The uMlalazi Local Municipality is a Category B municipality situated in the southern 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: | KZN284 |
| Seat: | Eshowe |
| Number of wards: | 28 |
| Total area: | 2,214 km² (855 square miles) |
| Population: | 241,416 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Q.T Xulu |
About
On 3 August 2016, a portion of Ntambana Local Municipality was merged into uMlalazi Local Municipality.
The uMlalazi Local Municipality is geographically located in the southern region of the King Cetshwayo District Municipality, bordering the Indian Ocean with a 17 kilometre coastline.
The municipality is named after the Mlalazi River which runs through it.
The uMlalazi Local Municipality comprises 28 electoral wards and covers an area of 2,214 km² (855 square miles), making it the largest of five local municipalities in the King Cetshwayo District, as it accounts for almost a third of its geographical area.
The uMlalazi Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Nkandla and Mthonjaneni Local Municipalities to the north
- The City of uMhlathuze Local Municipality to the northeast and east
- The Indian Ocean to the east
- Mandeni and KwaDukuza Local Municipalities in the iLembe District Municipality to the south
- Maphumulo Local Municipality in the iLembe District Municipality to the south and west
The uMlalazi Municipality is characterised by an undulating topography which causes a certain amount of difficulties in respect of the delivery of engineering services.
The population distribution in uMlalazi Local Municipality is characterized by relatively high population densities within urban nodes, and low densities in rural areas.
The municipality is predominately rural and is dominated by tribal areas and 14 Tribal Authorities exist within the area.
The uMlalazi Local Municipality is characterised by commercial farming areas in a broad continuous band from the west of Eshowe to KwaGingindlovu (previously Gingindlovu) and to the north of Mtunzini. The rest of the area consists of tribal authority land, where land management has been poor.
The main towns of uMlalazi Local Municipality are Eshowe, KwaGingindlovu, and Mtunzini.
Eshowe Town is of great historical significance in that it is the birthplace of Cetshwayo, who was king of the Zulu’s during the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. There are several traditional Zulu villages open to tourists within an easy drive of the town. The Dlinza Forest is a beautiful forest which is an ideal tourist destination.
Eshowe Town is also the considered as the administrative and service centre of the uMlalazi Municipality.
The coastal town of Mtunzini, is a greenbelt situated on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal, on the banks of the Mlalazi River and bordering on the Umlalazi Nature Reserve.
Mtunzini is mainly a residential town, offering superb homes in a relaxed and quiet atmosphere, within comfortable driving distance of the N2 National Route and the commercial and industrial growth areas of Empangeni and Richards Bay.
Mtunzini is a quality residential and eco-tourist destination in South Africa as it has all the basic shopping facilities, doctors and places of worship.
By far the largest proportions of service backlogs occur in the rural areas and the provision of these services requires a substantial amount of funding. The complicating factor is however the undulating topography that is characteristic of the entire municipal area. In some instances it therefore becomes difficult and expensive to provide these services.
The uMlalazi Local Municipality is crossed by a number of important transportation routes, such as the N2 National Route between Durban and Richards Bay, the R34 Provincial Route between Richards Bay/Empangeni and Nkwaleni valley to the north of Eshowe, and the R66 Provincial Route from the N2 Highway to KwaGingindlovu, Eshowe, Melmoth, Ulundi and Vryheid.
Both the R34 and the R66 routes need of maintenance as a result of heavy duty vehicles using the routes on a regular basis.
The N2 National Route between Durban and Richards Bay is located to the southeast of the uMlalazi Municipality and is aligned parallel to the coastline and to the immediate west of Mtunzini. Arterial roads through the municipal area are in good condition. There are various district roads in the area together with smaller farm or agricultural roads. In practically all instances, these roads are in a poor condition and in need of upgrading.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the uMlalazi Local Municipality has a population of 241,416 people, compared to 223,140 in 2016 and 213,601 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 1.19%.
According to the 2022 Census, 31.9% of the population is under the age of 15, 61.5% is between 15 and 64, and 6.6% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 97.1% of the population in the uMlalazi Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 1.5% as White, 0.7% as Indian/Asian, and 0.6% as Coloured.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 92.1% of the population speaks isiZulu as their first language, 3.5% speak English, 1.3% speak isiNdebele, and 3.1% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of the uMlalazi Local Municipality are agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, and services. However, mining rights were recenlty granted to an area south of Mtunzini.
The uMlalazi Local Municipality is reliant on the agriculture for its economic well-being. The agricultural sector contributes about 33% of the gross geographic product of the municipality and employs the majority of the workforce.
Agricultural production is dominated by sugarcane and some timber production, with citrus farming also found in the Nkwaleni Valley.
The town of Eshowe also contributes to the economy of the uMlalazi Municipality through the government sector, as 21% of it is mainly within Eshowe town.
Municipal council and management
The uMlalazi municipal council is comprised of 55 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Twenty-eight councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 28 wards, while the remaining 27 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 majority of 30 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – IFP: 30 – ANC: 18 – EFF: 4 – ABC: 1 – DA: 1 – NFP: 1 |
| Controlling party | IFP |
| Executive Mayor | Q.T Xulu (Exco) |
| Deputy Executive Mayor | M.M Ngema (Exco) |
| Speaker | J.K Powell |
| Chief Whip | M Dludla |
| Other Council Members | – M.M Cebekhulu (Exco) – S.D Khubisa (Exco) – C.K Khumalo (Exco) – S.A Makhathini (Exco) – K.S Mathabela (Exco) – W.L Ngema (Exco) – K Ntanzi (Exco) – M.M.M Ntuli (Exco) |
| Municipal Manager | Nhlakanipho N Shandu |
| Chief Financial Officer | Skhumbuzo Mbuyazi |
| Senior Management | – Xolani Blose (Chief Fire Officer) – Priscilla Chetty (Corporate Services) – Sanele Duma (Senior Manager: SCM) – Futhi Mahaye (Senior Manager: Community Services) – S.C Mkhwanazi (Acting Director: Community Services) – Themba Mnguni (Expenditure) – B Mthembu (Acting Director: Engineering Services) – Phindile Ngema (Chief Building Inspector) – Mthokozisi Ngubane (Senior Town Planner) – Khulekani Nxumalo (Senior Manager: Revenue) – K.C Zulu (Acting Director: Planning and Economic Development, Director: Corporate Services) |
| Communications Officers | Luleka Mbonambi (Acting: Communications Manager) |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in the uMlalazi Local Municipality.
- aMatikulu
- Eshowe
- KwaGingindlovu (previously known as Gingindlovu)
- Mbongolwane
- Mtunzini
Contact details
The contact details of the uMlalazi Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | P.O. Box 37, Eshowe, 3815 |
| Physical Address: | Hutchinson Street, (cnr of Hutchinson and Osborne), Eshowe, 3815 |
| Telephone: | 035 473 3474 |
| Fax: | 035 474 4733 |
| Email: | info@umlalazi.gov.za |
| Website: | www.umlalazi.gov.za |
| Eshowe Police: | – 035 473 4211 – 035 474 4911 |
| Eshowe Hospital: | 035 473 4500 |
| Emergency Services: | 035 474 2909 |
