The Umsobomvu Local Municipality is a Category B municipality located in the southeastern region of the Pixley Ka Seme District Municipality in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B3 (small towns) |
| Province: | Northern Cape |
| District: | Pixley Ka Seme |
| Municipal code: | NC072 |
| Seat: | Colesberg |
| Number of wards: | 7 |
| Total area: | 6,813 km² (2,631 square miles) |
| Population: | 29,555 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Mzwandile Simon Toto |
About
The Umsobomvu Local Municipality is geographically located in the southeastern region of the Pixley Ka Seme District Municipality.
The Umsobomvu Local Municipality comprises 7 wards and covers an area of 6,813 km² (2,631 square miles), making it the second-smallest of eight local municipalities in the Pixley Ka Seme District.
The Umsobomvu Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Renosterberg and Emthanjeni Local Municipalities to the west
- Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality in the Chris Hani District Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province to the south
- Walter Sisulu Local Municipality in the Joe Gqabi District Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province to the east
- Kopanong Local Municipality in the Xhariep District Municipality in the Free State Province to the north
The administrative headquarters/seat of the Umsobomvu Local Municipality is in Colesberg, a town located in the Great Karoo on the N1 road from Cape Town to Johannesburg.
Several of South Africa’s top merinos are bred in Colesberg in a sheep-farming area that spreads over 500,000 hectares.
Colesberg is also famous for producing high-quality racehorses and several stud farms, including one owned by Gary Player, a South African legendary golfer.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the Umsobomvu Local Municipality has a population of 29,555 people, compared to 30,883 in 2016 and 28,376 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 0.4%.
According to the 2022 Census, 28.8% of the population is under the age of 15, 64.5% is between 15 and 64, and 6.7% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 62.6% of the population in Umsobomvu Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 30.6% as Coloured, 5.7% as White, and 0.5% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 55.2% of the population speaks isiXhosa as their first language, 38.6% speak Afrikaans, 1.9% speak Sesotho, 1.8% speak English, and 2.5% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of the Umsobomvu Local Municipality are tourism, agriculture, the services industry, and hospitality.
Municipal council and management
The Umsobomvu municipal council is comprised of 13 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Seven councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 7 wards, while the remaining 6 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 a majority of 7 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 7 – URA: 4 – DA: 2 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | Mzwandile Simon Toto |
| Speaker | N.D Stafa |
| Chief Whip | B Mangaliso |
| Other Council Members | – Grant Marlon Hugh Douw – V.P Harmse (Chairperson: Finance Portfolio Committee) – Thembelihle Matebese – Johannes Petrus Matthee (Member: MPAC and Technical Services Portfolio Committee) – Willem Minnie (MPAC Chairperson) – N.S Mlungwana – Abongwe Philgetto Poyo – Luvuyo Tyindyi – S.A Yabo – L Zakhe |
| Municipal Manager | Themsile Msengana |
| Chief Financial Officer | Takalani Daniel Tshihundu |
| Senior Management | – Birtus Kapp (Senior Manager: Corporate Services) – SI Smith (Manager: Mayor’s Office) |
| Communications Officers | S Phololo (Head: Communications) |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in the Umsobomvu Local Municipality.
- Colesberg
- Norvalspont
- Noupoort
Contact details
The contact details of the Umsobomvu Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | Private Bag X6, Colesberg, 9795 |
| Physical Address: | 21A Church Street, Colesberg |
| Telephone: | 051 753 0777 |
| Fax: | 051 753 0574 |
| Website: | www.umsobomvumun.co.za |
