The uMngeni Local Municipality is a Category B municipality within the uMgungundlovu District Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B2 (large town) |
| Province: | KwaZulu-Natal |
| District: | uMgungundlovu |
| Municipal code: | KZN222 |
| Seat: | Howick |
| Number of wards: | 13 |
| Total area: | 1,567 km² (605 square miles) |
| Population: | 105,069 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Christopher Pappas |
About
The uMngeni Local Municipality comprises the former Transitional Local Council areas of Howick and Hilton, the Worlds View area, and a substantial amount of farm land.
The municipality is named after the uMngeni River that runs through the municipal area.
The uMngeni Local Municipality is geographically located in the central region of the uMgungundlovu District Municipality.
The uMngeni Municipality comprises 13 electoral wards and covers an area of 1,520 km² (587 square miles), making it the fourth-largest of seven local municipalities in the uMgungundlovu District.
The uMngeni Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Mpofana Local Municipality to the north
- uMshwathi Local Municipality to the east
- Msunduzi Local Municipality to the south
- Impendle Local Municipality to the south and west
The administrative headquarters/seat of the uMngeni Local Municipality is in Howick, approximately 19.1 Kilometres northwest of Pietermaritzburg, the district economic powerhouse.
The town of Howick, together with its pride, the 94m-high Howick Falls, are situated on the banks of the uMngeni River in the heart of the Natal Midlands.
The uMngeni municipality area comprises a series of spectacular waterfalls which drive the tourism industry. The municipality also seeks to build on this already successful tourism industry by promoting job creation in tourism, a safe and secure environment, and marketing the area as tourism destination.
uMngeni Municipality pursues the creation of an enabling environment for investment opportunities, and the marketing of the municipality to domestic and international investors.
The municipality also comprises a significant percentage of high-potential agricultural land in the Midlands Meander, which provides an opportunity for agricultural sector growth.
The municipality’s forestry industry is being transformed through the establishment of community private partnerships, thereby creating small scale forestry opportunities.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the uMngeni Local Municipality has a population of 105,069 people, compared to 109,867 in 2016, and 93,858 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 1.1%.
According to the 2022 Census, 21.2% of the population is under the age of 15, 66.8% is between 15 and 64, and 12% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 66.7% of the population in the uMngeni Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 22.9% as White, 7.6% as Indian/Asian, and 2.3% as Coloured.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 64.3% of the population speaks isiZulu as their first language, 25.5% speak English, 3.8% speak Sesotho, 2.1% speak Afrikaans, and 4.3% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of the uMngeni Local Municipality are agriculture, manufacturing, wholesale and retail, real estate, and business.
Municipal council and management
The uMngeni municipal council is comprised of 25 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Thirteen councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 13 wards, while the remaining 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 Democratic Alliance (DA) won a majority of 13 seats in the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – DA: 13 – ANC: 10 – EFF: 2 |
| Controlling party | DA |
| Executive Mayor | Christopher Pappas |
| Deputy Executive Mayor | Sandile Mnikathi |
| Speaker | Janis Holmes |
| Chief Whip | T Sikhakhane |
| Other Council Members | Pamela Passmoor (Exco Member and Chairperson: Finance Portfolio Committee, Chairperson: Economic Development, Planning and Human Settlements Portfolio Committee) |
| Municipal Manager | Mzingisi Hloba |
| Chief Financial Officer | Sbongile Hlatshwayo |
| Senior Management | – Hector Sandile Buthelezi (Director: Administrative Support Services) – Sinenhlanhla Dlamini (Director: Economic Development, Planning and Human Settlements) – Ayanda Makhaye (Manager: LED) – Vusi Mboyana (Director: Infrastructure and Public Works) – Xolani Nhlangulela (Acting Director: Community Services and Public Safety) |
| Communications Officers | – Philisiwe Memela (Manager: Mayoral Office) – Thando Mgaga (Communications, Civil Education and Public Participation) |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in the uMngeni Local Municipality.
- Balgowan
- Hilton
- Howick
- Lidgetton
- Lions River
- Merrivale
- Mpophomeni
- Nottingham Road
Contact details
The contact details of the uMngeni Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | P.O. Box 5, Howick, 3290 |
| Physical Address: | Cnr Dicks & Somme Streets, Howick, Kwa-Zulu Natal |
| Telephone: | 033 239 9200 |
| Fax: | 033 330 4183 |
| Email: | helpdesk@umngeni.gov.za |
| Website: | www.umngeni.gov.za |
| Toll Free: | 080 000 0124 |
| Whatsapp Number: | 079 513 6404 |
