned by private organisations and Ingonyama Trust. This privately owned land is located in the centre of the municipal area surrounding KwaMbonambi. The second-biggest area is Mhlana Traditional Authority, followed by the Sokhulu and Mbonambi Traditional Authorities.
The uMfolozi Municipal Area comprises a long flat coastal plain rising gently from the coast towards the west where it reaches a height of approximately 200 metres above mean sea level (masl), the highest point being KwaMendo in the west at 381 masl.
The coastal plain is interspersed by high dunes and is further characterised by a number of short perennial rivers that originate within the area and either drain northwards towards the Umfolozi River or towards the coastal lakes in the vicinity of Richards Bay to the south. Two coastal lakes lie within the area, Lake Nhlabane on the coast and Lake Eteza towards the north.
The uMfolozi Local Municipality is home to the poorest of the poor. This has been based on evidence reflected in research done containing the average annual household income in uMfolozi (compared to an average annual household income in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality).
The population settlement trend in the municipality is that people generally settled in Traditional Authority areas. This population is skewed in terms of youth as this age group which impacts on the Municipal budgeting thereof.
The incidence of HIV/Aids seems to have a major role in the notion that the disease in reaching maturity. The incidence of HIV/Aids recorded its highest level in the older age groups as a decrease in the younger population indicates improvement in health noted in the Municipal Area.
The uMfolozi Local Municipality is close to the St Lucia Estuary, a World Heritage Site, and to the popular fishing spot of Maphelane, as well as the world-famous Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park. The Owen Sithole College of Agriculture, which is located in the area, contributes to the advancement of agricultural research and training.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the uMfolozi Local Municipality has a population of 159,668 people, compared to 144,363 in 2016 and 125,669 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 2.32%.
According to the 2022 Census, 30.9% of the population is under the age of 15, 64.1% is between 15 and 64, and 5% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 98.8% of the population in the uMfolozi Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 0.8% as White, 0.2% as Indian/Asian, and 0.2% as Coloured.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 92.6% of the population speaks isiZulu as their first language, 2.9% speak English, 1.5% speak isiNdebele, and 3% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of the uMfolozi Local Municipality are agriculture, real estate, finance, insurance, manufacturing, fishing, forestry, wholesale, retail trade, catering, accommodation, transport, storage, communication, and business services.
A significant portion of uMfolozi Local Municipality forms part of the former KwaZulu which tended to be neglected in terms of economic development. Most of the municipal area is also rural and associated with poverty, a lack of development, and poor service provision.
Municipal council and management
The uMfolozi municipal council is comprised of 35 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Eighteen councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 18 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 Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) won a narrow majority of 18 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – IFP: 18 – ANC: 13 – EFF: 3 – NFP: 1 |
| Controlling party | Hung Council |
| Executive Mayor | XM Bhengu |
| Deputy Executive Mayor | NN Gumede |
| Speaker | MM Mthiyane |
| Chief Whip | C Makhunga |
| Other Council Members | – T.M Biyela – S.P Mpanza – B.T Ntombela |
| Municipal Manager | Khulumokwakhe Elliot Gamede |
| Chief Financial Officer | Z.J Ndlovu |
| Senior Management | – Sibusiso Hlatshwayo (Senior Manager: Technical Services) – S.S Maphanga (LED Manager) – A.S Shandu (Senior Manager: Corporate Services) |
| Communications Officers | Phillani P Khumalo |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in the uMfolozi Local Municipality.
- KwaMbonambi
Contact details
The contact details of the uMfolozi Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | P.O. Box 96, KwaMbonambi, 3915 |
| Physical Address: | 25 Bredelia Street, KwaMbonambi, 3915 |
| Telephone: | 035 580 1421 |
| Fax: | 035 580 1141 |
| Website: | www.umfolozi.org.za |
| Emergency Call Centre: | 080 011 1258 |
| Ambulance: | 035 787 3736 |
| Fire Department: | 066 470 6685 |
| Disaster Management: | 083 637 0643 |
